I really like the idea behind this kickstarter dust shoe: http://www.suckitdustboot.com/
Any thoughts about trying to adapt this to the S3? It doesn’t look like the mount they have would work as is on the 3, but I was thinking there may be a way to adapt it somehow…
What I find most appealing about this is that it doesn’t move up and down with the axis and doesn’t push against the work surface as the spindle goes deaper.
There are a couple of designs like to that listed at: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Spindle_Options
The guy that developed this told me he was going to be making one for the Shaoeoko 3. However that was like 3 months ago and I got impatient and went another route. Not sure where he is with this now. You should send him an email and ask if you are interested.
@WillAdams I saw attempts with older shapeokos or xcarve like this one: http://www.shapeoko.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5596, but I haven’t seen any fixed dust shoes for the S3 (that don’t move up and down with the spindle).
There are a couple of holes at the bottom of the Z-Axis plate that could serve as mounts for some angle brackets maybe… I might try to cobble something together real quick to see how it does.
@Bonch Thanks, I just emailed him. I’ll update this when he replies
Since this is a dust shoe thread in essence, I thought I’d post up my “hacked” version of a Shapeoko/DWP611 dust shoe combo. First, I’m not claiming this hasn’t been seen or done before, I just have stumbled onto it. With that premise, let’s continue…
There are some cheap options when it comes to dust collection attachments for the DWP611. This popped up when I did some Googling straight away: http://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/dewalt-dnp615
Since my router is dedicated to the Shapeoko exclusively I didn’t have to worry about “hacking up” the otherwise discarded/unused case/base on which to mount this widget… with shipping I was out $14 bucks, so I figured why not try it?
Once it arrived it was obvious it needed hacking as well… the internal hose connection makes the orifice too small, so I took to removing this internal section by first drilling out from the bottom very carefully with a large V-bit and finishing the removal exercise with a Dremel cutter:
My number one complaint about most vacuum options is the risk of ramming them into the work-piece or clamping arrangements. The angle of plunge and total depth you can do can be fairly limited if you’ve got something wide around your tool…
That’s where I think the “suck-it” does a decent job overall, by being z-independent you can in part plan for low-height clamping arrangements that it won’t run into even as the spindle goes up and down. The downside is you are then limited by tooling length and that plunge-hole diameter, to make sure you don’t ram the router into the top of the vacuum plate, so something to be thought through, but not insurmountable.
Agreed, @UnionNine. Relative Z-travel for a job is critical when dealing with your overall depth of cuts. The “suck-it” does address this nicely. I’m now thinking about a Z-brush/shoe retraction scheme for this hack.
Wow, almost missed it. The SO3 version is on kickstarter until 3 hours from now! I am in for one at $78. A little pricey, but I am in dire need of one for the sake of my marriage. Cutting MDF is no fun 
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I just got onboard with this one as well…considering i’m still saving for my S3XXL i consider it motivation ha!
