Temporary SawStop and Jointer dust collection

[mark mcfarlane]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 3HP SawStop PCS and maybe an 8" Grizzly Jointer and Rikon 10-325 bandsaw. First stationary tools in a new shop. I sold all my tools a decade ago.

I have a couple small projects I want to do right away, ...

Can these tools be operated without dust collection, or, for example, will the Jointer gunk up?

Can I use a Festool CT vac as a temporary collector?

I have plans down the road for a proper dust collection system but basically wont have the time to set one up this summer (I'll only be in the new shop for ~2 weeks) and I want some time in the new space to figure out where things go before running duct.

[Matt Day]

I can tell you the jointer will clog up and spew chips upward, basically in your face, without any dust collection. I found this out when occasionally my shop vac would clog up when I used to use it for DC. That would only happen with certain woods and cuts with long stringy chips. And it happens when I forget to turn on the DC now and the chips don't get sucked away. A good shop vac should be able to handle it for the most part as a temporary fix until you get a larger unit.

I don't have any DC on my TS personally, and I hook a shop vac up to my old 14" BS which collects about 1/2 the dust.

[Prashun Patel]

My Rigid jointer does not clog when not using the DC. Also, if they truly are small projects - like only a few boards ripping/jointing at a time, you'll surely be fine, and can sweep out any chips of the jointer chute in between projects if abs necessary.

As for the SS, it'll function fine without DC. If you want to use yr shopvac, then connect it above the table. For rip cuts, it'll plug right into the back of the guard. For cuts with the riving knife, you can clamp the hose to the table top near the front/side of the blade.

[Greg Portland]

I'm about to pull the trigger on a 3HP SawStop PCS and maybe an 8" Grizzly Jointer and Rikon 10-325 bandsaw. First stationary tools in a new shop. I sold all my tools a decade ago.

I have a couple small projects I want to do right away, ...

Can these tools be operated without dust collection, or, for example, will the Jointer gunk up?

Can I use a Festool CT vac as a temporary collector?

I have plans down the road for a proper dust collection system but basically wont have the time to set one up this summer (I'll only be in the new shop for ~2 weeks) and I want some time in the new space to figure out where things go before running duct.The stock hose may clog. The "wide" Festool hose should be OK to collect chips from these units w/o clogging. An alternative idea is to find a cheap 1.5HP DC off of Craigslist & use it for a few weeks. Sell it when you move & get something nice.

Also, you can just use the tools as-is and use the Festool to vac out the tools when you're done cutting. If the projects are small there shouldn't be a lot of dust and chip buildup.

[Victor Robinson]

I have the 3hp SS and frequently use it without a DC as I don't have my DC plumbed yet. Lately I've been connecting my little Fein Turbo to the cabinet's dust collection port (using a 2.5" hose and reducer) since most of my cuts are without the dust-collecting guard. This actually works surprisingly well, and much, much better than the absolute mess you get without any collection at all. So yes, you can use your Festool as a temporary collector.

If you're running a dado stack extensively, going without DC is not a great idea, as you'll easily clog the internal hose inside the cabinet. DAMHIKT

[David Ewing]

I have the 3hp sawstop industrial, jet 6" jointer and the rikon bandsaw. I use the harbor freight 2hp dust collector.

I ran the sawstop for some time with a shop vac. Not perfect but it helped. To assist in clean air I made the poor mans air filter - a furnace air filter taped to a box fan. You would be shocked at how much this thing picks up! Can you use it with neither....yes. To be safe I would recommend an open Window or a dust mask. More a caution than a need...dad's table saw never had any dust collection and I'm ok. I think.

As for my jointer...it will clog the dust collector sometimes as I did not take off the inlet guard. This only happens when I am jointing something soft like pine that makes ling strings for shavings. Without the dust collector the chips normally fall to the floor well. Tip - you ca wax the slide that the chips exit the jointer on to help get them out.

As for the bandsaw I just got it and It makes some dust due to it's nature. But it does not reeve slot of material like a table saw so most of the dust manages to get into the body. You could get away with a shop vac or nothing here also.

Hope that helps.

Dave

[John Coloccia]

The SawStop will certainly work without DC. The jointer and bandsaw are toss ups. My 19" Grizzly doesn't at all work well without dust collection, and neither does the jointer. The bandsaw just tracks dust up and around the upper wheel, and deposits it right on top of what I'm working on. You wouldn't believe the dust cloud I get after a few seconds of work, dust starts getting trapped between the blade and the wheel, etc. Some bandsaws seem so work OK without dust collection. Jointer is a tossup too. I've used plenty of jointers and planers that just shoot dust out the port (or out somewhere) and function fine. My JJP-12, on the other hand, doesn't seem to work without dust collection. Everything clogs up and causes all sorts of problems.

You'll probably just have to try it.

Did you order the upgraded blade guard with your PCS? It's well worth it to have the dust collecting blade guard. The el'cheapo guard is my one gripe with the SS. They should just toss that design in the trash and either redesign it or make the upgraded guard standard.

[mark mcfarlane]

I haven't bought the saw yet, I'll order it next week, but I plan to get the dust blade guard and the 'overhead hose assembly'.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure the upgraded guard is standard on the 3.0 HP PCS series.