How to Make a Table Saw Dust Collector
Installing a dust collector on your table saw can make clean-up easier, as well as making your work area much safer. With the dust collector in place, the sawdust will be collected rather than cast into the air for you to breathe. A simple dust collection system can be installed, as the below steps outline, in minimal time and at a very reasonable cost.
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Instructions
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How to Make a Table Saw Dust Collector
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1
Purchase a wet-dry shop vac to use as the dust collector. You will be able to remove the shop-vac from the table saw when it is needed elsewhere.
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2
Determine the best route for your vacuum hose. Depending on the design of your table saw, either run the hose above the saw table or secure it beneath the saw just beside the blade. In either instance you will need to secure the hose using either cable ties or hose clamps, once again depending on how your saw is configured.
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3
Route the vacuum hose away from the saw. Using more cable ties/hose clamps, secure the hose to the table frame or counter. Make certain the hose is clear of all moving parts of the saw and will not be a tripping hazard to the person operating the saw.
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4
Connect the vacuum hose to the shop-vac. You can either connect the hose directly to the shop-vac or couple it with the hose provided with the shop-vac. Make certain there are no crimps in the hose, and as few sharp curves as possible. Use the shortest amount of hose possible.
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Apply power to the shop-vac. Plug in the shop-vac to a standard wall outlet. You will probably need to make adjustments to the hose and may want to consider using a directional attachment much like you would find on your household vacuum cleaner.
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Tips & Warnings
Make certain the shop-vac is equipped with a good filter to prevent the sawdust from being vented back into the workshop.
Some units designed specifically as dust collectors work in much the same manner. The design outlined here works on the same principle, and can be done at a lower cost using items you may already have in your workshop.
