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Mike58
03-26-2015, 10:10 AM
One of the things I got with the A907 kit and Carvetight chuck kit last week was the Ring Neck Blues dust collector attachment. I also went to Harbor Freight and got the small green dust collector blower and a 4" metal flex duct 8' long to connect them together. The metal duct is what is recommended for connecting them and it makes sense since the HF motor has a ground plug and a metal housing the metal duct provides a ground path between the blower and the adapter mounted on the ungrounded CarveWright machine. I sat the blower down beside the carving machine and only pulled the metal duct out as long as needed to connect the two together.

First I had concerning about the HF DC having enough airflow - it does. It worked great.

The Ring Neck Blues adapter was on sale and I liked the idea of the outlet off to the side so it didn't interfere with bit changes. I ran the machine with my newly install hardware, new caretight bit and new dust collector setup 7 hours 47 minutes the first time used carving red oak that was a 2 sided carve in a 10" plate that has about 1/2" removed on both sides of board in places. A lot of wood shavings! Before this, I was using a small Craftsman shop vacuum and blowing the carvings out about every 5 - 7 minutes to minimize the buildup of carvings getting under the rubber roller as the board moved.

I am extremely pleased with the Ring Neck Blue adapter! There was perhaps a tablespoon maybe two of carvings inside the machine when the nearly 8 hour runtime carve was finished. I blew more than that out every 5-7 minutes of carving time with the shop vac - so to run nearly 8 hours and have so little carvings that didn't get sucked away I think is simple awesome! This is money WELL spent!

CNC Carver
03-26-2015, 10:11 AM
Yes collector makes things much better.

fwharris
03-26-2015, 10:29 AM
Mike,

Thank you for feedback the DC-INSERT. Great to hear you are pleased with dustless carving. It JUST SUCKS!

Mike58
03-26-2015, 10:37 AM
I'm somewhat of a perfectionist. This makes some things hard for me......

With that said, I scrutinized it over pretty good when I unpacked it. First, I couldn't make it for what I paid for it. I have a 3 in 1 shear, brake, roller that's 30" wide so I think I could do it. But how long would it take me to do a one off part? Hours no doubt to measure and cut and bend (and make mistakes and start over). The angles of the bends, the fit of the corners and so forth really impressed me. Whoever did the bending and fitting did an excellent job.

The feedback is deserved, and I am glad to tell others they can buy one without worry. Honestly, this was probably the best $200 I have spent so far. It showed immediate results. The software - well it's a work in progress.....;)

lynnfrwd
03-26-2015, 10:44 AM
Honestly, this was probably the best $200 I have spent so far. It showed immediate results......;)

Just to clarify that cost was of the RingneckBlues DC Insert & the Harbor Freight DC System.

Mike58
03-26-2015, 11:14 AM
Yes! The HF DC blower was around $145, plus the metal hose and clamps then the adapter

Mike1
03-26-2015, 11:35 AM
Hi Mike58, I wish I could have used the same wording and description as you, well done. Up until a couple of months ago I was using my home made DC insert and it was OK, or so I thought. Then I decided to buy a RB, world of difference! Like you said, barely any left over dust. I strongly feel that these machines should not be sold without a DC hood, IMHO.

fwharris
03-26-2015, 11:40 AM
Mike,

It sounds like you have a metal shop as well as a woodworking shop. I am not even close to your set up. Just an 18" Harbor Freight bending break and a self taught tin knocker!

Mike58
03-26-2015, 02:18 PM
in addition to what's in my signature
"a few other things...."
Smithy Industrial Granite 40" 3 in 1 machine, Mig & arc welders, gas torch, 3 in one metal shear, brake, rolling machine on store bought stand, Shop Smith 510, Shop Smith jointer and bandsaw and a stand alone Shop Smith planer, 2-3 routers, a power hand planer, 2-3 4-1/2" grinders, several drills, ceramic tile saw, mechanic tools from years of diesel work with wrenches up to 2-5/8" and 3/4" socket set to about 2-1/2" I think, Snap On parts washer, Snap On engine stand, Cherry picker engine hoist, Huge Makita SDS-plus hammer drill, survey's transit set, a couple of sections of scaffolding with wheels and leveling jacks, countless caulk guns (seems like every time I need one I can't put my hand on one) A/C vacuum pump and 2 different sets of gauges. Vermeer trencher with 60" bar 6" wide trench, John Deere 4720 cab tractor and "a few" attachments, IH TD-9B dozer, John Deere 490E excavator, 14K lb dual axle trailer, 20' enclosed trailer full of stuff from working on single wide mobile home and double wide we own. We also have a commercial Melco single head embroidery machine and a little bit more.....

I've invested around $70K in mechanic tools over the years and a lot of money in the other stuff too. But I have saved more than that by doing everything myself that I can. The tools and machines are things I have really needed (sometimes wanted and got - that later WHERE really needed).

JimmieDuke
03-26-2015, 03:38 PM
I agree about the RNB-DC!!
I can't believe I carved for 4 years before getting one.
I had one slight issue... the screw on the CarveTight was hitting the DC but a couple slight bends and it has been smooth carving since.
:grin:

CarverJerry
03-26-2015, 05:34 PM
Totally agree Mike, that was a great investment and an addition to my B machine. Check your PM's

mikemi
03-26-2015, 07:25 PM
I have 2 Carvewrights and both are equipped with Floyds DC Insert with the HF Dust Collector. I was concerned about the airflow when I have both machines going, but after that first time of running both at the same time, my concerns were gone.

Mike

fwharris
03-26-2015, 08:17 PM
I agree about the RNB-DC!!
I can't believe I carved for 4 years before getting one.
I had one slight issue... the screw on the CarveTight was hitting the DC but a couple slight bends and it has been smooth carving since.
:grin:

Jimmie,

Are you hooking the bottom lip of the insert over the frame just above the compression roller? If not it will allow the DC-INSERT to sit to high and come in contact with the chuck.

For everyone else, thanks for the comments!

Mike58
03-28-2015, 08:42 PM
as a followup, I want to clarify about a tablespoon or two of carvings left after running almost 8 hours. While that is true - it isn't exactly accurate. Followup carving on a couple of other things basically left a clean machine. The little remaining was actually between the lower belts below the board from cutting after carving. The cut kerf was mostly packed with sawdust when done.
I think what was in the machine was what fell out the bottom side, and dislodged while I removed the board from the machine. I have also noticed the muffler dust bag seems to no longer have any dust in it since using the dust collector.

fwharris
03-28-2015, 11:12 PM
Mike,

You are right, the dust down between the belts is from doing the cut out/path. I use the down draft (the long slot between the two belts) when I do any cut paths.

Mike58
03-30-2015, 08:54 AM
here are pictures of inside my machine as it finished carving 7 hours on a two sided project. Pictures were taken as the machine paused for me to change the bit to the cutting bit.
75285 75286 75287

As you can see there is very little debris left inside the machine. The dust bag/muffler is clean inside when removed and inspected. :D

Bigtyme
03-30-2015, 01:01 PM
I would certainly echo what Mike has said and documented. I did 2 back to back 5 hour carves yesterday and the inside of my CW looked just like Mike's pictures. It has been a great addition to both of my CWs and I know has saved me tons of $$ in problems that I have never had. Over 300 hours on one machine and almost 220 on the other with NO issues whatsoever .... I attribute it to good solid dust collection and following the maintenance schedule .....

JimmieDuke
04-09-2015, 08:56 AM
Jimmie,

Are you hooking the bottom lip of the insert over the frame just above the compression roller? If not it will allow the DC-INSERT to sit to high and come in contact with the chuck.



Yes, it is hooked in. It was only hitting in one spot but it's all good now. I love the DC!

jaustin
04-10-2015, 03:05 PM
I been doing a lot of cut through with my CW,
I am having a lot of dust packed in the slot. I am using one of the old design wood cut outs that goes on the tray in front of the spindle.

Does the ring neck help with keeping the cut out slots cleared?

fwharris
04-10-2015, 03:26 PM
I been doing a lot of cut through with my CW,
I am having a lot of dust packed in the slot. I am using one of the old design wood cut outs that goes on the tray in front of the spindle.

Does the ring neck help with keeping the cut out slots cleared?

John,

Good question. What I have noticed is it depends a lot on the type of wood you are cutting out. Sappy woods like pine do seem to keep the saw dust in the cut path more than the harder woods. The DC-INSERT will help suck some of the dust out of the path but it will not get it all out. When I am doing cut outs I open up my down draft slot and doing so it seems to help pull some down through the middle slot in the machine.

Hope to get other DC-INSERT user comments on this as well.

Mike58
04-10-2015, 05:33 PM
Red Oak and MDF pack the cut slot full. DC-Insert doesn't clear it. I don't think it can or could with the cut slot packed full. I clean out with a Craftsman shop vacuum with a round brush on the end and have to scrub and really work the slot over sometimes from both sides to dislodge the dust. It looks like a higher spiral cutting bit would help pull the cuttings out, but it seems that I have saw a thread of someone getting replacement cutting bits from CW that had a higher helix on them that was causing problems. I don't recall what now, but there where several members posting similar troubles and it seemed to be a different vendor provided the bits (I think) going back to a lower helix bit stopped the problems.

Being packed in the cut path I don't think just a DC unit can break that free, but a jet of air blowing into it could. Seems like someone one here has a small copper tube setup doing that.

Mike58
04-13-2015, 03:22 PM
Here are 3 pictures of all vectors on a trial layout I did in 3/4" MDF this weekend. The pictures are as removed from the CW machine. Used the 1/8" cutting bit and 3/8" classic Ogee bit only for this. As you can see, the dust is packed in the cutout and piled up most everywhere else. Routed rectangle is cut .375" deep using .125" per pass, rectangular slot recess is .5" wide and .250 deep using the 1/8" cutting bit in multiple stepped paths, the circle is also done with the 1/8" cutting bit with the bottom of it .5" deep in multiple paths.

The first prototype I did of this was raster carved out, and basically clean when done. I think this is just the way it is when not raster carving so the carvings are being thrown out of the carved area by the bit and directed back toward the DC insert. Realize, that the areas that are filled were moved back and forth several times and the MDF was worked back and forth under the DC insert not once, but several times all together so there were more than just one opportunities to have the carvings sucked up. I have to scrub them with the brush attachment on the shop vacuum to clean everything out , including going to the back side of the board and working the cut path pretty good in the direction of the slot with the brush to dislodge the packed dust.

75497 facing CW machine, MDF pulled out of machine onto out feed table
75498standing at keypad end of machine for across width of MDF board
75499Back side of board showing the packed full cut path.

lynnfrwd
04-13-2015, 04:00 PM
That looks like a FULL width board, which could limit air flow, plus, it is mdf...

Mike58
04-13-2015, 04:34 PM
12" wide 3/4" thick; and yes MDF when cut out in Red Oak it packed the slot full too in a cut path that didn't have a carve region with a feathered edge around it. Yet, when raster carving the same thing out the carved area was basically clean when the project finished. It just took 3 times longer to complete than using the 1/8" cutting bit and vector cutting the recessed area out instead of carving with the 1/16" bit.

fwharris
04-13-2015, 04:47 PM
Mike,

There is a big difference between raster and cut outs in that with raster the chips are from the surface of the board and have no place to go other then being sucked up. With cut outs most of the chips are trapped inside the cut with no place to go. Other than a different type of up cut bit I do not think there is much than can be done.

I also use the shop vac to clean out the paths after the carve. I use just the regular fitting with out the brush held flat to the board to get the most suction.

Mike58
04-13-2015, 04:55 PM
I agree. I am not faulting the DC Insert Floyd. It does an excellent job, but as we both are saying the cut paths are not open on the side where the carvings can be ejected and sucked up. Someone on this forum has a small copper tube attached the their Ztruck and I recall it is for air to be directed down at the bit to help with this. That might be a good idea - but not something I want to experiment with now. I have a air compressor inside my shop for cutting with the laser, but didn't allow for additional drops when I plumbed it. I would have to run something across 12' of building and likely under the floor with the floor joist to get where I would be able to use that on the CW machine. maybe a future project.

It's not hurting anything with the carvings being trapped as is now.

mtylerfl
04-13-2015, 05:24 PM
I think it was Jeff Birt that "invented" the copper tube air-sweeper. As I recall, he bought an inexpensive aquarium pump to provide the airflow. I didn't do a search, but I know that was a post made several years ago. Maybe someone else has done something similar and more recent?

fwharris
04-13-2015, 05:49 PM
Mike,

No issues with what you have been posting at all.

I also have used the "air push" set up using a 4 port aquarium air pump. It is a very low flow of air and it will move the chips around but did nothing to help move the chips out of the cut paths.

Like Michael I believe it was Jeff and Ken who came up with the air push system. I think they were using regulated compressor air for more push.