# SawStop Dust Collection



## DRJZ1974 (May 19, 2010)

I have a new SawStop contractor saw and am trying to hook up dust collection, but the outlet is not a usual shaped outlet. It is kinda funnel shaped so it doesn't have a flat inside or outside. What do you guys used to hook it to your dust collection system?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Saw Stop Dust Port*

Without a picture of your particular issue, a product review seemed the logical place to look for comments or solutions:
http://www.wwgoa.com/articles/product-reviews/sawstop-contractor-saw/

Quote:*Dust Collection* The contractor saw features a dust shroud around the blade. The shroud drains into a 4" dust port for hook-up to your system. The dust collection was very effective although the blade can still throw off its share of dust above the table.

Since there was no mention of any difficulty connecting a 4" dust hose in this review, we would need a more complete description of your problem including a photo.  bill


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

Not to hijack this thread, but once you've figured out the dust port, I'd love for you to make a new post describing your thoughts about the saw. That saw is #1 on my list of tools I wish to acquire.


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## DRJZ1974 (May 19, 2010)

I will try to get some pictures to show what I am talking about regarding the dust collection tonight.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The download manual show the dust port*

http://www.sawstop.com/documents/Contractor%20Saw%20Manual%20V1.4%20%28Updated%20Sept%2009%29.pdf

Page 32. Not very detailed, but it looks like a slightly oval shaped exit port coming off the the bottom of the saw. 

ABS is heat softing, with a heat gun, so if you make a female insert of wood that fits inside your port, then heat a 4" coupler to slide over the block forming it into the oval shape. It's possible you can use the port itself to form the ABS around rather than the block. A tapered block will enlarge the the form to slide over the port. This should be a Saw Stop supplied Accessory in my opinion. They didn't finish the job more or less. They expect you to form a wire formed 4" hose over the port and "C" clamp it in place, or so the manual states. I'd call them and ask for their solution if it were me.  bill


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

It looks like a standard 4" dust port to me, and the instructions seem to indicate just to attach a 4" hose and a hose clamp and you're done. 

A picture would help here.


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## cain8885 (Aug 21, 2009)

I have the same saw. On my saw there is a plastic shroud covering the motor that leads to a 4 inch piece of pipe. I took a piece of flex hose slide it over the shroud output and clamped it with a hose clamp. What issue are you having? Are you trying to connect rigid pipe to the shroud?

B


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## DRJZ1974 (May 19, 2010)

Woodnthings, you just described what I was trying to say best! I am sure I can figure something out, just not a conventional dust connection like everything else in my shop.


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## DRJZ1974 (May 19, 2010)

Ok, I figured out the dust collection. I think one of you posted something pretty similar to this. The problem was the saw does not have the "standard" smooth wall round port to connect dust collection to (like the rest of my power tools). So I found a correct diameter tube to hose clamp over the opening and then hose clamped my dust collection connector to the other end.


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## cain8885 (Aug 21, 2009)

So the issue was just that your DC runs what looks like a 2.5 inch pipe?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*What were they thinkin'*

Nice solution however. I can't believe that they didn't realize 4" round is the standard dust collection port or hose size!  
You may not get the best performance by reducing down to 2 1/2" but you are probably using a shop vac rather than a dust collector.???


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## DRJZ1974 (May 19, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> Nice solution however. I can't believe that they didn't realize 4" round is the standard dust collection port or hose size!
> You may not get the best performance by reducing down to 2 1/2" but you are probably using a shop vac rather than a dust collector.???



Yep, SawStop does put a standard 4" port on their cabinet saw, just not their contractor saw. Yes, I am using a shop vac for now anyway. I have been trying to find a good dust collection that is not too space consuming. I did however just install a Jet air filtration unit up to my ceiling a couple of days ago. I was worried one unit would not keep up with my space (900 square feet with 14' ceiling) This thing works amazing. In the past I would have a layer of dust on everything after working in the shop, but I don't have dust on anything now.


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## Colt W. Knight (Nov 29, 2009)

DC are big noisy beasts. Worth it, but would be hard to fit in a tight mobile shop.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Mobile shop?*



Colt W. Knight said:


> DC are big noisy beasts. Worth it, but would be hard to fit in a tight *mobile shop*.


Quote DRJZ1974:
.....I was worried one unit would not keep up with my space (900 square feet with* 14' ceiling) * This thing works amazing.......

If it were mobile it would fit under the overpasses... bill


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## EdPark (Jun 25, 2011)

Hello to all from a newbie to this particular forum,

In case anybody else is still interested in this thread from a year ago, I discovered the same issue when I attempted to connect the collection adapter to the shroud. There are actually two issues. One, the shape of the shroud opening is neither circular, nor flexible enough, thus does not readily accept a standard 4" male connector even if the following (Two) was not an issue. Two, the saw's stand does not provide enough room between the shroud and the frame to fit the connector that SawStop themselves provide with their dust collection kit, which is evidently designed nearly exclusively for the cabinet saws despite that it is advertised (and the instructions imply) that it works with the contractor saw. 

DRJZ1974 has come up with a nice solution.

I enjoy my SawStop contractor saw (awesome saw) and some basic ingenuity can guide one to a solution, but their dust collection kit was not really designed for it.

Looking forward to positive and enlightening woodworking discussions!

Cheers,
Ed


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## beelzerob (May 2, 2010)

Hmm...I'm going to have to take a look back under my saw, because I'm pretty sure I have a 4" hose connected to the saw and connected directly to my 4" port on my 4" blast gate, all without anything fancier than a standard hose clamp. I've not had any issues, though getting it to fit on there was a pain.


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## EdPark (Jun 25, 2011)

Hose clamps rule! :thumbsup:


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

It is a 4" port according to the manual page 34 not 32. It looks like the shroud forms down to a 4" port. The problem was he was looking for a hard plastic port and he is only using a shopvac. I'm guessing the shroud 4" port was a little out of round because of the way it is formed. No big deal because it is a little flexible and once the hose goes on and the hose clamp is tightened no problem.


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## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

I will knock Sawstop on this, I wish they would standardize their dust fittings with the rest of the world. I have their over arm guard/collector and the fitting out of the back of it is a size not known to man, I hate it. I hate having a top of the line saw and electrical tape as an adapter for the DC system. :thumbdown:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*To shim dust fitting..*

Use a plastic bottle, cola, bleach, what ever. Just bandsaw a ring from the bottle after estimating the closest size about an 1" wide ring or section. Then saw/split the ring and insert it in the larger fitting and see if it takes up the gap. If not, use a bottle with a thicker side wall. It's very clean and usually snugs up just fine. :thumbsup: bill


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Nate1778 said:


> I will knock Sawstop on this, I wish they would standardize their dust fittings with the rest of the world. I have their over arm guard/collector and the fitting out of the back of it is a size not known to man, I hate it. I hate having a top of the line saw and electrical tape as an adapter for the DC system. :thumbdown:



I have the overarm also and it came with a connector that has a 4" for the shroud area and that little one for the blade. All you have to do is hook those 2 up and then hook it to your 4" DC hose. Mine came with the cabinet saw but i would think it should be the same for the contractor saw.


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## Nate1778 (Mar 10, 2008)

They gave me the blade guard as a throw in when I got the BETA professional. It didn't come with the arm, just the guard. the hole in the back of the guard is the one I am talking about.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Nate1778 said:


> They gave me the blade guard as a throw in when I got the BETA professional. It didn't come with the arm, just the guard. the hole in the back of the guard is the one I am talking about.


Well I got the overarm free when I purchased the saw and it came with the arm, hose and connector I mentioned. It is small but it works well as designed.


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