# Dust control on open table saw



## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

Hey all, 

For Christmas my wife's family got my a craftex dust collector and I am stoked to get some order into my shop with it. My first project will be connecting to the table saw which is an open bottom styled saw (no cabinet). I am not looking for dust collecting perfection but I want to try to catch as much as I can from what I have seen to be the two main methods: close off the bottom cavity and side with the motor (bottom is doable for my saw but the backside is very difficult as there are a lot of moving parts back there) or having an arm that collects dust over the top of the blade (sorry I'm not sure what this type is called!).

Which method of collection would be best to implement? I'd appreciate your thoughts and any advice


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

The backs of contractor type saws are a challenge to enclose. I did the bottom of my saw with a hopper shaped pan that has a vac connection. 25 years ago I made a prototype from corrugated cardboard and hot melt glue. It worked so well, I just varnished and painted it silver and never did one in sheetmetal.


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## LilMtnDave (12 mo ago)

arvanlaar said:


> Hey all,
> 
> For Christmas my wife's family got my a craftex dust collector and I am stoked to get some order into my shop with it. My first project will be connecting to the table saw which is an open bottom styled saw (no cabinet). I am not looking for dust collecting perfection but I want to try to catch as much as I can from what I have seen to be the two main methods: close off the bottom cavity and side with the motor (bottom is doable for my saw but the backside is very difficult as there are a lot of moving parts back there) or having an arm that collects dust over the top of the blade (sorry I'm not sure what this type is called!).
> 
> Which method of collection would be best to implement? I'd appreciate your thoughts and any advice


The two you are describing are kind of mutually exclusive. I bought a canvas bag that snaps in under my tablesaw while enclosing the backend with plexiglass which only allows very small places where dust can escape. In my estimation this is catching better than 90% of the dust produced...The <10% left is mainly what is spewed out the top where, yes, a topside "arm" would put my setup at close to 100%. Right now I am happy with the 90%+.

Edit: When I bought the canvas bag my plan was to attach a DC port to hook my shop vac into...as my wife is a lifelong sewer with an industrial Juki, it would have been childs play for her. It may still happen but unsnapping and emptying the bag is also "childs play"...does not happen that often and when I do it gives me a chance to give the underside a thorough vacuum before snapping the bag back on.

Was just back there and snapped a couple pictures...


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

Those old saws are all but impossible to collect "all" the dust from.
Gravity does a better job than most 4" flex hose dust collectors and that's how you end up with those dust filled bags.
Emptying the bags without spreading fine dust inside the shop is all but impossible.
Having experimented quite a bit with various approaches, my 12" direct drives do not have an open back end, so I just seal off the base with a sheet metal plate with a 4"dust port and some blast gates to control which saw gets opened for the DC to attempt to evacuate. Short of 5,000 CFM and a 5 HP DC, it just ani't enough suction to work well. Yes, it beats nothing at all, but there's a wind swept formation that leaves beautifully sculpted dust filled corners. The only dust that gets sucked up it the airborne stuff flying off the blade. The "settled" dust has just settled in for the duration.
Even with a cannister filter with way more surface area than a bag, and the shortest 4 ft flex hose, all the optimum mods, it doesn't work like I would like.
The dust collection wizard, Bill Pentz, advocates kinda what I suggested, 5 HP blower motor and a minimum of 4,000 or 5,000 CFM for optimum performance.
Newer table saws with a blade shroud give much better results because they capture the dust right as it flies off the blade.
I made a sheet metal half circle dust shroud for my 12" Powermatic which made a big improvement when attached to the 4 " flex hose.


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## Retired1 (19 d ago)

Anyone try milescraft dustcutter bags? Thinking of trying it on my ridgid which is construction style table saw.


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## LilMtnDave (12 mo ago)

Retired1 said:


> Anyone try milescraft dustcutter bags? Thinking of trying it on my ridgid which is construction style table saw.


It looks like it would be heads above a plain canvas bag. My bag was on $6 from HF...this unit is $30...probably worth the experiment...as mentioned I had plans to add a vacuum port to my bag...but it has performed well as is and the port is no longer a priority. With one though as with the dustcutter I imagine much of the fine stuff may be sent to your DC.


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## Jim Frye (Aug 24, 2016)

woodnthings mentioned saws with blade shrouds. My tablesaw has a blade shroud that tilts with the arbor. It moves through an arc shaped opening in the back of the cabinet. Closing that opening was also a challenge for dust collection. My solution was an articulated cover made from 1/4" oak veneered plywood.


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## arvanlaar (Dec 29, 2014)

LilMtnDave said:


> The two you are describing are kind of mutually exclusive. I bought a canvas bag that snaps in under my tablesaw while enclosing the backend with plexiglass which only allows very small places where dust can escape. In my estimation this is catching better than 90% of the dust produced...The <10% left is mainly what is spewed out the top where, yes, a topside "arm" would put my setup at close to 100%. Right now I am happy with the 90%+.
> 
> Edit: When I bought the canvas bag my plan was to attach a DC port to hook my shop vac into...as my wife is a lifelong sewer with an industrial Juki, it would have been childs play for her. It may still happen but unsnapping and emptying the bag is also "childs play"...does not happen that often and when I do it gives me a chance to give the underside a thorough vacuum before snapping the bag back on.
> 
> ...


Thanks for sharing Dave! When you tilt the blade on your saw, how does your plexi move with it? I should take a pick of mine to show as it is so awkward. I was thinking of actually attaching the plexing to the armature instead of the base of the table because otherwise, only 50%, maybe less would be covered by plexi.


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## LilMtnDave (12 mo ago)

arvanlaar said:


> Thanks for sharing Dave! When you tilt the blade on your saw, how does your plexi move with it? I should take a pick of mine to show as it is so awkward. I was thinking of actually attaching the plexing to the armature instead of the base of the table because otherwise, only 50%, maybe less would be covered by plexi.


99% of my usage is at 90 degrees. Yes, I have to remove the plexi to change the angle. The one time I did, the silver duct tape pulled off quite cleanly. Reinstalling and retaping is also quick work.


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