# Off the blade dust collection



## Jackfre (Dec 23, 2009)

I have a '48 Unisaw that I've rebuilt over the years and have generally had good results with the DC on it, except for off the top of the blade. As you know, dust gets trapped down in the gullets of the blade and then rolls or spits out at you as the blade exits the table. I know there are overhead methods to capture the dust. My idea, and I'd appreciate your comments, is to run a compressed air line to either one or both sides of the blade and point an air nozzle(s) at some angle to the blade to get the dust to release from the blade below the table. It would then be picked up by the DC. My primary concern would be creating oscillation in the blade. Anything else come to mind?Trials of number of jets, pressure, angle, etc would have to be worked out. Has anyone tried anything like this? If so, how did it work? I won't be able to work on this until almost summertime as I'm just beginning to build the new shop/garage.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

I had this idea a year or two ago and there's a thread somewhere on here about it. The general consciences was that it wouldn't work. I didn't ever get around to trying it though.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

Is your air compressor big enough to handle that. Also unless your cabinet is 100'/. Air tight you will be blowing dust everywhere.


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## tvman44 (Dec 8, 2011)

Interesting idea, I have no idea but I will be following this thread as I need to do something about above table collection that does not get in the way. :thumbsup:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*summer is a long way off*

Any ideas until there is a practical application will be pure speculation. We can wait until you or someone else tries it, but frankly if it were such a good idea, someone would have by now and it would be all over You Tube.
I know that Industrial applications use air pressure for many tasks, cooling cutters, separating work and cutoff pieces, blasting away chips as on a bandsaw.

Either it works or it doesn't, but there are so many overarm collectors, including several I've come up with that are really pretty efficient in conjuction with a blade cover/guard that also make sense from a safety aspect. Those overarm collectors keep your fingers out of the blade and the dust out of your eyes and face and the air.

A fairly large compressor will be required ...unless the amount of air is so small it won't drain the tank immediately. If you test it, start with a minimum air volume, because that will be your limitation unless you have a 80 gallon tank and a 5 HP motor to replace the lost pressure and volume. Compressor noise will be another issue if the compressor is in the same space and the saw..... :thumbdown:

I don't think air pressure will cause any deflection of the blade or oscillations. It may cause a whistle effect which will be way more annoying than anything else, I donno? Try it out if you can, before summer. You may be on to something?


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