Newbie Dust Collection Question

[AWillette]

I run the model building shop at an architecture school in Boston and am finally wrapping up the process of setting up our ShopBot. I'm running the dust collection duct and wanted to know the best way to deal with picking up the slack across the gantry. Unfortunately I can't run a bungee to the ceiling or wall because of limitations from the facilities department, but noticed in some pictures that it looked like some shops were using a strip of plastic or something similar to keep the length from falling onto the machine.

I spent some time looking at things yesterday and it looks like running the duct along the backside of the gantry might be the best bet, but I wanted to see what other people had done.

Thanks!

[myxpykalix]

It is a piece of plastic you should have gotten with your shopbot (assuming you bought it new), if not call shopbot and they can sell you one for sure.

I use mine to keep the wires untangled and to hold up my dust collection.

You should have a dust shoe that has a port that sticks out the back of the gantry.

[AWillette]

Ahhh.. a missing part would explain a lot! We got the machine new about 9 months ago but didn't receive the piece of plastic, I'll have to give them a call today.

[AWillette]

Just to keep this updated:

I talked to Ryan at Shopbot - the newer machines don't ship with that piece of plastic as they now use the e-chain to contain the electrical wiring.

[feinddj]

I have some space constraints where my bot is. I made a swing arm with a bungee that keeps it from fouling on itself when it approaches zero.

this is an old photo. The arm is now duct, not flex tube to get better suction.

[AWillette]

Thanks for the replies - I took care of everything yesterday. At first I ran the flex duct parallel to the E-chain but wasn't happy with the result even though I could get the gantry to run its full course without binding. Went out to my car, grabbed some bungie cords and suspended the line from the ceiling tile grid. Figured I'll deal with the facilities dept. on campus later if and when they complain.

[benchmark]

Same here


http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6423&d=1206380339