Shopsmith Forums

I have been trying to reduce the sawdust in my shop which is in half of our double car garage. I stopped using my shop vac attached to the blade guard under my table. I do use the top blade guard, too. Instead, I hooked up a Harbor Freight 1 hp dust collector with a dust separator connected. It has significantly reduced my shop dust, but I still have too much sawdust leakage, most from the gaps around the lower blade guard. See photos. Has anybody had this issue and improved it at all? If so, how did you reduce that dust leakage? Any photos would be greatly appreciated.

Yeah, you definitely found one of the Achilles' heels of the Mark V. Having the ability to tilt the table for sawcuts (e.g. bevels) necessitates a lower saw guard that can't properly close on the table for dust collection. There have been some definite improvements to the lower saw guard made by members here. The slotted holes on each side let through A LOT of sawdust and I did a variation on what is shown at the 1st link below. For mine, I just made some out of thin, flat aluminum bar stock to cover the slotted holes. I keep meaning to get some sweep type material to fashion a blocker for the top of my saw guard but haven't gotten to it yet. A couple of previous threads below. The 1st one is a long thread but well worth your time to get a sense of different options others have pursued. Check out the links below for some great suggestions on the lower saw guard:

http://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/viewtopic.php?t=6063

viewtopic.php?p=259212#p259212

I think I see in your first pic that you have the lower saw guard adjusted so the outer portion is relatively close to the blade. On my system I generally get better collection with the lower guard adjusted outward, against what SS calls the Tie Bar Guard(?). AKA the plastic thingy that mounts to the table tie bar. I know there are differing opinions about this, just saying that this works better on my setup. And I don't always set it up this way, it can be more trouble than it is worth for a small number of cuts.

There's also much debate on using separators with low CFM DC systems. The type of separator and how it is set up is important because loss of CFM is inevitable.

- David

DLB wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 11:16 am I think I see in your first pic that you have the lower saw guard adjusted so the outer portion is relatively close to the blade. On my system I generally get better collection with the lower guard adjusted outward, against what SS calls the Tie Bar Guard(?). AKA the plastic thingy that mounts to the table tie bar. I know there are differing opinions about this, just saying that this works better on my setup. And I don't always set it up this way, it can be more trouble than it is worth for a small number of cuts.

There's also much debate on using separators with low CFM DC systems. The type of separator and how it is set up is important because loss of CFM is inevitable.

- David

David,

Good catch and I agree with you. I also believe that I get much better dust collection having the lower saw guard be as big as possible, i.e. as you describe it above. There was some debate in the past on the forum on this, but I only know that in my own experience this works better for dust collection on my 520. Also, jjj240 reported a similar problem to the OP here on the thread linked below. He had the lower saw guard too close to the sawblade, but when he opened it up as you describe above he said there was A LOT less saw dust that fell below the guard. So, at least three of us agree that the lower saw guard should be opened as wide as possible (closing the gap between the lower saw guard and the Tie Bar Guard).

viewtopic.php?p=259195#p259195

I just readjusted the lower saw guard and wow! Made a big difference. I’d still like to find some ways to seal up the openings without compromising the ability to tilt the table. Like maybe attaching some stiff brush bristles along the long gaps?

steverboss wrote: ↑Tue Oct 18, 2022 1:31 pm I just readjusted the lower saw guard and wow! Made a big difference. I’d still like to find some ways to seal up the openings without compromising the ability to tilt the table. Like maybe attaching some stiff brush bristles along the long gaps?

Glad this worked for you. Yes, in my experience having the lower saw guard be as wide open as possible is the best for dust collection. To fill the other gaps, start with the holes first. Check out the 5th pic at the link below. See the added metal strips behind the nut that adjusts the lower saw guard opening?

viewtopic.php?p=70114#p70114