Hand-held Wood Circular Saws with Vacuum Dust Control

A vacuum dust control for circular saws is a dust capture and control system that reduces airborne wood dust during wood cutting operations.

Description:

Vacuum dust control for circular saws is an engineering control that can reduce the exposure to wood dust. The saws are fitted with hoods that partially enclose the top half of the saw blade and have a port to allow for the extraction of woodworking dust. When a vacuum is attached to the extraction port, air is drawn past the blade and into the port, capturing dust at the point of generation. The wood dust is then collected and removed from the work environment, reducing the concentration in the worker's breathing zone and the opportunity for skin contact.

A wood dust capture and control system is recommended by OSHA and is commonly used in the form of a vacuum dust collector. These methods allow for the safe removal of most airborne dust particles that result from cutting wood. Using a vacuum with filters, instead of ventilating to the outdoors greatly reduces the risk to other workers on a site. However, wood dust control by means of exhausting to the outdoors may be acceptable.

Dust control systems are a solution to the constant dust and debris created by wood workers. The use of a dust control system can reduce the hazards associated with the accumulation of combustible wood dust. A permanent dust ventilation control may be the most effective way to remove the airborne particles, but the portable dust collectors provide a solution for situations where fixed ventilation systems are not feasible.
 
Hose adapters may be required to connect the tool's shroud or hood to a vacuum.  Dustcontrol's multi connection (part number 42497) is available for $20 and fits hoses or connections 25, 27, 29, 31 33 and 35 millimeters (0.984, 1.063, 1.142, 1.220, 1.299 and 1.378  inches) in diameter .
 
Makita Circular Saw – Model SP6000J

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Makita circular saw has a built in dust port that attaches to an external dust extractor .
  • Cost: $340 (verified 5/2011)
  • Vacuum Take-Off Diameter: 1-7/16 inches
  • Weight: 9.7 pounds
  • Maximum Revolutions per Minute: 5,200
  • Power Requirements: 120 volts, 12.0 amps
  • Blade Diameter: 6.5 inches
  • Arbor Diameter: 20 millimeter
  • Sound Pressure 89 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
 
Evolution Rage Circular Saws
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rage B Circular Saw
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rage Circular Saw
 
Evolution Rage circular saws have built-in chip compartments or they can be connected to an external dust extractor (with the Dustcontrol multi connection,part number 42497, or another compatible adapter).
 
 
Model
Cost
Maximum Revolutions per Minute
Weight (pounds)
Vacuum Take-Off Diameter (inches)
Rage B
$100
3,500
17.2
1-3/8
Rage
$170
3,900
14.3
1-1/4
(verified 5/2011)
  • Power Requirements: 115 volts, 15.0 amps
  • Blade Diameter: 7.25 inches
  • Arbor Diameter: 20 millimeters
  • Sound Pressure Level: 101-108 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
 
Festool Hose FT452881
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Cost: $76 (verified 4/2011)
  • Diameter: 1-7/16 inch
  • Length: 11.5 feet
 
Festool Circular Saws
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Festool TS 75 EQ
 
These Festool circular saws have a built in dust extraction port and are compatible with the Festool vacuums listed below and other vacuums when used with the Dustcontrol multi connection, part number 42497, or another compatible adapter.
 
Model
Cost
Power Requirements
Maximum Revolutions per Minute
Weight (pounds)
Arbor Size (millimeters)
Blade Diameter (inches)
TS 55 EQ
$530
120 volts, 10 amps
5,200
9.92
20
6.25
TS 75 EQ
$660
120 volts, 13 amps
3,550
13.6
30
8.25
(verified 5/2011)
  • Vacuum Take-Off Diameter: 1.25 inches
  • Sound Pressure Level: 95 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
 
Festool Mobile Dust Extractors - CT MINI and CT MIDI
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Power Requirements: 120 volts, 3-10 amps
  • Airflow Rate: 99 cubic feet per minute
  • Maximum Static Pressure: 80 inches of water
  • Filtration: paper filter is standard, optional HEPA filter, capable of removing 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles (the most penetrating size), can be purchased for approximately $33
  • Sound Pressure Level: 72 dBA or less (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
 
Model
Costs
Dust Capacity (gallons)
Hose Diameter
Weight (pounds)
CT MINI
$345
2.0
1 inch (22 millimeters)
21
CT MIDI
$395
3.3
1-1/16 inches (27 millimeters)
21.4
(verified 4/2011)
 
 
Festool Mobile Dust Extractors - CT 26 E and 36 E
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Power Requirements: 120 volts, 2.9-10 amps
  • Airflow Rate: 137 cubic feet per minute
  • Maximum Static Pressure: 96 inches of water
  • Filtration: HEPA filter capable of removing 99.97% of 0.3 micron particles (the most penetrating size)
  • Hose Diameter: 1-1/16 inches (27 millimeters)
  • Sound Pressure Level: 71 dBA or less (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
  
Model
Costs
Dust Capacity (gallons)
Weight (pounds)
CT 26 E
$550
6.3
28.7
CT 36 E
$600
3.3
29.8
(verified 4/2011)
 
 
Porter Cable Circular Saw – Model 423MAG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Porter Cable circular saw has a built in dust port that attaches to an external dust extractor with a Dustcontrol multi connection, part number 42497, or another compatible adapter.
  • Cost: $180 (verified 5/2011)
  • Vacuum Take-Off Diameter: 1 inch
  • Weight: 9.6 pounds
  • Maximum Revolutions per Minute: 5,800
  • Power Requirements: 120 volts, 15 amps
  • Blade Diameter: 7.25 inches
  • Arbor Diameter: 5/8 inch
  • Sound Pressure Level: not available but likely to exceed 90 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average)
 
DeWALT Circular Saw – Model DWS520K
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The DeWALT circular saw has a built in dust port that attaches to an external dust extractor with the Dustcontrol multi connection, part number 42497, or another compatible adapter.
  • Cost: $450 (verified 5/2011)
  • Vacuum Take-Off Diameter: 1.25 inch
  • Weight: 11.5 pounds
  • Maximum Revolutions per Minute: 4,000
  • Power Requirements: 120 volts, 12 amps
  • Blade Diameter: 6.5 inches
  • Arbor Diameter: 20 millimeters
  • Sound Pressure Level: not available but likely to exceed 90 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average)
 
Pullman-Ermator Cyclonic Pre-Separators
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Removes approximately 90 percent of particulates and can be used with Pullman-Ermator or other dust extractors
  • Dust collection: Longopac® bag system, which uses a 70 foot long plastic tube that is divided and sealed at the desired length 
Models
Costs
Inlet Diameter (inches)
Weight (pounds)
C3000
$1,000
2
49
C5500
$1,900
3
130
(verified 6/2011)
 
 
Dustcontrol, Inc. Single Phase Dust Extractors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • Cyclonic pre-separator
  • Filtration: a fine filter, rated to remove 99.9 percent of particles, followed by a HEPA filter, rated to remove 99.95 percent of 0.3 micron particles (the most penetrating size) following a European method (EN 1822-1). Additional testing, following IEC.60335-2-69, verifies the performance of the filter system (fine filter and HEPA filter) and the filters together when installed in the dust extractor.
  • Features a “reverse air pulse cleaning system”
  • When ordering Model DC 2800c specify a “rental” unit to receive an operation timer and inlet plug for a negative pressure gauge that can be used to monitor air flow
  • Vacuum hose inlet diameter: 2 inches
  • Sound Pressure Level: 68 to 75 dBA (OSHA’s Permissible Exposure Limit for an 8-hour time-weighted average is 90 dBA)
Models
Air Flow Rates (cubic feet per minute)
Maximum Static Pressure (inches of water)
Hose Diameter (inches)
Dust Capacity (gallons)
Vacuum Power Requirements
Vacuum Weight (pounds)
DC 1800
$1,300
114
84
1.5
4
115 volts, 10.4 amps
22
DC 2800c
$2,000
114
84
1.5
5
115 volts, 10.4 amps
31
DC 3800c
$3,900
192
84
2
5
115 volts, 20 amps
77
DC 3800c Twin
$4,900
192
84
2
10.5 for both bags
115 volts, 20 amps
120
(verified 6/2011)
 
 
Rockler Dust Collector
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Universal hose adapter
 
The dust collection system will need two components, the vacuum and a hose to connect to the saw. A hose adapter is needed to be compatible with the dust extractors below. An adapter for connecting to hoses 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 or 6 inches in inside diameter, product number 63570, can be purchased from Rockler for $6.
 
Rockler Item Number
Item
Cost
24719
4-inch Diameter Dust Right™ Hose, 3 Feet Compressed, Extends to 21 Feet Long
$50
20431
5 Micron, 15 Gallon Replacement Bag
$30
25344
Rockler Wall Mount Dust Collector
$250
(verified 6/2011)
  • Reusable Heavy-Duty Cloth Dust Bags
    • Bag Capacity: 15 gallons
    • Filtration: 30 or 5 microns
  • Weight: 50 pounds
  • Power Requirements: 110 volts, 12 amps
  • Air Flow Rate: 650 cubic feet per minute 
  
Delta Dust Collector
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The dust collection system will need two components, the vacuum and a hose to connect to the saw. A hose adapter is needed to be compatible with dust extractors. An adapter for connecting to hoses 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5 or 6 inches in diameter, product number 63570, can be purchased from Rockler for $6.
 
Item Number
Item
Cost
50-530
4-inch diameter hose, 10 feet long
$50
A04525
Replacement 4.8 cubic foot (35.9 gallon) Chip Bags (2 Pack)
$20
50-761
Delta 2 horse power Dust Collector
$850
(verified 6/2011)
  • Chip Bag Capacity: 9.6 cubic feet (4.8 cubic feet per bag, both capturing dust at the same time)
  • Weight: 132 pounds
  • Power Requirements: 230 volts, 20 amps
  • Air Flow Rate: 2,100 cubic feet per minute
  • Filtration: 1 micron (washable bags)
  • Number of 4-inch Hose Ports: 3

Risks Addressed:

 

Exposure to wood dust in the workplace has several associated hazards. Wood dust irritates the eyes, nose and throat, in addition to leading to pulmonary function impairment. Western red cedar dust is considered a human carcinogen and has also been shown to cause asthma. Significant accumulation of fine wood dust particles can also be a fire and explosion hazard in the workplace.
 
The woodworking industry creates significant amounts of wood dust. The dust generated from saws, sanders, routers, etc. is generally not controlled, and workers exposed to wood dusts have experienced a variety of adverse health effects such as eye and skin irritation, allergies, reduced lung function, asthma, and nasal cancer. Excessive amounts of dust can also inhibit sight within the work area creating hazardous conditions for not only the worker, but also others within the work environment. By using dust control methods, exposure can be significantly reduced. For example, sanding is one of the largest producers of dust, but with the use of controls, the inhalable fraction of dust emissions was reduced by 66% to 98%. Additional controls, such as downdraft tables, are a means for further reducing exposure (NTP, 2000).
 
Spee et al. performed task-based monitoring of 26 carpenters at 13 building projects to measure exposure to wood dust. Eight hour time-weighted average (TWA) exposures to wood dust ranged from 0.8 to 11.6 mg/m3 with a geometric mean (GM) of 3.3 mg/m3 and a geometric standard deviation (GSD) of 2.1.
 
Numerous studies in various countries have addressed whether Hodgkin’s Disease (HD) is linked to wood dust exposures. Studies involving those who have already died from the disease, those who currently have the disease and woodworkers who were believed to be at risk of getting the disease were conducted. No study included sufficient information to find a correlation between length of employment, type of position, exposure to certain products, or contact with chemical agents that may be used in woodworking and HD. These investigations have shown that those with the greatest risk are among the carpentry and lumbering occupations. In the end, twelve studies were looked at, and five yielded statistically significant relationships between woodworking and Hodgkin’s disease (McCunney, 1999).
 

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) published a threshold limit value (TLV) of 1 mg/m3 for wood dust, excluding western red cedar. The TLV for western red cedar is 0.5 mg/m3. Oak and beech wood dust have been confirmed as human carcinogens and birch, mahogany, teak, and walnut are classified as suspected human carcinogens (ACGIH, 2011).

 

How Risks are Reduced:

A vacuum dust control for circular saws is an engineering control that can reduce the exposure to wood dust. The saws are fitted with hoods that partially enclose the top half of the saw blade and have a port to allow for the extraction of woodworking dust. When a vacuum is attached to the extraction port, air is drawn past the blade and into the port, capturing dust at the point of generation. The wood dust is then collected and removed from the work environment, reducing the concentration in the worker's breathing zone and the opportunity for skin contact.

Using dust collection techniques will visibly reduce airborne particulate matter, but the extent that it reduces the small, inhalable particles is significant. Although exposure is not reduced to zero, substantial reduction has been noted. This is dependent on the amount of air flow through the machine, the distance between the object creating dust and the port in the hood, how effectively the collector removes particles from the air, the nature and amount of work and the extent to which workers are exposed to particles that are not captured. While published sampling data on these specific tools are not available, evidence indicates exposure to inhalable wood dust can be significantly reduced through the use of dust extraction methods.
 
Based on measurements taken by D. Noy in 2002 and the published sampling results from Spee et al., the use of local exhaust ventilation on circular saws will reduce wood dust exposure to three to four times less than exposure without any control methods.
 

The Hitachi website states that their 7-1/4 inch dust reducing circular saw (model C7YAK) is "one of the most efficient dust collection saws on the market," has a dust collection shroud that "keeps work area clear of over 90% of debris" and can be used with a vacuum "to keep the work area clean and reduce airborne particles."

 

Effects on Productivity:

Vacuum dust collectors should have a positive effect on productivity and definitely improve the quality of the work by removing large amounts of dust, which provides a cleaner environment for operators and reduces the effort and time required for clean-up. In some cases, particularly where work is intermittent or in an area with general ventilation, use of dust collectors may be adequate to reduce the need to wear a respirator, and the need for an employer’s respiratory protection program.

Additional Considerations:

There are additional conditions and practices that can improve the performance of dust collectors and reduce dust exposure: 
  • Keeping your head away from dust created by the process and using adequate ventilation is key to controlling exposure to airborne dust particles.
  • The Scientific Committee on Occupational Exposure Limits (SCOEL), which was established by the European Commission, stated that exposures greater than 0.5 mg/m3 of wood dust could cause pulmonary effects and should be avoided.
  • The particles that can do the most damage in the lungs are small enough to penetrate or bypass the filters found on many shop vacuums. Additionally, some inexpensive shop vacuums pull the dust through the motors, which can destroy the vacuum on really dusty jobs, eliminating any initial cost savings.
  • Vacuum performance must be monitored on a regular basis. A vacuum with a pressure gauge allows for frequent and easy monitoring of air flow. For high dust generating tasks, dust caked on the filter may reduce flow to a level where it no longer provides adequate dust capture.
Large electric vacuums commonly require 20 amp electrical circuits. Cords and extensions must be rated for the tool's power requirements, be inspected regularly, replaced when damaged, and used in combination with ground fault interrupt circuits.
 
Some large vacuums, cyclonic separators, and exhaust ventilation blowers can be very loud. Noise levels may be high enough to cause significant hearing loss over a work lifetime. Buy quiet devices and maintain them properly. Noise exposures can be reduced by working further away from the noise source, enclosing the noise source, or using ear plugs or muffs.

As is the case with any construction equipment, users should follow manufacturer scheduled maintenance safety recommendations and comply with any applicable local, state or federal regulations.

Hazards Addressed:

Availability

Festool Hoses and Dust Extractors
To obtain information, visit http://festools-online.com or contact 1-800-365-6677

Rockler Dust Collectors
To obtain information, visit http://www.rockler.com or contact 1-800-279-4441

Porter Cable Model 423MAG Circular Saw
To obtain information, visit http://www.portercable.com or contact 1-888-848-5175

Delta Dust Collectors
To obtain information, visit http://www.cpoworkshop.com or contact 1-866-268-0304

Evolution Rage Circular Saws Rage B
To obtain information, visit https://www.evolutionpowertools.com or contact 1-866-386-8665

DeWALT Model DWS520K Circular Saw
To obtain information, visit http://www.dewalt.com or contact 1-800-433-9258

Dustcontrol, Inc. dust extractors
contact 1-910-395-1808 sales@dustcontrolusa.com

Pullman-Ermator Cyclonic Pre-Separator
To obtain information, visit http://www.pullman-ermator.se or contact 1-800-282-1024 info@pullman-ermator.se

Makita Circular Saw Model SP6000J
To obtain information, visit http://www.makitatools.com or contact 1-800-462-5482

Festool TS 55 and TS 75 Circular Saws
To obtain information, visit http://www.festoolusa.com or contact 1-888-337-8600

Return on Investment

To calculate the return on investment (ROI) for your specific application, please visit our Return on Investment Calculator. While a specific ROI example has not been developed for this particular solution, the ROI Calculator provides a useful tool and guidance on how to generate your own on investment analysis.