My 22124 table saw dust collection sucks. I need to do something!

[Josh Goldsmith]

I just bought a new table saw. It is a craftsman 22124. I love the saw. Very, very happy with it but the dust collection sucks. I opened up that red door on the side and found a bunch of dust on the bottom slope but it wasn't going into the dust collection port. I stuck my hand in the dust and felt a strong draft but unless i pushed the dust to the port it wouldn't suck it up. My dust collection is not the best. I have a Delta 1 1/2hp 1200cfm collection. Should i build an overhead dust collection for the table saw, should i sell my right arm and get a bigger cfm dust collector, get a portable dust collector to drag around, or just elimate the dust collection all together and keep cutting some mdf till i can't see 5ft in front of me then pass out;) . Thanks for your opinions. Also if any of you have overhead dust collection please post some pics. Thanks Josh

[Tony Falotico]

Most of us want a dust collection system that "Really Sucks" !! :D :D :D

Seriously, I don't worry about what sits in the bottom of my 22124, just open it up every now and then and clean it out. As long as it doesn't effect the collection ability (which it has not), why worry about it ??

You are correct that an overhead collector is needed to catch the stuff that doesn't get under the table. Check these out for ideas:

http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/overarm_guard.shtml
http://www.geocities.com/hmcnicholl/bladeguard.html
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=16423&highlight=overhead+blade+guard
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=10983
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=15004&highlight=overhead+blade+guard

You'll find some great ideas and discussion, The first gives detailed instructions on how to build.

Good luck....... Tony

[Mike Goetzke]

Josh - I just had my 22124 operational on Friday. I worked on a project over this weekend and have your same impressions. Great saw but poor dust collection.

If you search my name I posted something similar to this. From my responses your impression on DC is where you came from. I had a Ryobi BT3100 bench top saw that had a DC shroud around the blade and I had a DC port on top of the blade guard.

I've also been told that a pile of dust will only acumulate so high then stablize. In my short use of the saw I have found this to be true - I get a big pile of dust in the right front side of the saw.

I have ordered a blade guard w/ dust collection port for the 22124 similar to the one I had on my BT ( http://www.leestyron.com/sharkguard.php )and I bought a ZCTP which should help with dust collection.

Mike

[Charlie Plesums]

...but the dust collection sucks. I opened up that red door on the side and found a bunch of dust on the bottom slope but it wasn't going into the dust collection port. ...
If your problem with dust collection is that you found some in the corners of the saw, ignore it. If your problem is that dust is getting all over the shop, then address the problem.
Your dust collector is minimal but it should be able to capture most of the dust as it is created (even if it doesn't pull it out from obscure corners of the saw)

[scott spencer]

Hi Josh - I'd assume some dust settling in the cabinet is fairly normal with cabinet designs. It occurred in my contractor saw enclosure as well. It builds to a certain point, then tends to plateau. I just clean out the chamber periodically when I lube and clean the trunnions, and don't give it much thought. As previously stated, the DC should pull most of the sawdust from the blade into the cabinet, but an above table DC/guard is the best way to get the bulk of the remnants. I suppose it's possible to make modifications to the chamber if the build up is troubling you.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Josh,
Your problem is a very common complaint. There will always be some dust inside the cabinet, but if your dust collection system is not strong enough, it will eventually block all air flow from the port until you do a major cleaning.

I had this problem several years ago with my cabinet saw hooked up to a 1hp single stage dust collector with 4" duct. I upgraded to a 2hp dust collector, but kept the 4" duct, and it still clogged. It just took a little longer. I eventually upgraded to 6" dia duct (with the 2hp dust collector) and it works without clogging. In short, if the cabinet is filling up with dust to the point where it is almost touching the blade, you need more dust collection power.

An overarm dust collector is a fine addition. It catches a small percentage of the dust, but it is the dust that is the most annoying because it is shooting directly at you while cutting. If you add an overarm dust collector, you must have a 2hp dust collector and 6" dia duct to serve both the overarm hood and the lower port...no question about it in my opinion.

-Jeff

[Mike Goetzke]

Josh,

I just looked in my cabinet tonight after doing quite a bit of sawing and noticed the pile has somewhat stabilized using my HF DC. Although I probably had 2 to 3 inches of dust at the highest point.

I cleaned it out with my shop vac and noticed that the cord that attaches to the motor lays on the bottom of the dust chute. I loosened the cord tie on the chute and was able to wrap the motor cord around the wiring box (tie-wrapped it in place) and still have enough play to rotate the motor 45 deg.. This prevents the cord from laying on the bottom of chute - doesn't let it trap the dust. I'll see if that improves dust removal this weekend.

Mike