A search of the archives failed to pull up anything on this (though I certainly could have missed it).
I have a Jet cabinet saw and the dust collection using the port at the base of the machine is marginal at best. The last time I cleaned out the cabinet I filled half a 30 gal garbage bag! I’ve used the Red Green solution on all the small holes and openings but there is still the matter of the gapping hole in front where the blade height adjustment exits the saw.
I plan on constructing an over the blade collector similar to that published by Wood in one of their idea shops some years ago. That should help a lot. But….
What are some of the solutions you have used to minimize the collection efficiency lost through that gapping hole up front?
Regard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral.
Frank Lloyd Wright
Replies
Hello Rennie , Do you have room under the saw to put in some dust deflectors. My old 50s Craftsman has a blade housing . Its shaped sort of like a funnel. I just duct taped a hose to that. You should be able to build a similar housing onto your saw.The other big opening is at the top around your blade, if you don't use a zero clearance insert.
If you are using a four inch duct to the saw, it won't be capable of moving enough air to keep the saw clean. Plugging all the holes and having dust collection on the blade guard will only help slightly. Move up to a 6" or 8" duct with the air to match and you will see a big difference.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Hammer,
I'm currently running 5" up to about 1' from the saw and reducing to 4" to match the port. I'll look at the possibility of changing this, but in my situation it would not be easy.
ThanksRegard it as just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral. Frank Lloyd Wright
Go to the 5". You can cut the cabinet with a jigsaw and a metal cutting blade. Buy and install a dust port fromhttp://www.oneida-air.com/products/ductwork/anglerings.htmorhttp://www.lindab.com/USA/web_LINDAB/sw_catalog.htmThis all assumes you have a powerful enough DC system.Sealing up the saw will only lower the velocity of the air in the tubes.Todd
I just stuff a piece of foam rubber in the slot until an angled cut is desired (not all that often) to keep the chips from coming through the slot.
But also remember that when you seal off the entire cabinet, there will be no air to flow into the collector duct. Leave some openings along the underside of the top approximately equal to the duct size.
You need air inlet area about equal to that of a 4-inch duct in order to pick up the dust. If air can't come in, your DC certainly can't take it out. Maybe you sealed too much inlet area. As AB suggests, deflectors or guides are what you need to get the dust to the port.
Cadiddlehopper
I closed up the blade height adjustment slot with a pair of "lips". My kids had a rubber inflatable ball that developed a leak. I sliced two curved pieces out of it. I duct taped them above and below the axle. They didn't make anywhere near a good seal, but they closed up the gap enough that the dust collection was much improved, and the axle rides between the lips when tilting the blade. As for leaving enough gaps to feed air, there were plenty of gaps under the top where it met the base. I suspect rubber carpet pad would work well. If you don't like the look of duct tape on the outside of the saw, you could attach the rubber on the inside by screwing through the outside; back the rubber with something for the screw to bite into.
It would be nice if saws came with a collection connection that mounted to the arbor,tilted with the blade and leaves room for dado sets.
I have an old powermatic contractor saw that has a little dust shroud that moves with the arbor and leaves plenty of space for a dado head. My only complaint with it is that it runs off of a 2.5 inch hose. I wish it ran off a four inch. But it does a pretty good job of collecting the dust and chips from a dado. Perhaps you can find one on the web some where or from some supplier. But they do make them.
I put a 4" port on the back of my ~ 10 YO unisaw, and closed up the original slot that was on the table-side of the saw. It does fine. There are small piles left within the saw, but basically it all goes out. I've considered drilling holes in the throat plate to help pull in more of the flying dust.
I have a 4 inch adapter on a plate in the slot on mine. I still get some small piles even with a lot of holes in the insert. I've considered steepening the ramp inside but time has been tight and the amount left in the cabinet is small and has posed no problem. I think the piles are formed by vortices in the air flow. Maybe a baffle or airfoil would keep things moving. The holes in the insert do help a lot in catching more of the flying dust.
Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb
You will always get some dust, but if you cut open the saw to accomodate, as was written, a 5" port, reduce to a minimum the flex, add a hose to the guard, where most of the dust comes out when ripping, and make sure the collector can pull 1200 CFM --less and you better be closer than 5 feet. FWIW, I have a 2 HP cylclone, rigid 6" duct with few elbows most of the way, and a shroud built into the saw, as well as collection at the guard. Some dust accumulates in the cabinet still. Much less though.
As I said I really get very little accumalating inside. 3hp cyclone 4 " duct. I think if I added the area of all the openings in the saw it probably already exceeds 5". I do have a guard with dust pickup and between it and the perforated insert it does get a lot of the fine airborne stuff but some of the high speed chips coming off the blade still manage to escape. Since the little piles inside are always the same sculpted shape and always the same size and in the same place I think its the flow pattern rather than a lack of total flow. I do wish my overarm guard had a 4 inch orfice.
Since the house is on fire let us warm ourselves. ~Italian Proverb
I believe if the floor in the cabinet saw was funnel shaped and the intake was in the bottom located right under the blade line that this would be more effective. I like most others have to periodically clean the cabinet out.Ron
The Sheppach 2500CI does have a conection like that
"It would be nice if saws came with a collection connection that mounted to the arbor,tilted with the blade and leaves room for dado sets."My Ryobi BT-3100 has that. It works quite well. You can probably find one at your local Home Despot for $250 on closeout.Interesting that a <$300 saw has far more advanced features than typical $1500-2500 cabinet saws.
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