The walk
Close the old branch. Open the new one. Hit the collector. Get back to the tool. Switch tools and do it again.
GRIT at Home
Automatic blast gates for the home woodshop
You’re not in the shop to babysit blast gates. Tool starts → the right gate opens → suction goes where you are cutting.
Automatic (automated) blast gates are powered blast gates that open the correct duct branch when a tool starts. In a home woodshop, that means you stop walking to manual gates between tool changes. GRIT at Home on gritathome.com is retrofit-first: keep your metal gates and ductwork, then add local Hub control.
Keep metal gates · Keep duct · Local Hub · No subscription
The problem
You either run the gates, or you skip the collector.
The quiet cheat
Or leave a gate open from yesterday and leave the collector off for “just one cut.” Fine dust hangs. Later you’re sweeping instead of cutting.
Either way, the shop loses. Automated blast gates fix the branch problem so the rest of the sequence can work.
How it works
Tool on → gate opens → collector runs.
- 01
Tool starts
A Trigger sees the tool draw power and reports it to the Hub.
- 02
Gate opens
The Hub opens the correct duct branch by commanding a Gate Control.
- 03
Collector runs
The Hub starts the collector through a Collector Control once the path is open.
The Hub sequences it locally. Internet outage should not stop tool-on → gate-open → collector-run.
Retrofit, not replace
Keep the metal gates you already paid for.
Most home shops already have free-sliding metal blast gates on fixed duct. GRIT does not ask you to rip those out.
This is not a sealed kit. GRIT at Home uses modular GH- hardware to automate the branches you care about first, then expand later.
| You have | You add |
|---|---|
| Metal gate bodies + duct | Gate Control (actuator) on each branch you want automated |
| Tools you run every session | Trigger per tool |
| Existing collector | Collector Control matched to how it starts today |
| Shop network (local) | Hub |
Sizes: Gate Controls cover common home-shop metal gates (2.5 to 6"). Confirm slide freedom and size in the builder. The wrong gate size is an expensive return.
Not yet: Still on flex hose with no gates? Finish duct and gates first. GRIT at Home can design and sell a full home-shop duct run, including U.S. Duct products. Ask us.
iVac retrofit path
Already on iVac-style plastic gates?
iVac-style systems usually replace the gate body with their automated gate. If those plastic gates are already in your shop and you want Hub-coordinated control, use the iVac retrofit Gate Control, GH-GC4001. Do not use the standard metal Gate Control.
- Metal gates you’re keeping → standard Gate Controls (size-matched)
- Existing iVac plastic gates → GH-GC4001 iVac retrofit (confirm in System Builder)
Do not mix assumptions. Enter gate type in the builder.
Start small
Automate the gates that make you walk.
Most home shops start with Gate Controls on the two tools they run every session, then add Triggers and Collector Control when they want the full hands-free sequence.
- Gate Controls move the gate on the duct branch
- Triggers identify when a tool is running
- Collector Controls start the collector automatically
- Hub coordinates the sequence on site
Gate Controls are one part of the system. See the full automated dust-collection sequence to see how Triggers, the Hub, and Collector Controls complete the automated dust-collection sequence.
Modular parts, not a sealed pack. Expand when those first branches stop eating your time.
Two-tool parts list + approx pricing: Starter system
Good fit
Good fit when…
- Working dust collector + fixed duct + metal blast gates you’re keeping
- Multiple tools, and you’re tired of the walk (or the cheat)
- You want local control with no subscription for the core sequence
- Optional later: lock selected tools when little hands are around (same Hub; still one shop, not facility access control)
FAQ
Automatic blast gates, answered.
What are automated blast gates?
An automatic blast gate opens the correct duct branch when a tool starts, then closes after the tool stops and the configured off-delay clears the line. Same idea whether people search “automatic” or “automated.”
Can I automate existing blast gates?
Yes. Most retrofit-first setups keep compatible free-sliding metal gate bodies and your existing ductwork, then add Gate Controls and Hub coordination. Already on iVac plastic? That’s GH-GC4001, not a metal Gate Control.
Do I need one automated blast gate per tool?
Typically one Gate Control per branch you want tied to that tool. One Trigger per tool. Map tools → branches in the compatibility check.
Does it need the internet to run?
No. The Hub runs the sequence on site. An outage should not stop tool-on → gate-open → collector-run.
Is this a blast gate kit or a subscription?
No pack SKU required. Modular GH- hardware. No subscription for core automation. See the starter system for a typical two-tool BOM.
DIY Arduino vs GRIT?
DIY can work until an undersized relay or weekend wiring fails mid-project. GRIT is finished Hub sequencing for shops that want the walk gone without becoming an electronics project.
Next
Configure the gates on the tools you actually run.
Enter gate sizes, metal vs iVac, tool nameplates, and how the collector starts. The System Builder applies compatibility rules so you don’t guess.
GRIT at Home
Automatic blast gates for the home woodshop
You’re not in the shop to babysit blast gates. Tool starts → the right gate opens → suction goes where you are cutting.
Automatic (automated) blast gates are powered blast gates that open the correct duct branch when a tool starts. In a home woodshop, that means you stop walking to manual gates between tool changes. GRIT at Home on gritathome.com is retrofit-first: keep your metal gates and ductwork, then add local Hub control.
Keep metal gates · Keep duct · Local Hub · No subscription
The problem
You either run the gates, or you skip the collector.
The walk
Close the old branch. Open the new one. Hit the collector. Get back to the tool. Switch tools and do it again.
The quiet cheat
Or leave a gate open from yesterday and leave the collector off for “just one cut.” Fine dust hangs. Later you’re sweeping instead of cutting.
Either way, the shop loses. Automated blast gates fix the branch problem so the rest of the sequence can work.
How it works
Tool on → gate opens → collector runs.
- 01
Tool starts
A Trigger sees the tool draw power and reports it to the Hub.
- 02
Gate opens
The Hub opens the correct duct branch by commanding a Gate Control.
- 03
Collector runs
The Hub starts the collector through a Collector Control once the path is open.
The Hub sequences it locally. Internet outage should not stop tool-on → gate-open → collector-run.
Retrofit, not replace
Keep the metal gates you already paid for.
Most home shops already have free-sliding metal blast gates on fixed duct. GRIT does not ask you to rip those out.
This is not a sealed kit. GRIT at Home uses modular GH- hardware to automate the branches you care about first, then expand later.
| You have | You add |
|---|---|
| Metal gate bodies + duct | Gate Control (actuator) on each branch you want automated |
| Tools you run every session | Trigger per tool |
| Existing collector | Collector Control matched to how it starts today |
| Shop network (local) | Hub |
Sizes: Gate Controls cover common home-shop metal gates (2.5 to 6"). Confirm slide freedom and size in the builder. The wrong gate size is an expensive return.
Not yet: Still on flex hose with no gates? Finish duct and gates first. GRIT at Home can design and sell a full home-shop duct run, including U.S. Duct products. Ask us.
iVac retrofit path
Already on iVac-style plastic gates?
iVac-style systems usually replace the gate body with their automated gate. If those plastic gates are already in your shop and you want Hub-coordinated control, use the iVac retrofit Gate Control, GH-GC4001. Do not use the standard metal Gate Control.
- Metal gates you’re keeping → standard Gate Controls (size-matched)
- Existing iVac plastic gates → GH-GC4001 iVac retrofit (confirm in System Builder)
Do not mix assumptions. Enter gate type in the builder.
Start small
Automate the gates that make you walk.
Most home shops start with Gate Controls on the two tools they run every session, then add Triggers and Collector Control when they want the full hands-free sequence.
- Gate Controls move the gate on the duct branch
- Triggers identify when a tool is running
- Collector Controls start the collector automatically
- Hub coordinates the sequence on site
Gate Controls are one part of the system. See the full automated dust-collection sequence to see how Triggers, the Hub, and Collector Controls complete the automated dust-collection sequence.
Modular parts, not a sealed pack. Expand when those first branches stop eating your time.
Two-tool parts list + approx pricing: Starter system
Good fit
Good fit when…
- Working dust collector + fixed duct + metal blast gates you’re keeping
- Multiple tools, and you’re tired of the walk (or the cheat)
- You want local control with no subscription for the core sequence
- Optional later: lock selected tools when little hands are around (same Hub; still one shop, not facility access control)
FAQ
Automatic blast gates, answered.
What are automated blast gates?
An automatic blast gate opens the correct duct branch when a tool starts, then closes after the tool stops and the configured off-delay clears the line. Same idea whether people search “automatic” or “automated.”
Can I automate existing blast gates?
Yes. Most retrofit-first setups keep compatible free-sliding metal gate bodies and your existing ductwork, then add Gate Controls and Hub coordination. Already on iVac plastic? That’s GH-GC4001, not a metal Gate Control.
Do I need one automated blast gate per tool?
Typically one Gate Control per branch you want tied to that tool. One Trigger per tool. Map tools → branches in the compatibility check.
Does it need the internet to run?
No. The Hub runs the sequence on site. An outage should not stop tool-on → gate-open → collector-run.
Is this a blast gate kit or a subscription?
No pack SKU required. Modular GH- hardware. No subscription for core automation. See the starter system for a typical two-tool BOM.
DIY Arduino vs GRIT?
DIY can work until an undersized relay or weekend wiring fails mid-project. GRIT is finished Hub sequencing for shops that want the walk gone without becoming an electronics project.
Next
Configure the gates on the tools you actually run.
Enter gate sizes, metal vs iVac, tool nameplates, and how the collector starts. The System Builder applies compatibility rules so you don’t guess.