I over-engineered an automatic dust collection system

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Do you think the amount of time spent on this project (at least 100 hours) justifies the time and effort I will save from not turning on DC every time I use a machine? Leave a comment below!

[@rachelsalsberg5011]

Justifies is a strong word....but the automation is cool, and you got a great video out of it! Incredible work, as always :)

[@FriendlyWire]

Yes, because we got a super fun video out of it ;-) That is some nice edits, Scott!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

@@FriendlyWire Thanks Jens!

[@chelseasalsberg6914]

HAHA Yes i think so. Everyone likes a clean space!

[@42Pursuit]

With the knowledge and experience you gained, how long do you think it would take you to do it again starting from scratch in an identical space?

[@BigPoppaCooks]

Your channel is criminally underrated. Your shop setup, production quality is top tier. Also your combo of electronics and hardware is a marriage of knowledge I also strive for. Thanks Scott!

[@42Pursuit]

That jump cut explanation at the end broke my brain a little bit for how smooth it was. That was magical. Great video and overview of the install 👍

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks! Yeah I just said the whole sentence the exact same way with the exact same wording in every location. Then nudged it frame by frame until it lined up perfectly. I probably spend too much time editing 😅

[@clavicus]

Man I haven't watched any woodworking videos in a while, this is gold. You've got some excellent skills in every department!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much! That really means a lot!

[@anthonyarnold554]

As an engineer and a woodworker I love these videos that combine both worlds!

[@aldomorell7975]

Totally worth it! I made a small, simple current-sensing outlet switch that essentially does the same thing for one outlet. Plug the chord to the outlet box into the wall, one outlet in the box goes to the table saw, the shop vac plugs into the other. Whenever the saw comes on, so does the shop vac. Made 3 for friends, and one for me. Great video, keep them coming!

[@BenStrano]

Great video. At first I was disappointed you didn't go over coding and all that, but when I got the end I felt like the flow of the video was perfect and you're right, you might have lost me there. Well done. Great ending.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for watching Ben! Yeah it's really tough deciding how much electrical and software information I should present to a woodworking audience. This was the first time I intentionally skipped most of everything for the sake of viewer retention, which is why I decided to create a written article that includes all the gritty details for those that are more interested. I've included the complete code there as well.

[@mooresmade]

This was fantastic! As a techie guy who has been woodworking for a year, I’ve been wanting to get more into electronics - thanks for showing all of the super fun ways those worlds can collide

[@FowlersFarmhouseMore]

The editing is so good that I watched this entire video even tho I know I'll never wire up anything like this in my shop. Good work 👍

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much Brad! I knew that a woodworking audience had little patience with electronics, so I made sure to skip it all and keep it fun.

[@wannabefunnyman]

Watching your videos it seems like you are a combination of all my favorite KZbinrs. You’re fun to watch.

[@MarriedManWoodworking]

This may be your most entertaining video yet!!! I find it interesting but I have no plans for this much of an upgrade to my dust collection. It looks like you enjoyed the process. Keep making videos. Thanks

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much RT! I'm glad you enjoyed it. My mission is to keep people entertained while watching, and perhaps inspire once in a while.

[@billymacmakes]

Another terrific video. That ending was funny - I did not see it coming so quickly!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Billy! That's a tactic to keep retention high. People tend to click away when they anticipate that the ending is near.

[@chrisj8431]

7:42 is one of the best-edited sequences I've ever seen on KZbin. Bravo.

[@Woodified]

I like your honest opinion at the end. It is cool to have auto blast gates.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks! After using it for a couple of months it's really awesome. However, I would most likely be pretty happy just having an on/off switch at each machine to control the dust collector and blast gate. The auto mode is awesome but many times I just need the dust collection to stay running for a period of time.

[@hcolyn]

Followed along on Instagram and it was cool to see everything working together in the video. Nice one!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much for following along Heino! My Insta stories definitely go a bit more in-depth.

[@Lincolnstww]

"Wer r yeuuuuuwwwwww" - might be my favorite part.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Tom Delong is very applicable to everyday life

[@jordanbowes5707]

Holy cow that final explanation was top notch. Clear, concise, and great editing

[@KnooBill]

I watched most of your videos and this is the last one in my streak, love your style!

[@JayBergCustoms]

I can't believe this video only has 4,000 partial views. Its amazing!

[@11olive11]

This is so cool! I’m a software engineer by day and a noob woodworker at night. Thanks for the inspiring video. Even though it’s a little overkill, I’d love to do something like this in my shop.

[@thisolesignguy2733]

I just love this channel, I have so much fun watching. It's turned out to be one of my absolute favorites! Thanks a bunch for starting this!

[@alphonse53]

I did a similar project, except I modified a self cleaning metal gate using LVDC over pneumatic control with positive limit switches and lighted alarms so my system can never set me up with failures such as loss of air, electric signals or vacuum flow, or forgetting to empty the bin. I have experienced all the problems mentioned, and any one can cost hours of productivity because the domino effect of one leads to duct clogging that nobody wants to ever deal with. The answer to your question is definitely yes if it prevents downtime caused by system failure(s).

[@danuelfrancisfetizanan1793]

This is my favorite channel. I love the editing

[@FearsomeWarrior]

Zip ties are the very height of elegance. Imagine bringing them back in time to show people. They’d be amazed at the dumb things we use them for. Editing, tinker craftsmanship, and humor in a elegantly wrapped and zip tied package. Love it. I might suggest a video that is simply a montage of machine switches and blast gates opening and closing.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words! Zips ties sure are handy, though I had an electrician tell me to not use them... if I need to change something, I'll have to cut all the ties and use new one to replace them. Conduit would be the most elegant, but I'm not going down that road - unless I have a more permanent and larger shop.

[@FearsomeWarrior]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking Yeah, nail or screw in wire staples but low voltage has a lot of leeway a specially if you’re doing it yourself. No license required to work on some of it even.

[@mrgcav]

One electrical Engineer to another. Nice Job. Very nice job and video.

[@DebtFreeDIY]

"I'll get some sort of wire wrap going on maybe, eventually... Probably not." 🤣 I felt that.

[@MaybeDave]

Love your style, man! (Not to mention the great shop brain share) Looking forward to your future content for sure!

[@briturner11]

honestly more impressed by the editing and transitions at 7:43. fantastic video. loving the content.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Brian! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MmetalbikesS]

This is so cool. Definitely worth it! You'll be proud everytime it works and it's also about the knowledge you gained while building it. Plus you can do this 7:26 everytime you start your tools. The video was hilarious and top entertainment by the way.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for watching! I'm super glad it's done (and over with) and working perfectly. I'll have to choreograph a dance for each tool that's in sync with the timing of the system.

[@kofta3601]

Duuuude. I love your humour/presentation. I also think that this’ll pay off in the long run.(so long as the electronics don’t foul up).you certainly have a talent for more than just woodwork. All the best to you.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@BassadorWoodworking]

That is so cool! Great work! 3:39 is perfection

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Wayne! We've all been there!

[@stevebondy458]

I just stumbled across this video as I was dusting off my own automation project (ESP32 with possible LoRa links between controller and machines). I've tried a few different current sensors with mixed results, so I'm curious about yours. I found your blog post, but there doesn't seem to be a schematic. Do you have one? I was also hoping for some insight into what current transformer you used. And nice job on the video!

[@robertpacheco4244]

Well done. You have just taught me that I could never do this. Thank you!

[@codysmith1915]

Homie your videos are quality af. Keep going dude you got this

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks so much Cody! Cheers!

[@colemine7008]

This was amazing.. so ... today I learned the servos I bought recently are trash. I could completely set up a cool dust collection system for less than those fancy switches they sell. I have several arduinos laying around. But... I don't have all the fancy tubing and blast gates.. so not there yet. This was a great video.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Yeah, one of the ivac systems for my shop would be very expensive, and I don't think it would have the same flexibility as mine, particularly while having two dust collectors. I have future additions in mind for this system, including my dust filter. Thanks for watching and the continued support!

[@joebroke76]

I love you mix of woodworking and electronics. Unfortuanly my brain isn't built for electronics (basically I fried it due to life choices and the military). I'd love to learn to program arduino's and Rasberry Pie's but I've got a house to remodel and sell, then buy two more houses , remodel and move us and my parents in. Maybe you should have a separate channel for your electronics also? I'd love to see that. Anyways, keep up the super work!

[@DavidLee-cw6ci]

I read the article, it's terrific, you want through a hell of a lot of work to get this done. Has it worked as well as you expected and is it still in use?

[@williamreese9112]

A man after my own heart, mixing woodworking with an Arduino and servos. My outfeed table, also my bench, is often littered with electronic parts.

[@FridayWorkshop]

Current sensing dust collection? Cool!!!!

[@JonFordWoodworks]

Great video Scott man! I don't know if it would be worth it, but if I could do it I would. Really awesome idea and execution - you're hilarious too!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words Jon!

[@ArkWorksCNC]

Good job Scott

[@jcotter-r5i]

Freaking brilliant. Your videos are great, man. Keep em coming.

[@RoundTownWithMike]

Hey Scott that was too complicated for me! is there just an actuator the will push out when it has power and poll back when power is off? I have a switch that already turn my vac on with the tools.

[@AndrewBrown-mw7ns]

HI Scott, just found your channel and checked out your videos. Nice work~! I'm a woodworker and a computer geek, so I'm into the ideas/details of integrating electronics into the workshop. I discovered/got into Raspberry Pi's and Arduinos a couple years ago, so I'm looking for opportunities to put them to work. I've been breadboarding circuits for years, so these are great~! I'd be greatly interested in the electronics-side of your ideas, but that's just one guy. Would love to know if you decide to create another channel for that type of content. Thanks~!

[@mooresmade]

+1 to the electronics content - would be great to see more!

[@BrianLough]

Really enjoying you videos, keep up the great work!

[@michaelschwarz5816]

Definitely worth it 👌. I'm a hobbyist and everything what work is worth it. I don't count time. It sometimes for fun or learn something.

[@KRWoodworks]

I'm designing a system similar to this but I'm using pneumatic cylinders, miro switches, electronic relays, and current sensor switches. Yeah, I'll do a video but not soon. I'm rearranging and remodeling my shop right now. A good winter project

[@BlakePizzey]

You are a comedian lol. I was actually thinking I might try this but that ending convinced me otherwise... Plus I think it would take me weeks to hack my way through writing a script.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for watching Blake! I have the code in the link in the description if you want to use it. It ain't perfect but I'm not going to rewrite it either, haha. The code would be _much_ simpler for a single dust collector setup, with none of those fancy double blast gates. I'm still not sure it's worth it, but I've been in the shop the past few days and it's been _super_ awesome.

[@brimhalljohn]

@Scott Walsh - This video was super inspiring! I am well into my own project and have a question. In your write up you mentioned that if a dust collector has an electromagnetic switch, I should insert the relay/contractor in between it and the actual motor. Is that right? Can you help me understand why in laymen’s terms?

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Yeah, that's correct. If you put the relay before the electromagnetic switch, when the relay closes, the electromagnetic switch would still need to be manually started every time the relay closes. This is because when the relay opens (when the relay is told to turn off), the electromagnetic switch loses its voltage. By putting the relay after the electromagnetic switch, the switch can stay closed (on) the whole time and not lose voltage.

[@brimhalljohn]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking you’re awesome! Thank you. Really appreciate the response and I love your videos. My favorite part of this video is your Blink 182 reference, “Where are you?”

[@shoosss]

Loved it, but one question: what servo model did you use? Thinking about doing this a version of this with a similar rotating blast gate myself, trying to figure out what servos are sufficiently powerful to do this with.

[@theglowcloud2215]

This video alleviated my crippling depression and sense of impending doom about life on Earth, ty

[@EttVenterPhoto]

Dude. This is way too cool.

[@partsdave8943]

I like it! So where's the CNC and 3D printer?

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

In my distant future shop that's a bit larger than my current shoe box 😅

[@oman7811]

Your videos are awesome Scott! Im just getting into woodworking and your videos have inspired me and helped me a lot to design my own shop. I was really surprised when you started incorporating Arduino circuits into your projects and i really enjoy seeing the process. I would love to see more videos with electronics involved (i understand most wood workers aren't interested in that) maybe a second channel for the electronics side in the future? :p Thanks for the videos!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for the kind words! I'd love to do more electronics but time is always the issue

[@WoodPRO-Designs]

Great video and I appreciate both your love of woodwork and programming After planning for a few years I just built a 30x50 shop and would like to do this very thing. Any chance you want to make a road trip to San Antonio and walk me through it? lol. On a side note, instead of using zip ties to secure your wire to the pipe, did you consider running it inside the pipe then drill a small hole near the tool and silicone it once you route the wire back out. Of course you'll have to make sure it secured well!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Len! I've never been to Texas but it's definitely on my bucket list 👍. If you are serious in doing this project, a simpler way to go about it is to skip the auto mode with the current sensing, and just do switches on each machine. In the last few months of using the setup, half the time I'm just using the manual 'on' switch to keep the collection going while I figure other stuff out. Yeah my whole shop is actually a semi-temporary location so I don't mind the zip ties, at the moment. When I get a more permanent space I'll be running conduit most likely.

[@miker6492]

Hey, I'm not too far away from you! Do you think a layperson can do this? I'd love to try it but I'm not familiar with Arduino stuff.

[@KeithBurtis]

Dude. This is Tony Stark in a Woodshop. Love it! I've been thinking about how I use an alexa to voice control just about everything in my shop. So far, I have the lights hooked to alexa, haha.

[@aaronalquiza9680]

Oh I didn't know there's an electronics store in that location where you bought better servos, I might check it out.

[@espressomatic]

Some suggestions: If you use hall effect sensors you can check for current on the tool's power cord by orienting the sensor so that it senses one wire more than the other - no need to exra electrical boxes to access only the live wire. If one wants to use a transformer, then don't complicate things and use a ready-made clamping model that can be read by any analog input. Instead of Arduino and one central controller with a ton of wire, ESP32 can be used at each station which gives you WiFi connectivity. Further, to automate the entire thing, ESPHome can be used as it already includes servo support and is dead easy. If you want to be extra thorough, run the whole thing inside Home Assistant and you also get voice control and the ability to tie everything to all sorts of other automated gear.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

nice suggestions, thanks! The ESP thing is something I thought of literally the day after i did this project. Maybe version 2.0 will be this way. And I may try and battery power everything so there's no wires at all.

[@Ghostgum42]

@Espressomatic some good suggestions, do you have any links for setting something like that up, not necessarily dust gates. Looking to build something similar to Scott's cool setup and figured with home automation the way it is there was some simpler solutions (also don't want to do the maths for 240V Australian systems).

[@RoRoWoodworks]

Hi Scott, great design and congraulations for your channel. I recently discovered the inspiration for my automated dust collection system and I found it. A question? Why didn't you use a wireless connection to transmit the various signals? Thank you very much and continue in this direction

[@njs461]

Amazing editing! More impressive than the actual project?

[@hansangb]

I just went with remote power supplies. My arduinos are reserved for button boxes for my flight sim (Digital Combat Series) 😁 But it is INCREDIBLY annoying when you forget to turn on the vacuum and get the POOF of dust bomb on your first cut. LOL. But seriously, well done.

[@GraffWoodshop]

Defined worth it!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Josh! It was a LOT of work but now that it's done, it's really awesome!

[@haxney]

How effective are the MDF blast gates at blocking airflow when closed? I would think they would be leaky.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

I have a whole video of their construction. They use felt gaskets for seals. They are far less leaky than store-bought ones I've had in the past.

[@chadweppler6736]

Yes…….yes it was! Great job

[@jonturn7]

Holy shit the ending made me laugh. Amazing editing in the final moments of that vid, also.

[@Pete_76]

I cannot surpress my jealousy anymore. Why don't I have skills like that?! :-) Great video again, Scott! I think that cutting out the detailed programming bit certainly helps retaining woodworkers to your channel. But have you tried attracting Arduino-audience with a detailed programming video? I don't know where your heart lies most. Stick with what you love most. I love watching your videos. Humor, serious skills, great camerawork. A unique mix. Again I have shared it with as many friends as I can (which is an increasingly dissapointing amount :-)), but still...

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks Pete! You always have the kindest comments! I definitely learned my lesson with the Nixie Clock video, and the metrics don't lie. I don't think I'll ever have another channel about pure electronics/arduino stuff. Those videos are so dry that even I can't watch them. I'll continue to make woodworking/making-centric videos that may branch out in various ways. I also passed your compliment onto my girlfriend who manages that department for me 😀. Thanks for all the shares, no matter how many!

[@Pete_76]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking 😃

[@Hangs4Fun]

"Was it worth it? No... Bye" LMFAO

[@brittany871]

I like it! good work

[@kbwfgg6400]

Maybe the links for the parts that you use, like the servo connection gear thing????????

[@bolerkai]

I am not saying I would do it, though I am tempted, it is very cool. Nice work, I wish you were my neighbor!😂

[@WoodcraftBySuman]

TV magic? Bruh, this is KZbin.

[@justtisha]

this is super awesome.

[@nyguerilla]

a thousand likes. bravo sir.

[@judemcconnell887]

I was unable to get your link for the blast gate download to work. I have an automated dust collection system. I would like to try your gate design.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Can you send me an email? It's on my about page. I'll attach it as a response

[@judemcconnell887]

I could not locate your email address.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

@@judemcconnell887 Click my Channel Page, then click the About tab, then click View Email Address.

[@johnanddiann100]

On the wordpress page, the blast-gate pdf link doesn't work, giving the error "failed to download pdf document". Thanks for all the work you've put into this project!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

if you send me an email (on my channel's about page) I'll send you the sketchup file.

[@bigdogmn73]

Love that last line...I was all like..man I'm going to do that...until the end..NOPE..

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Haha yeah it's a lot of work to make this happen. Without the 'auto' mode, and just having a switch on each machine would cut down a little bit of the total work, I'd be fine with that. Half the time I just use the switch to leave on the DC for a while anyways.

[@bigdogmn73]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking well thank you for making the video..good stuff!!

[@commentsonthetube14]

Fuck the haters, combining electronics and woodworking is awesome.

[@Wheelzroll]

The autotune had me rolling. Legend

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

If it's good enough for Tom Delong, it's good enough for me

[@Sharkey007x]

hahah, the truth of one off automation... I feel for yah. I do the same to myself every time I get into stuff

[@FranksDIY]

Awesome to have but for a small shop it is an overkill I think as in comparison to turning it on with a remote. But if it was in the budget I'd do it just because. Great job. Bi the way I'm in Vaughan we a like neighbours lmao.

[@woodworkingconcepts]

Hello there. Do u have a more detailed instructions along with the list of parts that r needed for this project, aside from the WordPress link that is in the description? Perhaps u have it for sale?

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Hi Gennadiy, I don't have any plans or any plan to make plans either. It's not out of the question, but the project is very complicated. The range of aptitudes for electronics that people who desire to make this system might have could vary greatly, and the problem solving and troubleshooting involved can be very dynamic. I don't want to put myself into a position where I'm constantly answering questions and troubleshooting problems for other people as I simply do not have the time. I intentionally wrote the wordpress article at a level of detail that requires a certain level of understanding of electronics to digest. For example, you need to be able to turn the schematic into a circuit, and you need to understand the different power requirements of your own system as that can vary between people's needs. If you're not sure if you're capable of this project, I would suggest some smaller diy electronic projects to get you started. That being said, if you do have a quick question about my setup, feel free to send me a DM on instagram.

[@woodworkingconcepts]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking thank u for prompt response. I see where u r coming from. And I don't blame u a bit. I truly enjoy good ol' electronic projects, and have been successfully involved in a number of them. Reading schematics, calculations etc. r no big deal to me. Arduino however is different story, I have never played with it, but always wanted to get into it. And Now is the time.. In this day and age nothing is impossible. Thanks again. Cheers!

[@bodhi7945]

I understand that putting a comment plus subbing/bell will help your growth...so I've done those things. All the best. Maybe take it a bit easy on the "screwy screwy" stuff but otherwise seems fine.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for that! I appreciate it! I'll keep your advice in mind

[@theGemmiG]

Love it!!!

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Thanks for watching!

[@robtheknob7791]

They something that you plug tools and the duct collection into and it does the same thing but this was fun to watch and probably less money overall considering all the tools you would have hooked up to it. But idk enjoyed the video nonetheless.

[@NelsonWoodworks]

Awesome! However I’m fairly certain you just created the start of skynet in your shop

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

This is the beginning of the end, but no one is going back in time to stop me.

[@NelsonWoodworks]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking Yet…..

[@rosswells4090]

The ending cracked me up. BYE.

[@StuffInMyStudio]

Next week on Dragon’s Den…. 😄 Genius solution!

[@kenpoist7]

I guess its not the destination but the Journey..."When the lights go down in the city"...oops wrong Journey. Way above my pay grade, yet entertaining.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

Any Way You Want It, my videos will Faithfully be released Anytime, After All These Years..... this is going downhill.... Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'??? lol thanks for watching

[@brianthornton942]

Hey @ScottWalshWoodworking, do you still feel that, "is it worth it? no"

[@shakdidagalimal]

Do some 5 minute tours for 10 bucks- just enough time to turn on and off with the 45 second total dust and gate delays. She can bake some cookies for the observers. Profit !

[@KlaneHarding]

You're like the Jason Schwartzman of dust collection. And arduinos, too I guess.

[@billlichirie14]

😁👍

[@pudgysquid817]

Why not use Arduino wifi and avoid all the wires? Scared of the programming? ;)

[@anthonychavez3742]

😎😮

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

🥴🤓

[@benitom2619]

😂😂

[@nitsuadivad]

"sodder" wow

[@Wordsnwood]

Seriously, Max Headroom? You are too young to remember Max. And get off my lawn you young whippersnapper. It is kind of cool, I admit.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

My knowledge of random and useless information knows no bounds.

[@Wordsnwood]

@@ScottWalshWoodworking Yeah, that about describes me, as far as my wife is concerned. (seriously, how can you quote lines from a science fiction movie you saw 20 years ago....)

[@mitchmccoy9648]

Was it worth it? No. 😆

[@srvfan7]

oh man... I was working on doing this exact same thing. I'd say you stole it, but I didnt make a cool video showing it. You 1, me 0.