Shopsmith Forums

dusty wrote:I move the headstock to the left bringing the disk up along side the table (not through the insert. This is normally an operation where I can't use the dust collector (in its normal configuration).

Dusty,

Maybe I misunderstood your reply. I do not put the flat disk through the table insert. I use it just like you describe, but I use the lower guard as a dust collector in that configuration.

But this investigation has led me to change how I will use the lower guard for sanding. I believed that the reason the lower guard was movable with the knurled knobs was so that it could be narrowed down to almost touching the sanding disk, which would result in more suction directed at where the dust enters the guard. But it appears that closing the guard down that narrow actually causes the DC suction port to be blocked by the fixed portion of the guard, actually reducing airflow. So, now I will use the guard open like for the table saw for sanding.

tryinhard wrote:Dusty,

Maybe I misunderstood your reply. I do not put the flat disk through the table insert. I use it just like you describe, but I use the lower guard as a dust collector in that configuration.

But this investigation has led me to change how I will use the lower guard for sanding. I believed that the reason the lower guard was movable with the knurled knobs was so that it could be narrowed down to almost touching the sanding disk, which would result in more suction directed at where the dust enters the guard. But it appears that closing the guard down that narrow actually causes the DC suction port to be blocked by the fixed portion of the guard, actually reducing airflow. So, now I will use the guard open like for the table saw for sanding.

The dust collector has always confused me for the same reasons you have stated. I have used it in all the various positions and never been really satisfied.

What this "challenge" has done is cause me to revisit the situation and I think I now have a plan. I have set the dust collector so that it is as wide open as the tie bar will allow it to be at maximum depth of cut. That is where it will stay. I sealed the gap between the two pieces of the lower saw guard (permanently). It is no longer adjustable.

In addition, I have custom fit the deflector that started all of this discussion. It is now 'permanently' installed in the lower saw guard.

What I now have is a lower saw guard that is more or less dedicated to the table saw in the most used configuration - not tilted. I don't think the mods will allow the table to be tilted.

If I need to tilt the table, the other lower saw guard will be pressed into service.

Thanks again to mbcabinetmaker and reible, I have a dust collector that I think works really well. Not as good as if it was a Festool but pretty darn good.

I am looking forward to hearing what mbcabinetmaker has done with his.

This sounds like it might be good. Would you consider doing a detailed photo series that shows how to implement the changes. It might also be helpful if we knew where to get the materials that you used. My dust collector works really well but I still have to sweep. I could use doing without that.

Stitch wrote:This sounds like it might be good. Would you consider doing a detailed photo series that shows how to implement the changes. It might also be helpful if we knew where to get the materials that you used. My dust collector works really well but I still have to sweep. I could use doing without that.

When this is nearing completion I will put together a group of photos that show what needs to be done. However, it appears that I might be the only one other than mbcabinetmaker who doesn't enjoy sweeping up saw dust.

Until yesterday, I had been testing with a combination blade on the arbor. Yesterday, I put a 1/4" stacking dado on the arbor. As discussed earlier, this necessitated moving the carriage to the operators right so that the tie bar would clear arbor nut (shaft) when I lowered the table. This created an air gap between the tie bar guard and the lower saw guard.

These are all easy to block off when they occur but it definitely shows me why we have this issue with escaping saw dust. It also shows why the Unisaw (or any other fixed base saw) can have so much better dust collection system. A tilting blade system just tilts inside of the dust collection chamber.

red = correction Thanks JPG Actually, I moved the headstock to the left.

dusty wrote:However, it appears that I might be the only one other than mbcabinetmaker who doesn't enjoy sweeping up saw dust.

I really do enjoy sweeping sawdust... These days I am just thankful to have a shop floor to sweep and to be able to sweep it. I spent much of my younger life trying to sweep saw dust off of dirt floors and there were times when I didn't have a decent place to have a separate woodshop at all. I have a good straw broom and a good push broom and I enjoy taking a minute or two now and then to quickly sweep the floor. It isn't rocket science requiring a lot of thought and it helps me refocus on my general planning.
Having said that I am a lot more concerned than in my younger days about fine air-born dust. I don't really care about what falls on the floor but I want to get all of that fine stuff that floats that I can.

dusty wrote: . . . As discussed earlier, this necessitated moving the carriage to the operators left so that the tie bar would clear arbor nut (shaft) when I lowered the table.
. . .

Left??????????? Or do you operate it from the back of the ss?????? Or is the dado arbor shorter than the combination blade arbor???? Have you removed the way tube 'spacer'?

dusty wrote:If you are talking about the space between the underside of the table and the tie bar guard (155), I don't believe that contributes to the escaping dust. I have taped this closed and found no difference.

I was cutting some 1/4" tenons using multiple passes with the regular sawblade today. When I finished, there was something I virtually never see on both the upper tubes--a lot of fine dust. (I hope it's not because today was the first time I installed the metal covers for the Lower Saw Guard knob holes!) When I looked up under the table at the tie bar guard, there was a big pattern of the same dust at the upper forward end of the tie bar guard. From the top of the guard, the dust pattern worked downward toward the carriage (which was covered in dust), and back along the top edge of the guard for about 3 inches. The remainder of the guard showed only a very small amount of dust. So a good bit of escaping material seems to be coming over the tie bar guard.

I see that Dusty's new deflector/reflector insert covers up the area I am talking about. But I thought I would pass on what I saw, since up to now no one has definitively identified the slot above the tie bar guard as a source of dust.

tryinhard wrote:I was cutting some 1/4" tenons using multiple passes with the regular sawblade today. When I finished, there was something I virtually never see on both the upper tubes--a lot of fine dust. (I hope it's not because today was the first time I installed the metal covers for the Lower Saw Guard knob holes!) When I looked up under the table at the tie bar guard, there was a big pattern of the same dust at the upper forward end of the tie bar guard. From the top of the guard, the dust pattern worked downward toward the carriage (which was covered in dust), and back along the top edge of the guard for about 3 inches. The remainder of the guard showed only a very small amount of dust. So a good bit of escaping material seems to be coming over the tie bar guard.

I see that Dusty's new deflector/reflector insert covers up the area I am talking about. But I thought I would pass on what I saw, since up to now no one has definitively identified the slot above the tie bar guard as a source of dust.

And you are probably correct in doing so.

I have learned that this dust control project is not as simple as it seems. It is all a matter of air flow patterns. When you alter that air flow, the dust appears somewhere else.

I have now installed a deflector in the area the you describe. It along with the other changes that I have made now result in ALMOST total dust collection. The dust that does escape is, for the most part, now above the table. It comes off the top of the saw blade having escaped the air flow pattern of the dust collector.

I can rip boards and cut dadoes though and have virtually no dust deposited under the table or on the carriage.

If I added a Shark to my setup, I believe I could claim 99% dust collection.

I just completed the dado's on 9 drawers and thought I would post the before and after pictures of the modification that I did a couple of weeks ago. The original mess was after just 4 small drawers.





[ATTACH]9623[/ATTACH]











[ATTACH]9619[/ATTACH]

Before baffle











[ATTACH]9620[/ATTACH]

After baffle









[ATTACH]9621[/ATTACH]

Before baffle












[ATTACH]9622[/ATTACH]


After baffle











For a simple little baffle to make this much difference well it just Baffles me.

Which simple baffle(s) did you add? Dusty(a), Dusty(b) or both, or ??????