Efficient CNC machine exhaust/"dust collector" ...

Hi all,

First - I don't know if this is the right sub-forum to place this thread - please feel welcome to move it if it is better suited to another sub-forum.

... As it is I recently completed my CNC router build and in this context late in the process decided to make a "dust collector" that uses my vacuum cleaner to remove what is cut free during the milling. This "dust collector" has proved to be indeed very efficient - I would say that it removes ~ 99% of the cutter shavings (hope that is the right word) - and so I reckon it might be of use to others.

It is basically made from a 3D printed PLA structure and then additionally a bit of plastic hose, a couple of short steel rods, some "window isolation brushes", a couple of bolts and nuts, two very small pieces of 1.5mm thick iron/steel, a bit of epoxy, and a bit of surplus glass. Using glass instead of a plastic of some kind prevents the glass from getting scratched by the cutter shavings (unless, I suppose, one is milling stone or something like that). And it makes it possible to look at what is happening in the milling process - unlike many other dust collectors I've seen e.g. on ebay.

FYI I have attached a couple of pictures showing what it looks like. The vacuum cleaner "tube inlet" cylinder can be slid up and down so as to adjust to different end mill etc. lengths. On top of the glass section I use different 3D printed "lids" with different size holes so as to fit different milling motor nuts (ER20 in my case) & - again - end mills etc. When in need of changing the currently used end mill, the two "wing nuts" on the vacuum cleaner tube inlet cylinder, and a couple of short M3 nuts, can be loosened and the whole structure rotated away from the spindle so as to make room for replacing the end mill used. It works very well I think.

Should anyone be interested I can post the 3D model files used for the 3D prints.

Cheers,

Jesper

That looks like a very neat way to extract the waste.

Thanks routalot ;) ... It actually works very well ... I think one reason why is that when the spindle nut rotates it sort of "whirls up" the cutter shavings which then passes by the hole for the vacuum cleaner - and, well, then it is removed from the milling surface. There's virtually no cutter shavings left unless the end mill is close to the edge of the material being worked on. And even here only a little.

Cheers,

Jesper

Hi all,

I just want to post a brief follow-up to this thread ... As it is yesterday I had to mill a very small copper plate where I was unable to use the exhaust/dust collector I have made. This caused small copper "grains" to be spread all over the room where the CNC mill is placed. And so - based on this experience - I would say that the dust collector is indeed very efficient ... It likely collects 99.9% of all the exhaust/waste coming from a normal milling. Not to mention that the air in the room is much cleaner and more pleasant to breathe ...

Just in case someone else here has a similar wish for a virtually "dust-free" milling process.

Cheers,

Jesper