This supplements a dust collector through the bottom of my cabinet saw -- and cuts way down on fine sawdust put into the air from above. I use it with a Fein vac (my main dust collector is only a Jet 1.5hp unit piped some distance away) and find the combination works well.
I also use this with a Biesemeyer splitter in the back and find the combination to be safe and unobtrusive. The construction on this is adequate -- in my case I added some bracing from the ceiling. Bottom line -- with a little work this does the job at about half the price compared to some alternatives. PSI Woodworking TSGUARD Table Saw Dust Collection Guard
The only flaw I can find with this unit it that the blade guard is not designed to sit flat against the table and ride the work piece as you push it through the saw. You have to set it above the table at just enough distance for the piece to pass under it. The guard also sits a little cockeyed due to the somewhat rigid hose pushing down on it. But that's all I can complain about. The unit is made of some pretty heavy gauge steel and I suspect it can take some abuse.
Before adding this over arm system to my saw I was getting a face full of saw dust, and I was more than a little concerned for the safety of my saw due to the absence of the blade guard. I use a dado blade frequently and the fixed blade guard was a nuisance to remove and replace, so it just remained removed. Now it's nice to have a little something covering the blade. It's also a pleasure not having to gear up with full facial armor to ward off the steady jet of saw dust that made a bee-line for eyes and nose. I got everything I needed in this unit for about $300 less than every other model.
Set up was easy, despite the fact that I had to make a platform to fasten the base to. There is room to get creative in the way you secure this to your saw if you don't have the traditional cabinet saw with an extension table. Just think outside the box a little and you will have this unit up and running in about an hour.
It was delivered in good time and the packing was appropriate. The item arrived in pristine condition with all the parts.
I recently installed the PSI on my Delta contractor saw with little effort ~ 1hour. The unit itself works fine especially considering the low price ($162.80 delivered from Amazon). Piping is made of heavy guage steel and is very sturdy. The unit works well at reducing and or eliminating the fine dust being thrown into your face. I have it hooked upto a Delta 50-760 1.5 hp DC piggybacked with my table saw dust port. When cutting sheet goods (plywood,mdf,particle board,hardboard, etc) the PSI is excellent at containing and eliminating ~95 % of the dust. When cutting thicker stock (1.5 or greater) the efficiency went down as expected but the unit was still very useful in stopping the dust from being propelled into the air towards your face and lungs. Efficiency probably went down to the 65% efficiency range for the larger particulates (>3-5 microns)and to about 88% for the smaller particulates (And yes I am qualified to estimate percent capture of fine particulates due to the nature of my degrees,training and work experience). This drop in efficiency is due to the fact that you will loose the "vacumn effect" as air is being sucked in from all sides of the unit due to it being raised above the table - thus reducing the "suction". This will occur no matter what unit (exaktor, biessmyer, excalibur, shark guard, etc)is used. Key is max air flow (cfm's).To help offset this pressure loss I "choked up" the 2.5 ports to 4 inch ports where possible. Not as good as if all the ports were originally sized 4 inch but this helps increase the effiency of the unit by increasing the air flow. (Yes the airlow is restricted at the reducer but it stll increases the over all air flow).
Several reviewers hit the nail on the head. With a little simple tweaking this unit performs well and is certainly worth the price. I can not justify spending almost $300 more for another unit.
Some of the minor adjustsments made were: converting port size to 4 inch (also need to use matching 4" hose); sealing the swinging back stop (pictured in red)with packing tape along the seams, sealing the swing front stop with packing tape along the top downward portion of the seams - make sure you do not seal it in a position that would interfere with or make contact with blade !!!-; cut both interior and exterior tubes to the fit of your table extension (once the "nested tubes" or adjusted to your table, lock in place and carefully cut both tubes at the same time, then file or grind to remove any burs. In my case it reduced the air turbulence\friction travel by 14 inches, which may not seem like much but the pressure gradient change over a foot can be signicicant depending upon the cfm.s of your collection system; also did the same custom cut of dust hose to reduce distance traveled and efficiency loss due to friction and turbulence.
The height adjustment \counter balance arm works well and effortlessly. Very easy to move up and down. The entire assembly swings out the way when needed but mine is a little stiff. Hopefully it will loosen a little with time - but not a concern either way.
Now on negative side - many are the same as other reviewers -
written instructions are worthless, use common sense and the visual depictions to guide you; packaging is horrible, box bottom torn badly, box looked like it was in a fight, one item (worm gear clamp)was missing -aggravating but did not hinder assembly; several areas of small scratches on tubing do to the items bouncing everywhere during shipping - again annoying but not bad -it is in a shop not my house - it is going to get scratches anyway.
Overall good unit and exceptional value for the price when compared to other units. I would by it again. - Vacuum Fittings - Table Saw - Woodworking'
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