Dust and Chips

[4DThinker]

The more you cut, the more chips and dust you generate.

When a router is used, there is often a fan in the router that blows down while it is cutting.  That breeze will blow chips away from the cut with enough force to keep them from being sucked up by a brush perimeter shop vac collector in place. 

 

I honestly haven't found a way to get "perfect" collection of the debris generated while the CNC is cutting.  If I know I'll have to suck/sweep some up after a cut, then it is less damage to my ears to NOT use a shop vac and simply let the chips fly. 

 

The "other" thing most jobs produce is very fine dust that wafts through the air and will end up on everything in the shop.  To keep this out of my lungs I mount a filtered air cleaner right above the CNC beds in our furniture design shop.  When the wood being cut is making more dust than chips I also wear a dust mask.  

 

4D

[John Morris]

Is it possible to enclose a CNC machine? Could we build a plexiglass box that would enclose the machine, with vent holes, and a dust collection hose attached to the enclosure, to pull air though the vents creating a cross flow of air and pulling the dust into the collection?

Understand, I am very new to CNC, so if my suggestion is completely nonsense, sorry!

[4DThinker]

Sure John,  but the larger your CNC is the harder that will be.    I've seen many CNC Sharks enclosed just the way you describe.  If you had  a Comet or the smaller V90 MK2 from Probotix it would be reasonable.   You have to remember to keep access to the bed easy to accomplish though.   Routers/spindles generate heat as they run 
(thus internal fans or water cooling) and so your ventilation will also be about removing heat.  Stepper motors also run warm.  The controller and PC will also generate heat so best to keep them out of any box you make to surround the CNC.  

 

4D

[John Morris]

On 7/13/2017 at 5:03 AM, 4DThinker said:

The controller and PC will also generate heat

That pesky little engineering block wall called heat eh? Seems like heat is always popping up all over the place while designing moving parts. Makes total sense 4D, thanks for the primer on the subject.

[MEBCWD]

John I've also seen people build a room around their machine with Plexiglas windows and overhead air cleaner just to filter the air in that small room.  This lets you see what is going on, cuts down on the noise level and helps contain the dust and chips generated.  

[joe the gas man]

I will admit that since I own an xcarve, I am partial to them. But I realize that there are many more capable machines out there, both commercial and home brewed, with price tags to match. 

 

That being said, many on the inventables forum have made a diverter for the outlet of the dewalt 611 commonly used on the x carve that while letting the air flow, keeps it from blowing the dust and chips (swarf?--- maybe not)  all over and allowing the dust shoe to do it's job. Some have even managed to design a diverter to take advantage of this flow and utilize it to direct the mess into the shoe. 

I wonder if there is enough ingenuity out there to do this for other routers/spindles?

[MEBCWD]

Important thing in designing a diverter is to make sure you don't restrict the air flow because that is what keeps the router from overheating.  You could be designing a bearing killer if you don't make sure there is still plenty of air movement.