Replies

1. 
   KeithNewton | Nov 20, 2004 06:20pm | #1

   OK FG. I'm glad you explained the touchup. My eye went first to the photo, and I initially thought that was smoke.
   Does your vac have a Y so that it picks up from the bottom as well, and do you have it wired through the saw switch?
   There is a lot to love there, I couldn't live without a catch table behind mine though. I guess you are limited for space.

1. 
   forestgirl | Nov 20, 2004 08:34pm | #2

   Hi Root, nope the place wasn't on fire when I took the pic!!  (finished the shelves for that obscured cupboard last night, door shouldn't be too far down the road).

   I have space for a rear extension table, just haven't built it yet.  I want it to be down-foldable, so the permanent part will go out over the motor, then have hinges.  It's an "after-the-holidays" project.

   I haven't done a Y-thing yet, because the vac barely has an effect with that wide-open contractor's saw as it is.  With a real dust collector a ways off still, I'm thinking about hooking the vac up to the overhead and just letting the sawdust pile up in the bottom and vacuum it out every couple of days.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Dave45 | Nov 22, 2004 12:00am | #3

   Forestgirl -

   Have you considered making a cabinet for your contractors saw?  Here are some pictures of mine that I made about five yrs ago.  The space below the saw blade does a great job of collecting the sawdust and about 75% of it gets pulled into the dust colletor.  I have to open it up and clean it about once a week - depending on how much I'm using the saw.  The drawers hold 'stuff' like my stackable and adjustable dado cutters, spare saw blades, and my collection of zero clearance inserts.

    

    

   
1. 
   forestgirl | Nov 22, 2004 12:09am | #4

   Hi Dave, thanks for the pictures!  Yes, I do want to build a cabinet, but it's kinda down on the priority list at the moment.  Looks like you figured out how to close off that back part pretty well, and leave room for the motor and belt to tilt.  I tried one afternoon a long time ago, and got completely befuddled with how to track where the cut-out part needed to go, LOL! 

   I'm going to bookmark your post, because 2 or 3 times a year, people post wanting to know how to make the DC better on a contractor's saw.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   Dave45 | Nov 22, 2004 01:29am | #5

   Yeah, that back part took a little time.  I made it when I was giving the saw a serious 'going-over' and had it mostly apart anyway.  I moved the blade from top to bottom at 90*, 22.5* and 45*, took careful measurements, and marked several points on that piece of 1/4" ply.  After I cut it out, it took a few minor sessions with my Dremel tool and a small sanding drum to get it just right.

   For the first year, I just used the chamber to collect the sawdust.  The DC connection was a snap when I finally got my DC system.

   When you get your DC system, pay attention to how you mount the blast gates.  I had a lot of problems with sawdust collecting in the gate channels until I mounted them so they opened downward.  Haven't had a problem in almost a year now - lol.

2. 
   BArnold | Nov 24, 2004 12:09am | #14

   Dave,

   Nice cabinet!  Kinda like the one I built for my old Craftsman contractor's saw before I got my Jet cabinet saw.  One thing I did that really helped with dust collection is adding pieces on each side of the dust collection compartment to channel the chips better (see attached drawing).

   Regards,Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

   
1. 
   highfigh | Nov 24, 2004 02:42am | #15

   Dave- you can keep from having to look for one of those in a drawer by buying several and hang them on the wall. JK. Do you hang anything on the side of the saw? You could add a hook for the magnet tool. I dropped my arbor washer into mine a few weeks ago, but I know which drawer in my tool box it's in. You could also install a door at the back, similar to what's on a cabinet saw.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   Dave45 | Nov 24, 2004 05:46pm | #17

   Bill -

   Funny how the mind sorta 'locks in' on something.  My vision of baffles in the collection chamber had three pieces to concentrate the sawdust at the DC port.  I saw that as tricky to build and it would block my access from the front.  Using only two baffles (like in your drawing) would make this much easier to do and probably help move more sawdust into the DC.  Looks like a good project for my next 'break' after fireplace mantle season winds down. - lol

2. 
   JMartinsky | Nov 22, 2004 03:22pm | #6

   Dear FG,
   I've considered an overarm setup such as yours, but they always look to me as though they would be in the way. When I rip solid stock, I tend to rip about 2/3s of the way through and then lift the peice off of the table, spin it and finish. I am not a fan of getting my hands near the blade or even on the table if I can avoid it. Perhaps I should be ripping stock on a bandsaw and using the tablesaw for sheet goods? On another note, it's nice to see a shop that lokks used and not just a showroom!

   Peace,

   John

1. 
   forestgirl | Nov 22, 2004 09:22pm | #7

   Hi John.  The "getting in the way" thing is a factor.  I have a very narrow push-block that came in handy the other day.  I was ripping about 5/8" off the edge of some mahogany moulding.  Had to re-adjust the hood to slide closer to the saw blade and use the narrow stick to go between it and the fence.

   Installation of my Grip Tite system will help with this a great deal.  Hands stay away from the blade, as successive pieces of stock are used to feed the pieces through.  The GT closest to the operator shields the blade-front when ripping narrow pieces, so that's an extra bonus.

   BTW, when I make a push-block, it's never a "push-stick" -- it stands up tall and has a solid handle.  On my favorite one, the handle extends over the body. If possible, I like to make a "sliding anchor" out of part of my hand, referenced either to the fence or to the miter gauge. 

   I've had my biggest scares (so far) with sheet goods.  Especially when I fogot to put the splitter back on!  Darned panel, about 14" square, got away from me and spun over the top of the blade.  Yikes!!

   You'll never have to worry about my shop being a showroom LOL!  It was really a mess when I took that picture.  I'm still making a "place for everything" since going on an organizational binge late this summer.  Got rid of  a big rolling cupboard, still making new shelves and such.  This is what it looked like last year.  Current improvements include:

   freed up central space -- workbench is no longer in the middle in front of the wood stove, but in the soutwest corner instead.

   Big brown cabinet and all the barber shop cabs are gone, freeing up wall space

   Rolling cart, now holds sheet goods underneath the lumber rack

   Was able to claim space on un-photo'd coutertops from the family mechanic, replace the top with new melamine, and move the drill press over there.  Have built several pull-outs to hold solvents and stains, and several shelves to improve storage in the wall cabinets.

   I have more wood!  Have some maple, teak and cherry now.  Mostly for small projects.  Picked up oak plywood, 3/4", for $29 on sale at HD a couple weeks ago for winter projects.

   And, of course, removable splitter, cast iron wings and overhead guard for table saw!

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

   Edited 11/22/2004 2:07 pm ET by forestgirl

1. 
   JMartinsky | Nov 23, 2004 04:04am | #8

   Dear FG,
   Thanks for the info. Those darn panels are scary on top of the blade! You are braver than I am when it comes to push sticks. I had one kick back on my cabinet saw and I have been tender about ripping ever since. I guess I still have to learn my machine. I was so used to my Makita, but the cabinet saw is so much stronger, it doesn't give much warning. I think ultimately I would like to switch to a "Euro style combo" with a sliding table, but OOOOOOOO the COST! Mabe someday. Your set up looks great, I even checked out you shop from last year, by the way, where did you get those rubber mats? Are they a pain to clean?......................not that I ever clean...............:-)John

1. 
   forestgirl | Nov 23, 2004 07:00am | #9

   Hi John.  Oh, those rubber mats!  They are the best!  I used to get them at Costco, they stocked 'em a few months out of the year.  But they haven't had them for a long time.  Auto parts stores often carry them, though usually at a higher price.  HD has 'em in children's colors if you think you can handle that!

   The mats fit together like jigsaw puzzle pieces.  The clean very, very easily, great to vacuum or to sweep (sweeping is done with a broom, in case you're wondering, LOL!!!).  They are so nice to walk on, and if you have to kneel while working on something, they're the cat's meow in comfort!

   When I have more time, I'll start a push stick/block thread with some pictures and we can have a big discussion.

   Later!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   highfigh | Nov 23, 2004 07:47am | #10

   Dave- you mentioned that you need to clean out the box under the saw after about a week (+ or -). If you glue some laminate to the sides and add a laminated bottom panel that's higher in the back, you should be able to go longer between cleanings since the dust will fall to the lowest area. You could also do two panels, higher on the sides and meeting in or near the middle, but you would still end up with some dust sitting at the back.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   Dave45 | Nov 23, 2004 05:27pm | #11

   Highfigh -

   I actually planned on doing that but changed my mind after I dropped the arbor nut during a blade change.  It's much easier to recover the nut from the front access panel than trying to fish around through a 4" hole in the back............under the motor.................and under the end of the workbench/outfeed table.  Crawling around on a concrete floor isn't as much fun as it used to be - lol.

3. 
   forestgirl | Nov 23, 2004 08:16pm | #12

   Magnet.  I have one of those that's on a telescoping wand -- looks like a car antenna.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

4. 
   Dave45 | Nov 23, 2004 11:45pm | #13

   Oh great, FG...................another tool to lose in the bottom of my tool chest.........along with those mechanics 'finger' things I can never find when I need them. - lol.

5. 
   forestgirl | Nov 24, 2004 06:10am | #16

   It's a magnet, silly :-))  Stick it to the side of the saw.  Mine hangs from underneath the jointer table!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)