Replies

1. 
   royh | Apr 01, 2006 12:44am | #1

   John:  Connect something to your bandsaw to collect the dust. Having re-sawn and still doing some 5-6" walnut, I can tell you it's not pleasant when the dust isn't collected. And, from my very limited experience, that dust is really, really fine and lands on and in everything, including your lungs, nasal passages, etc. One cut and this dummy put on a mask.

   Mine has a dust collector-connection just under the table on the right hand side. Some dust does come out that hole, but the lion's share of the dust accumulates on the stand at the lower left of the bottom wheel.  That's on my machine. A shop vac works (mostly), but you have to listen to that whine instead of any noise that might come from the bandsaw, if and when it's telling you it has "indigestion."

   I'm sure wiser and more experienced folks can offer up better suggestions. Good luck and have fun!

    

2. 
   douglas2cats | Apr 01, 2006 01:15am | #2

   I picked u[ a Minimax MM16 in October and very quickly discovered that there's no way around getting a DC. Resawing veneer generates LOTS of dust on everything. I was coping (sort of) with using a shop vac when I had my Jet 14". There's no way I can put off getting a DC much longer. Did I mention that resawing veneers generates LOTS of dust?

   If you build it he will come.

1. 
   John_D | Apr 01, 2006 01:39am | #3

   Thanks to you and Roy for responding.  I honestly didn't know the BS put out as much dust as the others, somehow I thought it was less of a dust producer.  I'll just bite the bullet and hook it up.  I definitely don't want to breathe it, and I don't want it caking up my gear anyway.

   Thanks guys. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   douglas2cats | Apr 01, 2006 01:50am | #5

   One thing I forgot to mention. I've seen quite a few threads on various WW forums where folks have run a 2nd (or maybe even a 3rd?) port by drilling a hole through the lower cabinet section (and maybe upper too?) and running a smaller diam. hose then Y-ing it into the larger hose to the factory port. There seems to be a lot of info that doing that dramatically increases the DC effectiveness for getting rid of most of the dust. I'm probably going to try that once I get the DC and work out the connections to the MM16.If you build it he will come.

1. 
   John_D | Apr 01, 2006 01:56am | #6

   Thanks for that.  My saw has a port in front near the lower guide, and another port at the bottom on the right, presumably to keep the waste from piling up under the lower wheel.  I'll use a Y so I have only one connection to the DC.

   Thanks to you guys, I'll avoid putting it off, and do the right thing now. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

3. 
   GHR | Apr 01, 2006 01:47am | #4

   I have a 14" saw that I use for sawing 2" stock and for resawing.

   For sawing I seldom use dust collection.

   For resawing over 6" I waste a bit of time hooking up the dust hose and turning on the collector. The wasted time lets me get mentally ready to resaw.

4. 
   jeff100 | Apr 01, 2006 05:47am | #7

   Nobody has mentioned this, so I will.  FWW magazine published an article by Michael Fortune in FWW #173 titled 5 tips for better bandsawing.  I saw this article quoted many times in this forum as the ticket to bandsaw nirvana.  Wouldn't you know it, that was one of two issues missing from my collection, so I ordered a backcopy.  TIP #5 is Add DC to keep your saw running well.  The author goes on to explain dust collection is very important, not having it allows chips and sawdust to get compressed into the lower wheel (band) resulting in blade vibration and blade drift.  He also states if you don't have a brush resting on the lower wheel to keep it brushed off during use (better saws do) to add one.  I have set up my bandsaw following these five tips and my saw works perfectly sawing seasoned oak veneers (using Timber Wolf blades).  Not pretty good.  Not good most of the time.  Perfect.  Measured veneers with machinist calipers shows thickness dead on front to back.  I don't adjust my fence for drift, I don't have to.  I interchange blades, it cuts straight no matter what blade I'm using.  If you haven't read this article, I highly recommend it. 

   While your question was about dust collection, I would add that good machines cut poorly with bad blades, questionable machines can cut well, set up properly with good blades.  It's all about the blade, provided you set up your saw properly.

   Good luck, good sawing.

   Jeff

1. 
   John_D | Apr 01, 2006 09:41am | #8

   Well, as you can see by my previous replies, you guys have convinced me.  I'll be running the DC to the BS before I switch it on the first time.

   I'll try to find that article, or join the secret club so I can read it online here.

   Thanks!My goal is for my work to outlast me.  Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.

1. 
   royh | Apr 01, 2006 01:45pm | #9

   In addition to the aforementioned Fortune article in FWW, there are other previous BS articles from FWW available as PDF files from the FWW Network; just scroll down the main page and you'll find the links. These articles really helped flatten the learning curve for me. Good luck!

2. 
   jeff100 | Apr 01, 2006 07:57pm | #10

   If you find that secret club, let me know.  As I said, I had to $buy$ a back copy to get it.  But...it was worth it....

   You can get back copy's here:

   http://www.taunton.com/store/pages/backissue_fw.asp

   I didn't think of this at the time, but you can get it online from FWWNetwork online as a downloadable PDF file if you pay to join.  I should have done this, two back copies would have paid for a full year of service.

   http://www.taunton.com/ecommerce/offers/fwn_subscribe.aspx 

   Good luck.

   Edited 4/1/2006 1:00 pm ET by jeff100

5. 
   mudman | Apr 01, 2006 10:12pm | #11

   Dust collection is very importaint on the modern BS. Since the wheels are enclosed the sawdust gets between the blade and the tire and stick to the tire untill you manually remove it. I use my dust collector but a shop vac works very well because the volume of dust is low and the higher velocity of a shop vac pulls the fast moving dust out better.

   Mike