Dust collection for bandsaw
#10
I have struggled with dust collection to my bandsaw, a Hammer N4400, for some years now. The outlet is a 120mm (close to 5") port that is linked by 5" hose to a 2 hp dust collector via a Super Dust Deputy cyclone.

[Image: DC6a.jpg]

The DC is the next planned upgrade, but it does a decent job of sucking dust (but more power and suction would not go amiss).

[Image: Bandsaw-wheels.jpg]

The dust port ...

[Image: 8a.jpg]

My plan was to add a hose near the source of the bandsaw dust, that is, where the cutting takes place at the blade. Not sure how to attach the hose, I did a little research ... and came across a video on YouTube by Rob Cosman. I am not sure if the idea is his, or whether he borrowed it (I did come across another that was made several years ago). Suction in this case would be via a Festool CT26E.

The idea is very simple. This is the construction of the dust collector ...

[Image: 1a.jpg]

Just a bit of 2" PVC tubing, with an end cap (I planned to lock the end to the bandsaw with a spacer, but this was unnecessary). The tube is sawn half way for the blade (in this case, a 1" Lennox) and opened up a the top (for sawdust).

Behind the dust collector is the holder. The holder is attached on the Hammer here (red arrows) ...

[Image: 3a.jpg]

This is half the holder attached (with bolts) ..

[Image: 3-1a.jpg]

This is the other half of the holder, with recesses for the bolt heads. Obviously, the pieces are screwed together.

[Image: 4a.jpg]

This the collector attached ...

[Image: 5a.jpg]

So, the question is does it work?

The inside of the bandsaw is usually coated with dust and quite thick on the floor. This picture was taken after a clean and then sawing about 20 feet of MDF with just the lower dust port in use ...

[Image: 10a.jpg]

I found that the lower dust port needed to be connected for the system to work optimally. It was not enough to just use the upper collector. However, with both connected, after repeated use through the course of an afternoon, this is the inside of the bandsaw ...

[Image: 11a.jpg]

The connection from the CT26E may be may with either the 28mm hose ...

[Image: 1-1a.jpg]

.. or a 50mm hose ...

[Image: Aa.jpg]

Both worked equally well, but in the end I decided to use the 50mm hose, as it was possible to swap it over to the K3 slider as well (where it has reduced dust spray considerably) ...

[Image: Ca.jpg]
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#11
Part II

I did not want to live with a double vacuum system, so connected the main 5" hose to the collector at the blade. My concern was that the 2 hp DC might not be powerful enough to pull dust through two hoses ...

[Image: D1a.jpg]

This is a 2 1/2" hose ...

[Image: D7a.jpg]

Now I tried a few variations after this: removing the end cap for increased air flow/ventilation (the cap on was slightly better), and taping up the blade kerfs in the tube (this was slightly better). Essentially, these all resulted in this ...

[Image: D6a.jpg]

Bottom line: I think that the little dust in the corner is a dead spot for cleaning. The system is working so much better than ever before, and now it only needs one switch at the DC to get it going. The new collector at the blade is making a huge difference.

Regards from Perth

Derek
Articles on furniture building, shop made tools and tool reviews at www.inthewoodshop.com
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#12
I adapted the Cosman DC solution to my Laguna SUV and as of now I am pleased with it. Much better collection than using the OEM ports. However, I am using a Dust Deputy via a Shop Vac with 1 & 7/8" hose for power.
So I believe I have optimized my underpowered DC system with the Cosman pick up.
I also had to mount the pick up parallel to the blade as opposed to your (and Cosman's) perpendicular approach. Works well.
Ag
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#13
My 40's Craftsman 12" 103.0103 BS is open at the bottom, under the lower wheel, and my grandfather put a dust collection box under it when he built the stand (from the crate it came in, according to my Dad).  It worked well enough to catch dust, but didn't do anything about airborne dust.  So I blanked it off and put a 4" port in it.  Much better, but still got too much dust from under the table.

I added a wooden box, bolted to the lower wheel door in place of the little handle (so no holes drilled), and added a 4" hose to that, too, with a wye connector to a 5" hose to the trunk line.  Much better now.  Not 100% clean, but the two ports allow a lot of air to move, and the dust that seems to get away looks to be larger bits that come off when the blade rides the upper wheel.  

The box would get in the way of tilting the table, but I almost never tilt the table, so it's not been a problem.

I like your solution (much less clunky than mine), but wonder if a larger diameter tube would allow more air flow to help pull the debris out of the gullets.
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
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#14
Strange they put the original port down to the bottom of the machine. Most all the other manfs with that design frame put the port on the upper right side by the lower brg guides.
My MM with 4" port does an excellent job of collecting.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#15
Thanks, Derek!

I've got an old 14" Delta that I've got plans to upgrade in the very near future, with DC being a big part of that upgrade. I'll be giving this a serious look when the time comes....
Yes 


Thanks again!
Big Grin 
Dave
"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyrany, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
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#16
(01-02-2019, 12:53 AM)Stwood_ Wrote: Strange they put the original port down to the bottom of the machine. Most all the other manfs with that design frame put the port on the upper right side by the lower brg guides.
My MM with 4" port does an excellent job of collecting.

My Laguna has the port on the bottom but at the rear of the machine instead of the front like the Hammer. Not very effective.
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#17
Nice job as always, Derek. I'll give it some consideration on my Walker Turner 16 incher, now being re-assembled after restoration. Thanks for sharing!

Doug
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#18
I'm glad you were able to fix the problem.

   My Bandsaw dust setup doesn't work that great, but not for trying quite a few things.

   I did become a much happier woodworker when I started cutting wood instead of worrying about intense dust collecting.
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