I had the same problem in trying to find a guard with dust collection for my UNISAW and I finally came across a shop built guard with dust collection in the shop notes Vol 16 Issue 92. I built one and I couldn't be happier with the performance and a heck of a lot cheaper price. Check it out: http://lumberjocks.com/projects/46742

I hope this helps!

 

Thanks so much, Mike, and I'll check out your link. The ones that are designed for the larger, powerful cabinet saws like your UNI are pretty expensive. I was hoping that a $200 Shark Guard would solve my dilemma. With your advice, I might save even more!

 

I've been working on designing my own. It's really not very complicated. Just a plexiglass box and some way to hold it. The key is making it easy to move out of the way because a lot of woodworking jobs are impossible to do with is in the way.

I am experimenting with one with the arm coming down from the ceiling, and another with a horizontal arm like the commercial versions, except that is light and easy to remove.

 

I'm beginning to think I'm going to have to go homebrew. I really like the substantialness (not a word) of the commercial varieties and I don't really mind plunking the money if they're worth it. I'm going to have to suspend ductwork overhead in any event. I haven't found one that allow a 4" connection in the arm somewhere. I don't know how healthy that would be to down-neck a 4 to 2. Maybe it would be Ok. Thanks fellas.

 

I have just bought the PSI version, I haven't fitted it yet but it got great reviews from previous purchasers.

David

 

I do have the perfect solution for you Bertha

take it out of the plug and cut the wire in three peice´s and use your handsaw

homebreew would be the cheapest and can match the commerciel one´s if its made right

so go for it Bertha

take care
Dennis

 

I found videos here for Shop Notes guard with dust collection here (

) I have been wanting to make a guard with dust collection .maybe this one

Or this one
I found planes for another one here (http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/overarm_guard.shtml)
Boy you guys ! did now , really got me hyped up about building one now
Every time I cut MDF I wish I had one

 

Wow! Thank you so much, bubinga. This looks a lot like the Shark Guard I initially wanted. I hate working metal in my shop but sometimes it must be done. Dennis, I'm not ready to throw away my handsaws yet!

 

who talks about throwing handsaws away ohter than yourself …..LOL

but I think if you build the safeguard you shuold do it with the handtools only
and you know why

take care
Dennis

 

building an over-the-table boom operated tablesaw guide with only handtools…that might be a first. I'm intrigued, Dennis.

 

just do it
it wuold bee a wonderfull continueing of the tale from Mads
but don´t bee surpriced if the saws jammed one or two times in protest to make something
for an electronkiller device … LOL

Dennis

 

The over arm devices for table saw reminds me of the contraptions used at the dentist office.

 

I use a highly modified BRETT guard, and I love it.

 

I got a bit of advice from this forum about a month ago. I ended up disconnecting my DC from the small port going to the overhead guard and just hook my shop vac up to it. I run the DC on the big bottom tube and the shop vac on the 1-1/2” top guard. Gets almost 90% of the flinging! Simple and it works. Evidently the small split off from the DC does almost nothing to evacuate the chips. Too much of a volume drop while the shop vac supplies high velocity suction. I don’t know but it works.

 

My current saw has an excellent guard/collector. Like @S0i7 I use a shop vac and it works very well. However, it is not handy to use and not as easy to get out of the way when you can't use it.

Before that, I fashioned my own retractable dust hood with a 4" port that ran off my central DC. I'm working on a new design and so far the proof of concept is working well. Nothing big, I just narrowed up the hood.

 

My current saw has an excellent guard/collector. Like @S0i7 I use a shop vac and it works very well. However, it is not handy to use and not as easy to get out of the way when you can't use it.

Before that, I fashioned my own retractable dust hood with a 4" port that ran off my central DC. I'm working on a new design and so far the proof of concept is working well. Nothing big, I just narrowed up the hood.

View attachment 3915297

Good luck with that. There are some fancy hoods out there. I was looking at Harvey, since I have a Harvey saw but I think, sometimes!, that the failure lies partly in using a small collection hose, which even their fancy redesign only uses 1-1/2”. Even my 2” hoses for my miter saw does not work great. Low velocity needs that big hose Ike the picture you have. I believe the shop vac works well with the 1-1/2” hoses because of the high velocity. Any way, good luck to you again. I just don’t have the room to get another DC or too much more add ons.