Hello Carbide3D community!
I hope you’re all doing well. I’m currently in the process of upgrading my Shapeoko 4 to improve both the experience and safety. I plan to add the HDZ, VFD Spindle, and an enclosure soon. In the past, I worked with the machine without any dust collection or enclosure, just using a good dust mask and a loud shopvac to clean everything after the machine finished. But as you can imagine, that setup isn’t sustainable in the long run, and I want to avoid potential health issues like respiratory problems, hear loss, cancer or even all of them together.
Since I mainly work on 3D carving (6-8 hours run projects - 1.5" material), the Sweepy 2.0 Dust Boot isn’t an option for me. Being mounted to the router/spindle, it doesn’t provide enough clearance for cutting at depths of 1.5”. So, I’m considering using a “Z-independent dust boot” like this one:
However, I’m not sure what type of dust collection system would work best with this setup.
One option I’m considering is the DEWALT Stealthsonic Quiet 12-Gallon 5.5-HP paired with the Oneida Air Systems Dust Deputy 2.5 Deluxe Cyclone Separator Kit ($259). I love that it would be a quieter, cost-effective combo, and they seem to be highly compatible. However, I’m concerned about whether it would have enough suction power when working 1.75”-2” from the material, then imagine 3"-4" at the end of the job.
Another option is the Dust Cobra 17 Gal. Full-Unit HEPA Cyclonic Dust Extractor ($1,499). While this is nearly as expensive as my Shapeoko itself, I’m willing to make the investment for my health and peace of mind. It’s designed to run for extended periods, and I could also build a sound enclosure to reduce the noise if necessary (At least I guess I could,) but of course, same doubt.
Maybe you just can’t have good dust collection for 3D carving. I also feel that using a VFD spindle without dust collection is a fire hazard, since at least the router had some air flowing out during the cuts, but with a VFD spindle I would be cutting the small chips again and again.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with these dust collection options! This will be my final purchase to complete the setup, and I’m excited to get back to using my machine safely. Thank you so much for your time and input!
Best regards,
Bryan