Vaccum Flex Hose Through Bulkhead Coupler/Adapter (2.5" Hose, 2.125" Through Hole)

thingiverse

I had to design a cart for my Ridgid shop-vac and Rockler Dust Right Dust Separator that would minimize vacuum noise. I opted for an over-under setup where the vacuum is hidden at the bottom and the separator remains accessible for easy dust removal. A simple 18"x18" cabinet design with interior dimensions for floor and shelf was used, constructed from 3/4" plywood (.70"). This led to the creation of the parts you see here. The "Nut" and "Through-Hole" Pieces are intended to pass through 3/4" ply and serve as a coupler for 2.5" flex hose. The largest Forstner bit I had in my Harbor Freight kit was 2-1/8", so that's the outer diameter of the through-hole piece. Both pieces have threads for holding the hose. Since I already needed to purchase another 2.5" Flex Collapsible Hose, I also acquired some 2.5" Thumb Screw Hose Clamps. The threaded end size turned out to be a bit conservative, making these clamps very useful to have. I included an exhaust port screen (2.125" hole) to allow the vacuum to expel air from the cart. Electrical tape was used to build up the outside for a snug fit, which wasn't worth adjusting and reprinting. In the near future, I plan to use rubber window stripping between the door and box to further seal in the sound, resulting in surprisingly much quieter operation, even with the exhaust hole.