The Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood is one of the products that—as soon as you see it—you realize, “I need that!” My studio is in the living room of my house. Therefore, I’m constantly battling to contain sawdust. No other tool I own creates more sawdust than my miter saw. The Fastcap Miter Saw Sawdust Hood surrounds your miter saw with a tent to contain the dust.
Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood Build Quality
As soon as I opened the box and touched the material, I instantly knew this was a quality product. I have helped put together many tents and canopies that ranged in quality from low to very high end. If the Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood were a tent, it would be just shy of the top-of-the-line commercial rental tents. It is exceptionally well-made, and I expect it to last for years unless you abuse it. I also love the clear panel on the top which lets in light for better visibility.
Assembling the Sawdust Hood
The Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood came almost fully assembled. The sawdust hood ships folded in half to save storage space. After just a few minutes of assembly, it was ready to use. The dust hood has two large pins that drop into the accessory holes on the back of most miter saws.
Other dust hoods can attach to the miter saw stand while leaving the accessory holes free. There are different ways to clamp material and stops to the miter saw without using the accessory holes, however, the benefits of this sawdust hood are worth the tradeoffs.
A Flaw in the Design?
In the assembly stage, I quickly identified a potential flaw with the design. The front cover flips out of the way when not needed. Velcro holds it on the sides. Nothing holds it at the bottom front edge by the fence, however. Fortunately, a large binder clip from the office supply store provides a simple solution.
I gathered up the fabric on each side and used the binder clips as clamps to hold the cloth together. This keeps the dust from leaking out of the front. If you are not using binder clips as cheap spring clamps in your shop, you should be!
Where Does the Dust Go?
Once assembled, Fastcap directs you to put a box under the saw stand. You use the leftover material to form a slide to direct the sawdust into the box. Some of the competitor dust hoods are closed on the bottom. They have a 4-inch duct for dust collectors that the sawdust is supposed to fall or get sucked into.
The Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood is open on the bottom to allow the dust to fall into the box. I wish there were more material to work with here. If so, I might rig up my own connection to my shop vac out the bottom. As for the Fastcap method vs the method some of the other companies are using, I cannot say which approach is better. I simply haven’t tested the other solutions. The Fastcap did work quite well—certainly easier than emptying a shop vac!
Will it Go Against a Wall?
The short answer is yes. In my case, I pushed it up against the wall and then collapsed the bottom of the hood. This way, it took up less room since my studio is so tiny. In my opinion, it works better this way because the slide you make for the dust to go to the box is steeper.
How I Tested the Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood
Besides placing the box below to catch dust, I ran my shop vac hose to the dust port on the miter saw. Using both the dust hood and the shop vac, it captured most of the dust, and very little escaped.
To test out the dust hood with the shop vac, I first dusted and vacuumed my house. I then placed a semi-gloss-painted black panel about four feet from the miter saw so new dust would be noticeable. Next, I made twenty-five crosscuts on a common 2×4 board.
Very little dust remained on the saw and no dust appeared on either the floor or my black test panel four feet away. There was a mix of dust in the box under both the saw and my shop vac. I went outside and dumped out the dust. When I came back in, I could detect a wood odor, but it was nothing like in the past.
As an added bonus, I was not covered in the dust either. Usually, when I make just a few cuts, my shirt and my arms get covered in dust. Not this time. There was a little dust on the arms, but nothing like before connecting the Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood. I was thrilled with it.
Works with Tile Saws Too!
If you have ever worked with a wet tile saw, you will know how much mess they make. Tile saws tend to throw sludgy water all over the floor and the walls. The Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood was designed with small tile saws in mind and can contain the mess inside its water-resistant fabric. That’s a big deal since you don’t need to own two different kinds of collection systems.
Using the Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood on the Jobsite
It goes without saying that the water-resistant material on this sawdust hood also offers protection for your miter saw from the elements. If I were working in a client’s house, I would want to have this dust hood to make clean-up much more manageable.
Pricing and Conclusion
Is the Fastcap Miter Saw Dust Hood worth buying? At just under $120—absolutely. If you have a shop or garage, it keeps dust confined to just one small area. Add a shop vac or dust collector and you see even more benefits. If you are a contractor or tradesman, it keeps your jobsite cleaner and protects your expensive miter saw from the elements.
It even keeps you from getting as dusty. That helps reduce the amount of dust and debris you track all over your house at the end of the day. What’s not to love?
