Your tips for improving dust collection below the tabletop?

[jstevens]

Hi, guys. I know that dust collection can be improved by adding a Shark Guard above the table top. But in this thread, I'd like to ask only about improving dust collection below the table top. I'm wondering whether it would improve dust collection to enclose the bottom of the saw housing and hook up a 4" port there. I've seen the articulating enclosure for the track where the dust port rides, but my experience with my router table seems to indicate I might get even better DC by leaving the track open so fresh air will flow in. Your thoughts?

Regards,

John

[conwaygolfer]

Which tablesaw are you referring to? Bt3000 - Bt3100? Or another brand?

Conwaygolfer

[LCHIEN]

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=19353&highlight=dust

If you look at the pictures I just placed a piece of 1/2" plywood on the bottom with a 11" square DC hood available everywhere (e.g. Rockler, Woodcraft, HF's DC kit) - didn't try and seal up much of the perimeter. It's not even fastened to the saw, just sits on the bottom ledge. You do want good airflow into your DC, if you seal up the body too much then you can starve the DC of airflow and it won't work as well. The airflow carries the dust particles.

It keeps the inside of the saw absolutely clean when connected to the HF DC. I use the 2nd HF DC port on a 4" hose connected to the rear port with a 4" to 2.5" reducer.

I have a shark guard but have not (yet) connected any DC to the top of it. When trimming edges, the blade can still throw some sawdust off the top side.

[dbhost]

FWIW, I have mine set up with a 4" port (the way it came to me) on a belly pan, and of course the OE 2.5" port. I am not sure, as I am pulling from a 4 x 4 x 2.5" splitter. I am SERIOUSLY considering necking the port on the belly pan down to 2.5". The dust collection from within the blade shroud is diminished with the current setup, and I really couldn't care less about what is in the pan if it is cleared out periodically...

[JR]

Try this link...

for my crazy idea and some good discussion on topic.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=29578&highlight=dust+collection

[Lonnie in Orlando]

Hi John,

These are all good solutions. Here's mine for my BT3000 ...

I made a 1/8" plywood (door skin / panneling / etc.) belly pan that fits under the saw. Practically all of the saw dust that lands on it is sucked out by my 1HP Delta dust collector. The only time I remove it is when I am cleaning and lubing the saw. I didn't seal up any openings.

The pan is attached to the four screws that hold the saw to the Ryobi stand. I left the nuts in place. There is enough thread extending past the nuts to hold the belly pan plus a wing nut.

I attached a 4" reducer to the dust port on the saw. Since my dust collector is only effective on one machine at a time, I ran a piece of flexible metal dryer duct from the reducer around the left side of the saw to the front and attached it to a short piece of 4" PVC. I screwed the PVC to the saw stand. I plug the disconnect fitting on my DC hose into the PVC. The flex duct moves when the blade is tilted.

I don't have dust collection above the blade, so I still pump saw dust everywhere. 'Course I could make a dust port for the blade ... old post.

- Lonnie

[jstevens]

Hey, thanks a lot guys. Sorry, I should have mentioned in the OP that I have a BT3100. Thanks especially to Loren, JR and Lonnie for links to your threads--great stuff!

Regards,

John

[Armini]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I would add my question here. I just went to connect a 4" DC system to my saw for the first time, LV 4"-2.5" reducer in hand...and realized the BT3100 port is designed to accept a shopvac. Basically, the reducer diameters and the saw dustport are identical. After a fruitless search at a couple of home centres over the weekend, I'd like to find out what others have done to connect a BT3100 to a 4" system.

[LCHIEN]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I would add my question here. I just went to connect a 4" DC system to my saw for the first time, LV 4"-2.5" reducer in hand...and realized the BT3100 port is designed to accept a shopvac. Basically, the reducer diameters and the saw dustport are identical. After a fruitless search at a couple of home centres over the weekend, I'd like to find out what others have done to connect a BT3100 to a 4" system.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...highlight=dust

[dbhost]

Rather than starting a new thread, I thought I would add my question here. I just went to connect a 4" DC system to my saw for the first time, LV 4"-2.5" reducer in hand...and realized the BT3100 port is designed to accept a shopvac. Basically, the reducer diameters and the saw dustport are identical. After a fruitless search at a couple of home centres over the weekend, I'd like to find out what others have done to connect a BT3100 to a 4" system.

Simple, Woodcraft offers a nice funnel shaped 4" to 2.25" reducer. I have a couple of these. They slip into the machine port, and allow you to connect a 4" hose... The funnel shape works really well at keeping air moving smoothly. I tried one of the step shaped ones that was an utter failure on my planer, and went with one of these and couldn't be happier except upgrading to a 4" port.

[Armini]

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread...highlight=dust

I looked at that, and I could not tell what the reducer in the photos actually was - it appears to be powdercoated aluminium? I assume the BT3000 also had a 2.5" ID port to receive a shopvac hose?

[Armini]

Simple, Woodcraft offers a nice funnel shaped 4" to 2.25" reducer. I have a couple of these. They slip into the machine port, and allow you to connect a 4" hose... The funnel shape works really well at keeping air moving smoothly. I tried one of the step shaped ones that was an utter failure on my planer, and went with one of these and couldn't be happier except upgrading to a 4" port.

Thanks - I would have liked to find one available locally given Christmas time shipping speed, but ordering to Canada looks much easier than it used to be with Woodcraft.

[JR]

In addition to dbhost's suggestion you can look for a 2-1/4" to 2-1/4" splice fitting, which might work in your application. Also it is important to understand that there are two reducers of the kind that you have. The one with the offset 2-1/4" connector will work in your application.

JR

[pelligrini]

When I got my dust collector off of Craigslist the seller included one of the offset adaptors. I found that it will make an annoying whistle when the airflow was just right. I shortly got a couple of the funnel fittings from Woodcraft.

I haven't tested it, but I would think that the funnel types flow better, creating less turbulance.

[LCHIEN]

there's 4" to 2.25" adapters which will fit inside the Ryobi port fairly snugly.
They are offset (i.e. the small port is not coaxial with the larger port). Using the rear port along will do a decent job of keeping the dust shroud clear of dust, but a fair-poor job of keeping the remainder of the saw bidy clear of dust.

My photo was meant to show the bottom belly pan. I have a four inch hose to the belly pan and a second 4" hose (since many DC's have a dual 4" Y-port at the intake) to the rear port and reducer.

No matter how good the reducer the biggest hit on airflow and pressure drop is taken by the reduced diameter hole. Having the 4" port on the bottom of the saw makes a huge difference; the entire inside of the saw is swept immaculately clean by the dual combination I illustrated.