# Miter saw dust collection



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Stumbled across this while looking for dust collection tools/parts for the shop... Dust Drag In

Dust Drag-in

Would love for it to work well. I am not picking up the dust off the sides of the blade.


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## reuelt (Dec 29, 2008)

Marco said:


> Stumbled across this while looking for dust collection tools/parts for the shop... Dust Drag In
> 
> Dust Drag-in
> 
> Would love for it to work well. I am not picking up the dust off the sides of the blade.


Seems like a good design requiring no electricity.
Only about $30 so it is worth testing it out. Would be better than none.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

@Marco - only problem I have with this is that the picture they show of "dust" is actually chips in the barrel. Don't get a lot of chips off the miter saw, so not sure how effective it is on actual dust coming off a miter saw.


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## CharlesWebster (Nov 24, 2015)

My miter saw has a dust port, but only about 2/3 of the dust/chips comes out the port, the rest blows out the sides and off the blade. That thing isn't going to do anything to capture the dust that doesn't come out the port.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Ok, looks interesting, but not much information--a new product. It doesn't seem like it will work on a sliding miter. 

My solution helps a lot. I set up a U shaped structure above the saw and hung a clear shower curtain around the saw. There is just enough room for the saw to swing without impeding the slider bars. The shower curtain hangs down to the height of the saw motor and comes around the sides so that the majority of sawdust winds up back in the curtain. The curtain is gathered into a box with a 4 inch dust port. The top of the curtain is covered as well. I used aluminum duct tape to hold it together, which holds far better than I'd hoped.

As I used this, I discovered that cutting technique has a LOT to do with sawdust dispersion. To minimize that, I now make a very light cut across the top of the workpiece, then push the blade back and down. The first cut forms a channel that throws most sawdust back into the curtain. 

Dramatically cuts flying sawdust. Next step is to take a small piece of aluminum and curve it into a U shape that fits on the built in 2.5 inch dust port. I'll affix the U shape just behind the fence so the sawdust will be directed into the port. Ample suction will catch allmost all sawdust coming off the saw.

This is constructed against a wall and I used two large L brackets to hang the curtain. Measured the width of the saw with it at both 45 degree settings. The table is on casters so I can pull it out a little for 90 degree cuts. I screwed a stop bar onto the floor to push the table back into storage position. 

Sorry no detail. I had but can't locate a picture of this setup. Took an hour or so to put it together. There are many ways to do something like this, but this was an easy fix, and cheap too.


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## reuelt (Dec 29, 2008)

DesertRatTom said:


> Ok, looks interesting, but not much information--a new product. It doesn't seem like it will work on a sliding miter. .


I also thought it won't work with a SCMS (sliding compound mitre saw) but then saw this picture with a SCMS.

The chute of the SCMS is NOT connected to a DUSTY or Shopvac
So probably the dust shooting from the chute will create a flow and DRAG-IN the other dust - with the help of GRAVITY.


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## TinmanCarving (Mar 8, 2015)

All I know is that the sliding miter saw in my shop is responsible for the majority of my mess.

I have found that some dust collection is better than no dust collection. Perfection is not achievable. Are some better than others? Oh yeah. But I don't have time to sort out the perfectly engineered solution for my particular saw. Too busy wasting wood and glue.

For $30 I am in. Anything is better than nothing.

I'll post some basic results once it arrives.

Rob


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

an extra large one of these laid over on it's side w/ a DC tap near either end.. 
use the lid to form additional hooding...
works rather well...
the more CFM the better..
10 ~ 15 dollars...

the hood pictured looks like it's more for non-slider saws...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

The picture shows it on a sliding miter, but the question to me is, does the slider rub against the tubing? I guess you could rig a little support sling to keep it elevated to avoid rubbing. I'd still rather have a little suction on it to feed into my DC setup.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

@DesertRatTom

I remember seeing a photo of your setup during an earlier discussion on this subject, and was intrigued but it seemed to take up more room than I have available, plus I also need something that is storable after I tuck my miter saw back under the bench where it lives. To go with your design though, there was an earlier thread that showed a gentleman making cabinets (for RV's?) on a production basis, and his miter saw pulled through one of those clear "ribbon-curtains" like one sees on a loading dock, albeit on a much smaller scale - that seemed to be a good idea to trap the sawdust that bounced back towards the operator. On your idea of the aluminum chute, I read an article where a piece of heavy (say 1/8" thick or better) was used to make a flexible chute to feed the discharge port on the guard - I saved a picture of the set-up (see below) but forgot to bookmark the article.

My miter saw is exactly that, an old Ryobi - what used to be called a chop saw I believe - now being used to replace my RAS for cutting narrower parts to length. I've played with dust collection on it; the Rockler plastic hood helps but needs side walls and a roof - maybe the roof could incorporate the ribbons hanging down? The drawback to this is the size - it has to be removed from the stand that the saw sits on and stored between uses. I haven't done much more on dust collection for that saw as I've been working on refurbishing one of the old (long out of production) Sears 7-1/2" miter saws that looks like a mini RAS and will probably concentrate on some type of dust collection system for it.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

What Tom (DRT) said.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

This is what I have to collect dust for my MS. It works pretty well. I wish my TS would do as well.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

My approach is very similar Hawkeye10's. The hose is connected to the 4" feed back to the DC. After I cut the notch into the top of the zero clearance backer the system works quite well. Still not dustless but far better.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

If you can find a picture of your set up Tom post it please.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Tinman Carving said:


> All I know is that the sliding miter saw in my shop is responsible for the majority of my mess.
> 
> I have found that some dust collection is better than no dust collection. Perfection is not achievable. Are some better than others? Oh yeah. But I don't have time to sort out the perfectly engineered solution for my particular saw. Too busy wasting wood and glue.
> 
> ...


 let us know how she works Tinman.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

tomp913 said:


> @DesertRatTom
> 
> I remember seeing a photo of your setup during an earlier discussion on this subject, and was intrigued but it seemed to take up more room than I have available, plus I also need something that is storable after I tuck my miter saw back under the bench where it lives. To go with your design though, there was an earlier thread that showed a gentleman making cabinets (for RV's?) on a production basis, and his miter saw pulled through one of those clear "ribbon-curtains" like one sees on a loading dock, albeit on a much smaller scale - that seemed to be a good idea to trap the sawdust that bounced back towards the operator. On your idea of the aluminum chute, I read an article where a piece of heavy (say 1/8" thick or better) was used to make a flexible chute to feed the discharge port on the guard - I saved a picture of the set-up (see below) but forgot to bookmark the article.
> 
> My miter saw is exactly that, an old Ryobi - what used to be called a chop saw I believe - now being used to replace my RAS for cutting narrower parts to length. I've played with dust collection on it; the Rockler plastic hood helps but needs side walls and a roof - maybe the roof could incorporate the ribbons hanging down? The drawback to this is the size - it has to be removed from the stand that the saw sits on and stored between uses. I haven't done much more on dust collection for that saw as I've been working on refurbishing one of the old (long out of production) Sears 7-1/2" miter saws that looks like a mini RAS and will probably concentrate on some type of dust collection system for it.


The curtain could hang on a thick dowel so you could push it back, out of the way, then pull it forward for use. That would get the DC curtain out of the way when you put the saw away. The earlier picture was taken before I gathered the bottom of the curtain for dust collection. The curtian stays in place in my shop, othewise I'd must revise the rod setup so I could push it back, out of the way

The little scoop just behind the blade is pretty much what I'm going to do. I don't use a zero clearance fence, but should consider dong so. For now, I usually put in a scrap piece as a backer board that prevents tearout.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@DesertRatTom

The other item of convenience is that grove along the upper edge which accepts T-bolts to lock a stop block in place for repetitive cuts.


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