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Post by techtonix on Nov 22, 2018 11:24:30 GMT -5
Has anyone out there tried to install an accordion dust bellows system on their machine? Because I frequently mill very deep pieces using the full 6" Z vertical clearance I cannot use a dust boot on my system. It blocks the view of the bit and would crash into the workpiece. Dust gets into my bearings and siezes them up, eventually ruining the plastics inside by wearing them down. There is no way to prevent this except by installing something to keep dust off the rails and ball-screw. Here are some dust bellows I've found on Ebay.. considering making custom brackets and installing on my 4 year old Axiom 4Pro ![]()  I've spent about $600 on replacement parts over the past year. |
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grg
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Post by grg on Nov 22, 2018 14:55:27 GMT -5
I've often thought about it but the dust skirt really does a good job for 99% of everything I do. The bellows are pretty expensive but I do recommend checking out the offerings at McMaster.com - more options and real industrial quality items.
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Post by techtonix on Nov 23, 2018 11:07:17 GMT -5
I've often thought about it but the dust skirt really does a good job for 99% of everything I do. The bellows are pretty expensive but I do recommend checking out the offerings at McMaster.com - more options and real industrial quality items. reasons I cannot use a vacuum boot... 1) I need to see what the bit is cutting into at all times, in the case a piece of wood gets ripped off (can be CA glued back into place). 2) The other problem is that the boot itself would reduce my gantry clearance by an inch or two, for the very deep 6" cuts I make, I need every inch of clearance I can get. 3) The third reason I cannot use a boot, is that with the deep cuts I make, there wouldn't even be enough vacuum suction from the tip of the bit being 5" away from the vacuum mouth. Thanks for the McMaster-Carr links, very expensive, but the best selection of bellows I've seen so far. Perhaps Axiom admins will be convinced to offer their own bellows, otherwise I will manufacture some custom ones and sell them on Ebay to you all!  |
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grg
Junior Member
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Post by grg on Nov 23, 2018 11:16:40 GMT -5
techtonix, I wasn't critiquing. I was just explain that though I had considered bellows I had ruled it out because my typical applications are different. food for thought, though; the 4" dust collection plate with good suction still nabs a large majority of the dust with a good dust collection system. What it wouldn't get are chips that are thrown sideways but I bet it would still capture a lot of that debris and dust from those deep hollow cavities. It would still obscure vision a little though - even without the skirt attached.
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Post by savannahdan on Nov 23, 2018 16:31:58 GMT -5
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Post by savannahdan on Nov 23, 2018 16:34:10 GMT -5
Second thought - maybe the Axiom guys could get such a device made for the spindles we use. My dust collection boot isn't even clear material like the one Axiom sells. It is a pain not being able to watch the progress of the cut.
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Post by stevem on Nov 23, 2018 16:54:19 GMT -5
It looks as if he is using a router and not a spindle. That would throw out even more dust because of the router is blowing down into the cut.
It also hooks like he using some very long end mills as well.
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Post by techtonix on Nov 24, 2018 0:23:06 GMT -5
It looks as if he is using a router and not a spindle. That would throw out even more dust because of the router is blowing down into the cut. It also hooks like he using some very long end mills as well. I've since upgraded my machine to a 3hp water-cooled spindle from Ebay ($300). Much smoother, stronger, and quieter with less vibration. That is a 1/2" ball Amana bit, 5" long I believe. An amazing bit that has very little vibration, even at 24k rpm's. |
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Post by techtonix on Nov 24, 2018 0:27:30 GMT -5
techtonix, I wasn't critiquing. I was just explain that though I had considered bellows I had ruled it out because my typical applications are different. food for thought, though; the 4" dust collection plate with good suction still nabs a large majority of the dust with a good dust collection system. What it wouldn't get are chips that are thrown sideways but I bet it would still capture a lot of that debris and dust from those deep hollow cavities. It would still obscure vision a little though - even without the skirt attached. What dust or suction system are you using? Any CFM rating? I might try to make my own vacuum boot that doesn't block view or use up gantry clearance. Possibly sucking from the sides, or sucking through those little triangular openings within the aluminum spindle mounting block. It would have to be a powerful pump to do much good. |
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grg
Junior Member
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Post by grg on Nov 25, 2018 14:16:19 GMT -5
I use a 120V Jet 1.5hp equipped with a canister filter ( Link). It's plumbed through the main 6" inlet to 6" and 4" rigid duct work that leads down to my AR8 from the ceiling. It works really well. I also programmed an arduino and hacked a cheap remote control system so the dust collector starts and stops with the spindle. This was the drop for the CNC while I was still building the ducting. While that is typical round galvanized ducting, I special ordered a thicker wall tubing and it easily survives a complete dead heading of the dust collector and was a WHOLE lot cheaper than spiral ducting.   |
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Post by techtonix on Nov 26, 2018 1:17:17 GMT -5
fantastic setup! nice work with the remote vacuum controller! Let's see what I can come up with. Might do both this and the dust bellows.
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Post by savannahdan on Nov 26, 2018 16:44:25 GMT -5
 techtronix, I reviewed your picture again and you're cutting real deep. I'm not sure there's a good dust boot that would work in your situation without interfering with the cut. Another consideration is the Lock-line type of dust collection system. |
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