Saw Stop PCS Dust Port

[Joe Van Beckum]

I recently purchased a SawStop PCS table saw and with my shop layout, It would be better if the dust connection port came through the right side of the cabinet rather than the rear. I have checked for clearance and it would not interfere with any movement in the cabinet. Is there any reason that I shouldn’t do this? Am I overlooking something?
Thanks for any advice.
Joe-

[Roger Feeley]

First of all, welcome to the Creek! I am constantly amazed by the expertise and life experiences of the folks on this forum.

I don’t see why you couldn’t punch a hole in the side, reroute the hose and seal up the back. But I wouldn’t do it. I don’t know about the overhang on the PCS but my ICS bed overhang leaves plenty of room to come out the back and hang a right.

Would you be better served to build a little junction box to replace the plastic bulkhead fitting in back and hang a hard right?

[Andrew More]

If you're going to do this, and your DC supports it, I would look into running a larger hose. 4" is not as good as 6", but 4" is usually what's installed by manufacturers because most people have at least access to 4".

[Frank Pratt]

The PCS does not have enough overhang on the back for a 90* elbow, but if you have the ICS base, there is enough room. See below.


473608

Running out the right side of the cabinet kinda messes up that space for any possible storage solutions.

[Thomas Wilson]

If you're going to do this, and your DC supports it, I would look into running a larger hose. 4" is not as good as 6", but 4" is usually what's installed by manufacturers because most people have at least access to 4".
The SawStop design is different from most cabinet saws. The dust port connects internally via 4” flex to shroud around the blade. Changing to 6” would be very difficult and really not needed.

[Robert Engel]

You’re not going to have an out feed table?

[ChrisA Edwards]

I use the 4" rear dust port, it elbows to the right side (away from the motor).

I filled the gap between my outfeed table and the saw fence with some storage.

Under the right side table, I usually store my festal CT26, fits perfectly, even though I have a router in the right side of my table.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/SawStop%20Outfeed%20Table/.highres/OT7_zpsq61mqyaw.jpg


https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/SawStop%20Outfeed%20Table/.highres/OT6_zps5g5vhbii.jpg


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rmy_0VohT4

[George Yetka]

I would confirm internal ducting isnt an issue but as far as venting the cabinet the existing port doesnt keep the cabinet completely empty anyway. The DC pulls 80% until there is a certain amount of dust in the cabinet then it will pull everything new. There seems to be a bout a gallon of dust that accumulates and stays in the cabinet forever until vacuumed then about the same amount will re-accumulate.

So I would think if you dont ruin the structural rigidity, can re-hookup the blade shroud flex, can reseal factory port, and dont mind the hit in resale Go for it if you really need the couple of inches it would save you(overhang-90 degree fitting)

[Paul F Franklin]

I also would prefer the port was on the back of the right side, and like the OP have confirmed that there would be no clearance issues. I have the folding outfeed table, which is necessary because the outside entry (bilco door and steps) would be blocked by a permanent outfeed table. I don't use the outside entry every day, but often enough that the convenience of the folding table is great. Even with a 90 right at the rear of the saw, it interferes with the table folding all the way down, and I'm sure collection efficiency would be a little better without the 90. The only thing stopping me from moving the port is inertia and/or laziness. I wouldn't worry one iota about resale value; it would be trivial to move the port back to original location and block the other hole if a buyer wanted it that way.

[Andrew More]

The SawStop design is different from most cabinet saws. The dust port connects internally via 4” flex to shroud around the blade. Changing to 6” would be very difficult and really not needed.

I'm aware, I've got a PCS.

I disagree with the assertion that the design is different, since most of the Grizzly cabinet saws have the same design.

I also disagree that it would be difficult, or not needed. You could get about 90% of the improvement just running 6" flex to the shroud, which opens up around the blade anyway. I'd have to study it to see what would need to be done to the shroud to move to 6", might be challenging, might be relatively easy.

Finally I disagree that 6" is not really needed. 6" moves vastly more air than 4", since it's 2x the opening area. With a 6" in the base of my Grizzly cabinet saw I had no saw dust. The 4" port was not efficient enough to have no dust, with the same DC. I routinely get dust in the SawStop. At one point I was running so many boards it got clogged and nearly filled up. (This could have been partially my fault if I forgot to run it to the table saw during an operation)

[Alan Lightstone]

I've wondered if adding a second 4" to the right side of the cabinet (where dust collects on my ICS) and leaving the 4" attached to the shroud would help significantly. Not sure if the design on the PCS is different there.

[Frank Pratt]

I've wondered if adding a second 4" to the right side of the cabinet (where dust collects on my ICS) and leaving the 4" attached to the shroud would help significantly. Not sure if the design on the PCS is different there.

I added a second 4" port to my PCS. It made no real difference outside the cabinet, but there's less that collects inside at the bottom. Not a huge difference & I'm not sure I'd bother doing it again.