This is Easy Table Saw Dust Collection. In this post you’ll learn a few different ways to set up dust collection on your tablesaw, and make it a little easier to breathe in your shop.

Updated 2023

Table Saw Dust Collection

If your woodworking shop is like most other woodworking shops, then the tablesaw is the centerpiece, and it’s the largest source of dust. If you want to make a huge impact on the amount of dust in your shop, then it makes sense to attack the biggest offender.

Thankfully, you’re not the first person that started harvesting and trapping the dust from the tablesaw. There are lots of different products that you can use, and there’s something for nearly every type of tablesaw.

I’ll show you everything you need to know coming up in the post, and without a huge investment in time or money, you can make a huge impact on your shop by installing some table saw dust collection.

See Also: The Only Three Table Saw Blades You Will Ever Need

Buy a Stand Alone Dust Collector

The very first, and arguably the easiest solution is to just buy a standalone dust collector. These work when you have a saw that is set up for use with dust collection, meaning that it likely has an enclosed cabinet with a collection port.

If this is the case, just press the easy button and buy a dust collector, with a hose and a couple of clamps to connect it to your table saw. This way, all you need to do is turn on the dust collector on when you’re using your saw, and you’re done.

The other nice thing about this method is that since you’re only collecting the sawdust for one specific tool, you don’t really have to worry about getting a gigantic collector. You only need one that’s capable of pulling the dust from your table saw.

In most cases, a collector like this might only be a couple hundred dollars. If you locate the unit very close to the saw, you minimize suction loss, and a small collector can actually be quite a powerful item under the right circumstances.

See Also: 12 Huge Reasons to Buy Several Small Dust Collectors

Use a Large Shop Vac

An option for those of you that already have a vacuum in your shop is to just use a large shop vacuum instead of an actual dust collector. Depending on the price that you get your unit, or if you already have one, this could be pretty economical.

Large shop vacuums can be found for under $100, and that includes all the hoses and attachments that you’ll need to use the item. You may need to get a little creative to attach it to your saw, but that is still an option.

Woodworkers in general are notoriously creative, and also notoriously cheap sometimes. I know, I’m one of them. If you can save a couple bucks by using a big shop vac, and you can do it safely, then I recommend going for it.

See Also: Tall Table Saw Fence for Re-Sawing

Use the Port on Your Tool

The easiest way to set up dust collection is by using the existing port that is on your tool. However, there will be some places where you don’t have a dust port, and those will be addressed further down the post.

For tools that have dust collection built in, the easiest thing to do is just hook up some sort of collection method to the existing port. This can be a standalone collector or a shop vacuum as discussed earlier.

The exercise is to use the built-in section of the tool that’s meant for collection for its design purpose. Don’t create something elaborate when something simple is already in place for you.

See Also: 15 Helpful Benefits of Woodworking Dust Collection

Make a Sawdust Catch from Vac Parts

If you have an open bottom tablesaw, or a tablesaw that doesn’t have any type of dust collection built into it, then you need to get a little bit more creative.

There are lots of different vacuum parts and accessories that you can buy for dust collectors from any good woodworking store. You can also find a ton of them on Amazon, and that can make it really easy to put together a system without even leaving your house.

Think about what you would need to do to create a draft system that would pull the air and the dust away from your particular saw. Focus on where your sawdust normally drops, and that’s where you’ll need to put the suction to pull all of that away and collect it.

See Also: How to Pick the Best Dust Mask for Woodworking

Make the System Mobile if Necessary

For table saws that move around, consider figuring out a way to make your dust collection system more mobile. This can be as simple as putting it on a furniture dolly, so that way everything can roll around with you.

Most dust collection systems are not really systems at all, it’s just a fancy word for some sort of a vacuuming method and some piping. In reality, most of the time this can fit on a furniture dolly without a problem.

If this is the case, and you normally move your saw around the shop rather than keep it stationary, it’s a good idea to make all of these things mobile too, that way you don’t skip on the dust collection after you just created it.

See Also: How a Practice Break Can Make You a Better Woodworker

Dust Collection and Shop Safety

One of the biggest things about woodworking is the dust, and when you constantly have wood dust in the air, you constantly breathe it in. One of the best things you can do for safety is to collect as much of that dust as possible, minimizing the amount in the air.

While a dust collector for your table saw is not the same as an air purifier, it will have an effect of reducing the overall amount of dust that is in the air. This is the first step to helping create cleaner air in your woodworking shop.

Your safety should be your primary concern as you are woodworking. If you don’t keep yourself safe, and you develop some chronic illness from floating dust in the air, your woodworking days are over.

This is a silly mistake, because all you need to do is take a few precautions and wear some personal protective equipment in order to prevent it. For the cost of dust collection, taking good care of the air in your shop, and a mask, you can potentially save yourself from harm.

See Also: My New Favorite Dust Masks

People Also Ask

Can you use a shop vac for table saw dust colection? Yes, you can use a shop vac for table saw dust collection, depending on your saw. Larger saws will need a proper dust collector simply due to the volume they can produce and the size of the ports, but you can get away with a shop vac on smaller saws.

What are the best methods for controlling saw dust? The best methods fo controlling dust are preventing it, capturing it, and filtering it. You can actually prevent a lot by having clean tools that process the dust well. You can then capture it with dust collectors, and filter the air with air filters. This three layered approach helps ensure that your shop is not like stepping into a dust storm in the desert.

How many CFM do I need for table saw dust collection? For a table saw, depending on the size of the ports, you will likely need around 500 CFM to properly pull away the dust. 

Your Action Assignment

Now that you know all of these different ways to install table sawdust collection in your shop, it’s time to get out there and take action. Don’t read this entire post and not actually do anything, that’s a complete waste of your time.

The first thing you need to do is look at your specific tablesaw and figure out if you have a dust port, or if you’ll have to get creative and make your own system. Whichever way you go, this is a great first step towards a better air quality in your shop.

It’s also a really good first step towards a cleaner shop. The less dust and debris you have floating around, the more clean your shop will be, and the easier it will be for you to keep it clean.

If you have any questions about collecting the dust that falls from your tablesaw, please Contact Me and I’ll be happy to answer it. Happy building.

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