Articulated Dust Collector Arm
Page 3: Post and Arm Assembly
Ok, now for the build. (When in doubt look at the photos provided because if you're anything like me, I'm sure many of you won't bother much with the actual directions.) ;)
Step 1: Cut the square tubing into three (3) sections measuring 15", 12", and 9" respectively. (You can use all the same lengths or whatever divisions you like but I found that those lengths yielded the most optimum angles for my purposes.)
Step 2: Hammer a 90* bend in the flat iron bar approximately 2" from one end. (Holding the bar in a vise and applying heat from a propane torch in that area before bending will make life much easier.) *Or: cut approx 4" off one end of a 6"x6"x1/4" angle bracket. (See fig. 4 below)
Step 3: Drill a 1/4" hole in each end of each section of tubing approximately 1" from the ends and all the way through the tubing.
Step 4: Drill (2) 1/4" holes approximately 3" apart and 1" from one end of the 1 1/4" pipe. These holes should go all the way through the pipe.
Step 5: Drill (2) 1/4" holes through the flat iron bar (long end) at the same 3" apart as for the pipe in the previous step. (See figure for alignment) and (1) 1/4" hole through the short (bent) end roughly 3/4" from the bend. (This bar will be bolted to the pipe and the hole in the short (bent) end should line up roughly with the center of the opening of the pipe as we'll need this for clearance for a bolt and nut later on)
Step 6: Bolt one end of the 15" Square Tubing to the top of the short (bent) end of the Bar using (1) 1/4-20 x 2" Hex Bolt, (1) 1/4-20 x2" Nut, 2 Flat washers, and one Split Lock Washer.
(fig.4a)
Step 7: Using (2) of the 1/4-20 x 2" hex bolts, 4 Flat washers, and 2 1/4-20 Nuts, attach the Bar to the Pipe.
Step 8: Now attach one end of the 12" Square tubing to the remaining end of the 15" piece using the same type bolt, washers (flat and lock) and nut as you did in step 6. This "middle" piece I attached under the 15" piece.
(fig 4b)
Step 9: Attach one end of the 9" Square Tubing to the remaining end of the 13" piece using the same method as Step 8.
(fig.5)
You now have a 3 jointed articulated arm on a pole. Good work. Get up, stretch, take a sip of coffee and continue on when you're ready. (It's OK, I'll wait.)