I have a Shapeoko 3xxl. I want to cut alum for a 1 time project. I do not intend to cut alum on regular basis.
Should I use dust collection or just let the chips collect on surface. Material is .034" or .80mm thick.
Just the chips fly or vacuum them up
Let’em fly.
At 0.8mm depth, chip evac won’t be a problem.
There seems to be a debate about whether hot chips being sucked into a dust bin that also contains wood chips/dust is hazardous, I don’t have an informed opinion on that.
My go to solution for the occasional metal job is an air blast instead of dust collection. And clean-up the machine afterwards.
A further consideration is that aluminum chips will scratch up a clear dust shoe and make it cloudy (DAMHIKT).
I was leaning toward just leaving them and not using my dust collection. I may move my shop vac over and use that. I had found a video on youtube that suggested you put a swimming pool filter over your filter and I have done that. I have not decided if that is effective but it does keep large chips from collecting on the surface of the filter. However the small particles still go through the membrane of the pool filter so I still have to clean the filter.
Since this is a one time thing I may just let the chips fly. I will still need to use the shop vac to clean up the alum chips so I will ponder the method until I cut the alum. Not likely to cut the job for a day or two.
Should I consider cutting alum on a regular basis I would set up an air blast. Even with an air blast there is still a clean up afterwards. Can you hear the gears in my brain rotating and clicking? Oh no that was just the voices, uh never mind.
Thanks for your input.