Shopsmith Forums

I know this topic has been beaten to the point of nausea, however I had some stray thoughts that might be better in separate threads, but to me they all revolve around each other so I'll post it here and let the discussion flow where it will. In other words hijack to your heart's content.

The ability for the DC3300 to thoroughly remove dust from the lower guard has been exhaustively discussed here, however I had three things I've not found much about which I "think" might bear some scrutiny.
First is the size of the opening in a ZCI. Would the dust collector benefit from a few holes drilled through the ZCI to equal the approximate 5 square inches of the hose opening? Would even more be better to a point of rapidly diminishing results or would less or more have no noticeable effect anyway? Any air flow dynamics expert(s) care to chime in? Lots of discussions about this on other sites with a variety of opinions, but consensus was hard to find.
Second, would added turbulence in the lower guard benefit the collection of dust? If dust can't as easily attract to the surfaces of the guard wouldn't that make it easier for the DC to suck out more dust? A small PC fan or something similar tucked into the lower front, (with or without an opening to the exterior - another variation) might keep saw dust swirling until more dust can be sucked out. Or would the swirling dust just keep on swirling, adding to more mess?
Lastly, would adding an anti static coating to the lower guard and bottom of the insert help in repelling the dust and therefore again aid in removing saw dust? I use a anti static laundry sheet rubbed over my face shield to help repel saw dust, so wouldn't the same effect happen when coating the lower guard surfaces? Or would it take industrial strength anti static spray like used in computer labs to have any useful consequences?

Thoughts, ideas, proposals to try any of the above?

Be well,
Ben

Interesting! Something of a reversal from where I have directed my efforts. I have been attempting to close off ports of exit from the lower saw guard with the single exception of the vacuum hose.

As for holes in the table insert (ZCI). Up thru the kerf cut is where I get almost all of my unwanted dust now that I have done "my fixes" to the lower saw guard.

You might find it interesting to set up for a session to just make dust. Cut up all of your scraps - doing so with a movie camera focused on the bottom side of the main table (those exits ports that you are thinking about). This will surprise you. There are openings that no dust travels through. Study the dust piles that you machine does produce. Where are they?

I've done nothing with static. No comments.

There are no experts on the subject here or we would have this issue totally resolved.