Saw dust!

4ncar

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2013
Messages
3
I have a ctmini coupled with a ts 55.  When I first got them I was so impressed with the amount of saw dust collected.  I have had the two for about 6 months, and used infrequently( bought at tail end of last project).  Well... New project and the amount of dust collection has dropped dramatically.  I was ripping down an 80" door blank and it was almost as bad as not having the ctmini.  The vac is working perfectly...tons of suction at the hose end.  I took off the blade cover of the saw and there are no obstructions.  What else is left?  Anyone else experience this?
 
I have the CT26 and had the exact same thing happen, cutting mdf and dust everywhere. Could not figure what was going on until I opened the vac up the bag was so full it was like a solid brick of saw dust.
It just kept going with good suction then poof no suction. Got mu monies worth out of that bag.
Just thought i would throw this out
Peter
 
Is there a sacrificial piece underneath the work piece? It makes a lot of difference in dust extraction. I typically use insulating foam.

Tom
 
From my own personal experience, I have found that dust extraction is greatly improved when the hose is attached to the tool I was currently using not the one I had used previously.

If the hose was correctly attached, I found the having the tool plugged into the vacuum auto on outlet instead of a random extension cord also dramatically increased dust collection.   [smile]
 
If your trimming along an edge the dust collection is not as good as if your blade is captured on each side. As Tom mentioned, foam under the piece being cut helps.

Unplug the hose, then see how much dust there is.

I agree, check he bag.

Is the extractor turned up all the way?

Tom
 
rvieceli said:
From my own personal experience, I have found that dust extraction is greatly improved when the hose is attached to the tool I was currently using not the one I had used previously.

If the hose was correctly attached, I found the having the tool plugged into the vacuum auto on outlet instead of a random extension cord also dramatically increased dust collection.   [smile]

Man, can I relate to that!!! 

[big grin]

 
rvieceli said:
From my own personal experience, I have found that dust extraction is greatly improved when the hose is attached to the tool I was currently using not the one I had used previously.

If the hose was correctly attached, I found the having the tool plugged into the vacuum auto on outlet instead of a random extension cord also dramatically increased dust collection.   [smile]

Been there, done that!!
 
Ha!  yes fellers, hose connected, but I could see that happening to the likes of me! lol  Off the top of my head, not sure of the tooth count(tool @ home, me @ work!), but it is the provided blade with the saw.  Vac on full, running on auto.  I briefly checked the bag, and short of taking it out didn't look full, but as mentioned TONS of suction at the end of the hose.  Which then brings us to material and how I was cutting... solid core Pine door blank ripping down 1/16-1/18" swaths 80"... NO underlayment.  Set the door on my MFT3 with door overhanging, clamped, set my guiderails(2 joined) and ripped away! I was cutting some smaller stock last night(set up traditionally) on the MFT3, and noticed that the sawdust was shooting out in front of the blade...
 
TS 55 EQ or R?

It would be the 48 tooth blade.

What material was cut on the first project and the thickness? If you were cutting ¾" ply and now cutting a 1-⅜" thick door, the amount of dust has also changed.

Cutting along the edge in the increments you describe I feel this is a normal situation.

Some dust out the front is normal on the EQ, can't speak for the R, I don't own one.

It may help to install the splinter guard if it has been removed.

Tom
 
    I agree that it is the edge cut.  Cuts that do not have material on both sides of the blade allow the dust to blow away  to the side before it gets sucked up. Try some other cut in scrap I think you will find that all is normal.

Seth
 
Do the cut without hooking up to vacuum. If a lot more dust then system is working, if same amount of dust change vacuum bag. If still a lot of dust call Festool maintenance.
 
Sparktrician said:
rvieceli said:
From my own personal experience, I have found that dust extraction is greatly improved when the hose is attached to the tool I was currently using not the one I had used previously.

If the hose was correctly attached, I found the having the tool plugged into the vacuum auto on outlet instead of a random extension cord also dramatically increased dust collection.   [smile]

Man, can I relate to that!!! 

[big grin]

Did that today - Twice!

Peter
 
4ncar said:
Ha!  yes fellers, hose connected, but I could see that happening to the likes of me! lol  Off the top of my head, not sure of the tooth count(tool @ home, me @ work!), but it is the provided blade with the saw.  Vac on full, running on auto.  I briefly checked the bag, and short of taking it out didn't look full, but as mentioned TONS of suction at the end of the hose.  Which then brings us to material and how I was cutting... solid core Pine door blank ripping down 1/16-1/18" swaths 80"... NO underlayment.  Set the door on my MFT3 with door overhanging, clamped, set my guiderails(2 joined) and ripped away! I was cutting some smaller stock last night(set up traditionally) on the MFT3, and noticed that the sawdust was shooting out in front of the blade...

You've only fenced 1/3 of the yard and wondering why the dogs get out  [wink]

The vac hose is connected to the back of the saw housing so it's only going to capture the dust that's channeled into the saw housing.

Most times you're cutting a panel down and the panel itself "fences" the dust in so 2/3's of it goes up into the saw housing.
Unless you have something under the panel about 1/3 of the dust will escape out the bottom of the kerf. Use sacrificial underlayment to capture that third.

When you're trimming the edge you're going to loose most of the dust because the "fence" is down.
The simplest solution is to put another board of similar thickness next to the edge you're trimming.

Another solution is to tape a piece of cardboard to the saw housing so that it hangs down, especially along the front of the saw.

Once you get most of the "fences" replaced you'll see exactly where the remaining dust gets out and how to stop it.
When you think you've got it all buttoned down you'll find you've captured nearly all the dust right up until the blade exits the wood at the end.
You can capture that too by putting a sacrificial block at the end. That piece has to be renewed for each cut but it's easily done with masking tape.
 
Michael Kellough said:
4ncar said:
Ha!  yes fellers, hose connected, but I could see that happening to the likes of me! lol  Off the top of my head, not sure of the tooth count(tool @ home, me @ work!), but it is the provided blade with the saw.  Vac on full, running on auto.  I briefly checked the bag, and short of taking it out didn't look full, but as mentioned TONS of suction at the end of the hose.  Which then brings us to material and how I was cutting... solid core Pine door blank ripping down 1/16-1/18" swaths 80"... NO underlayment.  Set the door on my MFT3 with door overhanging, clamped, set my guiderails(2 joined) and ripped away! I was cutting some smaller stock last night(set up traditionally) on the MFT3, and noticed that the sawdust was shooting out in front of the blade...

You've only fenced 1/3 of the yard and wondering why the dogs get out  [wink]

The vac hose is connected to the back of the saw housing so it's only going to capture the dust that's channeled into the saw housing.

Most times you're cutting a panel down and the panel itself "fences" the dust in so 2/3's of it goes up into the saw housing.
Unless you have something under the panel about 1/3 of the dust will escape out the bottom of the kerf. Use sacrificial underlayment to capture that third.

When you're trimming the edge you're going to loose most of the dust because the "fence" is down.
The simplest solution is to put another board of similar thickness next to the edge you're trimming.

Another solution is to tape a piece of cardboard to the saw housing so that it hangs down, especially along the front of the saw.

Once you get most of the "fences" replaced you'll see exactly where the remaining dust gets out and how to stop it.
When you think you've got it all buttoned down you'll find you've captured nearly all the dust right up until the blade exits the wood at the end.
You can capture that too by putting a sacrificial block at the end. That piece has to be renewed for each cut but it's easily done with masking tape.

The deifinitive response. [not worthy]
 
UPDATE!

The scrap side of the blade condition was it.  Was cutting shelf cleats and low & behold... no dust!  Thanks for all of your inputs!
 
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