Blade cover dust collection

[Tom Gattiker]

I have a basket type blade guard on my contratcor TS (shop made). It is about 4"wide by 12" long by 4"high. I'd like to add dust collection, which would come off of a 4" main pipe and run only about 4 feet to get to the guard. The the junction with the main pipe would be only about 5 feet from the DC iteslf. I already have 4" collectoin under the saw, which works well. The 4 foot run from the mainpipe to the guard would be all flex hose. Would a 1" hose to the guard be sufficient? how about 2.5"? If I add 2.5", should I reduce the under-the-saw connection from 4" to 3"?

I use zero clearance inserts. The only time that above-the-table dust is much of a problem is when I am ripping and one side of the blade is exposed (i.e. ripping off 1/8" or less). But it can be quite a nuissance when doing these cuts.

Thanks

[Scott Coffelt]

If you can go 4" to the guard all the way I would. If you chock it down you do not gain much.

Do not reduce the under collection to 3", if anything you should look into increasing to 6".

[Dale Critchlow]

I agree with Scott. I built a blade guard for my 10" cabinet saw using a lexan box about 4.5"x4.5"x14". The flex hose from the dust collector is connected to the top.

I experimented with 3" and 4" flex hose. The 4" was much better at collecting the dust.

I find it best to adjust the air flows to that most of the air goes to the blade guard and a small fraction of the air flow goes to the cabinet of the saw.

Dale Critchlow

[Terry Hatfield]

Tom,

Depending on your collector, Scott and Dale are exactly right. If you have enough power you should change to 6" to the cabinet and 4" to the overhead guard. I have this setup on my saw and it works great.

What collector are you using???

Terry

[Terry Hatfield]

And another view...

[Terry Hatfield]

And one more....

[Jim Becker]

I'd also suggest you stay to at least 3" for the overarm pickup. On the replacement head I made for the UniGuard I had a few years ago, I used a 3" PVC flange with a piece of sheet metal rolled into the opening to make a mount for the hose. It worked out great. (see attached picture) My current Excalibur guard also has a 3" pickup and very little escapes it.

Terry's version of the WOOD guard goes to 4" which will really move the air from your table top!

[Tom Gattiker]

Dale, Do you use a zero clearance insert? Right now, dustmostly seems to go under the saw when I use a ZC, but of course I have not DC on the hood.

[Jim Young]

Yep, there's the proof, Terry doesn't do woodworking. That shop is way too clean.:)

[Jim Becker]

Originally posted by Jim Young
Yep, there's the proof, Terry doesn't do woodworking. That shop is way too clean.:)

Maybe he just has an excellent dust collection system... :D

[Scott Coffelt]

You heard his system can suck the wax off of the top of the saw. I think he is still looking for the cat, here kitty kitty. The idea of proper DC is to remove the stuff, anything less is not a DC.

Good DC adds another advantage, when you cut your thumb off the dog can't get to it and it is sucked intot he DC container for later retrieval.