Install dust collection tray under BT3000?

[hkeiner]

I just bought a used BT3000 on a stand and want to do something about saw dust collection. I plan to use the table saw only occasionally and only outside in the driveway, rather than inside a shop. I want to avoid the use of any type of vacuum attachment as it would be too impractical and perhaps unnecessary for occasional use outside. All of the posts I have read so far that describe custom dust collection setups, however, seem to involve the use of a vacuum (or dust collector) hose connected to the table saw.

I want to, instead, just let the dust drop down directly from the blade area into a tray (that I would install) which can then be emptied from time to time. To do this, I think I would need to remove the DUST COVER (Part #12) so that the dust does not accumulate inside the area where the blade spins or does not blow out the back hole. I have not seen any setups discussed on this forum with such a primitive "drop down into a tray" dust collection system. I am wondering if this is because this is a VERY BAD IDEA or just because all you forum guys just use your table saws inside where a vacuum setup is more essential.

Does anyone have any thoughts, advise, or experiences with this type of dust collection setup? For example, would removing the DUST COVER #12 expose the motor to too much dust causing the motor to fail early? Would saw dust blow profusely out the various passage ways making the tray useless to catch/hold the sawdust?

[JR]

Does anyone have any thoughts, advise, or experiences with this type of dust collection setup? For example, would removing the DUST COVER #12 expose the motor to too much dust causing the motor to fail early? Would saw dust blow profusely out the various passage ways making the tray useless to catch/hold the sawdust?

I don't think removing the dust cover panel would cause any harm. But I do think that you'd see a lot of dust blowing out through the variety of holes on the saw.

There is available a dust bag for attachment to the port on the back of the saw. I'll bet someone would give you one if you asked for it.

JR

[cbrown]

As I recall from my early use of a BT3100 without a shopvac or dust collection unit, the spinning blade generates enough moving air to push sawdust out the chute in the back of the saw. Thin cutoffs (which can fall through the standard metal throat plate) can be a problem unless you have a zero-clearance plate. I might be more worried about what a falling cutoff ricocheting off the blade might hit if the dust cover over the blade were removed.

Chris

[fuzzykjun]

I have to agree with the users here,, you will have quite a mess blowing out the back,, and even though there is a bag available,, adding a shope vac is not that bothersome and retains the mess!! I bought a bag that I attached under the table and I use a shope vac! The bags that come with the machine are not that great,, and if you want to pay the shipping I will give you the one that came with my saw,, never used it!!!

[LCHIEN]

my comments:
depends on the cut but probably 80-90 percent of the dust will be ejected from the rear port in a stock saw.
Take off the dust cover or shroud side cover and a lot of dust will still be ejected due to the spinning action of the blade but the amount will fall to maybe say 60-70 percent.

I think it would be easy enough to get a shop vac (you should have one anyway) and connect it to the port and get most of the dust.

The 10-20 per cent of the dust that goes into the saw (more if you remove the cover will fakll out the bottom and or end up in the mechanism and eventually need to be cleaned out or will mess up the mechanical works.
I use a Dust collector connected to both the rear port and a bottom pan and it keeps the inside nearley spotless. Some dust still gets out the top...

[Black wallnut]

You could simply get a 2" diameter shop vac hose and place one end in the dust port, the other in a garbage can. This will catch 90% of the dust.

[hkeiner]

Thanks for all of your replies. Your responses have given me something to think about.

I initially wanted to install a dust bin under the saw (instead of using a dust bag I already have or buying a shop vac) so that the table saw stand (on wheels) would be more mobile, self contained, and would not take up any more space than the dimensions of the stand when stored in the garage. Of course, I realize that I could disconnect the dust bag or shop vac after use, but that would leave me with extra stuff that has to be stored separately. The space in my garage is very tight and I am fortunate to even have space for the table saw and stand when stored. Perhaps I can use a shop vac small enough to fit on the stand below the table saw or perhaps I can just run a hose from the rear dust port into a bin installed below the table

I initially wanted to remove the dust shield around the blade because I could see that lots of small pieces of wood were falling down inside the blade area and jamming things up, rather than being blown out the rear dust port. To remove the obstructions, I would have to remove the dust shield periodically. This could be a pain. I guess I could install a zero-clearance throat plate to minimize this problem.

Anyways, if someone out there has a dust collection system that fits under the table saw on the stand (which is on wheels) that does not require disassemby when the saw is wheeled around or stored against a wall, I would like to know what you did. Keep in mind that I only use the saw outside (on the driveway) and so I don't worry about the fine dust. I only want to contain most of the sawdust that would othewise blow onto the ground from the rear dust port.

Regards

[LCHIEN]

if you are dropping lots of small cutoffs into the blade well then you probably - no, make that definately - should go to a zero clearance throat plate. One day a cutoff will jam between the moving blade and something not moving and go bang and that's not good.

My benefit/reason for the DC on the bottom of the saw is that it keeps things underneath remarkably clean.