# Grizzly G0555 -new dust port



## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

*Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*

I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
This is the first pic of the area under the blade:









Then I made a paper model to get the shape of the parts needed to enclose the dust area.



















I decided to use steel to make the box because I had to braze it together so I made a piece for the back with a lip to hold it up and then I made the box with two holes to screw it to the frame of the saw. I laid them out flat first and punched all the holes. Then I formed them using steel and hardwood to make the bends.


























After brazing, I painted the part green- close to Grizzly green.

















I used a piece of scrap PVC for the dust port and bored a taper in it to fit my shop vack hose. There was not much of a wall on this pvc and some of the threads came through the side, but it holds well. Here it is installed on the saw.:










I found that a little dust does get through. I'm going to do a test on cutting the same amount of feet of wood with and without the port on there to see what the real difference is on the floor. The next step is to add an outlet box on the saw that becomes HOT when the saw is turned on so the vac can be triggered with the saw switch.

I'd like to thank my good friend Mafe from Copenhagen for guiding me through the photo adding process for blogs. I hope they come throught okay.

ps. While measuring things I found that the G0555 is not a true 14" bandsaw. The table is 14" square, but the cutting width is actually 13 3/8". It is posted as such on the saw


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## boboswin (May 23, 2007)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


Good job Jim. You sure didn't waist any time between our converstion and getting a prototype up and running.
I can hardly wait to see the next installment.
Keep up the good work.

Bob


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


Hi Jim.
Thats really a wonderful improvement, this you will enjoy.
(Next will be one for the lathe…I smile).
Did you use the big metal pieces as a metal bender? (I would love to have a metal bending tool).
Glad you seem to have found the secret wonders of the blog, hope to see more from you.
Best of thoghts,
Mads


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


Hi Mads. I guess I did not reduce the photo size first so you cannot see some of the details. I'll try to shrink them and then repost. I did a test with and without the vac port and found that it did reduce the sawdust falling out a lot but the most gain was the dust in the air for a long cutting. There was almost none!
I bought the electrical box, cover and out let so I will soon have the vac come on automatically with the saw.

As for bending, I did use those rusty pieces of steel in the picture for bending. I bent the long side over them and then I used a piece of oak inside and bent the part with all cutouts over the oak with the steel pieces and a hammer. I have a little bending brake to use in a vice, but it was 1/2" too short for this project.


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## sedcokid (Jul 19, 2008)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


Great Job Jim.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


Hey guys. I have fess up on this one. After using it with all that mahogany in the bandsaw box, it really did not keep my shop much cleaner because sawdust flys out from everywhere- especially that light stuff. So, I took it off and run without it and that shop vac is not in my way when I have to roll out the saw and get at the pedestal grinder. I have resigned to the fact that the bandsaw is going to be that way and I will live with it. just wish I had a better corner to keep it so I did not have to sweep up each time I use it.
You win some and lose some. Mr Murphy bested me on this one!!!!!!!!!!


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## SawdustJunky (Mar 18, 2010)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 -new dust port #1:*
> 
> I have a Grizzly G0555 14" band saw and have had a problem collecting the dust adequately. It has a 4" port on the back but I don't have a big dust collector so I made a reducer for my 2 1/4" Genie Shop Vac that did not do much at all. I have been thinking about collecting the dust right below the blade for some time now. Wednesday I cut out some time to design and close in port.
> This is the first pic of the area under the blade:
> ...


I have the same bandsaw( but added the riser) and had the same issue but I capped off the factory hole and added one thru the lower part of the door. That's where the dust always seem to collect so it seemed logical and works great. Looks like you came upwith a great idea there as well. If it collects dust, how it does it makes no difference. great job.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

*Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*

I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.

In order to connect a hose to the port I needed it to come out to the side so I started by cutting a piece of 2" PVC pile on the miter saw at 30 degrees. It had to clear the blade and the three guide wheels so I carefully laid out the position of the blade if this pipe was all the way to the top, and also laid out the centers of the wheels on the side of the pipe. I used a Forstner bit to cut the hole clearances for the wheels and used the bandsaw to cut the blade clearance slot. I use the existing 8-32 tapped holes from the previous attempt to mount a holding bloc for the port. To secure the pipe to the block I used a part of a 2" PVC coupler and turned the inside to just slip over the pipe and I screwed a piece of black plastic to it. Once I had all the alignment complete, I locked the ring on the pipe with a screw. I used another coupler on the end of the pipe for the port to receive the hose. for that I glued in a short piece of 2" pipe and turned a 1.5 degree taper in it to a diameter of 2.300" at the outer end. Then you can plug any 2" vacuum hose into it.

For this attempt I have a bigger vacuum I call R2D2. I found him on the curb when I was going for a walk around the neighborhood. Someone threw it out and it works just fine. It is now dedicated to the saw and I have an outlet that comes on with the saw so it is always left in the ON position.

Here are some pics:


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## ShopTinker (Oct 27, 2010)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


Very ingenious! That looks like it should catch all of the dust right away. Thanks for sharing.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


looks like a great idea to me. Bandsaws need some DC help


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


This looks really functional.
Clever my friend.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


This one does work well. I have been cutting osage orange all day and it usually leaves an orange film over everything. None exists anywhere now. I'm sorry about the pictures, When I used Photoshop, they cut off some of the details, but you get the idea. I have yet to try aluminum. That is always messy coming out the front. I think the vacuum is high enough to pull it all in.


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## sedcokid (Jul 19, 2008)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


As usual Jim, you have had your thinker on  Great Idea!!

Thanks for sharing


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## Elizabeth (Oct 17, 2009)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


Wow, this is fantastic. I may have to try to make one of my own.


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## juniorjock (Feb 3, 2008)

Slovenian said:


> *Grizzly G0555 Dust Port- Revised Design*
> 
> I must admit my first attempt at a acceptable dust port for my Grizzly G0555 failed. It still left opening for dust to escape and I trashed it. I had to cut a lot of particle board in circles and thoroughly dusted the shop. That stopped me after that project and I wanted to collect the dust RIGHT OFF THE BLADE before it got to the lower port on the saw and everywhere else. So the following is what I came up with and it worked well after feeding 4 feet of particle board through it for a test.
> I needed something that would not harm the blade if it hit it but that could be put right up in the business area and removed quickly for blade changes. One of my favorite materials is PVC pipe and it was round like the opening in the saw table.
> ...


This looks great. I'd really like to see a video blog or something similar (if available). Great job, Jim.


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