Dust Extraction/Collection Ducting Using European UPVC Soil Pipes

For me who leaves in Europe and especially in a country which is an island been a woodworker is not as easy as to our American fellow woodworkers.
Many accessories and supplies that I need most times are not available in my country, so I need to import them (that most times doubles the price), and those will be US dimensions that very from the Euro dimensions.
So I had to come-up with some ways to compensate for that difference that creates a problem especially when it comes to Dust Extraction/Collection Ducting Systems.

Step 1: Connecting the U.S With European System

Not everyone can afford to make their workshop ducting system with metal ducting, so most European woodworkers (especially hobbyists) use UPVC soil pipes for their shop‘s ducting system.

Like one of them, I faced the same problem connecting my shop machines which all have a 100mm ducting outlet with the European soil pipes which are 110mm.

So here are some tips and tricks on how I connected my ducting system and how I brought the two systems together.

Step 2: Problem 1 / Solved

The first problem I faced as I have said above is the difference in diameters. The European type soil pipe’s fittings come with male or female end connection so again you have another difference in the diameter, but this is what helps me connect the two.

I have found three materials that helped allot to have perfect fitting between the two systems:

The first is a 3mm Ordex non-slip mat which is quite thin but with an enormous grip. I love this product which I also use on my push blocks.

This product gives me a perfect fit between a 100mm OD (outside diameter) outlet to 110mm with 106.3mm ID (inside diameter) soil pipe which is consider as a male connection.

I cut it in 5cm strips and glue it with contact cement adhesive on the 100mm outlet, and the Euro pipe slips exactly right over it.

Step 3: Problem 2 / Solved

The second material I use is a normal anti-slip (5mm) mat that I mostly use to hold the wood when I’m sanding or routing.

This product gives me a very tight fit when used on a female connection 110mm ID to a 100mm outlet. You can also glue it on or just let it loose and use a pipe clamp over it.

Step 4: Problem 3 / Solved

The third material I used especially for cases when I connect a 110mm Euro pipe with a 100mm reducer (not exact 100mm) or a metallic outlet like my planer/jointer is the Heat Shrink Sleeve.

If the metallic outlet has some welding anomalies then I use its full length (100mm) to connect the two fittings - heat shrink and clamped (you need a heat gun for this process), if not, then I can cut it in half (50mm) and have two pieces out of it for connections.

Sometimes is such a tight fit that you don’t even need to heat shrink it, just use two pipe clamps for security.

Duct tape or aluminum tape is a good practice for sealing between the joints when needed to keep everything air tight.

Step 5: Connecting Your Machines to the System

Now in case you want to have a 100mm outlet, coming out from a 110mm soil pipe for connecting i.e. your flexible hose quick connectors, then a European Soil Pipe adapter is one solution... and I use quite a few of those.

Sometimes their fit is a bit loose, but there’s nothing to worry about that few rounds of tape (tape the ID) won’t fix.
Another way of doing this is to buy/order/import a 100mm tube, cut it in 100mm length pieces, use one of the above methods to connect it to the Euro pipe.

Step 6: Crossing the Workshop

When you mast have a floor cross over pipe/hose in your shop i.e. from the dust collector to your table saw, instead of having the risk to step on it and break the pipe or damage the flexible hose, you can build a strong step over to accommodate the pipe/hose and even your power cables.

Step 7: Securing the Ducting System

Finally I use drain pipe metal straps to hold my ducting either on the ceiling, walls or dry walls.

It comes in a roll - you can cut them to length and it’s a very inexpensive solution instead of using suspension rings or wall clamps.


That’s my method/solution for connecting the U.S. with Europe.


Thanks for watching
Stelios Stavrinides AKA Steliart