Hello, I am working on building a cabinet for my machine and would like to get some help/ideas on adding a dust collection system to my machine.
First I will state what I have tried so that we can save some time on ideas that I have already done and no longer work for my situation. First I used a vacuum hose and followed the bit as it cut removing the dust as it went along, this didn't work so well and I got tired of standing at the machine. Next I made a dust boot to contain the dust with the vacuum line attached. This worked well, but as I found that my bits were over heating and breaking, I have since added and an air nozzle to the machine which blows compressed air on the bit. This has solved my problem of the bits breaking from the heat, but now here is where I am stuck. The air is now blowing the dust out of the boot and making a big mess in the shop.
I have now built a box around the machine with plexi glass windows so that I can see the machine working. I have removed the dust boot and am allowing the dust to be blown to the back of the cabinet that now covers the machine. But I am stuck on how to add a dust collection system to it. I have one idea tat I have been working on and would like some input. I have been doing it all in 3D models and have attached what I have done with what I have been thinking about for a dust collection. As you can see, I have created a slot at the back in which the dust can fall into. As this is where the suction will be coming from, it will also help pull the dust into the box below the table top. I plan on adding some sloped plates to help guide the dust to the hole. I have then created a sloped piece inside the box which will help prevent large pieces from entering the fan by creating a change in direction in the air flow and causing the large pieces to fall to the bottom. The fan will then take the air with some small particles and force it though a cyclone to remove any remaining dust. The dust free air will then be blown out the side of the cabinet and into the shop again. This will complete they cycle of the air through the machine. My first problem seems to be trying to figure out how big of a fan to place under the cabinet to create enough air movement to be able to pull the dust out of the cabinet. I have tried connecting a 1HP dust collector to the collection box and I don't feel like it is crating enough suction though the slot in the table. From what I have found, the dust collector I am using is doing about 570 CFM. I am looking at getting a 2HP dust collector and removing the motor and squirrel fan and placing it under the machine. This new fan is able to move 1500CFM.
So,do you think that this upgrade to a larger motor and fan is enough to do the required task?
Is this a route that will lead to success or should a quit now an move to a different idea?
Do you see a way that I could improve in what I am doing?
One other thing that I have also considered is to blow the clean air after the cyclone back onto the front of the machine to assist in dust removal and to help direct the air over the table to the back of the machine.
I have attached several pictures of the project so you can see what I am doing. Here is a link to a video of the machine so far.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF3Q...ature=youtu.be
Please let me know if you have any questions or need a picture with a different angle so that you can understand what I am doing.
Thanks for having a look and providing any input.