Replies

1. 
   supervisor | Mar 25, 2008 05:43am | #1

   I have an older Dewalt and have good collection from the blade guard and a box with a register boot in it. The boot is attached to to the end of a 5 x5 x3 y and the 3 inch part of the y is connected to a 3 to 2 reducer and then a 2 inch hose to the blade guard. I used this same set up with a Craftsman a few years ago. The dust collector that all this is hooked up to is a 5 hp cyclone. I think your problem is that you may be asking a shop vac to do a dust collectors job. Good luck

1. 
   Jfrostjr | Mar 25, 2008 03:31pm | #5

   I agree that this task requires a dust collector. When I hooked up my Oneida Dust Gorilla to this home made hood, it "reached up" 12" 15" to grab stray dust. I don't bother with the blade guard hose - and you can see how clean the area is.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922

   
2. 
   SmithWerks55 | Mar 25, 2008 05:59am | #2

   I have an older 10" Craftsman RAS as well and struggled with dust pickup for years.  I could never get enough suction from my shop vac no matter what I tried.  I now have it connected to a 2hp cyclone (as well as the rest of my shop tools) and the problem is solved.  Onieda supplied a metal box that I mounted behind the blade and connected via a 4" hose.  It sucks up 98% of the dust.  

3. 
   OB | Mar 25, 2008 06:02am | #3

   Don't ask a shop vac to do a dust collector's job.

   Good, better, best never let it rest until your good is better & your better best.
4. 
   MikeHennessy | Mar 25, 2008 02:19pm | #4

   Dust collection on a RAS will never be perfect, but here are a few things you can do to help:

   1) Get a dust collector. A shop vac just doesn't move enough air for this job.

   2) Build a dust shroud behind the saw and hook it up to the DC. This includes filling in the table area behind the fence and around the post. It won't get everything, but it will get most of the fine airborne stuff. Mine is a box about 4" deep, open behind the saw. It tapers down as it heads to the floor, where the DC connector resides. See pic:

   View Image

   3) You can hook a hose up to the blade guard outlet, but I find it works just as well to add an elbow to direct the dust back into your shroud. See pic:

   View Image

   Mike Hennessy
   Pittsburgh, PA

   
5. 
   KiddervilleAcres | Mar 25, 2008 03:49pm | #6

   air,

   Along with all you've gotten from your post see this: http://blogs.taunton.com/n/blogs/blog.aspx?nav=main&entry=8&webtag=woodworkinglife

   I built a winged capture shroud connected to the DC and also adapted my blade guard as did Mike H., i.e. I borrowed his setup :>).  It gets almost all the dust.

   Next step is to get the CMS under control.  It'll utilize the same station as the RAS.  What messes up the CMS is the post on the RAS but a wedge of thin plywood should solve that issue.

   If ya can't get to the blog let me know and I'll post a pic for ya.

   Regards,

   Bob @ Kidderville Acres

   A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!

6. 
   Scag_man | Mar 25, 2008 06:00pm | #7

   I'm getting nearly 100% dust collection on my Radial Arm Saw.   I just built a box behind it and have the dust port on the worksurface inside the box (see picture).  The box sides and top extend as far out as possible, and in the back of the box, I've inserted a piece of formica so the dust has a friction-free surface to hit and fall. 

   That little port in the front of the saw blade hood is almost useless, so I don't even try to hook up a hose to it anymore.  I keep the hood horizontal and nearly all the dust shoots out the back in to my suction box.  On the rare occasion where some dust does shoot out the front, I cover that port (a condom or fingercot works well) and this forces the dust out the back, down the hole.

   However, I agree with the others, a dust collector works better than a shop vac.  My system uses a 1 HP dust collector.

   
7. 
   Moksha | Mar 25, 2008 10:19pm | #8

   We seem to have the same saw... attached are photos of
   my solution. A lever on top of the dust hood opens and closes
   the blast gate.

   
8. 
   airbalance | Mar 25, 2008 11:38pm | #9

   Thanks guys for all the in put. I can make this happen!!