The Turbo Chute is a neat concept. Capturing the exhaust air and using it to propel the dust away is genius. I’d love to know the process to design something like this so it fits the housing. That intrigues me. Was an old planer sacrificed? Was pour foam used to create something that could be sculpted to shape to create a male mold…then a female mold made from that?
I killed a few birds with this. This planer was missing its original dust chute anyway and I don’t use a vacuum hose when I use the planer. I’ve seen videos of people shaping using the turbo chute and it seems to do the task well. I’ve also read or heard that the turbo chute propels the dust away from getting sucked into the motor. The stock dust chute definitely ejects the dust right back to where it can get sucked back into the motor.
They are still out there…
My father found another Skil 100 for me yesterday at an auction in an off the beaten path town in NJ. My father is retired and spends a lot of time at auctions and knows what to look for. This one is a Type 2, 5.5 amp. Runs perfect. This is the first 5.5 amp Skil for me. More than likely this one will be sold after I tune it up and try it out.
Being left handed, I don’t exhaust the dust on the intake side of the motor. So, it’s not an issue for me. But, for right handed shapers, the exhaust chute blower is a nice addition.
I’ve removed the woodruff key on my skil by gently tapping it out using a small hammer and small pin punch or flathead screwdriver. If oxidized it helps to spray some lubricant first. I gently tapped the key back in using the same tools. Cheers.
On one of mine I had a miserable time getting the key out. Get some very light weight lube into the slot. Work the cog back and forth. Most of all be patient and don’t bend or force anything.
