Good point, I think I will try both and compare! I woke up after a new years party and discovered I had ordered a Prusa the night before… so I guess now I have one haha
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Really Nice Work here, Thanks for Sharing!
I really like seeing the different material choices and solutions.
WOW! AWESOME SAUCE!
Really nice work! I love the doors and handles!
I see a vacuum inlet. Vacuum pulling out means air has to come in somewhere. Where?
Is there going to a dust head? Anything special?
Do the LEDs change color?
mark
Thanks! I’m very please with how it turned out! Yes so the vacuum connector is to create negative pressure inside the enclosure so any airborn dust trying to escape through any gaps.
There is a thin gap between the top of the doors and the frame to aid this process so there is air flowing into the enclosure keeping the dust in.
Seems to work so far!
And yes the LEDs do change colour but I have them set at a slight bluey shade of white, I think it makes it look cool haha
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Thanks! I’m very please with how it turned out!
You should be! Very nice work!
Yes, so the vacuum connector is to create negative pressure inside the enclosure so any airborn dust trying to escape through any gaps.
Gotcha. With a HEPA filter on the vacuum you’ll be plenty safe. With a cyclone added, your HEPA filters will last much longer.
Any plans to modify the vacuum port on the inside and use tubing to go to a dust head? If so, the cyclone becomes almost a necessity (the volume of particles goes way up and they include the big/visible ones)
See here:
Another has come up with a Dewalt top plate for a dust head.
There is a thin gap between the top of the doors and the frame to aid this process so there is air flowing into the enclosure keeping the dust in. Seems to work so far!
Ah! It wasn’t obvious from the pictures where the inlet ports were. No whistle or uncomfortable noise then?
And yes the LEDs do change colour but I have them set at a slight bluey shade of white, I think it makes it look cool haha
… and they accuse me of being over the top! 
WAY COOL! A design suitable for all moods and peoples!
mark
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Well done Nick, it looks fantastic, also looks like you have some very good noise dampening attributes through your choice of materials.
Thanks! Here is the main write up of the build process: http://www.makealittlemore.co.uk/2016/02/10/diy-cnc-router-enclosure/
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AWESOME WRITE UP!
mark
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http://www.makealittlemore.co.uk/2016/02/19/shapeoko-3-enclosure-sound-isolation-test/
The sound test! It didn’t go perfectly but you can get an idea of how much difference it makes!
EXCELLENT!
My enclosure keeps my Nomad to ~52 dBa when cutting. If I try to hog (really aggressive roughing) it goes up to around 54 dBa.
mark
That’s impressive! I haven’t been able to get a decent reading with my phone, I think my microphone is quite broke…
That’s impressive! I haven’t been able to get a decent reading with my phone, I think my microphone is quite broke…
There is trick to reaching these levels of sound suppression… no windows. If you look at my enclosure, it has not windows; there is a video camera inside that I use to watch the job.
Windows are a good way to let sound out. It is possible to design windows that are “decent” at sound suppression - but one has to work at it. In particular, they need to be double paned and use thick materials.
Hello-I have been reading the forums for while but this is my first post. I have gained so much great information from everyone that has contributed and I hope to do the same for others in the future.
I have recently ran into an issue with my Nomad Pro. I live in a loft that has concrete floors and the woman below me has complained about a noise that sounds like loud bass coming from a video game, I know it is the Nomad she is speaking about. I have the Nomad on some padding that I bought from Amazon that someone else mentioned on the forums and that sits on a wooden workbench with metal legs.
I am thinking that an enclosure is necessary but I do not know where to start. I don’t think that I have the ability or knowledge to build my own. I have never worked with t-slots… I have read that mbellon builds these for others. I’m not sure if he has sold any for other Nomad users? I am very interested in any solutions or suggestions!
Hello @Martsy!
I design and help design enclosures for CNC machines and I can help you. Yes, there a lot of factors that go into an enclosure… but before we go there, there are a bunch of things to try.
The noise through the floor issue is an example of “coupling” where the machine couples with the enclosure and the enclosure couples with the floor and… 
Is the noise the only reported issue? Are there other things you want to do? Super noise reduction? Super dust/particle safety?
Is the neighbor cooperative? Would they be open a quick test (I’m going to make you happy… but I want to try a short serious of things; would you be willing to tell me what you think when I tell you I’m going to make noise)? If so, we can try to decouple the Nomad enclosure as is and potentially avoid the time and effort of a “super” enclosure (which doesn’t have to be expensive - T-Slots is not the only way to handle things).
Get one of these (we need it for a “super” enclosure too):
Cut two pieces that cover the underside of the Nomad enclosure and stick out about 1/2".
mark
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Hi Mark!
Thank you very much for your response,Mark - it sounds like you have the potential to be my hero. This may sound horrible but I did not confess that it was my cnc that was causing the problem. My fiancé received an email from the HOA regarding the complaint. I couldn’t confess to him because I promised him the Nomad would be the quiet solution to all the power tools I was using in the house. I think he would be pretty upset that I was the cause of the problem. I would like to fix the issue without anyone knowing that I am the issue. The reality is I am a closet CNCer 
My goal is to minimize the noise as much as possible, super noise reduction would be fantastic. I only work in plastics and have used a ShopVac or Dyson for the clean up, and that has worked well so far. The noise and vibration are my main issues for now. I will order the pad you referenced tonight. Do you think I should put anything under the metal legs of the table? I am willing to spend some money on a solution if it means I can use my machine. Thanks again!
This may sound horrible but I did not confess that it was my cnc that was causing the problem.
I understand.
My fiancé received an email from the HOA regarding the complaint. I couldn’t confess to him because I promised him the Nomad would be the quiet solution to all the power tools I was using in the house.
I understand.
I think he would be pretty upset that I was the cause of the problem. I would like to fix the issue without anyone knowing that I am the issue. The reality is I am a closet CNCer
Without experiments (which involved the other party), we’re left with going all out, maximal everything, and going heavy (mass helps).
My goal is to minimize the noise as much as possible, super noise reduction would be fantastic.
I understand. My enclosure is so quiet one cannot hear it cutting sitting 3 feet from it (for many jobs; hogging (fast roughing) and the noise goes up a bit.
I only work in plastics and have used a ShopVac or Dyson for the clean up, and that has worked well so far.
The noise and vibration are my main issues for now. I will order the pad you referenced tonight. Do you think I should put anything under the metal legs of the table? I am willing to spend some money on a solution if it means I can use my machine. Thanks again!
Depending on the table you’ve got, the table may be part of the problem. We’ll need to talk.
I can say with 75+% chance of correctness that the problem you reported - as I understand it - can be solved with decoupling. We’ll try what is known about double decoupling. I can explain how to cut the material to do this.
I need to understand exactly how you’ve got things set up. My image my not be correct.
Going for maximal everything is non-trivial $$$.
mark
You are spot on about decoupling, the main addition since making my enclosure was to print some chunky feet out of ninja flex to replace the solid plastic ones. It has made a big difference to the vibrations transmitted to the floor. Even though the shapeoko is on a rubber pad inside the enclosure!
You are spot on about decoupling, the main addition since making my enclosure was to print some chunky feet out of ninja flex to replace the solid plastic ones. It has made a big difference to the vibrations transmitted to the floor. Even though the shapeoko is on a rubber pad inside the enclosure!
In enclosure design it’s actually pretty easy to have 20, 30, or 40 dB of noise suppression for frequencies above 400 Hz - its a design/cost tradeoff as to how much. Below that, “sound” is increasing more of a “vibration”. Depending how the vibrating object is mounted, an many other parameters, there is little that can be done except to decouple. In small enclosures inside houses, one goes for double decoupling… which is exactly what you’re doing.
All multistory buildings have surprising “windows” of near transparency for vibrations through upper story floors. A CNC machine with it’s broad spectrum of generated frequencies is particularly good a finding the “windows”. Decoupling makes a large difference, double decoupling a huge difference.
Based on the description of the problem, one I’ve seen many times before and even had to solve for my equipment, it’s pretty clean to me that this is a LOVELY coupling problem - hence my suggestion we start there… especially since it’s a low cost thing to try (and is necessary for all solutions).
@Martsy will talk offline; understanding exactly how things are positioned and what we try will determine if a custom enclosure is necessary or not. A custom enclosure can have other benefits… but we’ll get to that as necessary.
mark
Good morning Mark,
Thank you for your generous offer to talk on the phone. Is there a good time I can call you this afternoon/evening?
Thank you,
Martha