[cjjonesarmory]

I am looking for some ideas for managing the dust from my self-built CNC gantry machine which sits in the middle of my shop.

Since I also have several precision metal machines (two full size metal milling machines and two large metal lathes) in close proximity, they end up having dust settling on a lot of the critical parts that I would really like to keep clean, such as the lathe bed, milling vises, etc...

Using a cover on the metal machines would be extremely impractical and would cause more problems than it would solve, so I'm primarily looking for a way to manage the dust right at the source.

I would preferably want something ready made so that I don't have to spend a lot of time making something myself. For example, the "Down Under Dust Port" from Rockler (part# 25893) looked enticing, but I don't think it would work with my setup since I don't use a router base in the router holder of my machine. So considering the construction of gantry machines, I had considered: A) Attaching something to the router itself such as the above mentioned Down Under Dust Port. B) Putting some kind of under-table dust collection system that would work like a downdraft table (holes would be drilled in the perimeter of the table and dust channels constructed underneath connected to a 2 HP dust collector that I already have). C) Some type of overhead "hood" which could also be connected to the 2HP dust collector.

To be clear, I'm most concerned about airborne dust that settles on my other machines, not larger chips on the table surface, those get blown aside from the fan in the router. So far the under-table system seems the most practical as it would be out of the way, but I don't know if it would work that well as far as pulling the light airborne dust from the router. The overhead hood system seems like it would work the best for filtering the airborne dust coming from the system, but would tend to be in the way I think. The direct router attachment seems to be ideal, but it would be the most difficult to implement, and such a system would probably get in the way as far as changing bits, and could cause interference on some toolpaths.

So I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas that might work better. Thanks!

[DonFrambach]

Have you considered a dust skirt connected to your vacuum system with an air cleaner?

This is a little pricey but works well for cleaning shop air: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/JDS-750-ER-Filtration-Electrostatic-Pre-Filter/dp/B0000302XS"]Amazon.com: JDS 750-ER 14022 3 Speed Air Filtration System with Remote and Electrostatic Pre-Filter: Home Improvement[/ame]


I'm making a small router that I plan to enclose for dust and noise control. Would an enclosure also work for your router?

[diyengineer]

G5955 Heavy-Duty Hanging Air Filter

Same one even cheaper.

[ger21]

The shoe I made was pretty simple and gets 100% of airborne dust. It's just a plywood plate and strip brushes from McMaster Carr. It mounts with 2 wing nuts so I can take it off quick for changing tools. It's in my build thread, but I'll post a link later if yuo can't find it.

[cjjonesarmory]

To ger21, I'd love to see your setup. A link to a photo of the setup would be fantastic, thanks! I had considered using something like what I THINK you are talking about, just haven't had the time to design something.

To everyone else that posted a reply, thanks for the links!

[ger21]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/661623-post167.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/661872-post168.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/662357-post173.html

[diyengineer]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/661623-post167.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/661872-post168.html
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/662357-post173.html

Do you have the link for the mcmaster brush material? I'm going to give an attempt to make some myself this weekend (took apart 2 brooms, made some brackets and i have lots of epoxy). If i fail, mcmaster here i come. They have so many options though, id love the stuff you have. Part number?

[ger21]

74405T15

Next time I'd probably go .020 and 4".

The .014" gets tangled and twisted together. Every now and then I "comb" it out with an awl.

[cjjonesarmory]

Your "shoe" looks like a good idea. I had thought of that before, but I would have to redesign it to work with my own router holder. I designed and machined my own Z Axis assembly and it holds the router a little differently than yours.

I think I would have to incorporate using a clear material, polycarbonate maybe, for the hard part, and a light so that I can see what's going on at the cutter during operation. How do you move it out of the way when you are setting the Z Axis zero point and changing bits? Those are my main concerns for this type of setup.

[cjjonesarmory]

Another thing I had thought of: Instead of using brush material, you could use some heavy duty strips of a clear plastic. I don't know exactly what that would be, but I'm thinking something similar to the clear plastic stuff they use on warehouse doors, the wide clear strips that serve as an air barrier. They would have to be cut into much thinner strips though. Not sure what kind of material this would be, vinyl probably.....

I'm thinking that the air pushing out of the router would be enough to offset the "suck" from the vacuum hose so that the plastic strips wouldn't be sucked inward and interfere with the work. If not, I could always leave some intentional gaps in the strips, or drill vent holes in the top of the plate to allow more air into the vacuum system. Or I suppose I could restrict the vacuum hose as well.... Sorry for the out-loud brainstorming here :-)

[ger21]

How do you move it out of the way when you are setting the Z Axis zero point and changing bits?

It's held on with two wingnuts. It comes off in a few seconds. I'll be adding an auto zero system soon, so I won't have to remove it to zero.