Dust collection on Bench Dog RT stinks!!

[Jason White]

I've got the Bench Dog "Pro Max" on my tablesaw and although I think it's a decent router table (doesn't quite live up to all of the "cast iron" hype, but whatever......), the dust collection below is horrible to non-existent.

I'm thinking about taking it off the saw and maybe installing it onto a base -- or even selling it and making something myself with a box underneath for dust collection.

Any thoughts?

Jason

[Chris Tsutsui]

I think that the best dust collection on a router table, you need both the top and bottom.

If I have just the top, then dust will gather under. Same goes with bottom... If I just have bottom collection then dust gets thrown on top of the table.

So IMO, the best solution requires using a Y-adapter on the dust collector that gives dust collection both above and below the table near the bit.

[Tom Veatch]

All I know about the unit is from looking at it on their web site and it's quite possible I'm not seeing everything about it. But from what I see, if you've got it installed as an extension wing on the tablesaw, I won't contest your statement that the dust collection is less than admirable. You need some sort of enclosure around the router motor to corral the dust and direct air flow to pick up and transport it to the dust bags/bin/filters/dump/etc. I don't see any DC provisions on the fence, so even with below the table dust collection through openings in the insert around the bit, you're still going to wind up with significant above table dust accumulation with anything other than buried (plough/dado/etc.) cuts.

If you've got the floor space, IMO, you'll be happier from a DC viewpoint with the unit installed as a standalone, enclosed router table. Even then, you've got the "above table" DC challenge.

[glenn bradley]

I'm a little confused as there is NO dust collection on that extension wing so it is probably pretty bad. As Chris said, gathering at the fence and the base is important. I tried hanging a box from my extension wing which worked better. The downside was I realized I was givin up the footprint in shop space and only getting a dust box for my investment. I finally just built a cabinet under it and attached it to the tablesaw.

Threaded inserts allow me to bolt on; this is built in on your top.

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The recessed back of the RT allows my hose to stay out of the way and lets me store push blocks for use while standing at the TS. The RT, TS and the TS accessory storage/fence rail support "pillar" all have adjustable feet. Once adjusted, it pretty much just sits right there.

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The overall real estate gain for both tools would be very hard to give up now that I'm used to it.

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[Mark Carlson]

You need to enclose your router with something like this. http://www.woodpeck.com/downdraft.html. I use this with a PRL mounted in a steel quality grinding extension and the dust collection is excellent. I also use an incra fence that has dust collection.

~mark

[Bruce Page]

Does anyone make an “out of the box” lift with dust collection? If they do, I haven’t seen it. They are all mess makers unless you do something to mitigate the problem.

[Bruce Page]

You need to enclose your router with something like this. http://www.woodpeck.com/downdraft.html. I use this with a PRL mounted in a steel quality grinding extension and the dust collection is excellent. I also use an incra fence that has dust collection.

~mark

Mark, that's pretty slick but I wonder if it will work on a TS extension setup like the Bench Dog.

[Bob Aquino]

I have this extension table with a home made fence installed. I get pretty good dust collection from on top with a 2.5 inch port going into a 4 inch hose/line. I probably get 70 or more percent of the dust generated, but some does hit the floor. The only way to get that would be to box the router in the bottom and either vaccuum it out or put another port on that as well. I also used their Pro-contractor style table and I would get a good accumulation of dust inside the cabinet and would periodically have to clean it out as well.

I'm not really sure what your expectations are for dust collection. I have never found it to be even close to 100% on any tool I have with a resonably good airflow (2hp DC with Cannister). All my tools are now "Vintage" and DC was never a priority back then, maybe that is one area the newer designs have going for them.

[Chip Lindley]

(In My Experience) The DC is all in the FENCE! Since the router's internal cooling fan pushes air out the bottom toward the bit, very few chips will be sucked below the table unless your table's hole is quite large. Sized inserts DO make a difference! A fence with a 2.5" connection should pick up 95% of all dust and chips generated....IF....the work is done right at the fence. (You will come closer to the 95% with a dedicated shop vac, than by connecting your RT to a DC system IMO!) Doing curved work away from the fence negates this claim! In that case, some sort of shroud could have to capture shavings and direct them toward the DC.

[travis howe]

Have any of you checked out the new jessem Rout-r-table? I've got the entire setup...has top and bottom collectors, works very well. I suspect that one will always have some lateral dust that won't be caught but this seems to come rather close.

r/t