Table saw Dust Collection Guard

Thanks for the reply Mike - sure hope you have a solution

I have a De-Walt table saw - I've got a shop vav hooked up to the bottom dust port of the saw - I turn it on the same time I start the saw - it does a good job of catching the dust from the bottom of the saw - it's the dust that comes from the top thats giving me problems. I've got a fairly good control on other equipment - I use a seperator and a jet 1 1/2 hp dust collector - my belt sander and oscillating spindal sander are hooked up to shop vacs. I don't depend on the filter system in the shopvacs - I use the disposable bags inside the vacs.

I work a lot with cedar and it seems to throw more dust than other woods. I cut some thin strips fom a 2 x 4 yesterday and my filter mask was red with dust - you could wipe your hand on any surface and it would be covered with a red dust.

Angus, Delroy makes a good point. Keep your saw blade just above what you are cutting. Less blade above the surface helps keep the dust below where the vac can catch it. There are a couple of things you can do to your vac to make it more efficient. First off, install a better filter. A standard replacement filter is about $13. A high efficiency one will run you around $20. You are on the right track with the disposable bags. The large bags contain the majority of the mess and make for ease in emptying. Small filter bags placed over the vac's filter reduce the fine particles even further. Normally these fine particles go through the filter and cause damage to the vac motor, they also are spread through the air. The problem with using the bags is it's cost prohibitive. Help is on the way. I contacted Bill Fox, a FL distributor of specialty bag filters used by the optical industry. I explained the woodworking dust collection problem. He is sending me information and pricing on special packages of filter bags. I will make a post of this information as soon as I get it. This month Rockler has all it's dust collection equipment and supplies on sale for 25% off. I would consider using an air cleaning filter as well. You can find super deals on used Honeywell style HEPA filters at garage sales & flea markets. Of course all the major brands offer air filters in addition to their dust collectors. Hope this helps.

http://www.woodsmith.com/video/zeroinsert.html

Hey this forum is great

As I stated I'm a novice, have a lot to learn - well Delroy said to use a zero clearance throat plate - well first of all I had no idea what he was talking about, so I got on the internet and tried to find one for my Dwalt - no luck, found them for a dozen other saws but not mine.

So then I found several pages telling me how to make one. I used the above link and tried it. I used MDF board and it seemed that 1/2 inch would work and it did. Cut it out on the scroll saw, did a little sanding and by jove it fit. Cut a piece of cedar and the amount of dust was considerably less then before.

I now have to figure how to put the blade guard back on with the splitter, again I'm a novice, when I retired and started this hobby a year ago I had 8 fingers and 2 thumbs, I'm down to 8 fingers and 1 1/2 thumbs. Lost it do to the kickback, so you can see that my fear is somewhat justified.

Thanks for the info Mike on the bags, I'm looking forward the info when you post it. I do keep the filter on the vacs in additon to the bags, and I use the bags that are suppose to be good for fine dust such as drywall and your right they get a little pricey.

Again, thank you all for your advise, I've really get a lot of great info by reading this forum.

Angus,

Here's a quote from one of your posts.

"I've got a fairly good control on other equipment - I use a seperator and a jet 1 1/2 hp dust collector..."

If you already have a 1 1/2 HP dust collector, why don't you just run additional 4" hose across the ceiling or along the walls to your other machines? With the addition of "Y" connectors and inexpensive blast gates (I got mine from Grizzly) on the machine ends of your hose you could have a fairly economical central dust collection system for ALL your major power tools.

By the way, I put a hole through my garage door (in winter) from kick back a few years ago. Gotta be careful and ALWAYS use a splitter for through cuts.

Happy woodworking,

Kayakpete

PSI Comments

angus said:

Penn state Industries has a PSI Table Saw Dust Collection Guard. Does anyone have any experience with it? I'm a novice wallowling in dust - it's not the bottom dust I'm fighting it's the dust comming from the top of the saw. The cost is 175.00 on sale, which is kinda pricy when your depending on social security - are the any other suggestions for a cure?

Click to expand...

The PSI is the best deal out there price wise. I've seen $400 units that were a bit more refined but had thier own obvious corner-cutting areas. My TS Guard is connected to a 1 HP Delta DC. PSI offered a deal on some hose, a blast gate and a Y adapter when I bought the TS Guard (already on sale).

I use the blast gate to restrict the below the table hose and let theh upper hose run wide open. Dust collection is great (buy or make yourself a zero-clearance insert). I added a quick-coupler where the DC hooks to the upper arm of the TS Guard so I can close the lower blast gate and swing said hose over to the planer or Jointer or "big mouth".

I breath a lot easier and shop dust is so minimal I only sweep up about once a WEEK as opposed to several times per working session.

Good luck,