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About ten years ago when I traded my Craftsman contractor's saw in for a Delta Unisaw, I got a good deal on a dust collector when thrown into package. Up until that point, my dust collector had a 5 foot hardwood handle and a row of very stiff bristles on one end. I bought the Unisaw with the motor enclosure specifically because I wanted to start doing something about the dust problem.
Of course, no-one sells these things ready to go. I suppose that there would have been some kind of Delta accessory to add to my Unisaw to convert the 1" by 14" slot on the side so that I could hook the 4" hose to it, but I paid enough already. Off to the scrap pile.
I built basically a box, 3-4 inches tall, exact measurements are not necessary, and as long as the Unisaw is deep. I joined it with glue and screws and ran a bead of silicone caulk around the inside. A piece of 2x2 was glued and screwed to the top to provide a sturdy strip by which to attach it to the 2 mounting holes on the saw. The surfaces that were resting against the steel of the Unisaw base were lined with leftover weatherstipping. It was the foam rubber kind with the adhesive tape. The only peculiar feature of the box? One hole in the outward face to accomodate the ductwork.
Now, I didn't really just start to work. I had to make a small purchase first. Knowing that I wanted to evacuate the dust out the back, I went to the local hardware store in search of a piece of ductwork, the kind you use for a floor vent on a house with central heating. For $5 I came away with the duct you see in the photograph of the boot from the back. The hole in the box was sized specifically to accomodate this, so buy your duct first. It shouldn't be hard to find - it is a standard piece. I know, it isn't a great photo, and my dust is missing the reducer piece. I am doing some upgrading as I write this so things aren't exactly normal - as if they ever are.
Here is another shot from the front. Sorry about the picture quality. It is kind of dark and out of the way down there. So there you have it. Some leftover wood, caulking and weatherstripping and a $5 duct. Still in service after ten years!
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