World's cheapest Triton dustbag - The dust box WIP
I've always put off getting a dustbag for my WC200 for a few reasons. Firstly, it's more money to outlay (I'm a dinky die tight ????). Secondly, people often comment on this forum that it makes it a hassle to use the WC2000 in crosscut mode and I really like the cross cut mode for certain things. Thirdly it just collects the dust as it falls which is fine but to actually remove the dust you either have to heavily modify it to accept a dusty hose (see Stuarts mod) or periodically empty the bag. I've mucked about with cutting up cheap tarps and gaffer taping together a dust shoot with a bucket underneath but like the second reservation above it makes switching to crosscut a pain. But there is an alternative and it works a treat, packs flat for transport and costs next to nothing.
Wouldn't you know it - a standard teachest size removal box is almost exactly the same height as the orange cross beam of the Triton WC2000 and the flaps are almost exactly the same size as the space between the orange beam and the tabletop. Here's how to make one into the world's cheapest dustbag/extractor for your WC2000.
The basic dust box:
1) Assemble the bottom of the box as per normal and sit down on the saw motor side of your WC2000 with all the top flaps of the box folded out except the one closest to you which you fold in.
2) Slide box under closest orange beam and slide the back flap of the box between the Triton saw chassis' orange blade guard and the rear orange beam (see pic 1).
3) Push the side flaps up until they box in front and back of the saw. They fit very snuggly and hold themselves up (see pic 2)
4) Lift the remaining flap up out of the box and wedge it under the motor of the saw - This not only covers the near side of the box but also keeps the dust away from the saw motor vents (see pic3).
Voila! The basic dust box.
Part II: Dustbox with dust extraction.
You've now been converted to the brand new but rapidly expanding ranks of the dustbox users club. You've flat packed it for storage or transport, saved yourself plenty of money you were going to spend on a Triton dustbag and saved yourself heaps of time cleaning up your work area after a busy day making sawdust. Let's take the next step.
The Dustbox with dust extraction.
1) Move around to the rear of your WC2000 with your dustbox installed. Consider what type of dust extraction you're going to use. I like to use a good old fashion vaccum for the convenience of portability but you can use any size hose/port that your dust extraction system has. I also should mention I like to use Kreepy Krawly / Swimming pool vaccum hose as it's marginally bigger than regular vacuum hose yet it's the same size as the opening on the body of the vacuum cleaners - this keeps the suction at it's maximum (any reduction in diameter of the air passage anyware in the system reduces the actual suction). It also is available with rubber male and female joining sockets that allow you to add or subtract sections of hose to customise the length and is frequently found on curbside rubbish collections (as was this lot). Using a holesaw drill (or alternatively cut carefully by freehand) a hole of a smaller (or tight fitting) diameter than your dusty hose socket in the bottom corner of the box. Insert the hose socket.
2) If using a vaccum cleaner connect the power plug from your vacccum cleaner with a double adaptor to the same triton power outlet you plug in your saw too. Now the vaccum only comes on when the saw turned on.
3) If you'd like to have dust collection from the over head guard as well then you'll find some cheap common PVC pipe joints fit tightly with male pool hose socket. See pic 3: This one had a threaded cap on the third part (pushed through hole into box) which I drilled a large hole into and screwed on inside the dustbox to make a tight secure fit.
Next episode - you'll see how to cut a large diamond / parallelagram out of cardboard to sit inside the dustbox as a slide to the dusty outlet.
