Replies

1. 
   mfg_king | Dec 20, 2002 09:34pm | #1

   I would be a little cautious about sealing every gap because the motor needs some air to keep it cool.  Also, the less air movement the less dust movement. I mean, if you seal everything then you may create a tight vacuum in the cabinate and the dust collector will work harder but not really pull anything out, like putting your hand over the nozzle of the vacuum hose.

1. 
   ecomma | Dec 20, 2002 10:40pm | #2

   Thanks, and a very good point, I didn't think about keeping the motor cool.  Maybe I should not worry too much about sealing up around the table and cabinet.  Thanks again, Ecomma

1. 
   Vibart2 | Dec 20, 2002 11:51pm | #3

   You can seal between the top & cabinet with styrofoam insulation just leave the openings around the controls open.

2. 
   Seth_Frankel | Dec 21, 2002 05:28pm | #5

   Ecomma,

   Dust collection efficiency will drop dramatically if you seal it too tight. The moving air carries the dust - lots of moving air means more dust collection. The problem is more likely that your dust collector is not moving enough volume of air through the base cabinet. Restricting that volume won't help.

   The balance of volume and pressure is basically the inverse of what most of us think of regarding shopvacs and household vacuums. Good dust collection works best on high volume and low pressure.

   Look at your collector, the size of tubing and the length and nature of their runs to gain efficiency.

   Good luck.

   Seth

   "Nothing is a

   mistake. There is no win

   and there is no fail . . . there is only

   make."

   John Cage

   Edited 12/21/2002 9:29:50 AM ET by Seth Frankel

2. 
   dwyates | Dec 21, 2002 04:52am | #4

   I'm not familiar w/ the Powermatic 66 (but hopefully soon!), but isn't there an opening through the top for ... the sawblade? Would there not be enough air for cooling/circulation coming through that?

1. 
   Woodchuck | Dec 22, 2002 12:12am | #6

   NOTICED YOUR ARTICLE ON NET , DEFINETLY GO FOR THE SERIES 66 SAW I HAVE HAD THEM ALL SERIES 66 IS THE WAY TO FLY . BETTER HURRY UP SINCE POWERMATIC WAS BOUGHT OUT AND  AS OF THIS DATE THE ONLY MACHINE MADE IN GOOD OLD USA IS THE SERIES 66. IF THE JAPS START MAKING IT THEY WILL SCREW IT UP. YEARS AGO POWERMATIC HAD THE CAST IRON TABLES MADE IN TAIWAN  THEY DID IT FOR ONE YEAR ONLY BECAUSE OF WARPAGE THEY GOT SMART AND WENT BACK TO DOING IT THE CORRECT WAY "LIKE WE USED TI DO" THE 66 IS THE MOST ACCURATE SAW I HAVE EVER USED IN MY LIFE, THE ONLY MISTAKE I MADE WAS NOT BUYING IT 30 YEARS AGO. THE MOTOR IS A BALDOR NOT THE JAP CRAP THAT DELTA SELLS WITH THE UNISAW WHICH APPARENTLY DOESN'T LAST LONG AS PER MY LOCAL DELTA DEALER STATES. SO YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR ITCOULD BE THE LAST AMERICAN MACHINE YOU WILL BUY. GOOD LUCK      BOB NOVICKI

1. 
   Seth_Frankel | Dec 22, 2002 03:40am | #7

   Bob,

   Thanks for participating in the forum. I see that this is your first post. Two comments:

   1. Don't use ALL CAPS. It's seen as rude, like screaming, and is lazy.

   2. "JAP" is not at all appropriate as a name for Japanese. This is commonly viewed as a racist slur and is not appropriate in any kind of conversation. "JAP CRAP" is even worse.

   This isn't WWII. Please, clean it up.

   Seth

   "Nothing is a

   mistake. There is no win

   and there is no fail . . . there is only

   make."

   John Cage

2. 
   Telemike | Dec 23, 2002 08:26am | #13

   Let's see - the "jap crap" Isuzu trooper I bought in '87 is with my brother now.  It's getting old, but still drives just fine.  He figured out how to fix the heater blower on the cheap - I didn't bother.

   I bought the trooper about the same time my ski buddy bought his bronco II.  It's gone now, and the explorer that followed is about gone.  I bought the trooper because I couldn't afford the ford!

   My tachoma is a good little truck, but neither sterling nor diamond.  It's about as good as the old K-2500 with the pop top camper on it - made right here in woodland, my baby, my adventure motel.  They're both great.

   By the way, WC, is that your name, or a desrcription of you mouth?

3. 
   TomFerreira | Dec 22, 2002 04:06am | #8

   ecomma,

   I have a PM66 and an Onieda dust collector and have no problem at all. I whole-heartedly agree with Seth that air movement is an important part of dust collection. Seth is probably correct in saying that your collector is inadequate.

   TDF

4. 
   dwyates | Dec 22, 2002 06:06am | #9

   I haven't seen the offerings from across the the big pond, but the Biesemeyer T-Square Blade Guard System seems like it's at least headed the right direction. Haven't used it though.

5. 
   MStehelin | Dec 22, 2002 09:55am | #10

   I spent a lot of effort trying to seal off and make my table  saw more dust friendly. It  didn't work well and I always seemed to have a bunch of dust in my face. I built the overhead dust collector from the tips section in FFW  offered earlier this year. It really makes work a lot nicer. I can't say the overhead collector is perfect. It gets in the way while I'm ripping,  BUT it is a worthwhile addition all the same. I don't bother with the tablesaw  cabinet dust collector any more. I  just scoop it out once in a while.

   Cheers

   Mitt

6. 
   PaulReuter | Dec 22, 2002 09:50pm | #11

   I'm not that familiar with the PM machine, but I recently had the experience of hooking up two different General 350 machines to different collectors.  Perhaps some of my observations can be applied to others.

   1. Neither machine had a DC outlet so both bases had to be cut.  The General has a 'ring' base at floor level approx. 4" high, making it necessary to cut the outlet above that level.  With the outlet that high, the entire base will fill with sawdust up to level with the bottom of the outlet & then mostly stay at that level except for the side of the base away from the outlet which will ramp up much higher.  If you can accept the fact that your saw base will always collect and hold about 10 gal. of sawdust & then not much more, live with it.  If you don't like that idea, then block off the inside of the base at a level mimicking the level sawdust stabalizes.  The top of that subbase is a perfect ledge on which to place a carefully fitted plywood floor.  The floor should be as close to the level of the bottom of the outlet as you can.  You are trying to eliminate that 'pit' that holds sawdust.  Don't try to cut a full floor, the access door in the base is too small to get it in.  You only need to cover 1/3-1/2 of the floor on the outlet side, but you do need a good fit to the sides of the base.  The other side is a carefully fitted ramp at approx. 45 degrees.  Dust that falls on the ramp will slide down closer to the outlet for better pickup & the ramp reduces the inside volumn of the base to promote better airflow.  The larger and higher the ramp can be, the better - with one caveat.  Be sure it does not interfere with the motor or trunions at any position of blade raise-lower or tilt.  Never mind how I know.  My ramp blocks off 2/3 of the access door wich still leaves enough room to reach in for that dropped arbor nut.  Take the time to apply a good gloss finish of paint or varnish to the floor and ramp.  In one of my saws I used some salvage varnished plywoon & it works much better the the unfinished in the other.  If you don't get a good fit around the edges, caulk or stuff foam.

   2.  A round outlet isn't all that effective, even though a hole saw is quicker.  On one saw I used a 2"x11" register boot.  It's an inch above the floor so not quite as effective as I'd like, but an unforseen advantage is that cushion of sawdust will catch a dropped arbor nut instead of it bouncing into an unrerachable point in the ductwork.  HVAC fittings work well  for DC work & are definitly cheaper, but they are not made to resist strain imposed by flex hoses.  If you take a few minutes to add some solder to the weak joints, they'll be much stronger.  It isn't necessary to solder all the way around, just a few tacks will do the job.

   The other saw has a 6x8" boot with the floor flush with the bottom of the outlet which is at the back corner of the base, out of the way of the line-of-fall of a dropped arbor nut.  It has the varnished ply & except for the corner at the front of the base, always looks like it has been freshly vacuumed inside.  Both saws have 5" ducts connected to them.

   These are some things that have worked well for me & can perhaps be adapted to other saws.  If something I've said is as clear as mud, I'll be glad to try to explain.

   Paul

7. 
   CnA50 | Dec 23, 2002 06:32am | #12

   I sealed up my Grizzly 1023S cabinet saw and it helped. However, I made a vertical, 1 1/2" x 8" cutout on my motor enclosure to make sure I had good air flow through the saw. Without this airflow, a dust collector just won't work properly.

   My recently completed overhead guard really makes a lot of difference. Pictures are at http://community.webshots.com/album/47594814LWellh. This is mainly pictures of my home made cyclone seperator, but has a few guard pictures.

8. 
   fredsmart48 | Dec 23, 2002 11:06am | #14

   How big of a dust collection do you have?  How do you display it?

1. 
   wrick2003 | Dec 23, 2002 03:22pm | #15

   some "experts" say that some of the dust we encounter is as old as the roman empire. what hasn't been drawn into oceans and turned to sludge just keeps blowing in the wind.