Router dust collection: over or under?

**Julian Vidal** · 01-09-2017, 10:27 AM

I've just installed a router lift in the wing of my table saw and was wondering about dust collection. I still need to make a fence for it and I'm wondering what would be my best choice for dust collector given that I only have a shop vac not a "proper" dust collector. Mind you the one I have is pretty beefy.

What are the reasons for over or under dust collection? By "over" I mean when the back of the fence has an enclosure with a hose port.

Thanks!

**Robin Frierson** · 01-09-2017, 10:38 AM

I had both in my last set up, one in the fence and a box below and it worked better than just having one. When you are routing away from the fence only the below will work. Now I have a triton router which as a port below and like you, need to build a fence with dust collection. Currently just using the TS fence and sacrificial MDF attachments. But even with dual dust collection in the fence and below, there are times you dont get all the chips.

**Julian Vidal** · 01-09-2017, 10:43 AM

Thanks for the input, Robin. Quick question, for your simultaneous ports, are you using a shop vac or a dust collector?

**Mike Henderson** · 01-09-2017, 10:52 AM

You really need both. I tried just under and there's a lot of swarf that shows up above. I use a dust collector connection and not a vac.

Mike

**Robert Engel** · 01-09-2017, 11:08 AM

IME collecting at the fence 90% of the dust so long as you don't have a huge flange hole or somethign......the amount of dust inside my box is too negligible to warrant.

My router table is portable I use it in various places depending on where I need to stage the stock. I find a shop vac works quite well works off the same outlet as the router.

**John Lankers** · 01-09-2017, 11:12 AM

Ideal would be a hookup to a dust collector with over and under dust extraction but with "only" a shop vac your best option is over the table extraction through the fence, a shop vac will most likely not be able to move the volume of air required for both.

**Brian W Smith** · 01-09-2017, 1:17 PM

One of the few pcs here on shop vac,mainly because we use shapers 20-1 over RT.

If you build box under,use tapered sides,transitioning to a round port.Vac the fence,let chips gravitate into a cardboard box.You'll now when the bttm will need to be hooked up.

**Mark Carlson** · 01-09-2017, 1:28 PM

I do both, under is attached to the 4in dust collection and the fence is connected to a festool vac. Its pretty much dust free.

**Robin Frierson** · 01-09-2017, 2:17 PM

My previous set up was hooked up to a dust collector and worked very well. I currently just have a shop vac inserted in the Triton router and it's Ok, but not the best. I'm really looking forward to building a fence and hook the whole deal up to my desk collector.

**Julian Vidal** · 01-09-2017, 3:00 PM

OK, going by the responses to my question I'm gonna go for fence dust collection for now. Since I don't have the bottom part figured out I think for now I'm just going to create a temporary enclosure with cardboard or cloth with an open bottom and put a bucket underneath. I bought 10 plastic buckets from the local ice cream store for $5 and this might be a good use for one of them.

Thanks everyone for the info!

**Ole Anderson** · 01-09-2017, 5:25 PM

I go top and bottom with a 2.5" from the back of fence to the box and a 4" from the box to my DC ducting. If I could only do one, it would be back of fence. Unless you are routing a dado, the bit throws chips toward the fence opening, to where your shop vac will do a good job of collection as it is quite a small area, unlike something like a miter saw. In the pic, I temporarily disconnected the rear fence hose in favor of the Leigh jig dust collector.

**Jim Dwight** · 01-09-2017, 8:07 PM

I do both with a shop vac but I haven't used that setup much so I am not sure yet how well it works. I have also moved a hose and I will go back to that if I have to. The fence pickup is best when routing the edge of a piece. But if you are cutting a dado, nothing will come out the fence connection (or nearly nothing) and it will all come out below. If you can do both, that saves moving a hose around. But if the shop vac won't handle that, then I would just move the hose to where it is needed. My test cuts indicate my smallish Rigid may handle both pickup points, however. It helps that it sits close to the dust deputy so the hose is pretty short.

**Bruce Wrenn** · 01-09-2017, 8:39 PM

Why not collect chips thru the fence? Build a hollow rectangle fence, with opening at bit. Add port to end of fence for vac hose. This fence could be clamped to TS fence, as hose wouldn't interfere with mounting.