I have a chance to pick up some new 1.5 hp approx. 1200 cfm squirrel cage blowers on the cheap. Question I have is if anyone has ever set up a CNC bleed board system using squirrel cage blowers.

The existing hold down system on my 4x8 CNC is 4 pairs of 1 hp show vac style motors with one pair directly plumbed to each of four 2x4 quadrants. You activate a quadrant by powering the 2 vac motors plumbed to that section.

Several of these vac motors have failed and need replacing. I stumbled on this squirrel cage blower deal with a friend and thought I might give it a try on one of the quadrants before spending the money on the new vac motors.

My concern is not the CFM capacity of the blowers but rather their vac holding power through the bleed board once a quadrant is covered with material to be cut. Given the open center section of a squirrel cage blower wheel I can imagine that air turbulence is possible within the squirrel cage, thus reducing the suction.

Any input?

BH