I'm wondering if anyone else experiences sawdust shooting out the front slot of their cross-cut sled. I have a zero clearance insert installed, but the slot still extends out through the front, and I noticed that the sawdust seems to travel down the sled slot instead of being directed into the table saw for dust collection. I'm using a shop vac with my SawStop ICS, and it feels like the dust collection isn't working very well—it's almost like the sawdust isn't getting pulled into the dust collection shroud at all. Is this a common issue?
4 Answers
It sounds like you might need a more powerful dust collection setup. A standard shop vac often doesn't move enough air for a cabinet saw's needs. Consider looking into a dedicated dust collector, or you could try using an overhead dust collection system to improve the situation. That should help manage the sawdust a lot better!
Funny enough, I have a different view on what the 'front' of the sled is! For me, the side facing me is the back. I keep a block of wood there that's too tall for the blade. Plus, I run a vacuum under the throat plate, which helps keep dust away from me.
Haha, me too! Mine creates a direct path for sawdust right at me. Maybe the zero clearance insert is a factor since mine's opened up for dados and bevels, which lets dust shoot right out.
That's interesting! I've heard that sometimes the sled design can block airflow, so it's not good at pulling in dust. Maybe I need to tweak mine a bit!
I had a similar issue. I added a block of wood that keeps the blade buried, plus a chamfer and groove at the base of the fence to help with dust prevention. It really minimized the sawdust flying around.
Totally agree! If you opt for something with a 4” hose, it can make a big difference in catching more dust.