Belly pan port size...

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  • dbhost
    Slow and steady
    • Apr 2008
    • 9209
    • League City, Texas
    • Ryobi BT3100

    Belly pan port size...

    As you may know, my BT3100 was bought used from a, I believe a now more or less inactive member here, already outfitted with a belly pan and a 4" port. I have since I got the saw, had the port hooked up along with a 2.5" port for the blade shroud.

    As you know I am trying to maximize the effectiveness of my dust collection, and I am curious.

    Should I redo the belly pan with a 2.5" port?
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  • LCHIEN
    Internet Fact Checker
    • Dec 2002
    • 20920
    • Katy, TX, USA.
    • BT3000 vintage 1999

    #2
    I have a 4" on the belly pan and a 4" hose to a 2-1/2" adapter on the BT3 dust port connected to the shroud in the back.
    Both 4" hoses are connected to the Wye on the HF 2 HP DC.
    Works good for me.
    Loring in Katy, TX USA
    If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
    BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

    Comment

    • capncarl
      Veteran Member
      • Jan 2007
      • 3564
      • Leesburg Georgia USA
      • SawStop CTS

      #3
      Could you be overthinking the open bottom problem? As someone stated in a recent thread, the saw was factory fitted with a 4” fitting on the blade shroud where most if not all of the dust and shavings go. Connecting that fitting with a 2 1/2” vacuum cleaner hose is second guessing the builders. The 4” fitting says high volume low pressure, as in a dust collection system. Why not just close up the bottom with a dust collector bag to keep the remaining leavings off the floor and let the 4” port do the work!

      Comment


      • LCHIEN
        LCHIEN commented
        Editing a comment
        It has a 2.5" fitting, not a 4" fitting on the BT3 saw for the dust port.
    • dbhost
      Slow and steady
      • Apr 2008
      • 9209
      • League City, Texas
      • Ryobi BT3100

      #4
      Well the Belly pan is not factory at all, and it was built with a 4" port by the previous owner. MY concern may not be valid at all, but I was worrying about the effectiveness of pulling a 4" port and a 2.5" port off of a single 4" hose.... I am far less worried about capture at the belly pan than I am in the blade shroud, but haven't noticed any real issues.
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      Comment

      • capncarl
        Veteran Member
        • Jan 2007
        • 3564
        • Leesburg Georgia USA
        • SawStop CTS

        #5
        So many of us focus our resources in the wrong directions trying to fix something that is not broke! I’d suggest Velcro-strapping a fabric type pleated ac filter on the bottom of the saw to catch whatever goes that way and also let air into the saw to be channeled out of the back of the saw via the 4” saw blade shroud.

        Comment

        • dbhost
          Slow and steady
          • Apr 2008
          • 9209
          • League City, Texas
          • Ryobi BT3100

          #6
          Originally posted by capncarl
          So many of us focus our resources in the wrong directions trying to fix something that is not broke! I’d suggest Velcro-strapping a fabric type pleated ac filter on the bottom of the saw to catch whatever goes that way and also let air into the saw to be channeled out of the back of the saw via the 4” saw blade shroud.
          There is no 4" blade shroud on a BT3100. As Loring said, the blade shroud port is 2.5"

          My saw was outfitted with a belly pan by the prior owner, with a 4" port.

          My concern is that the belly pan port being sized at 4" would deprive airflow from the 2.5" blade shroud port.

          If the blade shroud had a 4" port, this would not even be an area for discussion for me. I would have simply dropped the size of the port on the belly pan, and just connected the 4" port to the blade shroud.
          Last edited by dbhost; 01-04-2022, 09:38 AM.
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          Comment


          • capncarl
            capncarl commented
            Editing a comment
            I stand corrected, I could have sworn that my Craftsman BT3 had a 4” port, so confident that I pulled out the box or remaining dust collection parts from that era…… and found the evidence! A dang 2.5 x 4 fitting. I guess I necked the 4” dust collection hose down to 2.5”. Capncarl
        • LCHIEN
          Internet Fact Checker
          • Dec 2002
          • 20920
          • Katy, TX, USA.
          • BT3000 vintage 1999

          #7
          I can tell you virtually all the dust is sucked out of the shroud with the 2.5" port even though the belly pan is conencted to the same DC with a 4" hose. There is not a bit of dust or cutting to be found in it.

          You are overthinking.
          Loring in Katy, TX USA
          If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
          BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions

          Comment

          • dbhost
            Slow and steady
            • Apr 2008
            • 9209
            • League City, Texas
            • Ryobi BT3100

            #8
            Originally posted by LCHIEN
            I can tell you virtually all the dust is sucked out of the shroud with the 2.5" port even though the belly pan is conencted to the same DC with a 4" hose. There is not a bit of dust or cutting to be found in it.

            You are overthinking.
            Not the first time, won't be the last. Thanks...
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            Comment

            • mpc
              Senior Member
              • Feb 2005
              • 979
              • Cypress, CA, USA.
              • BT3000 orig 13amp model

              #9
              A trick many folks do on bandsaws - using a "Y" to split one 4 inch collector hose into a 4 inch port at the bandsaw base plus a 2.5 inch port under the table - is to add a blast gate at the 4 inch port. This lets you throttle the dust collection at the 4 inch port a bit, forcing more of it to the added 2.5 inch side. Rather than trying to find a 2.5 inch belly pan, or adding an adapter, a spare blast gate lets you tune the two ports. Plus, if you ever need to clean out the saw carcass (e.g. ran the saw for a while but forgot to turn on the dust collection), opening the blast gate fully makes the belly pan more effective while you sweep.

              mpc

              Comment

              • dbhost
                Slow and steady
                • Apr 2008
                • 9209
                • League City, Texas
                • Ryobi BT3100

                #10
                Originally posted by mpc
                A trick many folks do on bandsaws - using a "Y" to split one 4 inch collector hose into a 4 inch port at the bandsaw base plus a 2.5 inch port under the table - is to add a blast gate at the 4 inch port. This lets you throttle the dust collection at the 4 inch port a bit, forcing more of it to the added 2.5 inch side. Rather than trying to find a 2.5 inch belly pan, or adding an adapter, a spare blast gate lets you tune the two ports. Plus, if you ever need to clean out the saw carcass (e.g. ran the saw for a while but forgot to turn on the dust collection), opening the blast gate fully makes the belly pan more effective while you sweep.

                mpc
                THIS seems to be the most sensible. However as Loring stated, it works fine as is, I think I am just overthinking this. It's never been a problem in 12+ years, I am just getting OCD about it...
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                Comment


                • LCHIEN
                  LCHIEN commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Just let 'er rip.

                • dbhost

                  dbhost
                  commented
                  Editing a comment
                  LOL, okay puttin beans on the stove now!
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