Cabinet saw without dust collection

[Ty G]

I plan to get a cabinet saw in the near future (grizzly).  I do not have dust collection and don't really want it.  Will the dust just fall into the bottom of the cabinet allowing me to shop vac it out every evening?  Will this hurt anything such as motor, bearings, etc.?

[Rick Lapp]

People have been using cabinet saws for many decades without the benefit of dust collection. Most of the sawdust does, indeed, collect in the cabinet; a significant proportion does get shot out of the top into the air. A good dust system collects from above and below and is an excellent idea. I do not have this. My system extracts the stuff from below only and is really just a convenience so I don't have to use a shop vac. My PM 66 is 20 years old and I have filled up the base more times than I care to admit. No problems with bearings etc. Rick

[John McAlister]

Ty, I have had dust collection capability on my table saw for years but hardly ever actually use it. Some of my other tools, particularly the drum sander, and the planer, I wouldn't attempt to use without the dust collection turned on. But I dont think you'll have any trouble at the table saw not using any dust collection.  You'll just have to clean out the cabinet every now and then.
John McAlister

[Antiquity]

Ty,

I have a Grizzly table saw with a dust collector connected to the bottom box.  Most of the dust will fall into the box with or without the dust collector turn on.  Some dust somes out the front slot where the hand crank is located that raises and lowers the blade.  This also happens with and w/o the dust collector turned on.  Dust also flyes out from around the blade with and w/o the collector turn on.  In other words the dust collector does not collect a lot of dust when turned on, atleast on my grizzly saw.  It will not harm the motor and I've had my saw for 15 years.

Now with the band saw it is the total opposite.  Without the dust collector dust would be flying everywhere.

Dennis Bork
Antiquity Period Designs, Ltd.

[CBWW]

Why dont you want dust collection?  I have run 66's, a large Northfield saw, Oliver, and now have  a saw stop.  They all obviously make dust, more so when ripping stock.  The set up on the saw stop is by far the best collection system out of all the saws I have run.  I suppose when you just make a few cuts here and there not having a collection system is fine but if you plan to make multiple cuts/rips you really should think about a small collector for it.

Pete

www.cherrybrookwoodowrks.com

[Ty G]

Thanks all.
Pete, I don't have a good dust system now, and when I do get one, I don't want to have to turn it on for every single cut.  I most likely will use it for when doing a lot of table saw work.  And also, for that dang bandsaw when resawing; that thing sends a lot of dust floating around. 

[CBWW]

Yeah, I dont turn it on for every cut either.  Years ago I worked in a shop that had individual dust collection on each machine and the on switch for each one was near the floor.  Misery......  I set my shop up with a central dust collector but the best thing for me was having a remote "on/off" switch that I keep on me.  So with the push of a button as i walk to the machine- the collection starts... 

[Rick Lapp]

Interestingly, I don't find I need dust collection for my bandsaw. I cannot run my jointer or planer without it though. Rick