10 Tips for Better Miter Saw Dust Collection

50 Comments

1. n2ocharged on November 30, 2022 at 5:20 am

   What about making a dust collection system that incorporates the dust port as well as a couple of ports on the back/bottom of the dust hood? Basically after your dust collector is piped (4" piping), it goes into a port at the top of the dust hood, from there it spreads out to the entire back wall of the dust hood and opens up at the bottom (you would only need about a 1/2" of space between the panels)… kind of like a whole home vacuum cleaner port under a cabinet. Put a flexible hose into the panel to catch most of it and what falls to the surface would be sucked up by the open ports at the bottom…

   OR… if you are looking to remove the vac under the miter saw you could drill holes in the miter saw surface and pipe the dust collector under it as the dust is spit out by the miter saw, it is sucked down into the holes under the surface and into the collector.

   To turn it on, put it on a smart switch (or receptacle) that you can control with a button at your miter saw that turns off automatically. Although this might get annoying because it might turn off in the middle of a cut, you would be able to turn it back on with the touch of a button.

   
   
   
2. Shane Robinson on November 30, 2022 at 5:21 am

   How to get a cleaner mitre saw? Buy a Festool saw, a Festool vac. You’ll still get a hell of a lot of sawdust, but you’ll look good doing it.

   
   
   
3. Jerrick R on November 30, 2022 at 5:24 am

   I just roll my saw and stand outside 🤷🏽‍♂️

   
   
   
4. ludwig hettig on November 30, 2022 at 5:24 am

   I’ve made something like this before about 6years ago.
   I added 2 flap doors on either side of the saw to close most of it off except for the blade area and handle. If I wanted to do a 45 cut I’ll just fold one flap door over the top to allow the angle.

   
   
   
5. darkflux on November 30, 2022 at 5:24 am

   it’s always fun watching how many different words Google’s auto-captioning will use instead of "miter saw"…

   
   
   
6. matt smith on November 30, 2022 at 5:25 am

   At first I thought having to plug that pigtail back into the unit was stupid, but I looked it up and it’s for when each tool has to be powered on a different 15 amp circuit so you don’t blow a fuse. Nice feature!

   
   
   
7. Louis-François Lapointe on November 30, 2022 at 5:26 am

   Longest home depot ad ever

   
   
   
8. Jordan Fite on November 30, 2022 at 5:27 am

   What size breaker are you running that shopvac + saw combo plug on?

   
   
   
9. Adventure Indiana on November 30, 2022 at 5:28 am

   Got to admit, you had me going at first. I was like “why turn it upside down?” I hate those bags

   
   
   
10. Charles Randolph on November 30, 2022 at 5:29 am

    I have a very small shop vac…

    
    
    
11. Steven Larson on November 30, 2022 at 5:29 am

    I recently found out that if you read the literature on the hepa filter, it is only hepa if it is used with the dust bag. Otherwise it’s only just a tiny bit better than using the "fine"

    
    
    
12. Bob Ziroll on November 30, 2022 at 5:29 am

    All of our local libraries have 3D printers you can queue jobs on to. It’s a bit slow (takes about a week to get a job done) but it’s lots cheaper than buying a 3D printer 😅 ($2-5/piece printed so far with the small things I’ve had them make for me)

    
    
    
13. David Friedman on November 30, 2022 at 5:34 am

    Appreciated all the useful tips. Did you eventually incorporate the dust bucket cyclone? And if so please show
    Thank you.

    
    
    
14. Phil Ackerly on November 30, 2022 at 5:34 am

    Thank you!

    
    
    
15. nwembly on November 30, 2022 at 5:36 am

    @ELECTRICIANS have an idea on how to solve this?:
    “Auto switches” are very good and useful. HOWEVER, if you have multiple dedicated circuits/breakers in your shop, they don’t allow you to run your “dust collection” and “machine” on 2 different circuits. Most miter saws and good shop vacs average 15amps on start up, so it’s wise to separate them. Obviously, you can have your dust collection constantly running, but defeats the point of an auto switch. ANY IDEAS around this?

    
    
    
16. Angie Williams on November 30, 2022 at 5:39 am

    I have a dust hood and a small shop vac under. But its awkward to use and I can’t swing the miter saw fully. Need to do some work. But I think I just want to build a new miter station. Mine is currently too high. And then I can address the dust collection better. Also having the matching button would help sooo much. Then… I think I’m just going to do away with the miter station and so a small miter cart like yours. Who knows!!! LOL

    
    
    
17. David Moffitt on November 30, 2022 at 5:44 am

    Best outlet I have ever used is called the iOutlet. The minute you start the tool, the vacuum will come on, and stay on for 10 seconds to clean the hose.

    
    
    
18. wendarling12 on November 30, 2022 at 5:45 am

    Really amazing

    
    
    
19. The Attic woodworker on November 30, 2022 at 5:45 am

    have you tried a dust collection drawer beneath the miter station to catch everything the vac doesn’t?

    
    
    
20. Jeff Wong on November 30, 2022 at 5:47 am

    Have old Makita miter saw, for which I first built a cart, then added a cabinet above with a 2.5" hole for the vacuum hose. I ignored the horrible 1.25" dust port on the saw. I have a separate dust collector and cyclone collector. I added a front face to reduce dust blown forward. Some dust still flies (annoyingly) from the contact point between the blade and the work which the cabinet doesn’t cover. I may attach a 4" hose to the cabinet–dust nirvana.
    Will eventually make a fabric dust "tarp" to pull over the blade-work contact point to stop dust.
    I hate dust.

    
    
    
21. ben S on November 30, 2022 at 5:47 am

    What vacuums the vacuum? Who watches the watchmen?

    
    
    
22. J Almond on November 30, 2022 at 5:47 am

    Rigid has a sliding miter but the dust collection on it is terrible

    
    
    
23. William Rock on November 30, 2022 at 5:47 am

    How does the saw bend at a 45 degree angle with all that hood and hose on it? More specifically the hood

    
    
    
24. Anthony Klein on November 30, 2022 at 5:49 am

    Did you pay for the Fusion 360 design software or do you have a different program

    
    
    
25. Mitch Blackmore on November 30, 2022 at 5:49 am

    Such a good video for me at just the right time. I’m in the process of re-doing my tiny (9′ X 17′) garage workshop. I’m pretty much starting from the ground up so all these types of little tips and tricks are a God send.

    
    
    
26. Robert Dennis on November 30, 2022 at 5:51 am

    wouldn’t it be great if your miter saw just so happened to line up with a clear stud bay behind that sheetrock wall??…just cut away the sheet rock for another 3.5" of rear clearance for your hose! even if a stud was right in the way i’m sure there is a header/footer framing configuration to address that…if you dont like the messy look of the cutout you can always finish the inside of the bay to make it look nicer….whattaya think?….rob

    
    
    
27. Michael Coughlin on November 30, 2022 at 5:53 am

    I swapped out my included dust bag for a plastic trash bag that I taped on the saw outlet. There was sawdust caught in the folds of the OUTSIDE of the bag and ZERO inside the bag. It is simply a flawed concept that pure momentum of the blade will shoot the particles in the bag. Now I need to pay attention to what you’re doing here, lol.

    
    
    
28. Andrew Bennett on November 30, 2022 at 5:54 am

    A poor man’s solution for switching is to have a switched outlet under the saw, and the switch just under the shelf. The saw and the vac are both plugged into the switched outlet. The vac is left in the ‘on’ position. That way, the saw won’t come on until the vac is turned on at the switch. I’ve had mine wired that way for a couple of years, and it’s now just second nature to walk up to the saw, hit the switch then proceed with whatever I want to cut.

    
    
    
29. Michael Griffith on November 30, 2022 at 5:54 am

    I have a storage room off my carport where I can store my tools. When I want to work in my shop, I have to pull everything out and my carport becomes my shop. As you can tell, it is rudimentary at best right now. Our goal is to build a garage and close in the carport, then build the carport into a functioning shop where I can work and play till my hearts content. Will be needing to clean and organize what I have and build many portable items for my tool.

    
    
    
30. drummer0701 on November 30, 2022 at 5:57 am

    Awesome video. The best design I’ve seen for enclosing a dust hood is cutting strips of plastic sheeting to let them hang vertically so the saw can still be rotated.

    
    
    
31. Snookerloopy on November 30, 2022 at 5:58 am

    are you employed by RIGID.

    
    
    
32. Tj Fruichantie on November 30, 2022 at 5:59 am

    Great video! I got a Dewalt 10 gallon shop vac for this very reason. Great ideas for upgrading my system. One thing I wanted to mention about the 3D printing is another possible option if you don’t have a printer of your own. Try your local library. Our library has a few that you can use to print things.

    
    
    
33. Cool tools with Kaden on November 30, 2022 at 5:59 am

    I would agree ditch the dust bags only use vacuums

    
    
    
34. nwembly on November 30, 2022 at 6:00 am

    FILTERS: Keep in mind, when it comes to shop vacs, and dust collection the “better” the filter, the more suction you lose. While it’s not always a HUGE difference (or loss), it’s something to be aware of…performance vs “health” (potential particles breathed in).

    
    
    
35. Tom PFC on November 30, 2022 at 6:01 am

    The solution for the mitersaw dust collection was to get a better miter saw that has this issue solved from factory…

    
    
    
36. Darkhorse on November 30, 2022 at 6:02 am

    Those switches start to get finicky with time. The switches and receptacles are not good quality. I have gone through 1/2 dozen of them over the years. I keep meaning to re box one but I have also had units where the board has failed. They work great till they don’t.

    
    
    
37. janik on November 30, 2022 at 6:02 am

    // important note //
    the HEPA filter you’re using needs to be used together with the rigid hepa dust bag to actually perform at its rating. it’s badly communicated by rigid but you can find in the fine print / FAQ of the product

    
    
    
38. Frank Peters on November 30, 2022 at 6:04 am

    Bahahahaha!

    
    
    
39. Trevor Franks on November 30, 2022 at 6:04 am

    3D print a new nozzle thing thats right behind the blade, I bet a wider opening on there will help the vacuum collect a lot more chips and stuff that otherwise made their way onto the counter tops

    
    
    
40. Fix This Build That on November 30, 2022 at 6:07 am

    Get the Modular Cabinet/Miter Station Build Plans: https://fixthisbuildthat.com/garagecabinets

    
    
    
41. mike coughlin on November 30, 2022 at 6:09 am

    You mentioned the gallon size of the vacs but I didn’t hear you mention the Cfm size or even hp. You did say cfm was important so I was hoping for a min recommendation.
    I take it turning your 3D part so it flows out and down, instead of up, didn’t work for some reason? It seems logical to route downward since you run the hose down anyway and that would eliminate the 180 and help airflow.

    
    
    
42. Mandel Adams on November 30, 2022 at 6:10 am

    Anyone know how a down draft style set up inside a hood would compare to a shop vacuum straight connected to the saw dust port vs. using the same said shop vacuum to power the down draft port. Is the enough CFM ?

    
    
    
43. Rachel Bayne on November 30, 2022 at 6:10 am

    I finally saved enough Home Depot gift cards to get the DWS779 miter sawand now it’s not in stock. 😭 I have it in my cart but it says DO NOT SELL on the title. So, do you love your Ridgid? Any other suggestions from Home Depot? I’d like it to be sliding if I’m spending that much.

    
    
    
44. Brutus on November 30, 2022 at 6:13 am

    you should put the shop-vac on top of your hood to eliminate the 180 bend on the pipe, plus it would cut your hose length down to 2-3ft

    
    
    
45. Fun freq on November 30, 2022 at 6:14 am

    Thien baffle style separator! The Dust Deputy or cyclone style is far more efficient!

    
    
    
46. carlos ayuso las lenguas on November 30, 2022 at 6:15 am

    Ngl. The sky is the limit but I wonder if it’s possible to make your workshop like one of those labs that use air pressure difference to trap viruses and stuff. Can’t be that expensive right?

    
    
    
47. Anthony Audain on November 30, 2022 at 6:16 am

    I have that type of vaccum but without a cyclone it will clog up fast

    
    
    
48. Randle Tibbs on November 30, 2022 at 6:17 am

    does the amperage from the miter saw and vacuum not trip your breaker?

    
    
    
49. james hairston on November 30, 2022 at 6:17 am

    Just raid ur mom and dad’s box of 30 yrs worth of random vac attachments. A little duct tape and Bob’s ur uncle/cousin.

    
    
    
50. Robert Diffin on November 30, 2022 at 6:18 am

    Your local public library most likely has a 3-D printer available for public use. 👍