[widgitmaster]

The chips for the plexiglas and CD-ROM snowflakes are flying everywhere! How do I keep the chips out of my keyboard? Do they make rubber gloves for laptops?

Eric

[tsalaf]

Attach a dust foot with a good vacuum around the cutter.

[widgitmaster]

I suppose thats the best idea, guess I'll need to design something thats detatchable, so that I have access to the cutter!

Thanks.....
Eric

[JavaDog]

Turn your laptop so the chips hit the back of the screen - one would think that would stop 75% of them.

BTW - The carving in the thick block of acrylic looks killer! How did you manage to keep it so clear where it was carved - did you have to polish it?

[widgitmaster]

Thanks Java Dog!

Actually I found the g-code here: http://www.positiveflow.com/frecode.htm
Then I made up some 3x3x.5 blocks of plexiglas.
I have machined plexiglas many times over the years, and have found that thick soapy water makes the best finish also there is a nice .025 Radius on the carbide tool! I was thinking of increasing the radius to decrease the resolution marks left behind!
When the soapy water dries, the chips really fly around!

Eric

[ESjaavik]

Use thin plastic wrap. The one you use to pack food in. Just wrap it 2-3 times around your keyboard.

Do not use this to wrap your PC or screen! It will stop the cooling air flow.

Correction: I did not notice it is a laptop. Covering the screen of a laptop with plastic wrap is OK. I wrap my whole laptop and just cut out for the cooling fan inlet/outlet.

[ViperTX]

Yes, they do make membranes to go over the keyboards...of course you could build yourself a plexiglas cover with a couple of hand cutouts...

[Evodyne]

...And by the way, your machine looks awesome!

Evodyne

[PEU]

I use open folders around the cutting area

I feel your pain, Im suffering it too :drowning:


Pablo

[ynneb]

Stretch a condom over it.
Or use one of these http://www.clitheroelancs.co.uk/id8.htm
This is what I have. $30 US

[spalm]

Mr. Widget,
Beautiful machine, if only…. Maybe when I grow up.

Seems like a man with your talent could come up with a vacuum attachment. Show us your stuff.

Try rubbing the sides of your gantry (and even the table) with a dryer sheet. It should help with the static cling. I have tried this before and it does work.

Steve

Edit: do you use the soapy mixture during cutting, or is it used as a post processing thing?

[widgitmaster]

"Steve

Edit: do you use the soapy mixture during cutting, or is it used as a post processing thing?"

I use the Soapy water during the cut, like cutting oil! Water soluable coolant is good also! Oil is too messy aand hard to clean up!



Condom, mine has serial numbers on it!

Eric

[sendkeys]

i would just cover it with some cardboard (or somthing)and use a 5 dollar usb keyboard

[Rance]

Eric,

Simply mount the laptop to your ceiling or to the underside of a cabinet. Then the chips want to fall AWAY from your keyboard. (chair) Seriously, nice machine, and nice carvings.

[sdantonio]

Whenever I have worked in an environment there we heeded to keep the keyboard clean (usually for chemical or radioactive contaminants) we just stuck it into a reasonable thick walled clear plastic bag and used a twist tie around the cord. Altho I did like one of the other ideas about mounting it upsidedown on the ceiling.

[joecnc2006]

try this..

http://www.datacaltraining.com/laptop.htm

Joe

[whateg01]

Condom, mine has serial numbers on it!

Eric

Dave

[caitolly]

I know this would seem obvious, but couldn't you move it away from the chip field with longer cables!

"It's not all science, it's art as well"

caitolly

[Isoprenia]

There are encosed keyboads for harsh environments, we use one on a product that is a one piece molded silicone top, there are others that basically have a molded rubber condom over a conventional style board , some of these boards can get pricy the first one I mentioned gets to about $100 in singles, plastic wrap is cheap, or you can cnc a copy of your keyboard and vacuum form a fancy cover!

[whateg01]

...you can cnc a copy of your keyboard and vacuum form a fancy cover!

What type of material do you use?

Dave