Better dust collection on a bandsaw

[Yorkshire Sam]

My Record bandsaw has a dust collection port on the lower compartment but there is always loads of dust on top and around the machine in general.
I have a dust collector permenantly attached to it but how do I control the dust around the rest of the machine?
Any ideas would be welcomed because of breathing problems even though I wear dust protection mask it still causing me problems and I dont want to stop using it altogether.

 

[PAC1]

What size and type of dust extraction do you have?
Two things spring to mind fit a dust extraction pipe under the table adjacent the bearings or on the table but this would need to be permanantly adjusted

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I have been pondering precisely the same question with my small axminster bandsaw.

As an initial attempt it may be worth putting a sealing/draft proofing strip around the doors to increase the amount of "suck" around the saw blade. Yet to try this but it would be a cheap mod and will almost certainly improve things somewhat.

 

[DennisCA]

This is what I did, a 45 degree bend, cut the end to match the underside of the table, then cut into it from one side so the blade can be put in. Held to the saw with rare earth magnets.

It works very well and I don't have the impossible task of sealing up the bandsaw, which was never going to work, and left sawdust trapped everywhere.

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

Perhaps you need a more powerful extractor!

 

[Benchwayze]

My bandsaw collects dust perfectly! As do all my machines. I haven't used them in a while!

 

[heimlaga]

If you look at top quality bandsaws you will find that many have a separate guard compartment around the lower guides with only a narrow slot in the bottom for the blade to pass though. That compartment has it's own dust collector port. Air is sucked in through the inevitable gaps under the table and past the blade and into the dust collector pipe. Much like Dennis' home made contraption. This means that very little dust ends up down inside the wheel cover. Some saws have a second dust port at the bottom of the wheel cover to suck up every last grain of dust.

The system makes sence to me and I am planning a home made version for my own band saw.

 

[David C]

Dennis has the best possible arrangement.

I have a similar set up and the inside ledge of the bottom door stays clean.

Both employ the principle, "collect dust as near to its source as possible".

best wishes,
David

 

[Claymore]

On my Axminster bandsaw ( HBS310N) it has 2 ports for the dust extraction and basically they don't work, not only that but dust leaks out all around the 2 doors grrrrrrr this post has given me an idea to make a similar pipe like Dennis's and install it in the top dust port so it extends up and around the blade and suck the dust as close to the cutting area as possible. I will experiment and post some pictures and fingers crossed it will sort the problem.
Cheers
Brian

 

[Eric The Viking]

We have covered this here several times in the past (hint: the search engine works!).

Basically, the solution that DennisCA and DC suggest works really well. It's similar to the position of the port on middle-sized hobbyist machines, anyway (immediately under the table is probably better though).

I have something very similar on a smaller bandsaw, using plastic kitchen wastepipe pieces and a hose to my 'shop vacuum. I can't claim originality, as I bought it from Olly P-J who did the mod really well. Using that, and hoovering out the thing after use, keeps tyres and belt in good condition. I also normally use a ZCI instead of the perforated throat plate that came with the machine. I don't know it makes a huge difference, but it does improve the cut.

I think a 4" port at the bottom of a small bandsaw is utterly pointless.

 

[James C]

I think the main reason for the port at the bottom of the bandsaw is to reduce buildup of dust from the bottom up inside of the machine. I have a medium sized machine at work (Axminster 4300) and that has a port at the bottom and one in the cabinet below the table.

I agree that the lowest port is effectively useless, as I think that extraction should be to remove fine dust that could cause breathing difficulties and to keep coarser dust from building up on moving parts. The lower port just seems to clean the bottom of the cabinet a bit.

I too really like the solution that Dennis has put forward as it seems to be the most effective for smaller machines that don't have adequate or well placed ports.