Do I really want to do this?

[Tyler Howell]

Do I really want to do this? :confused:
One last check before the metal dust flies.
One of my esteemed SMC colleagues recommended I do this mod to my BS. I hold him and his opinion in the highest reguard but,:eek:
I stumbled on a thread on brand X wood forum bad mouthing it. They didn't have any basis for their complaint, just that it didn't work. Any others have experience with this one before the hole saw goes to work?
This is a Jet 14" BS.

Does any one use tire brushes??
TX.;)

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Tyler, Is that a 14" bandsaw? That looks like where my MM16 has its dust collection port. There's a wood block inside directing dust toward the port. It works great when I remember to open the blast gate! I'd say go for it.

[Jim Harsha]

BTDT. It works reasonably well. Still get a bit of dust buildup on lower gudes. It was worth the effort.

[Pat Salter]

It looks like fun! Especially since you aren't doing it to mine ;)
Seriously, why that location? seems like lower and center would be better to pick up all the dust at the bottom. Does the BS not have any other ports? We have an old Rockwell at work that has a port under the table outside the cabinet we hook a shop vac to. It works pretty good but there is still some dust collects at the bottom around the lower wheel. Is that the purpose of what you are doing? to pick that up?

[Mark Stutz]

Tyler,
I've been debating that same question myself. I have that same saw. I just can't quite bring myself to cut metal, though I have the port and gate ready to go. I've been looking at the modification that Jim Becker made to his, and think I'm going to try that first before I take saw to metal. It doesn't require a hole in the door, and if it doesn't work I can always get the metal blade out. Just my thoughts.
Mark

[Scott Post]

That's how I did my 14" Delta, although I mounted my fitting at the bottom center of the door. It works pretty well - certainly miles ahead of the stock pick up.

However, if I had it to do over again I'd probably try to come up with a 4" port in the same place as the stock hose fitting. There are pictures floating around where people took a sheet metal register boot and mounted it with rare earth magnets. This would put the pickup closer to where the dust is created, getting it just below the table as it exits the cut. Mounting the hood with magnets would make it quick to get out of the way when changing blades. I'd try that first before cutting a hole in the door.

[Steve King]

Tyler,
I got a used band saw that had a 4” port in the bottom right in the lower cover. It worked OK, but with the 2” port below the blade there was dust every where. I got the 5” dust collector from Delta that replaces the 2” port; I think it will work on the Jet. This setup worked well till I started doing veneer cuts. I found that a lot of dust was coming from the top of the lower cover. So I added a 2 ½” port to the left side of the lower cover. With this upgrade I have cured the dust control on the band saw.
Steve
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<img src="http://sekingusa.home.comcast.net/bsdc.jpg">

[Kent Cori]

Tyler,

I made a lower tire brush out of a cut up wall paper smoothing brush (the kind with short, stiff bristles) and it works great. I screwed it to the door of my Griz 0555 BS and it keeps the tire very clean. One $4 bursh is enough for proably a half dozen tire brushes. Just add one sheet metal screw and you're ready to go.

I also use the shop vac for saw dust removal by attaching it to the built-in port. It seems to work quite well.

[Dave Richards]

Tyler, my Jet 16" bandsaw has the DC port immediatly under the lower guides and behind. There's a piece of metal welded in at an angle with slot in it for the blade to clear. The brush for the lower wheel is mounted on that piece. It seems to prevent most of the dust from going down to the bottom of the cabinet. I expect that it creates a little more velocity in the air due to the restrictions. The air is drawn through that slot and the small opening in the top of the lower cabinet.

I was amazed at how effective the DC is on thhis saw. Wish my TS was that good.

[David Rose]

Tyler, I used a kitchen pot scrub brush for a lower wheel brush. The first one, even with nylon bristles, took small strips of material off the factory tires of my Delta 14"! I found a softer one quickly and cut off the handle. I wish there was just a teeny bit more room in there...

David

[John Miliunas]

Tyler, my experience with it and even now with a different BS is, depending on exactly what type of cutting you're doing, you'll never get all of it. Period.

Like yourself, I was very paranoid about cutting into what was, at the time, a pretty new piece of equipment. So much so, that I went ahead and ordered a replacement lower door *before* I even cut into it! (No kidding! I even gave it to the guy who bought the saw from me!) Anyhow, I figured if my mod was a flop, I could simply install the new door and, at worst, be out $25.00. Didn't need to install the new door.

The major improvement I noted was thus: Typically, when I would cut anything a bit thicker (4"+), I would notice a LOT of airborne dust. Also, the riser area and around the switch would get an inordinate amount of sawdust all over it. I believe that much of that was caused by the sawdust being carried by the blade itself, back up through the rear guard area by the riser. Was NOT the case after the mod! Once in place, it took care of the majority of the dust which normally escaped back there, telling me it was pulling it off the blade, right where the modified pickup was installed. I *never* got that type of pickup through the stock port. And, as I mentioned in the original post, that piece of magnetic membrane material on the upper part of the door really helped contain the suction.

As others have mentioned, placement in another area of the door may improve it even more. Don't know. Didn't feel the need for it after the original mod. I gotta' admit, the setup for the Delta, plus the mod which Steve added, looks quite intriguing. :cool:

[Steve King]

Tyler,
I didn't point out that I added wheel brushes to the upper and lower wheels. On the lower wheel I put the brush just above the 2 1/2" dust port.
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<img src="http://sekingusa.home.comcast.net/bslower.jpg">
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<img src="http://sekingusa.home.comcast.net/bsupper.jpg">

[David LaRue]

Tyler,
I didn't point out that I added wheel brushes to the upper and lower wheels. On the lower wheel I put the brush just above the 2 1/2" dust port.
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<img src="http://sekingusa.home.comcast.net/bslower.jpg">
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<img src="http://sekingusa.home.comcast.net/bsupper.jpg">


Steve,

Nice additions to your saw. Where did you get those brsushes?

Dave

[Tyler Howell]

Gentlemen,
The 'Cut-R-Ups' have it. I'm going to go for it.
Great ideas everyone and Steve great Pics.
TX.;)

[Mike Cutler]

Tyler. I put the dust collection port in the lower middle portion of the door on My Jet 14". While it has worked better than the stock collection system, it still didn't collect as much dust as I thought it would. I later saw a picture of a modification Terry Hatfield had done to his 14" saw that looked better. I believe he used a 10"x4" heater register vent mounted right underneath the table to collect the dust. Dominic Greco has a picture of the DC system he put on his Jet 14" in another thread today that looks great, and I will be modifying my BS to his design. I haven't installed tire brushes yet, but will be doing so soon. I've also thought about installing some automotive weather stripping on the lower door. Take a look at Dominic's post, and see if Terry still has pictures of his setup somewhere. They may give you some additional ideas to incorporate. Good luck on your upgrade. Just about anything you do will certainley be better than the DC hookup on your bandsaw as it is now.

[Steve King]

David,
I found the wheel brushes from Iturra Design. They don't have a web site but you can call them and request a catalog. The have just about everything you will need for the Delta and Jet Bandsaws.
1-888-722-7078
Steve

[Daniel Rabinovitz]

Tyler
Remember that you do not have to cut a 4 inch hole through the door. It can be a series of smaller holes in some geometric pattern.
You can vary the size of the holes.
You can drill only enough holes to equal the area of a 2 inch circle and thus increase the velosity of the suction at that point.
My gosh - you can play around with a "whole bunch" of ideas.
Start with "some" holes and then increase the number until you are satisfied that the suction is pulling saw dust from where you thought you ought to have it pulled from.
Ok - Ok enough!

Yes, I also use just a lower wheel brush from Iturra Design.
Daniel :cool: