Shop Upgrade Making the Blast Gates and Safety When Working Around MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)

[@franksholzlabor9100]

Very nice blast gates Paw Paw, and you are right, it is important to avoid dust coming in into the lung. I don't have a X-Carve but I always use my dust collector and wearing a dust mask, not only for MDF but for any kind of wood materials. Especially oak, beech and tropical wood are very carcinogenic. Thank you for shake up our minds in safety on work.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Thank you very much. You have great information.

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

Wearing a dust mask isn't always comfortable and sometimes you wasn't to be in a hurry. But it's so important to protect your lungs. I'm currently working on improving dust collection in my shop and changing around my xcarve set up. I do have the dust boot on mine and haven't seen any issues. I wish I would have got it sooner. I also just got an auto switch for mine that turns on the spindle and shop vac on from the computer. I LOVE IT!!! Shuts off everything when the carve is done as well.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Yes, I'm guilty of not wearing one all the time. You are right, it is very important to wear the mask. You are the first who commented that have not had problems with the dust boot. The auto switch that you added, is it connected to the XController? How do you control it? Thank you very much. Changes in the shop is always on going. Let me know how it goes with you changes.

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

Paw Paw’s WorkShop Check out a video by Jeff Davidson. X-Carve Upgrade 2. That's where I found it. It is connected to the xcontroller. I absolutely love it. And yes... Ive really enjoyed the dust boot. Ive had no issues with mine at all. Of course I haven't tried any off brands. I would have bought it way sooner if I realized how much I'd like it. Thank you as always for all that you share.

[@GotCamel]

I can vouch for the issues with attaching a dust boot on the standard X-Carve. The one they sent me caused my machine to chatter during a cut and would make cuts off the path when changing path directions. I have recently upgraded to the CNC4Newbie X-Carve and it’s solid as hell. All rods and no belts. The Z-axis is a square ball bearing. My X-Carve is a tank now. So I’m back to using dust collection. It saves me so much time!

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

That is fantastic. I like the idea of the CNC4Newbie upgrade. Thank you very much for the information.

[@stevemoloney3430]

Good to see my files worked out for you!

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Awesome! Thank you very very much for the file. I put a big note in the description also. As you can see, your file is a big hit. Again, thank you!

[@mmmmmmm8706]

Awesome to see the sharing of design and ideas!

[@john1945xxxxxx]

I looked, but couldn't find the files anywhere. Do you have a link? John

[@john1945xxxxxx]

Nevermind, i drew it up in Fusion 360. And cut the CAM. If you have it, you might leave it for others. After I test mine out, I'll send it to Paw Paw and let him distribute it.

[@stevemoloney3430]

@@john1945xxxxxx They are in the project section on the Inventables website

[@garydean6617]

I do enjoy your videos Paw Paw. Just for a point of information, the 8 refers to #8 on the American Wire Gage as to the size of the wire that the screw is made of and the 32 refers to the number of threads per inch. I don't mean any disrespect, just saying.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

You are correct. I did not want to bring that information into the video because I felt it would be somewhat off topic. When you go to the hardware store the package usually is marked "8-32". Thank you very much for your input. I appreciate it very much.

[@garydean6617]

@@PawPawsWorkShop You are certainly welcome, just keep the video's coming.

[@bicyclerider3978]

I have the dust boot using a separate small craftsman shop vac and not the central system. I only use it after confirming my set will run without adjustments. I either pause and attach or carve a test run first. Not a lot of issues.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Excellent. Thank you for the information.

[@bicyclerider3978]

I don’t like hearing the central system if I’m running then carve only.

[@AdamHeppenstall]

Great video! Thank you for posting

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Thank you very much.

[@JluvsKinMI]

Love your videos of projects made with the x-carve. I was looking at one but bought a 3018 pro to see if I liked it for woodworking. It uses Easel also. I love it and using the money from my projects to buy an x-carve. The 3018 is limited to 12x8 projects and I need to go bigger and faster. Great work Paw paw!

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Thank you very much. Yes, I bought the largest CNC that I could afford and the XCarve was it.

[@ohske]

Good 👍👍👍👌☺️

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Thank you very much.

[@christopherthorn1906]

My dust boot from Inventables was backordered for a few months after I first got my machine so I got used to cutting without it. I have had some problems with it being set too low and catching on a clamp. Also you can't leave your machine while it is cutting, so standing there with the vacuum hose in hand gives me something to do ;-)

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Excellent point. I have heard of this problem before.

[@corvettejack88]

Enjoy all your videos, very very helpful. Inspired me to make to jump! Just ordered my X-Carve! Just a question, what are the dimensions of your bench/table you have your X-Carve on? Thank you. Keep up the great work!

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Awesome! I hope you that will let the folks know that I was a part in your decision to purchase an XCarve. The table that I have is 48x49. If you have the space go larger. the 48" works but try to go larger, maybe 55". Thank you very much.

[@vincechoraszewski2394]

Very good. I bet ma ma very happy

[@GotCamel]

Vince Choraszewski you mean “Maw Maw”? Lol 😂

[@vincechoraszewski2394]

@@GotCamel Sorry about my spelling, i had a bit of saw in my eye...lol

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

lol, yes, she is always concerned.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

lol, yep.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

LOL, keep the safety glasses on also.

[@RaymondCHowes]

I usually don't add comments too often. And I don't advertise for anyone. I upgraded also to the cnc4newbies. Best upgrade for a small cnc. Then I went with suckit..dust boot. Saw an idea for an overhead dust collection and made one out of pvc..pipe. Ran it up the side of the table outside edge center of the deck about 36 inches up in the air. Add a 90 elbow,then add another piece of pipe to the center of your workable deck. Add another 90 pointing down. Amazon had some really light weight clear vacuum hose. Hose was cut to length so router could reach all four corners with out adding weight to the router. Then I went to home depot and bought one of those duststoppers and put it on the 5 gallon bucket. It's amazing how clean everything stays and doesn't get dust all over the garage.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

I like your idea to run the hose. I have heard many good things about the cnc4newbies upgrade. It is out of my budget at this time. Thank you very much. Excellent ideas!

[@mmmmmmm8706]

Raymond C. Howes , great details. Appreciate it. Im searching for dust collection setup after screwing up my machine with oob dust collection from xcarve.

[@juansalmeron1537]

Pawpaw...Did you say that the files are on inventables? Great job as always btw

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Yes, Steve Moloney was the designer. He shared the file with me quite some time ago. He has posted it on the Project page on Inventables. Search blast gates. I'm very glad he contacted me as I could not remember who designed it.

[@mmmmmmm8706]

I can say ... I removed the dust boot off after one attempt totally screwed up my x carve. And I'll NEVER use it again. The extra weight and lack of movement on z axis during the first carve ... The bit got stuck, and twisted the router carriage so much the machine was way out of alignment. I had to reassemble ALL z axis pieces. I'm trying to come up with a lighter dust collection design ... Like a very thin plastic tube to cover the bit that has a hose connection. The hose to the vacuum would also need a thin, light weight hose.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

This seems to be a common action. Thank you for the comment.

[@mmmmmmm8706]

Paw Paw’s WorkShop , np, glad to comment, liked that you asked for fedback on it. Appreciate and really enjoy your work.

[@rodneydennis8665]

Paw Paw, do you have a video of your home made dust collector that was mounted on top of a shop vac? I just saw a couple of pictures on another web site that was posted in 2017. Thanks for any help.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

No, I do not have any videos of that separator. I made that long before I started making videos on KZbin

[@fredwalter519]

Are you running with a stock X-Carve with no upgrades?

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

It is completely stock with the exception that I added the laser.

[@stevemoloney3430]

I have the Fein Turbo 2 on my x-carve and the Laguna 3hp plumbed to the the rest of the shop

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Wow! That is a great setup.

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Again, thank you for the file on the blast gates.

[@stevemoloney3430]

@@PawPawsWorkShop I have zero issues with the Inventables dust boot the Fein shop vac is "icing on the cake" very powerful and very quite. Sorry about your broken bit I used a diamond pattern cutting bit, the bit is shorter and cuts MDF very well so I can run it more aggressively

[@badandyg]

Will you share?

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Steve Moloney is the designer. He has posted the blast gate file in the Inventables Project page.