The quiet cheat
Yesterday's gate stays open and the collector stays off for "one quick pass." Fine dust hangs. Later you are sweeping instead of cutting.
Shop guide
Why manual blast gates fail day to day
Manual gates fail because you are in the middle of a cut. One stays open, the collector stays off, and the shop fills with dust. Auto-open follows the tool.
The routine that dies
The job is the cut, not a walk to the duct.
Close one gate, open the next, start the collector, walk back. That routine dies on the second tool change.
Two open gates split the air
When more than one branch is open, suction spreads out. The tool you are on feels weak and the collector gets blamed.
Manual gates can work in theory. In a real home shop, they get left open because the work is happening now.
What automation changes
The branch for the tool that just started is the one that moves.
You do not have to remember gates mid-cut. The system follows the tool.
- Tool on → the right branch opens
- Collector runs after the path is open
- Unused branches stay closed
Next
Stop the walk without rebuilding the shop.
Keep duct and compatible metal gates. Add Gate Controls, Triggers, and a Collector Control through the Hub.
Shop guide
Why manual blast gates fail day to day
Manual gates fail because you are in the middle of a cut. One stays open, the collector stays off, and the shop fills with dust. Auto-open follows the tool.
The routine that dies
The job is the cut, not a walk to the duct.
Close one gate, open the next, start the collector, walk back. That routine dies on the second tool change.
The quiet cheat
Yesterday's gate stays open and the collector stays off for "one quick pass." Fine dust hangs. Later you are sweeping instead of cutting.
Two open gates split the air
When more than one branch is open, suction spreads out. The tool you are on feels weak and the collector gets blamed.
Manual gates can work in theory. In a real home shop, they get left open because the work is happening now.
What automation changes
The branch for the tool that just started is the one that moves.
You do not have to remember gates mid-cut. The system follows the tool.
- Tool on → the right branch opens
- Collector runs after the path is open
- Unused branches stay closed
Next
Stop the walk without rebuilding the shop.
Keep duct and compatible metal gates. Add Gate Controls, Triggers, and a Collector Control through the Hub.