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Thread: Rikon 10-325 Bandsaw Dust Collection

  1. #1

    Rikon 10-325 Bandsaw Dust Collection

    Not sure if this is best here or in the Workshop forum, but...

    I'm setting up dust collection for my shop, and I'd like the Creek's advice on the bandsaw. Normally I'd do whatever Bill Pentz recommends, but I can't quite figure out his diagram.

    The bandsaw is a Rikon 10-325. Dust collection is a ClearVue, so I have a 6" drop coming down to the BS, where it'll come into a Clearvue splitter that goes from 6" to two 4" connections. One of the 4" lines will go to a collection point right below the table. I'm undecided on where to run the other 4" line. The easiest point would be to the collection port on the bottom of the lower wheel enclosure. However, I'm tempted to run a flex line and attach it to the upper guide. Back when I was just using my old 2hp HF duct collector piped to below the table, I used to get a fair amount of dust on top of the table and on the workpiece. Also, the port on the lower wheel enclosure seems redundant if I have collection under the table.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Warwick, Rhode Island
    Posts
    346
    Rob Cosman did a you tube on changing the dust collection on his bandsaws. He says that the new method captures most of the dust. Might be adaptable to the Rikon.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Michiana
    Posts
    3,046
    I attach my dust hose to the regular port on my Rikon and it works pretty well.
    Sharp solves all manner of problems.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Elmodel, Ga.
    Posts
    798
    I have the same saw and found that the lower cabinet port does a great job at collection. But, it seems to depend on the blade that I use. If I use a more aggressive blade, more dust is captured in the bottom. If I go to a fine tooth blade, I get a large amount of fine dust on the table. I ended up using a wye that split the 4" down to 2 1/2". I mount it to the table with a magnet and angle it close to the blade. It works very well, but I have to take care to watch the smaller parts that I saw. They will try to get sucked up the hose. I may try to cobble a screen to cover it. I believe the issue with the blade is the gullet size. The bigger the gullet, the more the dust is trapped and taken down with the blade.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
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    7,551
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob Luter View Post
    I attach my dust hose to the regular port on my Rikon and it works pretty well.
    Me too although I do get some dust on the saw's base and floor. I think the factory collector and something immediately below the table would do pretty well. Perhaps you wouldn't even need the factory connection dunno.

  6. #6
    I have plenty of capacity on the collector side, so I'm definitely going to collect at two points. Cosman's idea looks pretty good, but it interferes with tilting the table. I'll probably do something like that, but modify it so I can tilt the table. He still has some dust on the table, but it's pretty minimal compared to what would be in the lower cabinet without his setup.
    Maybe I'll just have to experiment and see what captures the most overall dust - a collector under and above the table, or a collector under the table and another on the factory port.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Paul,

    My primary saw is an 18" Rikon. I use a 6" drop from a 5hp ClearVue cyclone, split into three 4" lines.

    I collect dust at three points:

    First is at the built-in port in the corner of the lower cabinet. There is seldom more than a 1/2 teaspoon of dust in the lower cabinet, little on the floor, none on the workpiece, and some on the table only when I'm making "skimming" cuts where the blade is not fully embedded in the wood. (I use this saw to process a lot of green wood in to turning blanks and often trim just a bit off the sides.)

    Second is the built in 4" port just below the table. It's angled upward and is intended to catch dust that comes off the lower guides but it doesn't work too well as designed. I made a modification which really works. The plastic box surrounds the lower guides and forces air to move from left to right and then the suction pulls it down. The angled port pulls almost all of it away. Before I added the box sawdust always sprayed out towards me from below the table.

    dust_shroud_1_IMG_7603.jpg dust_shroud_2e_IMG_7598.jpg

    The third is a 4" "stay put" flex duct that I position on top of the table as needed. This catches most of the dust thrown sideways by "skimming" cuts. I mounted a magnet on the side of the rim. When not in use I put a thin plastic cover over it to make the overall collection 2 ports instead of 3 ports. This picture shows it in the parking position but I don't have the cover on it.

    dust_collection_bandsaw_IMG_7604.jpg

    On your saw is dust getting carried around the blade and spraying down from the upper guide? If so, maybe add a brush or a second brush inside the lower cabinet. I'm not familiar with that saw and what's in it now.

    BTW, I see you are signed up as a "Member". To see photographs in the forum, you might need to become a "Contributor". It costs just $6/year (50 cents a month). Contributor level has other benefits too. If it might be worth it to you click the Donate button above or check here: https://sawmillcreek.org/payments.php

    JKJ

  8. #8
    John, thanks for the recommendation on becoming a contributor. I've been meaning to look into that for a while but keep forgetting to get around to it. Remedied that this afternoon and can see your pics.

    The 14" 10-325 does not have the 4" port under the lower guides that your 18" model does. I've been thinking that for optimal collection, I need to build a similar enclosure to yours and mate the dust collection host directly to that, though I may have to make a cut in the door to fit a 4" pickup in there. Are you able to tilt the table to 45 degrees with that in place?

    I actually haven't used this bandsaw very much - bought it right before we moved 2 years ago, and I've been (slowly) getting dust collection and power set up at the new location. Finally running the ducting from the ClearVue to the tools, hence the questions. My experience with dust on the tabletops was based on my old HF bandsaw that I added a 4" collector at the lower guides and ran it to an HF dust collector.

    Have you ever ran yours with just the hookups above and below the table, and not using the one attached to the cabinet? I'm wondering if the cabinet collection point is unnecessary if I'm collecting right under the table.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Posts
    943
    I have a Rikon 10-325. I use a "Y" connector with a 4" port connected to the machine's 4" below and a 2 1/2" flex connector from the 2 1/2" of the Y connector which collects from under the table right at the saw's throat plate. The Y is connected to my cyclone. The big improvement in dust collection came when I installed the Y and the additional line under the table. That gets most of what doesn't get collected from the Rikon 4" port. For the 2 1/2" port I used a flexible line which I bought from Peachtree. It's made for drill presses really.

    Sometimes, when resawing, more sawdust escapes than on other cuts, but I believe that is to be expected.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Paul Schaefer View Post
    ...Are you able to tilt the table to 45 degrees with that in place?
    ...
    Have you ever ran yours with just the hookups above and below the table, and not using the one attached to the cabinet? I'm wondering if the cabinet collection point is unnecessary if I'm collecting right under the table.
    I've never tilted the table on a bandsaw. Those times I need an angled cut on the bandsaw (or the drill press) I just rig up an angled plywood table.

    I haven't tried running it without the hose to the lower cabinet. It seems to me that even with a pickup under the table the blade is moving so fast that some sawdust would make it to the lower cabinet.

    JKJ

  11. #11
    Okay, those look like pretty good solutions. I'll play around and post what I come up with.

    Jointer dust collection was installed, which was admittedly the easiest of the tools. Next is the lunchbox planer - going to remove the old dust collection hood and fab a new one out of plywood and a 6"x5"x10" HVAC round-to square transition.

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