How-To: 14" Bandsaw Dust Collection Improvment
Every
14" bandsaw I’ve seen has a horrible design for dust collection,
yet the bandsaw has a huge capacity to produce dust and chips as you use
it.
Accordingly, I’ve redesigned the port on my Jet to accept a full 4" collection hose for maximum performance. Since adding this new port to the saw, the amount of loose material appearing on the saw base or around the saw has all but been eliminated. You should be able to make a similar dust pickup for any similar machine. Just look carefully at your tool and take careful measurments.
The new duct collection port is made of 1/4" clear Lexan and a standard
ABS “quick connector”. The ABS part was cut off at an angle on
the bandsaw and then assembled to the clear shroud with the same solvent
used to fasten the Lexan parts together. Two 1/4x20 hex bolts are inserted
into the same holes the original dust port was screwed to the lower door
with; the top one is just long enough to act as a key for the new shroud
and the lower one is long enough to secure the whole assembly with a single
knurled nut. The new port does need to be removed before opening the door
for changing the blade, but it only takes a moment to do so.
Performance has been outstanding and very little material finds its way
onto the saw base and floor, unlike when using the OEM port. Total cost for
this
project was probably less than ten dollars, considering that scraps of clear
1/4" thick Lexan left over from another project were used to
build it. 
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