4" Dust port on Bt3100

[BizCoach]

Bolson mentioned in another thread that he put a 4" dust port on his saw. Even has a picture:
http://www.msu.edu/user/olsonbr2/inlet/DSC03769.JPG
I still can't figure it out. Looks like it comes off the side of the saw? Just hack away at the shroud, put in the port and cover up the shroud parts that you cut?

Is that right?

[RickT]

I'm using a Jet dust collector with a 4" hose that's connected to a 4" - 2 1/4" reducer at the back of my BT3100. The Jet part # for the reducer is JW1000. It fits perfectly into the dust port on the back of the saw.

[Scottydont]

quote:Originally posted by BizCoach

Bolson mentioned in another thread that he put a 4" dust port on his saw. Even has a picture:
http://www.msu.edu/user/olsonbr2/inlet/DSC03769.JPG
I still can't figure it out. Looks like it comes off the side of the saw? Just hack away at the shroud, put in the port and cover up the shroud parts that you cut?

Is that right?

That looks like a picture taken inside the lower part of the saw and the cover round the blade has been modified to accomodate the 4" dust hood. It probably works better because of the air flow you would get from 4" rather than 2 1/2" but I don't see the point of going to that extent because the built in dust port works as well as it does. I use mine with Jet 1200 DC 4" hose the 2 1/2" reducer right at the saw and no complaints.

[BizCoach]

quote:Originally posted by RickT

I'm using a Jet dust collector with a 4" hose that's connected to a 4" - 2 1/4" reducer at the back of my BT3100. The Jet part # for the reducer is JW1000. It fits perfectly into the dust port on the back of the saw.

That's what I'm doing too. I'm looking for a way to get more air flow and a 4" is a way to do that.

[Stytooner]

quote:Originally posted by BizCoach

Bolson mentioned in another thread that he put a 4" dust port on his saw. Even has a picture:
http://www.msu.edu/user/olsonbr2/inlet/DSC03769.JPG
I still can't figure it out. Looks like it comes off the side of the saw? Just hack away at the shroud, put in the port and cover up the shroud parts that you cut?

Is that right?

I must have missed this picture. That is thinking inside the box for sure. I may be wrong, but I would think this side port would still be used in conjunction with the rear port of the BT. Without any dust suction at all, the BT's blade speed kicks 3/4's of the sawdust out the rear port. This must serve to catch what the rear port doesn't. I would be concerned that such a modification would hamper an attemp to cut on a bevel. I know there is very little room there when the blade is tilted.
I have modified my BT cabinet in an effort to increase dust collection, reduce sound and provide access doors for maint. to both sides. I used 3/4" plywood and added a rubber skirt or curtain to the area where his 4" port is installed. I also have it mounted on a plywood cabinet, which closes off the cabinet everywhere except a vent on the door at the motor and the two holes in the front and back for angleing the blade. I cover these two slots with a couple of magnetic flags. With these mods, I get a miniscule amount of dust in the cabinet. I use the access doors for blowing out the motor only. My router kisks a little sawdust through this vent in the door. No dust gets in the motor side when using the saw though.
For the rear port on the BT, if you coupe to the outside of this port, you will have the biggest chute possible with the least constriction. I made my own fitting for this. It works well.





The Shark guard on top and the port at the rear are all that I use to catch 99.95% of the sawdust that the BT produces. No belly pan needed. Of course you have to get comfortable with the skirt idea first.
I think Rod adopted the skirt as well. Perhaps he can comment on its fashionability. []

[LarryG]

Lee, your dust-catching mods sound intriguing, but I can't tell enough about how they work from the two pictures you provided. Do you happen to have any more, that illustrate the rubber skirt and the access doors? I can't quite picture how those items fit ...

[bolson]

Yes it is in the side and I did it because there is not adequate airflow through the back 2.5" port. The back port gets the big stuff, but I was still hacking up wood dust the next day after using the saw a lot (even with suction on the guard). It doesn't impede the bevel cut becuase I removed the side panel for now. My uncle is fabricating a new blade shroud cover that has a 4" port pointing down and thus allows you to have the side on and still have adequate airflow to the blade.

This modification works so well that dust on the table is pulled into the blade for 3-6" away from the ZCTP.

This modification isn't for everyone, but I have become more sensitive to DC after spending several weekdays after a weekend of WWing coughing up Jatoba dust.

[Stytooner]

Larry, I will post a link this PM with some photos.
Bradley, this sounds like a good mod. I was wondering about the cover interferance for that side of the saw. Removing the cover certainly makes this possible. At one time, I just used some x bracing on the sides of my 3000 for rigidity after I removed the panels.
A shroud mod being fabricated to aim downward sounds good too. Do you still use the rear port or just the side port now? If it works like it sounds like it might, your Uncle may have developed a sideline. [8D]
I am interested as I am sure others are in the results.

[bolson]

At this particular moment I am not using the back port as I am waiting on the fittings neccecary to give me a 2.5" port off my 6" main duct to my saw. At the end of the day I will have 4" to the blade + 2.5" and a 4" to the gaurd once I get around to building a new guard. Right now I just have a 4" duct taped to the back opening of the OEM guard. It works, but not well. I just need to get myself some time and some lexan (and welder) to make the guard to my specs. I am planning on doing an overarm at the moment but we will see what I come up with this winter

[Stytooner]

Sounds great, Bradley.

Larry, here is the link I promised.

http://www.leestyron.com/btcab.php

I'll try to get a narrative with dimensions as soon as possible. It was really rather easy to do though.

[LarryG]

Thanks kindly, Lee. I've taken a preliminary look at your pics and am further intrigued. I'll study them at length and may well holler back with a follow-up question or two.

[JimD]

My setup is a bit different. I integrated the 4 to 2.5 inch adapter with one of Jim Frye's articulating covers. Pictures of my saw are in the articles section under "Spruce and Sandeply". Since those pictures were taken, I added a second 2.5 inch inlet into the open area under the saw. I put a 90 degree plastic plumbing fitting into the cabinet - it does not connect to the saw at all. I put a Y in the 4 inch flexible pipe to the saw so that it sucks out the back port and from underneith at the same time. It doesn't get everything but the port undernieth keeps me from having to clean out under the saw periodically. It keeps the dust build-up to a very small pile that does not get in the way. I also have the various openings taped off and I sometimes use magnets on the hole for the tilt mechanism. It helps a little but getting the two areas of suction both going made more difference. I still get some dust out the top but that is easy enough to brush or vacumn off periodically. It's nice to not have to disconnect the rails and tilt the saw up except for lubrication.

[foxtek]

I did this and it seems to work pretty good.





Marc

[JR]

quote:Originally posted by foxtek


I did this and it seems to work pretty good.
Marc

Marc, I can't quite tell, do you have 4" to 2-1/2" reducer stuffed in there?

JR

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by JR

Marc, I can't quite tell, do you have 4" to 2-1/2" reducer stuffed in there?

Yeah, he's got the same one I do ... in the closeup picture you can just see the black flange at the right of the white coupler, and then the necked-down part of the reducer going into the BT's "tailpipe."

It's actually a 4" to 2-1/4" reducer, the latter being the ID of the BT's dust port. The correct item is a little hard to find but you'll know it when you see it because the 2-1/4" end is offset to one side, rather than being on the same centerline as the 4" end. JET has the part; it's also available at Woodcraft (where I got mine) and, I think, Rockler.