Mike Sandman
08-16-2009, 11:17 AM
A few months ago I switched to a zero clearance insert on my table saw, and dust collection through the bottom chute was no longer very effective. There were a few suggested solutions on the forum, one of which was to get a Shark Guard for above the table dust collection. It arrived recently and it really works.
I have a 1-1/2HP dust collector and ordered the guard with a 4" connection to the hose. Here's a photo of the dust left after cutting 40 linear feet of 3/4" MDF, which usually creates a cloud of fine dust.
The photo is from the back of the saw, and that little bit of dust on the surface is the only dust that escaped the Shark Guard. None on the floor in front of the saw; not enough in the air to smell. Amazing, IMHO.
125490
The saw is a Jet Xacta Deluxe, which has a riving knife (similar to the PM 2000). Jet's design uses a tall knife that has a fitting to attach the guard. If you want to do a cut that doesn't go all the way through, you need to remove both the guard and riving knife and insert a shorter knive. The Shark Guard is mounted on a short knife with flat top, so it doesn't have to be removed to make a partial cut. You just remove the metal mounting bracket that holds the Lexan guard to the knife. (You can see two pin holes in the knife where the metal fitting attaches.)
125492
There's one small disadvantage to that design. When the guard is mounted, you can't fully lower the blade. But the bracket for the guard comes off quickly by turnng the thumb screws, so it's not a big deal, and overall the design is more convenient that the Jet setup because you don't have to take out the insert and swap the short and tall riving knives.
125491
I have a 1-1/2HP dust collector and ordered the guard with a 4" connection to the hose. Here's a photo of the dust left after cutting 40 linear feet of 3/4" MDF, which usually creates a cloud of fine dust.
The photo is from the back of the saw, and that little bit of dust on the surface is the only dust that escaped the Shark Guard. None on the floor in front of the saw; not enough in the air to smell. Amazing, IMHO.
125490
The saw is a Jet Xacta Deluxe, which has a riving knife (similar to the PM 2000). Jet's design uses a tall knife that has a fitting to attach the guard. If you want to do a cut that doesn't go all the way through, you need to remove both the guard and riving knife and insert a shorter knive. The Shark Guard is mounted on a short knife with flat top, so it doesn't have to be removed to make a partial cut. You just remove the metal mounting bracket that holds the Lexan guard to the knife. (You can see two pin holes in the knife where the metal fitting attaches.)
125492
There's one small disadvantage to that design. When the guard is mounted, you can't fully lower the blade. But the bracket for the guard comes off quickly by turnng the thumb screws, so it's not a big deal, and overall the design is more convenient that the Jet setup because you don't have to take out the insert and swap the short and tall riving knives.
125491