Dust Collection Modification for Contractors Type Table Saw

It possibly could of been mine. I custom made it to fit my Delta 34-445X Contractors table saw. The flange size is 12 1/2” X 12 1/2” , fits a 10” X 10” opening and has a 4” port. Made of heavy gauge galvanized sheet metal. I also added some sheet metal to the back of the saw cabinet that does not interfear with bevel cut operations. It all works very well on my table saw.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Hey,
I also did a little work on my BT3100 to seal it up and keep the dust down.
It was a pretty quick fix and works fairly well. When I get the time I’m going to put some funneling in bottom of saw to help direct sawdust.
I can’t seem to break the code on attaching pics so I’ll work on that and re-visit.

-- I'd rather have a bottle infront of me than a frontal lobotomy.

They make a plastic bottom dust collecter for contractor saws. I have one on mine, I believe I purchased it for Rockler, It has a 4” port.

-- Tom D

I had a plastic one for mine also.

Rockler has them.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=16972&filter=dust%20tablesaw

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Tom, I had one of those generic plastic trays, they aren’t very efficient and are PITA to hook a hose up to. Thats why I designed one that works alot better for me.
{picture removed}

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Out of curiosity, what is the size of the dust hood under a new Delta 36- 979, 36-980, 36-981, and 36-982 ? is it 12 1/4” X 12 1/4” ? or 14” X 14” ? Anyone here have one of these newer table saws that would be willing to check ?

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Heres a couple more pictures for you folks.

{pictures removed}

In the last picture I had removed the electrical box and wireing from inside the cabinet and installed a new paddle switch up under the fence. The switch install link is http://lumberjocks.com/topics/1847 Plus I did a little more sheet metal work inside the cabinet.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

I’ve got to say I’m really disapointed and puzzled as to why no one has commented on my setup. Lets hear it, good or bad.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Well, Woodchuck, it looks like a good idea to me. I have a cabinet saw, so I haven’t had to figure out something like this, but it looks like it should work.

-- Coffee is best with a fine layer of sawdust on top. -- http://www.north40custom.com

Well, I guess I was asleep at the wheel!

It looks very effective. I had the store bought one on mine.

As to why you don’t get responses to your posts, it is probably beacuse they are posted inside posts of other people. Once someone has viewed a post once they might not get back to it. With the number of posts being posted it get hard to keep track of them. As you can see this post was first started 28 days ago.

Try starting a blog of your own when you come up with something.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

When I come up with something ? Geeee thanks. WOW

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Unbelieveable. You all just keep useing that plastic poor excuse of a dust port. A guy comes in here looking for help, I offer it, then I’m told to make my own blog ? Well excuse me.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

I highly doubt any offense was intended, but you asked the question about why you weren’t getting comments. I think Gary was trying to help.

-- Robb

Well it makes no sense to start another blog or post, theres nothing wrong with the title of this post. The topics refresh themselves to the top of the list whenever activity is detected. I’ve been here long enough to know that and I think someone else does too.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Hi! Jay
all of the above are good ideas. They are much better than the setup that I was going to share.
And, if Woodchuck is reading this??
Hello, Woodchuck
Don’t take this stuff so personally.
If you were to post these picks under your own blog or even as a project, I’m sure that you would receive all of the pats on the back that you require to get by. And you do deserve some. (Nice Job!) The only reason that I opened this forum question, was to see if I could help Jay out with his question sense I also own a Delta contractors saw. I do not think that anyone wanted to hurt your feelings or to say that you did not have a great idea.
Just my 2 cents. And P.S. I think the guy that you jumped back on, also was one of the members that took the time to welcome you to this site. As did I
God bless

-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia

Thankyou Gene, sometimes it’s hard for me to tell where people are comeing from without facial expressions or tone of voice. The dust collection deal is personal to me, I’ve spent more time than you can imagine figureing it all out, and a boat load more explaining it to some people. It’s been a long road. I’m not geting any younger either. So on that note and your P.S. I will apologize to Gary. Sorry. Now I guess I need to get to work at building a new bridge after burning the bridge to Gary’s.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Looks like you have the right hammer to rebuild that bridge (in your icon)...

I just wanted to second or third that the point that Gary was trying to make really was straight ahead…and has value. For instance, if you had started a topic on that bent upper wheel arbor assembly on it’s own, say as a forum topic, that would have interested me. Now, we had some back and forth on that (we had a good exchange) over in Dano’s band saw post. But, man, you’re armed with photos, and good ones! Your content/contribution deserves it’s own posts. I guess I’m just saying that I think there’s value in contributing your stuff in a blog, forum, or project format…and at the same time, I totally understand where you’re coming from with posting related information that’s on topic in someone else’s post. That makes sense too.

Your dust collection solution on the saw looks good. Is it more effective than the flat plastic kind because it all heads downhill in the chute?

-- Dorje (pronounced "door-jay"), Seattle, WA

Hi Dorje, thankyou for your input. What makes this dust hood better than the generic flat plastic kind is the dust gets caught like a catchers mit. With the flat plastic port the sawdust has a small target to hit, on bevel cuts it’s not even close. Other advantages are a more convieniant hose connection location, no elbows or bending of the hose to hook it up, the air has a straight path directly to the saw, meaning less restricxtion on your DC

{picture removed}

12” and 14” hoods.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Woodchuck, are you making these? I really like the concept, and if I still had my Ridgid saw, I would definitely want one. If you decide to market them, I would suggest making a 6” port available as well, since a lot of us run 6” ducting. In fact, I could use several 6” hoods around here- my bandsaw, chopsaw, spindle sander, lathe, drill press, etc.!

Be sure to use the free publicity you can get here. A good blog will get a ton of replies, and from what I’ve seen, you have all the skills necessary to put one together.

-- Furniture Medic- the prescription for damaged furniture

Hi Myron, yes, I have made several, mostly prototypes. This is my fourth and hopefully last design. The 6” connection is a possibility but I’m not sure if I can find one that installs like the 4” I’m useing. I’ll have to do more investigateing. I run a 2 hp DC with the 4” now and it does a good job. Thanks for the words of encouragement, I may just end up writeing a blog yet.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Good job Woodchuck. You obviously spent a lot of time and effort on the dust collector. My ‘factory stock’ (Ridgid 3650) collector could hardly be made to be more inconvenient to hook up.

-- Maplewood, MN

Thanks Rikkor, the Ridgid saw is supose to be a good saw, what they were thinking when they installed a small 2 1/2” port is beyond me.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

If you have anymore questions about the dust ports you can e:mail me at {email removed} I’ve had enough of this arogant good ol boys lynch mob club. I hope your all happy, you got what you wanted now.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Hey guys, after a computer disaster thanks to a Gates upgrade, i am finally back on line. Thanks to all of you that have responded.

Woodchuck- do U make those for sale? Looks like what i need. Thanks for the post and I will go measure my saw today.

Thanks to all that took the time to reply. What a great group!

-- Jay, San Antonio, Texas - Making Sawdust Rocks!

Pretty cool concept..I agree that the flat plastic thing isn’t very effective (at least it wasn’t on the contractor saw I had). I like the design of the tapered metal ducting. Do you also enclose the back Woodchuck?

-- Rich, Madison WI

Jay, you’d probably fall over if I told you what I’d have to have for one, which isn’t out of line for a sheet metal connection for machinery. Rich, theres no need to fully enclose the back off. The DC needs air.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Hey, Woodchuck,

Guess i will have to learn sheet metal craft in addition to woodworking to get my DC connected to the table saw.

Thanks to all the guys that responded. what a great group. And, if you think the bickering and unfriendly remarks are unique to this forum, try going to one of the Tractor Forums. The John Deere owners beat on the Orange and blue gang constantly. I own a Kioti Tractor and one day i made the statement ‘Nothing runs like a Deere, with a Kioti chasing it” Boy, did I get it from the Deere guys.

-- Jay, San Antonio, Texas - Making Sawdust Rocks!

Sorry Jay. I’m not setup to mass produce these things to make them affordable for most people, but I am persueing other avenues. Thankyou for your interest.

-- If you can't find the time to do it properly, how will you find the time to fix it ?

Well, i finally got the DC connected to my table saw. Finally went down to Woodcraft Supply and bought their plastic table saw hood and had to make a plywood panel to attach it to the bottom of the saw frame. Then i fabricated a way to partly block the open back with cutouts to allow for the arbor to swing from 90 degrees to 45 degrees. I took some pictures but need to learn how to post them.

OK, i am working on that!

Thanks for everyone’s help!

-- Jay, San Antonio, Texas - Making Sawdust Rocks!