Anybody have any good chopsaw/miter saw dust collection? I have the opportunity to start from scratch for chopsaw dust collection and was looking for some good ideas and/or unique ideas. In the past, I’ve found problems with turning the saw to make 45 degree cuts and still containing the chips.
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Two approaches that work well. The first is a hood made from any material that is wide enough to funnel the dust when the saw is swung through its complete arc. The bottom of the hood is sloped to direct the dust down to the DC port. This approach uses the same concept as a downbeat sanding table. The other approach is a smaller hood that is mounted on a track arrangement so it can be positioned to always be directly behind the blade. The advantage here is that the DC is is actually pulling in the dust as well as using gravity to let the dust fall towards the DC port.
One other approach works in combination with either of the previously mentioned vertically-mounted hoods: these saws generate a significant amount of dust that that is directed downward through the throat plate and under the saw. The saw is mounted on what is essentially a small downdraft table with a separate dust port. Coupled with the hood, you should eliminate the vast majority of the duct.
I have a Makita 10" SCMS that I built a 1/4" plywood box around. The dust collection comes from a 4" port connected to a short run of 4" flexible tubing that, in turn, is connected to a 6" run of ductwork and a 2HP Penn State cyclone. The plywood hood picks up almost all the dust from the Makita.
Be sure to consider bevel angles (both sides if applicable) and your hand grip when cutting the plywood. BTW, I bought a FasTrack setup w/ rails and stops for the saw. Its a real time-saver when cutting mutiples.
If this were my profession (and its not), I'd incorporate an automated dust-gate into the setup.
I've got a auto dust gate on my miter box, its nice but everytime I want to make a 2 second cut, it drags my 2 hp DC on, can't help but think it is a waste of electricity and hard on the DC motor.
My Penn State motor on the cyclone doesn't care if dust gates are open or closed - it just draws. It's wired to 220 V - is yours?
I've got the Ecogate system which opens the blast gate to the machine I'm using, closes all others, and turns on the DC. The DC runs as long as the machine is on. What I don't like is that, at the miter saw, by the time the dust collector comes on, I've already made the cut.
Dave,
Can you give some dimensions and positioning of your "box". Does the 2" dust bag port simply blast into your box? I have the same saw and sounds like you have solved the dust problem.
Bob
Bob:
Yes - I took the dust bag right off.
The box measures 35" wide and features "pre-owned" 1/4 plywood - i.e. it ain't pretty. Front of box is about 3" forward of the Makita's rear base "legs". The front hgt. of box is 22" and the rear is 12" high. The depth is 15".
Basically, I laid out the box to accomodate the full range of saw motion - consider your hand grip too; so you don't brush-burn the back of your knuckles. The 4" port was placed on the box's top where a "typical?" straight cut would throw the dust up. When the 2HP Penn State cyclone is running, (I don't close the Unisaw's port, so 2 are typically open) very little dust flies up; however - wood dust does accumulate on the box floor.
If I could figure out how to attach photos to Knots, I could post here to show you.
daveinnh, I think I'm going to take your approach, which is similar to what I've had in the past, although in the past I didn't build the box big enough to REALLY house the whole rear of the saw. Consequently, on angled cuts, dust wasn't very well collected. I think, though, that I'm also going to connect a small hose from the dust bag port to a Y-pipe on the dust collection piping, and put the blast gate above the Y-connection.
Thanks for everybody's input!
Hi Dave,
Assuming you are running Windows on a PC, not Mac.
If you're running XP, then you may be experiencing problems with the Pop-Up Blocker. Try holding down the Ctrl key before selecting Attach Files at the bottom of your response dialog box. You should get a window that appears/pops up on your screen as follows:
Upload a file for attachment to the message
If you press Browse, be sure to select Files of Type: All Files from the resulting dialog box or you won't see any graphic files.
1. Enter Filename to upload:
2. Now press
3. If you are done attaching file(s), press
Again, hold down the Ctrl key and Click on the Browse.... button.
Another window should pop up (Choose file) to find the file you want to attach to your response. Once you find the file on your PC, click on it, it should appear in the window to the left of the Browse button, then click on the Upload button.
You must wait for a message to appear in the same window "Current List of Attached Documents" before proceeding. You may then attach additional files (not sure how many).
When finished, click on the Done button. I sometimes Preview my message to see that the attachment is there.
Hope this helps,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
Use whatever tool needed to Git 'r Done!
I use the Rigid 10" miter saw. It has a port out the back that would normally attach to a bag that is supplied for the saw. The whole arrangement doesnt work so well, especially considering the 90 degree turn the bag is attached on. I bought an extra shop vac, a nothing fancy $40 jobber. I put that under the table the miter saw sits on and cut a hole behind where the saw sits to run the hose through. It didnt work so well as the tubing wasnt flexible enough to easily move when I angled the saw. I then used some thinner hose I found at H. D. and it works pretty well with the hose hung up to give some slack. I hooked up the shop vac to a power strip and mounted that to the underside of the table. Now when I use the saw I reach under the table, flip on the power on strip, which turns on the vac, then go ahead and make my cut. It works so well I am going to do the same thing with my little portable Ryobi table saw, its outfitted with the same connector on the bottom. I have tried it a couple of times and it does a great job f keping the dust out of the air, and keeping me from getting pelted by particles. I also have a big mother of a 12" table saw that I am trying to make the same arrangement for, but with the open back its a little more difficult. I am renting my house right now, and cant put in an entire dust collection system, but with a couple of shop vacs I am a whole lot better off than no solution at all.
I have a similar setup for my miter saw. I use a tool actvated switch box sold at Sears for the vacuum. You plug this box into power strip ,plug saw(or any other power tool)and vaccum into box.Start power tool and vacuum starts,then remains on for 15 seconds after tool shuts off to clear hose.Handles 15 amps and cost about $20.Best thing since sliced bread,whole wheat of course.
Wes,
I think the oneida people suggest mounting a wide funnel fitting (about 10") below the saw. It pulls the dust downward. I did that and also built a chute behind the saw to catch most of the dust.
Thanks,
Steve
I think I have a good setup. After many modifications, I'd say that it gathers about 95 % of all dust and most of the chips. My miter saw is half way into the wall which gives me more frontal space. The "inside the wall portion" is mainly a dust collection box with enough space to rotate the saw left and right without contacting the wall. The dust box has angled sides to direct the dust towards a centered DC port equipped with a manual homemade dust gate. Also the miter saw's 1 1/4" dust port is connected to my shop vac which is under the miter station. Both the miter saw and shop vac are plugged to a power bar screwed to the side for simultanious on and off of both items . The DC is on remote control to my hip pencil holder.
I built a 1/4" plywood box that will accomodate the full swing of my 12" Dewalt sliding compound mitre saw. On the front I placed 1/4' plywood panels with valcro holding them to the box. They are sized to come as close as possible to the travel of the saw when set for 90 degree cuts. To cut other angles at either right or left I simply move the panels as far as necessary. The 4" port is located at the bottom of the box in the center. The entire arrangement works very well! The box is easily separated from the saw for the occasions that the saw travels with me to one of five grown children's homes for Daddy-do projects.
I have a hitachi 10" sliding miter saw that I have attached to a movable platform. I keep the dust bag on, and in addition I found a plastic dust collection hood call the big gulp and attached it to the back of the sliding rails. It has a 4" dust duct that I hook up to by dust collector. Works pretty good.
Guru
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