Dust collection on my 2005 Hawk G4-26

[Rolf]

I thought it was about time for me to add dust collection to my saw now that I have a quiet Festool Midi vacuum. I used 3/4 Loc-Line at the suction ends(.Amazon). The rest is PVC pipe and fittings from Lowes. I added a trap for those times when it sucks up that small piece you needed. The trap is not in the bottom picture as I just added it.   I mounted the contraption to a piece wood and made it easily removable with a couple of Mag switches.

I don't need to use my blower at all, the vac picks it all up. The vacuum comes on with my foot switch. 

Edited August 5, 2017 by Rolf

[stoney]

Looks good Rolf!   The most important thing is it does the job.   Thanks for showing us.

[hawkeye10]

16 hours ago, Rolf said:

I thought it was about time for me to add dust collection to my saw now that I have a quiet Festool Midi vacuum. I used 3/4 Loc-Line at the suction ends(.Amazon). The rest is PVC pipe and fittings from Lowes. I added a trap for those times when it sucks up that small piece you needed. The trap is not in the bottom picture as I just added it.   I mounted the contraption to a piece wood and made it easily removable with a couple of Mag switches.

I don't need to use my blower at all, the vac picks it all up. The vacuum comes on with my foot switch. 

Rolf I really like what you have done.  I need to do some like you have done on my saw. What does it look like underneath the table where you collect the dust? 

[Rolf]

This is my nozzle placement from below. The newer Hawks have the bottom blade clamps up front of the angle adjustment for easy access. I may move the nozzle behind if it gets in the way, so far it doesn't.  I will do a before and after picture when I get a chance. 15 minutes of scrolling no Vac with the stock blower. Then clean the saw and do it with just the Vac no blower.

Edited August 6, 2017 by Rolf

[Scrappile]

I really like your setup.  I have been giving serious thought about my lack of dust collection.  Been sawing some cocobolo, and although I love the smell, the dust really gets to me.  Just how quiet is a Festool compared to a, say Rigid vac?  I guess if a person looks at it correctly, if one does a lot of scrolling, the dust collection is just as important as the scroll saw..

[Rolf]

As a start you should be wearing a good dust mask, especially with the exotics, some are very toxic.

The Festool Midi on low is only 62 dB  Rigid 85+ from what I have read. They don't list the specs'

[hawkeye10]

Thanks Rolf for the picture. What you have done is very neat and I like that.

[amazingkevin]

On 8/5/2017 at 4:54 PM, Rolf said:

I thought it was about time for me to add dust collection to my saw now that I have a quiet Festool Midi vacuum. I used 3/4 Loc-Line at the suction ends(.Amazon). The rest is PVC pipe and fittings from Lowes. I added a trap for those times when it sucks up that small piece you needed. The trap is not in the bottom picture as I just added it.   I mounted the contraption to a piece wood and made it easily removable with a couple of Mag switches.

I don't need to use my blower at all, the vac picks it all up. The vacuum comes on with my foot switch. 

Great to be able to make needed things on the fly,good job!

[stevan]

That's quite impressive.  I really like the way you did the bottom collection.

[Scrappile]

20 hours ago, Rolf said:

As a start you should be wearing a good dust mask, especially with the exotics, some are very toxic.

The Festool Midi on low is only 62 dB  Rigid 85+ from what I have read. They don't list the specs'

Do you have any input on a Fein Dust Extractor.  They are having a pretty good sale on them now.  Spec are very close to the Festool, may a little noisier.

[Rolf]

12 hours ago, amazingkevin said:

Great to be able to make needed things on the fly,good job!

Thanks Kevin, That is what I did for a living and it was the most enjoyable aspect of my job. My dad was an old world German tool maker so I grew up building stuff. Good thing I had some skills because I certainly was not an academic type.

Edited August 7, 2017 by Rolf

[tuner]

Been thinking of improving my dust collection, and I like this setup. My vac my not be as quiet but I can turn down my hearing aids

Your pics have helped me make up my mind, thanks, great job!!

[Scrappile]

Well I ordered a dust extractor.  I ended up deciding on the Fein.  Because of the sale, I could get it around $150 cheaper than the Festool.  I think Fein are pretty good, maybe a little short of a Festool, but much better than what I currently have.  I am thinking of way to set it up that will make it quick and easy to switch between two saws.  I have a few ideas, that may work.  So after the vac arrives I will see what I can do.  Hate to spend the money on this, but I think/hope, when I am set up I will wonder why I didn't do it years ago.

[tuner]

Thanks Rolf, went out spent under 10 bucks and more or less ( a lot less) copied your set up, mine is 3/4 PVC and elbows one " t".

It works great ! Better then I expected in fact I retired my box fan 

[tonylumps]

9 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Well I ordered a dust extractor.  I ended up deciding on the Fein.  Because of the sale, I could get it around $150 cheaper than the Festool.  I think Fein are pretty good, maybe a little short of a Festool, but much better than what I currently have.  I am thinking of way to set it up that will make it quick and easy to switch between two saws.  I have a few ideas, that may work.  So after the vac arrives I will see what I can do.  Hate to spend the money on this, but I think/hope, when I am set up I will wonder why I didn't do it years ago.

I have had my Fein for over ten years .I use it for everything .Very quiet especially my older one It has 4 speeds When I use it for the Scrollsaw I set it about half .For the lathe I use full speed I have it hooked up to a Dust Deputy with 2 ports

[Rolf]

I have not used a Fein vacuum but I have one of the early multi-master oscillating tools. That is amazing and has bailed me out many a time. They were the only one for years, now everyone is making them. 

Can you plug your tools into the Fein Vac so that it comes on with the tool? What model Fein?

Just looked at the new Fein vac on line, it looks like a nice unit, I like the fact that it comes with some accessories. With the Festool  everything is extra.  

Edited August 10, 2017 by Rolf

[tonylumps]

25 minutes ago, Rolf said:

I have not used a Fein vacuum but I have one of the early multi-master oscillating tools. That is amazing and has bailed me out many a time. They were the only one for years, now everyone is making them. 

Can you plug your tools into the Fein Vac so that it comes on with the tool? What model Fein?

Just looked at the new Fein vac on line, it looks like a nice unit, I like the fact that it comes with some accessories. With the Festool  everything is extra.  

Rolf if you are asking me.Yes they have tool start

[MTCowpoke22]

Looks like a good setup. Maybe you've already done this, but I couldn't tell in the pictures. Might want to run a bare copper wire through the PVC. Vacuum's tend to create a lot of static electricity, and saw dust is pretty flammable.

[Scrappile]

You can buy the Feins with or without the accessories.  I got it with accessories.  I ordered the turbo II without the HEPA filter.  I can add that later, but WOW are they expensive!  If I read it correctly it does start with the tool, "Autostart outlet with power-on delay to prevent current spikes."  Not sure how I connect it to my foot switch(s).  My foot switch does not have an extra outlet on it.  I had a friend that had one several years ago and it seemed like it also ran for a few seconds after the machine turned off, so it would collect the dust left in the hose or some such thing.  Maybe I am remembering wrong.  It said the regular price was $590, special price $399.  I don't know is the regular price is that high.  That seems like a heck of a sale.... I'm a skeptic, I guess.

[tonylumps]

Paul you could do it 2 ways.Plug your vac into an outlet.Plug the foot switch into the Vac and the saw into the foot Switch. Or you could plug your foot switch into an outlet.Put a 3 way on the foot switch and plug both saw and Vac into foot switch This set up you will not need tool start But i like the first way better

[Rolf]

If you think Fein is expensive check out the Festool stuff.

[Scrappile]

I did. 

[Rolf]

23 hours ago, MTCowpoke22 said:

Looks like a good setup. Maybe you've already done this, but I couldn't tell in the pictures. Might want to run a bare copper wire through the PVC. Vacuum's tend to create a lot of static electricity, and saw dust is pretty flammable.

For the volume of dust going through the PVC grounding is a non issue.

Here is a very interesting read. 

http://www.thewoodnerd.com/articles/dustExplosion.html

But the end decision is our own comfort level regarding what if.?

[Scrappile]

Rolf, referring to "expensive" in my post above, I was meaning it in relation to the HEPA filters.  $128 for one.  I'm sure they are just as expensive or more for the Festool.  I have a HEPA on my Rigid shop vac.  It is a big round filter and it was no where near that expensive.

[Doug]

I have used something similar to what Rolf has done but without the small piece trap for some time.  I strongly recommend Oneida Dust Deputy between your vac and your table top.  The dust deputy lets almost nothing through to the vac and you very seldom have to clean the vac filter.

https://www.amazon.com/Oneida-Air-Systems-AXD000004A-Deputy/dp/B002GZLCHM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1502463116&sr=8-4&keywords=oneida+dust+deputy