Dust Boot Modification

[NewAgent45]

I have been experiencing dust boot issues for quite some time. I considered building a floating dust boot similar to the ones that some of you have posted on the forum. I decided to try a simpler approach by modifying the existing boot to accommodate brushes of various heights. I also found that the magnetic holder is not reliable and added two thumb screws to lock the dust boot in place.

First I removed the existing brushes from the holder. They are just held in place by some screws. Note that the existing brush strips are still usable as they fit the strip brush holder used.
Next I cut 4 pieces of strip brush holder to fit the brush holder. I drilled mounting holes and attached the strips. Then I marked the areas of the strip holder that needed to be cut for clearance. We removed and cut the clearance areas and reinstalled the holder strips.

Next we removed the rest of the dust boot assembly and mounted the brush holder to the magnetic assembly. We drilled two 9/64 holes for the thumb screws through the entire assembly. We used a 10-32 tap to tap the two holes in the brush holder only. Then we slotted the magnetic assembly using a 3/16 endmill on the CNC machine.

After reassembling everything we cut strip brushes to fit the holder. We have a set of 1, 2, 3 & 4 inch high brushes to accommodate various bit lengths and cutting conditions.

Please view the attached pictures for modification details.

All the parts used for the modification were purchased from and industrial supply company (McMaster-
Carr).
List of materials:
Item # Part # Product Ordered
1 8813T47 Strip Brush Holder, Aluminum, Style 4, for 3/16" W X 7/32" H Backing, 3' L
2 74405T5 Galvanized Steel-Backed Nylon Conveyor Strip Brush, 3/16" W X 7/32" H Backing, 1" H X 3' L Overall
3 74405T6 Galvanized Steel-Backed Nylon Conveyor Strip Brush, 3/16" W X 7/32" H Backing, 2" H X 3' L Overall, .010" Diameter
4 74405T8 Galvanized Steel-Backed Nylon Conveyor Strip Brush, 3/16" W X 7/32" H Backing, 3" H X 3' L Overall
5 74715T8 Type 304 Stainless Steel-Backed Nylon Conveyor Strip Brush, 3/16" W X 7/32" H Backing, 4" H X 3' Overall
6 90017A254 Quick-Latch Thumb Screw, 10-32 Thread, 1-1/2" Long

[NewAgent45]

After about two weeks of using my modified dust boot I thought I would make a few update comments.

The quick-latch thumb screws are working great and I’m not seeing any tendency for the dust boot to get bumped loose. I should also state the bolts are small enough that they would break if your machine were to get in a bind. I would add these to a stock dust boot even without the rest of the modifications. I would place them just a little further for more clearance from the router clamp as you may notice from my picture I had to grind the mount a little bit for clearance.

The brush modification is working well too. I also found that I can use a combination of brush lengths in some cases to optimize dust pickup. One negative! I’m seeing is the brushes I’m using loose bristles. They can be easily be replaced when needed.

The dust boot isn’t perfect but it has greatly improved my dust collection and reduced the cleanup time.

I see no one has read my post yet. I hope this helps someone.

Have a great day!
…… Rod

[drueth]

NewAgent45

I have never tried to use a dust boot on my shark. Thank for the info on how you did this. It seem like many of the "old" timers have stop responding to so many of these post. I know I have, but maybe it is time to start again.

[rungemach]

Hi Rod,

I noticed there were over 150 people who read this post so far, just not many comments, so look at the number of views on the thread and on the pictures..

Drueth is right, it may be that some of the longer time posters moved to other/bigger machines, or are more active over at Vecric Forum, etc.

It also seems like some old issues surface over and over, like loose couplers, table top issues, etc. They have been discusses at length and are "buried in the forum somewhere".
The new user does not realize how helpful the search function may be.

But to keep on topic, Dust Shoes.
I use and love the Kent Dust Shoes for several reasons. I think a 4" hose and a good dust collector is needed to get good pickup. A shop Vac can work, but eventually you go to a bigger vac and/or an enclosure.

Its great you posted your parts sources as well as a follow up. It may take a while for other to start experimenting. Since you have gone this far already, you might want to redesign around a 4" hose size and use clear materials where you can. The Kent shoe is made of clear plastic (but not the bristles) and that is helpful in seeing the bit through the top. I put LED lights in mine to make viewing easier.

I always look forward to the new ideas that may pop up here.

[Danwood]

It is obvious you are using the wrong dust boot. I was introduced to the (KENT CNC dust boot) 5 years ago. I have been using it ever since. It is made in two pieces. One part is attached to your router or commercial spindle. It attaches with one screw and is very solid. The part with the brushes attaches with three super magnets. It is easy to remove and reattach to change cutters. The part with the brushes can be ordered with difference length brushes.
I have been using it for about five years. It works as good today as the first I put it on.I run it about 20 hours a week.
Dan

[NewAgent45]

Thanks for the replies to my post. I'm definitely considering the Kent Dust Boot but I'm not convinced it is the right choice for me. I'm using a wide range of bit lengths in my work. It looks like you would need the spacers to accommodate this wide of range. I thing the best solution in my case is the floating dust boot concept or a "shark tank". I'm running the machine in a small garage/shop environment and can live with some cleanup.

My existing vacuum/dust collection system is not big enough for 4" pipe/hose. I'm vey limited on space too.

Have a great day!

......... Rod

[robert.zamaro]

I just received my very basic Shark Machine and I am wondering as the noob I am to this is, is it really necessary to have a 4" dust boot vs a 2" on such a small machine. I am curious before I make this purchase. I was going to buy the one from rockler that provides the one necessary for the machine but I have heard so many complaints that it does not work well. I am now leaning toward the Kent Dust Boot. TIA

Rob

[NewAgent45]

Rob,

Thanks for your interest. 4" vs. 2"! Are you referring to the vacuum hose size or the brush length/height? My vacuum system is using the smaller pipe and hose. You may be able to see this in my third picture in the first post. One of the reasons I modified my dust boot to allow the brushes to be changed and I have 4 brush sizes (1, 2, 3 & 4 inch). This allows me to adapt to various bit lengths and machine setups. I believe the Kent has two size brushes available along with spacers. The Kent starts to run up the cost when you go for the options and I don't believe the brush height is easily adjustable. I simply slip the brushes (out/in) to change the height. Of course I already had the "stock" dust boot and I guess I'm cheap. Also I'm running my machine in a shop environment where I can stand a little dust.

This modification is definitely not the perfect solution. I believe a well designed floating type of dust boot setup to be better. I am using my machine in a wide variety of setup conditions and feel it would be hard to design a floater with enough vertical travel to accommodate all setup conditions.

I have a very small shop with limited space. If you have the space I would consider building a "Shark Tank" with a larger vacuum system. I would consider this to be the best solution. My system is small and uses a 5 hp shopvac with a Oneida Dust Deputy Cyclone. The dust deputy is bolted to a 5 gallon bucket lid. I located the vacuum in the attic above my shop and the dust deputy on a shelf over head in my shop. This makes it easy to dump the waste. I'm having to dump the waste about every 3 - 4 weeks. The shopvac only gets a small amount of very fine dust. I only found about an inch of accumulation in it after a year. The filter in the shopvac needs to be cleaned or replaced about evey 6 months.

I hope this helps and good luck with your new machine.

...... Rod

[rungemach]

Hi Rob

Your need for dust collection may vary with what type of work you will be doing. If you are only doing V-Carve letters to make a few signs, you may generate much less dust than if you are doing a lot of cutting. Most folks I have talked to are surprised by just how much dust a cnc can generate and how messy it can be.

Many of us started out with a shop vac, then went to a cyclone with it (like a dust deputy) to keep the filter from getting clogged too quickly. The 2 inch hose really restricts the flow, and eventually you may get to a 4 inch hose with a cyclone, and a vacuum fan with a regular motor. A shop vac will last for a while , but wasn't meant to runs hours and hours on end (and is noisy).

I like the Kent shoe personally, but it is not custom made to the shark. I like it because it is made of clear material, has soft bristles on the brush section, has a full 4 inch hose size, and you can use brushes of different lengths or use extension rings to lower the bristles. The Rockler 4" "Dust Right" hose is very flexible and light , and works well in my application. I has seen complaints on the NWA version mostly regarding the stiff bristles.

I would also highly suggest putting a simple enclosure around the machine to contain the dust. The fine dust can (will) get everywhere.

There is a lot of good info on the forum here regarding enclosures "shark tanks" and dust collection.

Bob

[RhB_HJ]

Hi Rod,

Just ordered the boot. I'll modify it as soon as it arrives. The less dust the better!