Table Saw: Most efficient dust wise?

[Tim Allaire]

I have made some head ground on presenting the dust collection "clause" for a hybrid or inexpensive cabinet (the same guy that was interested in the contractor PM 64a). He (my friend) is interested a few including Grizzly and GI for hybrids and cabinets. Just for my own curiosity for the $800-$100 range which Table Saw is most dust efficient? Are their ratings that I am unaware of? (Yes, I am well aware that cabinets are most efficient, but I thought there may be another suggestion-table saws-that could be put into the mix).

Tim

P.S. I have a Jet proshop on back order...did I make the wrong decision as far as dust collection?

[frank shic]

mount an overhead dust collecting blade guard like the excalibur or the sharkguard and your efficiency will greatly improve in conjunction with the saw's dust port on the bottom.

[Tim Allaire]

Thanks, had not really thought about that...great solution...DUH!

[Rod Sheridan]

As Frank mentioned, an over arm guard makes a large difference in dust collection. I have an Excalibur on a General 650 and it works very well.

Regards, Rod.

[Adam Slutsky]

Have you thought about modifying an existing guard to accept a shop vac/dust collector hook up? I'm thinking about doing this myself but was wondering if anyone else had done this.

[scott spencer]

The full enclosures have some advantage, but those with an enclosed cabinet plus a blade shroud tend to have even more advantage. AFAIK, the GI and Grizzly have both of those features. I know the Jet has a blade shroud, and I know it's not a full enclosure, but I can't recall whether or not they've sealed that 2/3 enclosure up.

Regardless, adding an above table setup is the best scenario for DC.

FWIW, TK blades tend to produce less dust than a comparable full kerf...

[Thom Sturgill]

I have the Jet ProShop, and while I love the saw, the dust collection leaves a lot to be desired. The dust port is on a large panel that connects to the case with four screws. They are large and do not require a tool to remove. Inside is a sloped plate that does not fit into the corners tightly causing a fair amount of saw dust to filter out at the legs. I taped mine with some aluminum tape, but haven't used the saw since so I don't know how well that worked.
I only have a HF DC (with new Wynn filter) and again haven't cut anything since I added the filter. Before adding the filter, I got a fair amount of dust thrown in my face and sawdust accumulates on the plate and has to be forced out. I remove the ZC plate and use an air hose while running the DC.

[Tom Hamilton]

The overhead guard w/ vac attached really does work well and keeps the table clear od debris.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=24430&d=1128690299

This shop made one served me well on a Boice Crane saw that did not leave the factory with a guard in 1948. Now I've modified the factory guard on my 2006 Steel City to accept the vac and have excellent results.

Best regards,

Tom

[Matthew Hills]

I'm just getting the JET proshop saw set up. How important is it to really seal up the cabinet? and what air flow pattern is desirable?

As others have mentioned, there are some gaps in the bottom of the cabinet, near the legs. I've got these covered with foil tape. There is quite a bit of other air pathways, including the motor air vent on the side of the saw, the slot for the blade raise/lower at the front of the saw, and large gaps along the underside of the table, which is a ribbed design.

My only other experience has been with a Bosch portable saw, which does have a plastic shroud near the blade. That was fairly effective, even with just a shop vac.

Matt

[Jim O'Dell]

You don't want to close off all the pathways for air into the saw base cavity. Yes, I would close up the ones at the bottom where the sloped panel directs the dust toward the dust collector connedtion because gravity is gravity, and dust will drop out there.
I personally think that there needs to be an air inlet as well as the air outlet. The inlet should be as big as the outlet in square inches, and should direct the air flow past the blade area. You only move the dust by moving air...the more the merrier. Close it all off, and you will lose your ability to collect dust.
I really wish the manufacturers would grasp this in the design of their saws. It would be so easy to do. I have in the back of my mind to do my best to purchase an old cabinet saw instead of a new one. Much easier to talk myself into the modifications I know it will need to collect dust properly! Jim.

ps. The ones with the dust shroud for the blade would be very easy to add an inlet pipe to (by the manufacturer) so that air flows through it collecting and moving the dust. I haven't seen one in person, so don't know how they are built for sure. This would be ideal!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Interestingly enough, I'm in the process of hooking my Ridgid TS3650 up to my Oneida DC. The TS3650 has a dust guard encasing the blade and arbor below the table. In a few hours I will probably be able to let you know how well it works.

[Matthew Hills]

I agree that it would seem most desirable to have air flow really designed in to the saw.

I was a bit puzzled that there are vent ports on the side of the saw. I'm guessing that these are intended as vents for excess heat from the motor, but it seems that placing the vents there would worsen dust collection.

It would be interesting to have a saw with a small fan to force clean air around the motor, and then direct it past the cutting area and towards the dust collection.

The Proshop saw is essentially a sheet metal box with random gaps in the cabinet. My shop vac definitely isn't moving enough air in the cabinet. Guess we'll have another purchase coming up... (for comparison, the bosch w/ blade shroud under the table did let a bit of dust leak, but the vac picked up 85-90% of the below-table dust)

Matt

[Greg Peterson]

I've been trying to figure out a way to seal up my craftsman contractor saw, and have yet to come up with an elegant solution. There was a thread here at one time that addressed DC on a contractor saw but I can't find it now.

Anyway, eventually I will be get a cabinet saw and DC is one of the motivating factors. That and more power and a riving knife.

[Don Eddard]

Interestingly enough, I'm in the process of hooking my Ridgid TS3650 up to my Oneida DC. The TS3650 has a dust guard encasing the blade and arbor below the table. In a few hours I will probably be able to let you know how well it works.
I've read of people putting a plywood bottom in the TS3650 with a DC port, then sealing the back of the cabinet as much as possible with magnetic sign material. The shroud alone apparently doesn't catch it all.

[Jim O'Dell]

I bought a dust collection apparatus for my Ridgid 3612 that was made by Ridgid for that saw. It has a modified cone shape and just snaps in at the bottom of the saw. It has (had!) a port for the Ridgid 2 1/2" shop vac hose to plug on to, and a pop out door on the front. I'm guessing for when you drop the arbor nut. :rolleyes: The 3612 doesn't have anything that surrounds the blade.
I modified mine to accept a 6" piece of PVC, and siliconed it into place. I covered up part of the back of the saw with pieces of sheet ABS I had, and made it where the saw will still tilt the whole range. So there is still a pretty big curved slot for the motor carriage to run through. I think I have a little more inlet than pick up, but I could close off the front tilt slot with magnetic material if I wanted to. It works pretty good. There is a ledge inside above the leg stand that catches and hangs on to some dust and shavings. Thought about cutting some 2X4 material in a wedge shape to get rid of the ledge, but it seems like it would be a lot of hassle to get in place and secured, so I haven't attempted it yet.
I remember the thread Greg is thinking of. I'll see if I can locate it and post back. Jim.

[Vic Damone]

Interestingly enough, I'm in the process of hooking my Ridgid TS3650 up to my Oneida DC. The TS3650 has a dust guard encasing the blade and arbor below the table. In a few hours I will probably be able to let you know how well it works.

Hi Ken, Someone over at the Ridgid site modified the 3650 blade shroud to accept a 4" hose. From memory the results were only marginally better. Another guy built a full enclosure bottom allowing a short piece of 2 1/2" hose from the shroud to just enter the 4" hose port at the bottom of the enclosure. Closing up the rear of the saw still looked problematic.

There are some crafty folks over there.

Vic

[Erech Myers]

I agree that it would seem most desirable to have air flow really designed in to the saw.

I was a bit puzzled that there are vent ports on the side of the saw. I'm guessing that these are intended as vents for excess heat from the motor, but it seems that placing the vents there would worsen dust collection.

It would be interesting to have a saw with a small fan to force clean air around the motor, and then direct it past the cutting area and towards the dust collection.

The Proshop saw is essentially a sheet metal box with random gaps in the cabinet. My shop vac definitely isn't moving enough air in the cabinet. Guess we'll have another purchase coming up... (for comparison, the bosch w/ blade shroud under the table did let a bit of dust leak, but the vac picked up 85-90% of the below-table dust)

Matt

I'm setting my new Jet Proshop too. The side vent is only there because the motor is too big for the case when you tilt the blade to 45 degrees. I was thinking about taping off the top part of it from the inside, but it will be a pain when I need to make 45 cuts. I was actually thinking about making a magnetic cover for it, so it would be easy to uninstall and reinstall.