Anyone have experience with table saw dust collection and zero-clearance blade throat plates?
Recently bought and installed Penn States’ new table-saw dust guard system. Despite twin 4″ dust collection pipes running to the saw, one below the blade, one to the dust hood (a relatively high-power system), dust kickout (onto the table, toward my waist) remained a problem when cutting 2x4s (as soon as the blade started passing through the trailing edge of the wood). Hood placement (6″) front to back made no difference. Hood height above the workpiece solved nothing. Poor performance remained an issue. Penn State suggested “see what happens with another throat plate, not a zero-clearance insert.”
Much to my astonishment – problem solved. When the cheap/crumpy metal throat plate was installed (that has a 3/8″ gap), the resulting suction downward (below the table) solved the dust-kickout problem! Same thing happens (no dust kickout) when cutting a 2×4 -without- any throat plate. Reinstalled the zero-clearance throat plate (Leecraft Premium, high-denisty machined phenolic laminate)… and dust kickout returns!
Saw blade happens to be a Forrest thin-rim model 10×40.
Replies
Is the base of your saw sealed tight. If so your DC system will not be able to clear the sawdust form the blade. You need an air intact to help with the dust removal. I drilled a 3/4" hole in the back end of my insert. This allows me to have a finger hole to remove the insert and a place for the air to enter the cabinet.
Scott C. Frankland
"This all could have been prevented if their parents had just used birth control"
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