Motor & dust on contractor saws

[Mike Holbrook]

I have been thinking about enclosing my General Contractor Saw motor in an attempt to improve dust collection. After partially enclosing the rear of the saw and the motor in a cabinet; I discovered that sawdust gets kicked up onto the motor. I am not so sure that enclosing the motor in that dusty environment is such a good idea, so I am reconsidering my options.

I would imagine the motors for these saws are designed to handle some dust since sawdust gets tossed up on the motor even without enclosing it. I do not know anything about CS motors so I have no idea what would be advisable in terms of a strategy to reduce dust and protect the motor.

I hope some of you might be able to suggest strategies for removing dust from these saws hopefully without stressing the motor.

[Brad Olson]

Check my website, I have a two piece cover for my PM 64a.

One part allows the arbor to tilt and the second part covers the first part for better DC during 90 degree operation.

Works pretty darn good

[Ed Blough]

I think this site has the best answer to dust collection in a Contractor saw I have seen yet. http://store.workshopsupply.com/cata...5170bb5c6a68dc Check it out. I have been thinking about this and while buying on for $35 is no big deal you can probably make one real easy. Four pyramid shape pieces of stiff fabric. Some velco to attach to the back of the saw and either a cable tie or more velco to secure it around the belt guard motor support.

The really neat thing about his design is the motor is kept out of the dust.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

I think this site has the best answer to dust collection in a Contractor saw I have seen yet. http://store.workshopsupply.com/cata...5170bb5c6a68dc Check it out. I have been thinking about this and while buying on for $35 is no big deal you can probably make one real easy. Four pyramid shape pieces of stiff fabric. Some velco to attach to the back of the saw and either a cable tie or more velco to secure it around the belt guard motor support.

The really neat thing about his design is the motor is kept out of the dust.

That looks like a good solution but I still think you'll get dust on the motor. I have DC on my saw and the bottom and rear of the saw enclosed. But the sawdust off the table top goes right on the saw. So I would do what you like but don't expect a clean motor no matter what. I don't think it's a problem though. Alan in Md.

[Mike Holbrook]

Those are some good options guys, thanks for the input. I was thinking about some combination of plywood and fabric. I am planing to replace the base with a bench which will extend out under my extended rails.

Does anyone have any idea how the fan in these motors works? It looks like the it would suck sawdust into the motor, but I imagine there is some sort of design feature that limits the ability of dust to invade the internals.

[Brad Olson]

Most contractors have encloses motors with external fans to cool them.

[Mike Holbrook]

So the only thing that can get "dusted" is the fan.

I believe my General has a Baldor motor, the fan extending from one side, as in most CS saws I have seen. Maybe there is a way to restrict the air flow to the fan, preventing dusty air form getting to it. Assuming the rest of the motor would not suffer in a dusty enclosure, I should be able to seal things up so that suction will be much more effective.

[Brad Olson]

Mike,

enclosed motors are designed for dusty environments. The fan blows across the motor to cool so you don't want to restrict airflow to it. The external fan is designed to handle dust air and will not results in dust getting into the motor.

There is no access for dust to the innards of the motor.

[Mike Holbrook]

Right, I thought that was what you meant.

I was thinking about enclosing the motor in a plywood box though which could create a very dusty environment. A related issue is suction created by the dust removal system. The CS's open rear end makes it harder to create suction within its enclosure. My main objective is to seal off the base better so that an attached vacuume system can create more dust suction within the saw. One of the sites someone mentions above sells a "boot", kinda like a kayak spray skirt around the support arm & pulley of the motor. It's function would be to restrict the amount of dust that gets out of the CS enclosure.

[John Hulett]

I had someone (wisely) suggest using strips of magnet - similar to those one might stick to their car door as advertisement for their business to help close up those gaps. I am currently using a combination of what Brad posted, along with the strips of magnet. It's not 100% sealed, but it's a lot better than it was.

- John

[Mike Holbrook]

Ok, maybe I did not understand this right. Are you using both pieces at the same time for 90% and then removing the outside piece to do tilts? Is that a third piece lying on the table top, because it does not look like the piece added in the second picture?

[Mike Holbrook]

Hmm, so you have the first piece that Brad shows, which allows full tilting, then add the magnets to cover the gaps when you are doing normal 90 degree cuts?

I wonder what the magnets are sticking too as Brads cover appears to be melamine? I guess the frame is metal so the magnets could just stick to it but then I wonder if you need the melamine? Maybe the melamine adds structural support.

[Brad Olson]

Mike, the outer piece that is removed for bevel cuts is the one sitting on the table top. I removed it for clarity, becuase it is hard to see the cut lines when it is installed over the permanent piece (just like how you mentioned that it looks different-because the lines are a bit obscured)

So far I am very happy with the system. I just need to add a bit of magnetic sign to cover the hole in the front for the bevel knob and I'll call it quits (I think that is what John was lakting about since the usual use of sheet magnet is to cover the hole of the bevel wheel on the front.

[Mike Holbrook]

Thanks Brad, I guess I should have figured out that the picture just made the 2nd white piece disappear on top of the first white piece.

Using magnetic pieces to cover the holes for the bevel and or raising and lowering nob does make more sense.

Guess I will give your model a try, thanks for the help.

[Brad Olson]

No problem Mike,

To make the cutout that is bolted in place I made a cardboard template by carefully measuring the lcoation of the critical pieces at 3 points...

full 45 degrees
1/2 way beveled at 23.5 degrees
0 degrees

I then connected the points for all the mounts and belts with a curve, added 1/8" for clearance and then cut it out with scissors and taped it in place to make any final tweaks before tracing it onto the 1/8" melamie.

The second piece was just marked where it needed to be cut straight to fit over the belts and posts.

O