I've recently gotten into woodworking and am really enjoying it, but I've noticed that my Kobalt 10" miter saw, which I bought at Lowe's, has pretty terrible dust collection. The dust port is quite small, and a lot of dust escapes even with simple cuts, which is super frustrating. I'm looking for a miter saw that either has great dust collection right out of the box or one that can be modified to work well without breaking the bank—definitely not something like a Festool! Any recommendations?
3 Answers
Yeah, they all aren't great with dust collecting. But you could look into models that can accommodate attachments. There are some highly rated attachments you can get to improve dust collection in saws you might already be considering. Check out options from this store; they have good reviews!
I haven’t found a miter saw yet that does great with dust collection right out of the box. But if you have the materials and space, I suggest building a hood for it. There are tons of designs online, and it really helps keep the dust contained while being attached to a dust collector. I’ve added a custom hood to my 12” DeWalt, and it works like a charm! Just have to vacuum it out every so often instead of dealing with a huge mess.
Honestly, most miter saws aren’t great at dust collection. But if you're looking at specific models, consider Bosch miter saws with the articulated arm. If you pair it with the Shop Nation dust collection kit, it works almost as well as a Festool setup! I own the 12” model, and the precision is fantastic. That dust collection upgrade makes a huge difference!
Thanks, that sounds like a solid option! I’ll definitely look into those attachments.