Need some dust collection suggestions

[Kyle Tucker]

Hello to you all. I need some of your opinions on what I should do to help increase the dust collection on my Craftsman zip code table saw without going with an overarm system (last resort). I have a Jet 1-1/2HP DC (model DC-1100C) with gates on both inlets. One inlet is dedicated solely to the table saw, and has 4" flex tubing ran about 9' from collector. I have tried sealing up my saw the best I could with allowing open spaces for air to circulate, but a lot of the sawdust and small chips still comes back at me. I put the hose below and behind the blade while running some stock through, and this made a dramatic improvement, but then I cannot at the same time collect the material that falls down into the chute in the saw. Ultimately, would it help significantly in your opinions if I moved up to a 6" hose to the saw (I would have to modify the port, which is o.k.). I am also planning to use 6" PVC and connect that to the dust collector, and branch off that a reducer to 4" for the rest of my tools, hoping that one direct inlet opposed to two into the DC would also increase my CFM's. I also believed I saw on the creek that someone actually ran two 4" lines into their table saw??? I am not usually using my blade guard if that helps, and I use a zero clearance insert. Thanks for any input you may have!!:)

[Robert foster]

Kyle: Look for leaks around your saw. I plugged most of mine with foam tape and pipe insulation foam. It works much better. Leave some open space around the motor to help keep it cool. Especially look at the front where the blade throws the sawdust forward. Plugging that should help a lot.

Good Luck
Bob

[Lance Norris]

Heres a thread I started on improving the DC performance in my cabinet saw. The improvement has been dramatic, and it was easier than running a 6" line to my saw. I now have a completely clean saw inside, and almost no sawdust coming from the cut.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=76571

Keep in mind, if you increase the DC into your saw, you dont want to plug holes, you need everything as open as possible. Your saw needs air coming in, so air can exit with the dust.

[Art Mann]

I have tried sealing up my saw the best I could with allowing open spaces for air to circulate, but a lot of the sawdust and small chips still comes back at me.

I think you are talking about sawdust being thrown up from the back side of the blade above the table. You will never be able to eliminate that source of dust without an overhead dust collector. Using a zero clearance insert will help somewhat.

[Anthony Whitesell]

There is a fine line between too open and too closed. First I would take some saw dust and put in the bottom of the saw and blow it around with an air compressor to find any leaks by where it comes out, then seal any small leaks you find. I would make a variable opening in the back of the saw (must people youe a 2 1/2 or 3 inch blast gate) and make a cut, see how it works, open the gate, and repeat.

To reduce the amount of dust that was coming back I me, I placed a baffle in the bottom of the saw. A piece of 3/4" plywood standing on edge about 1/4" shorter than the lowest point of the blade, placed just in behind the bottom mounted dust port. This seems to help stop the dust and get it sucked in the DC.

[Joe Chritz]

It depends on where the dust is coming from.

I have modified my Ridgid to get nearly 100% of the dust that exits underneath. I still get some coming off the top, especially when a cut is 1 kerf or less. There isn't a way to fix that outside of an overhead guard that I know of.

Joe

[Kyle Tucker]

There is a fine line between too open and too closed. First I would take some saw dust and put in the bottom of the saw and blow it around with an air compressor to find any leaks by where it comes out, then seal any small leaks you find. I would make a variable opening in the back of the saw (must people youe a 2 1/2 or 3 inch blast gate) and make a cut, see how it works, open the gate, and repeat.

To reduce the amount of dust that was coming back I me, I placed a baffle in the bottom of the saw. A piece of 3/4" plywood standing on edge about 1/4" shorter than the lowest point of the blade, placed just in behind the bottom mounted dust port. This seems to help stop the dust and get it sucked in the DC.

Anthony,

Thanks for the suggestion. So are you saying you effectively have 2 DC ports in your saw? Do you have any pictures?

Thanks to all
Kyle