Very disappointed in this blast gate.  Like many others, I find it annoying to have to clean out the impacted dust from my plastic blastgate.  This one will never clog because the entire bottom of it is open.  I cannot guess how much air leaks into the system through the slot at the bottom and top of this blast gate but I'm guessing a huge volume.  The closing slide comes nowhere near filling the channel it rides in and so allows much air into the system from outside the system at both bottom and top when the gate is open.  Were this to be actually installed, MUCH suction would be lost. Perhaps I can figure a way to install gaskets but in the meanwhile, I will stick with my plastic blastgate.  In my shop I use PVC drain pipe as ducting.  My table saw is served by a pipe with a blast gate to close when I switch over to bandsaw or router. Those can be easily and quickly connected to a tee connection in the ducts with flexible hose connectors.  When they are not connected, a cap and three inch section of drain pipe fits tightly in the Tee. Perhaps the solution to the blast gate problem would be to buy another plastic one to simply change out when one needs cleaning at an inconvenient time.  My suggestion is that anyone tempted to try this poorly designed aluminum blast gate should look to an alternate solution to his problem.
Very disappointed in this blast gate. Like many others, I find it annoying to have to clean out the impacted dust from my plastic blastgate. This one will never clog because the entire bottom of it is open. I cannot guess how much air leaks into the system through the slot at the bottom and top of this blast gate but I'm guessing a huge volume. The closing slide comes nowhere near filling the channel it rides in and so allows much air into the system from outside the system at both bottom and top when the gate is open. Were this to be actually installed, MUCH suction would be lost. Perhaps I can figure a way to install gaskets but in the meanwhile, I will stick with my plastic blastgate. In my shop I use PVC drain pipe as ducting. My table saw is served by a pipe with a blast gate to close when I switch over to bandsaw or router. Those can be easily and quickly connected to a tee connection in the ducts with flexible hose connectors. When they are not connected, a cap and three inch section of drain pipe fits tightly in the Tee. Perhaps the solution to the blast gate problem would be to buy another plastic one to simply change out when one needs cleaning at an inconvenient time. My suggestion is that anyone tempted to try this poorly designed aluminum blast gate should look to an alternate solution to his problem.