Scroll saw dust

[Betsy Yocum]

Any bright ideas on blowing scroll saw dust away from the work area. The air shaft that comes with the Dewalt is to weak. I'm thinking of using a fish tank pump to blow air - seems that would be more powerful - but not really sure of that. I've done the "use a fan to blow across the table" thing - but that just makes me shiver with cold. I've also hooked up a rig to keep my 4" hose from the DC under the table - but then the hose gets in my way. Either way - I'm not happy with my results. The only thing that works well is the apparatus I was born with - and I choose to keep that covered with a dust mask while working!

Any ideas?

[Michael Ballent]

My wife's blower on her DeWalt SS has done a pretty good job of keeping the dust off the line... She keeps it in front of the blade pointed away from her. The Prez on the SS Club has a Y connecter hooked up to the Jet DC650 with one 4" hose on the topside and another right below the table next to the blade. You should be able to see it at http://www.sawdustbill.com HTH :D

[Jamie Buxton]

Blowing the sawdust around seems like the fundamentally wrong approach. As you've noted, you're trying to breathe that same air. I'd try to hook up a vacuum or DC to capture the dust. Rather than trying to rig your 4" duct on to that small sawing area, I'd use a smaller duct -- maybe 1 or 2 inches. Yes, the smaller aperture won't let your DC suck quite as much air, but it should be sufficient for the small amount of sawdust produced by a scroll saw.

[Tony Sade]

WW Supply (http://woodworker.com) sells a little gizmo that works for blowing dust away from small areas. I use one on my bandsaw, but you could easily set it up to use with a jig saw.

I couldn't get a link to work. It's item no. 826-182.

HTH,

[Roger Fitzsimonds]

There is a 2 1/2 in version of the jig that Tony had his picture of. you connect it to a dc or quit shopvac. It is about 18 inches long and articulated so you can adjust it. That might work for you. I have seen it at Wood Craft.

Roger

[Betsy Yocum]

My wife's blower on her DeWalt SS has done a pretty good job of keeping the dust off the line... She keeps it in front of the blade pointed away from her. The Prez on the SS Club has a Y connecter hooked up to the Jet DC650 with one 4" hose on the topside and another right below the table next to the blade. You should be able to see it at http://www.sawdustbill.com (http://www.sawdustbill.com/) HTH :D
Michael - your wife sure has some impressive stuff on that site - wow - my things are not nearly that nice - I aspire to that!:)

Thanks for the help - think I'll try all three ideas to see which I like best.

Thanks again!

[Michael Ballent]

Michael - your wife sure has some impressive stuff on that site - wow - my things are not nearly that nice - I aspire to that!:)

Thanks for the help - think I'll try all three ideas to see which I like best.

Thanks again!
That is not my wife's stuff that is the Prez for the local Scroll Saw club... Want to give credit where credit is due :D But I will pass along your comments to Bill :D

[Carole Valentine]

What speed are you scrolling at? I find that on my Delta, the blower is rather ineffective at low speeds but at medium to high speeds it does a fine job of clearing the dust from the line.

[Betsy Yocum]

What speed are you scrolling at? I find that on my Delta, the blower is rather ineffective at low speeds but at medium to high speeds it does a fine job of clearing the dust from the line.
Carole - I saw at mostly medium speed - but on portraits I slow it down quite a bit and that's where most of my dust problems are.