Dust Collection for DeWalt Miter Saw

[nicemac]

Just introduced myself in the new user's forum, but figured many people don't check the newbie thread often. Part of this post is duplicated in that introduction.

I have dedicated the past few months to education and implementation of a real dust collection system in my new shop. (I finally moved out of the garage and built a dedicated shop about 18 months ago.) I have read most of Bill Pentz's writings, and am in the process of optimizing a new 5hp system with a 15" impeller from ClearVue cyclones that utilizes his design.

Fine wood dust makes me sick, literally, and I have been looking for away to "clear the air." The ClearVue cyclone is a great start, but getting individual machines hooked up to remove ALL OF the dust is a challenge. I have run 6" hard pipe to all of my stationary tools. I am very pleased with the way they are being scavenged. Nary a crumb escapes my bandsaw or spindle sander. I have good evacuation of my cabinet saw and have a Shark Guard on order to get the fine stuff still coming off of the blade there. Ed at ClearVue says he can use his power tools all day with no fine dust even on his computer screen. THAT Is the kind of dust collection I am in search of.

My biggest obstacle - the DeWalt miter saw. Large hoods just don't capture the fine dust that bothers me, and getting piping in close enough to the blade to make a difference is tough. Maybe I need some combination of both approaches?

Festool has a saw (the Kapex) with built-in piping that seems to work well, but at $1300, I am not sure I want to go there, yet. I want to try to fabricate something to work on my existing DW708 that emulates Festool - if possible.

Does anyone have the DeWalt DW708 with photos of what they have done to get rid of the dust? I found a couple of threads where the DeWalt is mentioned, but none that I felt met my (possibly unattainable) standard of dust removal.

Having a hobby that makes you sick is no fun. The ClearVue gives me what my smaller portable system never did, and if I can get over the hurdle of the miter saw, it may once again be fun to work in the shop.

Cheers,
Kevin

 

[Travis Porter]

Welcome to NCWW!

Unfortunately, I have not seen much of any dust collection for the DeWalt Miter saws that I would call even close to acceptable. I am pretty much resigned to upgrading to a Festool if and when I ever decide to sell the two DeWalt miter saws that I currently have.

Some of the newer versions have a dust pick up below the blade, neither of my units do. When you hook it up to a good shop vac, it will probably get 70 to 80 percent, but not much more..... Sorry.... Hope someone else can provide a better solution for you.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

See my response to your intro post.

 

[gdoebs]

I added a dust shroud to my Ridgid SCMS. Here's a pict of it:

View image in gallery​

It does make a huge difference, but it there is still a fine cloud of dust which is why I wear a respirator...most of the time.

I do have an idea about connecting my ClearVue to it. I would build something that I could attach to the saw that would hold two 2.5" flex hoses on either side of the blade. A third 2.5" hose would connect to the dust port. The hard part would be keeping the side hoses close to the blade without interfering with the cut. I may need to have an adjustable vent so I can control the suction. The ClearVue is very powerful and collapses my 6" flex hose with I connect it to my 4" port on my dewalt planer. Someday I need to figure out how to make it a 6" port too.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

I added a dust shroud to my Ridgid Sliding Compund Miter Saw. Here's a pict of it:

View image in gallery​

It does make a huge difference, but it there is still a fine cloud of dust which is why I wear a respirator...most of the time.

I do have an idea about connecting my ClearVue to it. I would build something that I could attach to the saw that would hold two 2.5" flex hoses on either side of the blade. A third 2.5" hose would connect to the dust port. The hard part would be keeping the side hoses close to the blade without interfering with the cut. I may need to have an adjustable vent so I can control the suction. The ClearVue is very powerful and collapses my 6" flex hose with I connect it to my 4" port on my dewalt planer. Someday I need to figure out how to make it a 6" port too.

I know what Rigid says, but is the inside diameter of your blade guard port really 2.5"? My Delta is more like 1.75" - 2." You are better off coming up with a curtain and finding a way to keep your 6" pipe in close . You just lose way too much CFM dropping it down to three 2.5" pipes. Even if the blade guard port is a true 2.5", the combined cross-sectional area of the three 2.5" pipes is only 14.7 sq. in. while the cross-sectional area of a 6" pipe is 28.2 sq. in!!!!! And because of turbulence and other factors, you are getting even less than half the flow through three 2.5" pickups than through one 6" pickup. Remember it is not the suction right at the port you need, it is collection from nearly a hemisphere of space around the port to capture the maximum amount of fine dust.

 

[nicemac]

The efficiency of the ClearVue with other tools makes me really want o make this work. So far, I can work almost completely dust-free other than this saw. I may wind up taking this thing completely apart to try to find a way to get piping in close to the blade. If Festool can do it, it can be done...

 

[JackLeg]

The efficiency of the ClearVue with other tools makes me really want o make this work. So far, I can work almost completely dust-free other than this saw. I may wind up taking this thing completely apart to try to find a way to get piping in close to the blade. If Festool can do it, it can be done...

Keep us posted on your efforts. :icon_scra My Bosch slider is the "dust slinger" in my shop. I've almost decided to construct a "tent" of sorts just to stop the dust and let it drop into a container. :dontknow:I'm fortunate that I don't have allergy problems.
:wsmile:

 

[JackLeg]

See my response to your intro post.

Alan, you're right! THAT is some shop!:swoon: Wish I had his budget and talent!! The "containment hood" he has over his miter saw is something like I'm envisioning. :eusa_thin I have a lumber rack up there, so I could do that, I think. Thanks for the link. :wsmile:

 

[nicemac]

What kind of budget do you have to have to equip your shop like that? I have a cordless drill - he had 7 VISIBLE on the shelf. A Laguna table saw is over $5k. Everything he has is top-of-the-line. (His chisels didn't look that great however)

I built a really nice building after years of working in a two car garage, but after seeing his shop, well, let's just say I am envious...

 

[chgorugbyref]

Has anyone ever tried a downdraft table concept under the saw(like a sanding table)? That coupled with a direct piping system behind the blade might be effective?

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

What kind of budget do you have to have to equip your shop like that? I have a cordless drill - he had 7 VISIBLE on the shelf. A Laguna table saw is over $5k. Everything he has is top-of-the-line. (His chisels didn't look that great however)

I built a really nice building after years of working in a two car garage, but after seeing his shop, well, let's just say I am envious...

Try counting his routers or ROS. I think he has a mix of Dynabrade pneumatic ROS and Festool electric ROS.

You know, in a shop that filled with tools, there is no room to work, no room for assembly, no room for production work, etc. Did he have a finishing room.

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Has anyone ever tried a downdraft table concept under the saw(like a sanding table)? That coupled with a direct piping system behind the blade might be effective?

It is possible with some CMS/SCMS, but most have a solid, or nearly so, base plate that prevents it. I think the best solution is shopvac to the blade guard, a tent-like enclosure, and a 6" or larger DC port in the back hooked to a monster DC.