Router Dust Collection: Compact Routers, Plunge Routers, and Router Tables

Routers make some of the finest and most dangerous dust in the shop. The bit spins at 20,000 to 30,000 RPM. Fine wood particles from routing hardwoods can stay airborne for hours. Connecting a vac is not just about keeping the shop clean. It is about keeping your lungs clean.

The approach is a little different depending on what type of router you use.

Compact Routers (Trim Routers)

Compact routers like the Makita RT0701C, DeWalt DCW600B, and Milwaukee 2723-20 have a small dust port on the side or rear of the base. The size changes with the brand, and every one we cover has a page on the port size hubs.

Find your router on the port size hubs and we build the adapter for it.

Compact routers work well with a shop vac connected directly through the port. The suction at the bit area is good when the base is against the workpiece.

Routers move in every direction during a cut, so the hose can catch on the workpiece or your arm. A coil hose or a short swivel elbow at the port keeps the hose out of the way.

Plunge Routers

Plunge routers are larger. They use a guide base with more enclosed space around the bit. The Festool OF 1400 EQ and OF 1010 REQ have a CT port built into the base, the one on the 27mm port hub. A CT extractor pulls hard enough to clear the whole plunge cut.

Other plunge routers (Bosch 1617EVS, DeWalt DW618) carry their own port on the base. Connect a shop vac the same way as a compact router.

One tip for plunge routers: make sure the base dust shroud is installed. The shroud directs chips into the port. Without it, chips fly outward before the port can capture them.

Router Tables

Router tables are different from handheld routers. There are two dust sources:

1. The bit opening in the table surface (top-side dust)
2. The inside of the cabinet below the table (bottom-side chips)

Good dust collection on a router table means connecting to both. Most router table fences have a mid-size port. The cabinet usually has a bigger one, and both have a page on the port size hubs. You need a vac or dust collector with a 4-inch hose for the cabinet side.

For a home shop with a portable router table and no full cabinet, one pickup at the fence covers most jobs, on the 2-1/2 in. port hub. An adapter takes the router's own port up to the larger vac hose when you need it.

Which Vac to Use

For compact and plunge routers, a shop vac with a 1-7/8 inch hose works fine. You want at least 5 amps of motor. Router bits produce fine dust and a weak vac lets it escape.

For router tables, a 1.5 HP dust collector with a 4-inch port is ideal for the cabinet. Run a shop vac on the fence port at the same time if you want far less dust in the air.

Festool users: the CT MINI or CT MIDI connects directly to OF series routers via the Plug-it 27mm hose. No adapter is needed. The CT extractors filter down to 0.3 microns, which is far better than a standard shop vac filter for fine routing dust.

Adapter Sizes for Common Setups

• Milwaukee 2723-20 (32mm) to 1-7/8" vac hose: 32mm to 47.6mm adapter
• DeWalt DCW600B (32mm) to 1-7/8" vac hose: 32mm to 47.6mm adapter
• Makita XTR01Z (36mm) to 1-7/8" vac hose: 36mm to 47.6mm adapter
• Festool OF 1010 REQ (27mm) to CT extractor: direct fit, no adapter
• Festool OF 1400 EQ (27mm) to 1-7/8" shop vac: 27mm to 47.6mm adapter

Use the GulpDust configurator to find the right adapter. Select your router model and your vac, and we match the geometry automatically.

Safety Note

Fine dust from routing hardwoods like walnut, teak, and rosewood can cause allergic reactions and respiratory issues. Even one routing session without dust collection can deposit a significant amount of dust in your lungs. This is especially true with exotics and composites.

Wear a respirator rated N95 or P100 when routing these materials, even if you have a vac connected. A vac catches most of the dust. A respirator catches the rest.