Sawstop Overarm Dust Collection
#11
Hi folks,

I'm planning on purchasing a Sawstop 3hp PCS model.  They have a "free" add-on option for the Overarm Dust Collection until April 30th.  I'm considering it and would appreciate feedback from those of you who have that system; and also comments about whether the dust collection blade guard is just fine without the overarm system (does the dust collection tube behind the guard get in the way?). In other words is the overarm dust collection worth getting?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Cheers,
Dave
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#12
It is worth it. Keeps the saw top clean , also less dust in air.
The tube does not come in way for normal cuts.

Once you start cutting large pieces, Tenon, Boxes etc then you need to remove the blade guard as any other table saw.

I use it on my table saw and will not do without it.
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#13
I retrofitted the SawStop blade guard to my Grizzly G0691 quite awhile ago in order to get over the table dust collection.   I ran a dust collection hose from the ceiling to it.  It works well for me.


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#14
I sold mine (someone wanted it for a Rigid saw) and put an Excaliber on it. I've never had any luck with those choked down openings like the SS guard had, though I'd bet if you hooked a shop vac to it it would work better than with a DC.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#15
Dave,  I bought the SS when it was being tested, and IIRC and the Dust Collection Guard was not offered at that time -  it came out when they released the saw, and they sent me one, so I have used both the original guard and the dust collection guard.  The dust collection guard is fantastic, on the few occasions that I don't have it hooked up, I am stunned by how much dust is on top of the table.  I didn't buy their dust hose system, and just ran a Y off my dust collection hose  to a pvc pipe, and then to the rear of the guard.  I did have to install a damper of sorts in the dust collector hose at the bottom of the saw to get the balance of suction right -  I needed more suction at the guard, and less below the table.   If it were me, I would probably get the free base, and fabricate hoses to fit the guard to my current dust collection system.
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#16
Thanks for all the quick responses!

Dave
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#17
I have it and works quite well. A couple of times for some reason it was disconnected for a few cuts. The result is that a stream sawdust goes out the stub of the tube where the arm connects. With it connected there is very little dust that is not picked up.
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#18
Dave: AFAIK the Free overarm guard is nothing more than a support for the hose, it does not support the guard itself (like the old
Biesemeyer guard I had on my UNISAW).  I determined that the free mobility kit was more useful to me when I bought the SS.  As far
as supporting the hose when connected to the stock SS guard, just get whats called a street ell (pvc). A few wraps of electrical tape get the
fitting to fit the SS guard with enough friction that you can angle your shop vac hose to clear the outfieed table with no problem.  

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#19
It's certainly made a believer out of me. It works so well I'm always a little unhappy when I have to do a cut without it. Half Inch Shy had a good tip of using a blast gate at the bottom to balance the flow (add more suck to the top at the expense of the bottom). Seems to help. 

The older I get the more I hate dust.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!" Arthur 'Big Guy' Carlson
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#20
I would go with Philip1231 on this.  It is relatively easy and inexpensive to get a hose of some sort to the shield on the PCS.  I did very similar to what he did.  The mobility package is much more desirable in my opinion.
A retirement dedicated to fine woodworking and bad golf.
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