# Sign carving sawdust control



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

I was getting tired of sweeping up after routing signs and decided to make a sawdust collector specifically for sign making. I made it out of 1/4" mdf and some 1/2" plywood because I had it on hand. This is a revised version. 

My initial attempt had a 2" high opening and it was absolutely worthless. Even sawdust sprinkled in front of it would just drop to the table instead of going in the collector. My shop vac couldn't handle that large an open area.

So, I revised it and made the opening only 3/8" high, added a box on top that serves as a 90º elbow and allows for the hose to be attached. It doesn't catch all the sawdust, but it catches the majority of it. You can see from the "After" photo how little sawdust is on the table after finishing a sign. The low profile is nice and I made the bottom long enough so I can clamp it to the edges of my table.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

nice clean fit and finish too...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Nice job Oliver


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Clever idea, Oliver


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Really like that, Oliver. I wonder how something like that would work on a table saw. I may have to try that.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

love your stuff, Oliver...always makes me think how I would use it...


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## dalboy (Jun 12, 2012)

What a great little idea seems to do the job a treat. On the bottom of the opening would it help if it was tapered down to the table to ease the flow


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## hilldh (Mar 7, 2009)

Very creative.....as usual. Thanks for sharing


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I was wondering if a guy was to have sanded that bottom edge to a 45 degree angle if it would have made a differance?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

TheCableGuy said:


> I was wondering if a guy was to have sanded that bottom edge to a 45 degree angle if it would have made a differance?


It probably would make a slight difference, Rick, but the bottom is only 1/4" thick and although a little sawdust does build up there, the amount is negligible. The bottom is MDF and I think adding a sharp edge would make it fragile.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

Wax the interior. Fine dust will otherwise stick and reduce flow.
Round over the front interior edges.

Unproven ideas.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

rwl7532 said:


> Wax the interior. Fine dust will otherwise stick and reduce flow.
> Round over the front interior edges.
> 
> Unproven ideas.


Yes, I did seal the interior with shellac and gave it a good coat of paste wax before assembly, Ralph. I like the round over idea and I'll give it a few licks with sandpaper to accomplish that and follow up with a bit more paste wax on the new edges.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Would love to see a video of how well it works!


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Looks like you could also use the "collector" to pull thin pieces away from the blade on the TS during ripping.


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## telecarver1 (Sep 25, 2009)

I used a 3D printer to make a dust hood that attaches to the router base. It works great.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

telecarver1 said:


> I used a 3D printer to make a dust hood that attaches to the router base. It works great.


Ron could you explain in more detail what you are talking about? I don't understand what you are talking about.

Thanks


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

hawkeye10 said:


> Ron could you explain in more detail what you are talking about? I don't understand what you are talking about.
> 
> Thanks


Ron used a 3D printer to make these and added them to his system to step up dust control..
https://www.boschtools.com/us/en/bo...hments-medium-large-routers-ra1172at-27258-p/

and these guys work quite well..


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## telecarver1 (Sep 25, 2009)

hawkeye10 said:


> Ron could you explain in more detail what you are talking about? I don't understand what you are talking about.
> 
> Thanks


Here are some photos. I originally had LED lights installed but they were too bright and lighting from the back side of the bit made it hard to see for freehand routing. The duct tape covers the holes where the lights were. I use a fairly powerful shop vac and it works really well. I end up with only a small amount of dust on the bench in the front and almost no dust floating in the air. 

This router base is dedicated to freehand routing of signs. You can see from the front view that I have cut out out the router base for better visibility and I have added a teflon base plate for smoother sliding. These features along with the spiral tapered bit make freehand routing of signs much easier.


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## tvman44 (Jun 25, 2013)

Oliver I like your idea, I was nthinking about something like that. I was using a portable dust collector box to do my sign carving on & a DC adapter on the router & it works some but not enough to please me. Whenever I can get my shop rebuilt I may borrow your idea. Right now I am out of business due the August flooding and am more concerned about getting back into my house then after that the shop will be next then maybe I can get back to carving signs. But I do like your idea. Only thing I would do different, I think I have some 1/8" Masonite I would use for the bottom piece,


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## Dejure (Jul 27, 2009)

This should work really well. I find just setting a 2-1/2" hose anywhere near where I'm carving )I just tie it to the frame of the carver) makes a night and day difference. So much so, I am always surprised at how much mess I see around other people's carvers.


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