Dust collection with dadowiz

[Dewayne Baker]

I really like the dadowiz for making dadoes with the router but dust collection is a problem. I have a dust port on my router but with a guide collar in place and the router resting on the dadowiz it's useless. I need to come up with something that trails the tool to effectively collect the dust that is not too awkward and interfears with operation and router adjustments.

[Jim Becker]

Dewayne, I think you are spot on with your observation that it will have to be something that follows along just behind the router and right down, almost on the workpiece. That's a thick base in your photo.

I'm sharing this photo of the same operation with the Festool setup just to reinforce that the dust extraction has to be "on point" to be effective since that cutter can really fling material. For your setup, see if you can also use some soft foam or something to create a barrier down to the workpiece that keeps the dust and chips from flying so that your following collection on the dado/groove will be even more effective.

[Dewayne Baker]

Thanks for the reply. Thats a nice setup. Makes more sense to have the router down on the workpiece and no guide collar so DC is effective. I routed 14 dadoes yesterday with no DC and my shop is a mess. I have 14 more to go. I'll be attempting to come up with something, likely quick and crude.

Dewayne, I think you are spot on with your observation that it will have to be something that follows along just behind the router and right down, almost on the workpiece. That's a thick base in your photo.

I'm sharing this photo of the same operation with the Festool setup just to reinforce that the dust extraction has to be "on point" to be effective since that cutter can really fling material. For your setup, see if you can also use some soft foam or something to create a barrier down to the workpiece that keeps the dust and chips from flying so that your following collection on the dado/groove will be even more effective.

[Jim Becker]

I do understand what you mean...there are times when I need to use the router for something that just doesn't support using dust collection; either the particular operation or something I'm doing with with my non-Festool routers so I can have multiple routers setup simultaneously. The mess can be "quickly" incredible!

For your current project, if you don't have time to construct something, it is what it is, but a good rainy day project would be to come up with something that will take care of the problem for you for future projects. It will be an interesting exercise, for sure!

[Dewayne Baker]

I decided to spend a little shop time making a jig to get the dust collection problem under control. here's what I came up with after spending a minimal amount of time and using only materials I had on hand. I determined that I would use one of the posts from the edge guide my router came with to easily attach the jig. I used solid maple milled to the proper thickness with a dado and bracket to recieve the mounting post. I sacraficed the wet floor attachment my shop vac came with to create the dust port. The jig could use a little more improvement but is capturing a good majority of the dust.

[Jim Becker]

Excellent! Will you please post photos of this being used with the dado/groove jig, too?

[Dewayne Baker]

Excellent! Will you please post photos of this being used with the dado/groove jig, too?

Well I'm done routing dadoes and have everything put away now but I did take this pic of the router and jig sitting on the dadowiz. I added some duct tape to form a bit of a skirt until I can find or purchase something better.

[Jim Becker]

Exactly what I wanted to see. Try to find some relatively firm, but smooth foam material that you can stick on as your "skirt" or just make a softly rounded wood frame of the exact thickness you need to match the jig height. It will even further stabilize the whole rig for you.

Nice job!

[Julian Tracy]

What would make a great skirt on that dust collection jig would some of the cheap wooden handled chip brushes with the handles cut down to the metal ferrules. You could "line" the radius of the jig with 5-6 brush "ends" and have an effective dust sort that would confirm to the work. Smaller "1, 1 1/2" brushes would cover the radius a bit tighter.

Julian