Kapex Dust Extraction - Melamine?

[Jmacpherson]

DE on my Kapex has been great so far. I did some cuts in regular pine 32mm thick and even some test cuts in 88mm and DE was great.
Was a little behind the fence on the saw body but nothing major on the thick test cuts, no saw is going to get all of it - I know that.
Last week was cutting pressure treated pine 69mm thick, DE was slightly less effective because the material thickness delayed the dust- shoot kicking in but nothing to worry about.

Today I cut some melamine boards to size for shelving and was a lot more mess on the saw itself and on the ground beneath the saw.
Is that the norm for cutting melamine? I generally don't cut melamine so I'm not sure what to expect.

I'm using a CT vac with a 36mm AS hose.
I wrapped the board in masking tape where I made the cuts too just to be safe.
I need to check the dust bag to see if its full just in case it is something stupid like that. - i'm not ruling out user error

Although I ruled that out to a certain degree because before the melamine cuts used the CT+27mm hose+drilling dust nozzle+bhc 18 to drill 9x holes in the wall and stuck to wall like glue and collected all the masonry dust without skipping a beat.

Thanks

 

[Naildrivingman]

Check the rubber boot on the DE chute.  Sometimes that comes loose and is unnoticed.

Could be the bag is full.

Are you using the 1.5m x 36mm Kapex hose or longer?  The 1.5m is the ultimate for DE.

 

[Jmacpherson]

I think the rubber boot is fine based on visual and physical inspection, photos attached although I might be overlooking something?

Bag is only +/- 1/3rd - just under 1/2 way full.
I sucked out the boot and hose connector on the saw and then reversed the vac and made use the blowing function too.

I'm using the 3.5m hose, the shorter hose isn't for sale here in South Africa for some reason.
Does it make any difference at what angle the dust port is at? Straight back in-line with the blade vs off to an angle etc.

 

[DB10]

I think the rubber boot is fine based on visual and physical inspection, photos attached although I might be overlooking something?

Bag is only +/- 1/3rd - just under 1/2 way full.
I sucked out the boot and hose connector on the saw and then reversed the vac and made use the blowing function too.

I'm using the 3.5m hose, the shorter hose isn't for sale here in South Africa for some reason.
Does it make any difference at what angle the dust port is at? Straight back in-line with the blade vs off to an angle etc.

Unfortunately a shorter hose is not for sale down here either, so one has to purchase the 3.5m hose and cut it down to 1.5m. This becomes very expensive and wasteful. I'm guessing that Festool in South Africa costs considerably more than it does in NA.

 

[Naildrivingman]

I think the rubber boot is fine based on visual and physical inspection, photos attached although I might be overlooking something?

Bag is only +/- 1/3rd - just under 1/2 way full.
I sucked out the boot and hose connector on the saw and then reversed the vac and made use the blowing function too.

I'm using the 3.5m hose, the shorter hose isn't for sale here in South Africa for some reason.
Does it make any difference at what angle the dust port is at? Straight back in-line with the blade vs off to an angle etc.

Your boot looks correct.

I’m assuming the core of the melamine is particle board?  Another possibility is that the core is being atomized instead of being cleaved by the blade.  Do you notice larger debris pieces when cutting wood and finer pieces when cutting melamine?

I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference in collection with the output nozzle in different orientations.

 

[Jmacpherson]

Unfortunately a shorter hose is not for sale down here either, so one has to purchase the 3.5m hose and cut it down to 1.5m. This becomes very expensive and wasteful. I'm guessing that Festool in South Africa costs considerably more than it does in NA.

Vast price difference, especially with our weaker exchange rate. If my wife ever found out...[eek]
I thought about cutting a hose but like you say wrote off the idea due to cost and waste

 

[Jmacpherson]

Your boot looks correct.

I’m assuming the core of the melamine is particle board?  Another possibility is that the core is being atomized instead of being cleaved by the blade.  Do you notice larger debris pieces when cutting wood and finer pieces when cutting melamine?

Yes particleboard/chipboard with white veneer. I think you might be onto something here. With the melamine was much finer dust and it stuck to everything hence I noticed more of it post cutting. Don't recall if I could see the saw actually sucking up any debris while cutting unlike regular wood which you actually see going into the rubber boot and if anything is left lying around it is larger debris.

I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference in collection with the output nozzle in different orientations.

Thanks, I didn't think it made a difference but was worth an ask.

 

[peter halle]

This is just a wild guess / thought:  I wonder if cutting the melamine creates an electrical charge that prevents or hinders the dust particles from getting into the slipstream leading to the boot.  I know that when I cut other plastics this happens.

Peter

 

[Naildrivingman]

This is just a wild guess / thought:  I wonder if cutting the melamine creates an electrical charge that prevents or hinders the dust particles from getting into the slipstream leading to the boot.  I know that when I cut other plastics this happens.

Peter

Valid point. Static electricity is a bugger.