In the territory of carpentry and do-it-yourself (DIY) ventures, a wide collection of saws is an entire necessity. And as of about the argument of which saws are more essential than others, the miter saws are more acclaimed for their untainted effectiveness in cutting a wide range of materials. Though saws have made cutting perfect, we cannot ignore the one biggest challenge it has caused… Ample amounts of DUST!
Although miter saws are not very complex tools, like other power devices, they do require a proper look after and cleaning which will help them perform better and ensure a longer, quality usage span. Obviously, you wouldn’t want permanent lung damage from all the wood dust you’d be inhaling while using the saw. So here we will discuss the best dust collection options for miter saws.
Some miter saws come with additional features and abilities for an improved saw dust collection mechanism, so in this article, we will introduce the best miter saws for sawdust collection.
Top 4 Dust Collection Miter Saw Reviews
Below, we have shortlisted the 4 best options for dust collection systems in miter saws, to help you decide which one do you need according to the dust collection demands and requirements you are looking for.
1. Rousseau 5000-Lighted – Best Light Dust Solution
Located in the backyard of Clarkston Washington, Rousseau Co. is long known for producing high-quality woodworking tools and accessories. The Rousseau 5000 dust hoods have been one of their most sought after products. The most recent model of this Rousseau 5000-L includes the much-needed lighting into the list of features to this dust collection hood.
The Rousseau 5000-L is an exceptional accessory to eliminate the sawdust generated by miter saws. The 5000-L kit includes a wrap cover with a strong LED light which illuminates the work area to improve visibility and to enhance the efficiency of woodworking with safety and accuracy. The compact design of 5000-L can be arched over with almost all miter saws either compound or sliding allowing them to be used at all angles.
The hood can be quickly folded into a carry bag which comes in handy for portability and storage. Armed with a 4″ vacuum port, the 5000-L seizes even the finest dust particles along with the heavier sawdust. With a compact and portable covering system, the Rousseau 5000-L keeps the environment cleaner and healthier in your home, shop, or workplace.
2. Rousseau 5000 -Fits on All Miter Saws
Rousseau Co. is one of the most famous manufacturers of high-end accessories for workshop tools in the US. Rousseau dust solution comprises of foldable hood made of 100 % pure high-density nylon with a coupling for a 4″ vacuum port. Hood can capture coarse as well as very fine sawdust particles and route them to a dust collection bag through the vacuum port.
The peculiar design of interior baffles innovatively captures the fine sawdust and averts any escape out of the hood. Rousseau 5000 can be adjusted to fit almost all available miter saws while allowing the movement of a robot arm or sliding rails. It can be used with your regular dust collectors, shop vacs, or existing/installed vacuum systems.
The nylon hood can be folded into a carry bag for portability and as a storage cover. This hood is specifically designed for a perfect dust collection for miter saws as it can save one from several dust allergies and by using this hood the clean-up time can be reduced as well.
The compact design and size of the hood are most compatible with 10″ Miter Saws to provide excellent dust collection. For a cleaner and tidier workplace or job site, this is a must-have accessory of miter saws for the carpenters and woodworkers to protect the lungs and ensure a healthy and safe work environment.
3. Fast Cap – Best for Worksite
FastCap is famous for providing the most innovative and practical woodworking tools and accessories that significantly improve work efficiency. This Saw Hood was planned by a common worker to kill the disastrous cleanup issue made by miter saws. It sets up in seconds and is effective for up to 95% of the miter saw dust collection. You may be shocked to see how successful this item is.
This Saw Hood master is indistinguishable in work as it is made out of spring steel so it can fit into a compact package. In case of space is an issue, then this is good to go hood for you. This saw hood can also serve as a protective cover for your saws especially helpful when working outside. Moreover, it can not only work with miter saws, chop saws but with lathes and wet saws as well.
This is the contemporary inflexible hood that fits on any miter saws on a job site. It’s tough and fascinating, for capturing all the sawdust in a woodshop providing a healthy environment. Its effectively customizable width makes it fit flawlessly on any and every saw.
It’s ideal for work on bigger than 10-inch and 12-inch miter saws as well. It’s bounded particularly for a speedy setup. Its super adaptable metal spring ring plan permits this hood to spring open and mount into the adornment gaps on your saw. A vacuum hose coupling is also provided at the back of the hood which allows it to connect with any existing vacuum system
4. Festool – Indistinguishable Dust Collection
Being used by a carpenter, the Kapex make cuts that will compete with the finest trim work being done today. Designed by Festool GmbH, Germany; KS 120 is a lightweight and compact sliding miter saw ideal for professionals and DIY’ers alike. In addition to precision cutting, and easy adjustments, effective dust extraction is the most prominent of the features that make this saw the number one choice of professional woodworkers.
From finely tuned bevel adjustments to dual lasers for accuracy and finesse, KS 120 uses the fine-adjustment controls to correctly align the blade to cut within a fraction of a degree with extreme precision. The unique three-axis adjustment mechanism provides extreme control over angles and laser which can be turned on without powering up the saw.
Although, lightweight (47 pounds) and portable, KS 120 has a capacity to rival 12-inch saws with its rail forward design and special trenching capability powered by a variable speed motor operated by Festool’s unique multi-material control (MMC) electronics.
Festool KS 120 is one dependable compound miter saw which provides a comprehensive dust collection mechanism with a pivoting dust port to draw the sawdust away from the work surface minimizing cleanup time. An integrated, flexible rubber dust hood that leads sawdust & chips from the blade directly into the dust collection port as you cut hence, increasing the degree of cleanliness.
The flexible port can be hooked up with both 27 mm and 36 mm hoses to achieve an inexplicably impressive 91% sawdust collection providing a cleaner & healthier work environment. This dust collection system increases work efficiency by reducing clean-up times and protect against breathing dangerous fine sawdust granules keeping you healthy and clean.
How to improve Dust Collection on a Miter Saw?
Mostly, the miters saws do not have a good dust collection design. Even though you connect a hose to the dust collector, it does not provide a good percentage of dust collection. The primary thing you ought to do is to clean the sawdust off the workspace. If you have an air compressor it would be great for this, as you can blow off the dust easily with it.
However, one possible recommendation to improve dust collection on a miter saw on a permanent basis is to buy or build a good dust collection hood and set it up on your miter saw. You can set one of these around the saw and it would catch a much larger percentage of sawdust from the miter saw. It can be covered around the saw and will be sending most of the dust right at the hood.
How to limit Dust from Compound Miter Saw in a finished home?
In order to limit the sawdust in a finished home, the easiest thing to do is to vacuum while you cut and suck up the dust before it spreads. A vacuum fitted with a HEPA filter can trap catch even the smallest particles while standard paper filters only catch larger particles. Generally speaking, although using a vacuum as a dust collection system is helpful, you cannot let it run all the time.
Also, going back and forth to turn the vacuum on and off every time is a tedious task during all that cutting. There are certain auto switches available in the market which turns the vacuum on every time you fire up the tool.
Another option is to make a temporary isolation chamber out of plastic sheets using zip poles made out of steel or aluminum. An isolation chamber is quite useful for all the dusty jobs in finished homes.
In many cases, there is not enough space to erect an isolation chamber and the work area cannot tolerate even the minutest amount of sawdust. In such instances, the best available option is to use a sawdust collection hood in conjunction with a vacuum. You can either buy one off the shelf or create a customized one according to your needs.
What to Consider When Buying a Dust Collector For Miter Saw
How to ensure that you have the best miter saw for dust collection? Proper researching will give you pointers on the key things that you need to consider before making that final purchase. Let’s see the things you should bring into consideration.
Dust Collection port of Miter Saws
Cutting of wooden board and trims with a miter saw creates loads of chips and sawdust. The dust collection system is thus one of the foremost things to consider when looking for a miter saw. Operational dust collection features mean to manage airflow to control the flying dust. A proper dust collection mechanism keeps the air clean and helps faster cleanup post cutting that you will definitely appreciate.
Almost all of the miter saws are equipped with dust collection ports that collect the dust in the direction of the cut into the collection bags behind the miter saws. Many of these ports can be attached with a standard vacuum hose and thus can be integrated into the existing vacuum system in your workplace. The design and size of these dust collection ports vary with different makes and models.
Power of vacuum
Since dust collection is all about controlling airflow, a relatively powerful suction is required for the vacuum system. Typically, a 1-2 horsepower vacuum can bear with most of the woodworks. However, although a shop vacuum can be hooked up with the dust collection port of the miter saw, there will still be a lot of chips and fine sawdust that does not land in the port.
Dust Collection Hoods
The most efficient way to remove miter sawdust and chips from the environment is to use dust collection hoods sold separately as accessories to miter saws. These flexible hoods are usually made of plastic or rubber and are a key asset to keep your working environment neat. They can be erected easily and quickly to cover the area around the miter saw. These hoods also have a joining port which can be attached with any existing vacuum system.
These dust collection hoods are available in the market as an accessory to miter saws and are highly efficient in controlling the mess after a cutting job as compared to the dust extraction system of the miter saws itself.
Whether you’re working in your woodshop or offsite, these above-mentioned hoods have the best dust collection system for miter saws as it removes the sawdust right at the source, where it is being created.
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WRAPPING UP
Getting the maximum dust collection done for a miter saw is quite a process. Buying the one miter saw that will meet your requirements is always a daunting task. In the above list, we have sampled out the best accessories from the market to make the process of the miter saw dust collection easy for you.
The collection we have provided features excellent durability, user-friendliness, and notable features, among other things. You will love each product as you use any of the mentioned dust collection accessories for miter saws. And don’t forget to check the few buying tips to guide you when you are ready to make that purchase.
Good Luck!!