Router cord question

[Acmeaviator]

Hi all - I got my new bot to the shop and all set up:D I'm still just "air cutting" to make my dust collection set up won't bind and my table is clear and I realized I'm not sure what to do with the router cord. How do you keep it out of the way?

[Joe Porter]

I used a bungee cord hanging from a floor joist. Eventually I ran a dedicated 20 amp circuit along the joist with a single plug and plug my router in overhead. joe

[Acmeaviator]

Perfect - thanks for the quick reply. I don't know why it did not occur to me as that's basically how dust hose is configured:o

[COBOB]

I put my router cord in the echain or whatever they call it. Is that a problem?
Bob

[Acmeaviator]

I did not think it would reach - I'll give it a go tommorow. My wife just made me stop cutting for fear the noise would anger the neighbors:D

[COBOB]

Noisy machine with everything running.

My cord actually was a little too long. I just left a little loop over by the plug.

Bob

[cowboy1296]

They can be cut, not that i did it but heard of an idiot once who did : ). I like the bungee cord idea but i just leave a small clamp on the right side of my table with the cord just hanging and elevated on it. So far it has worked for me.

By the way you can buy a replacement cord. Not that i did but i heard of a guy once who did.

[COBOB]

Sure glad you never did that Rick (GRIN).

[Acmeaviator]

I appreciate the pioneers who can steer us clear:p Noise wise my neighbors are used to me scrolling till all hours (not as much now hopefully) - but I bought a "Dust Right" dust collector from Rockler and man is THAT thing loud. When it is spooling up it sounds like a tornado siren winding up lol.

[COBOB]

I went and looked at the Dust Right. If it is the one I saw, portable thing that hangs on the wall, that it really cool. Does it keep up with your machine OK?
I have this big old Jet 1100 cfm collector. Not too loud but sure takes up a lot of space.

[Acmeaviator]

Now that I've had a few days with the machine I'm feeling pretty foolish. Yes the router cord goes through the cord chain, and there are even zip tie holders already installed on the rail to secure the cord to. I also realized that I could use mini bungees to strap my dust collection hose to the metal upright on the back of the Z car.

[COBOB]

No reason to feel foolish. I bet you will be making changes in the layout of stuff for a long time until you get it situated the way you want it.

I am not real happy with the supplied dust shoe. Not performance wise so much but I have large hands and I find it really hard to operate that thumb screw. I ordered the Kent Shoe yesterday. While reading thru posts about the Kent I saw that someone had acquired an extra bracket for the other side, to support the hose on the Kent. That gave me more ideas. I know mine will be going thru some changes.

The router cord in the e track works out real good. I think Shopbot is a first rate company but wish they could better document the setup and options. Maybe they don't because there are so many different situations possible.

[Acmeaviator]

Robert I have a bit of difficulty with the thumbscrew as well- I am thinking of removing it and putting a spring-catch in it's place. Otherwise I am beyond happy with the investment - the first pieces of a new sign job are going into the bot tonight:D

[COBOB]

If you come up with a spring catch I am sure there will be a bunch of people in the ShopBot community interested in that.

You beat me, first job out. I am still just making me happy. And I smile every time I see that thing running. What fun.

Bob

[penman]

Hi Robert / Brian,

I had the same problem as you guys are having with the thumb screw.

My solution, very early on, was to get a length of pipe, say 6 - 8 inches long, cut a slot in the end wide enough for the thumbscrew wings and then weld a short handle across the other end in the same direction as the slot. works like a charm. Painted mine green, did not have any blue laying around.

Will attach a couple of photos, I hope.

Regards,
Roger.

[COBOB]

Ingenious, thanks for that. I will try that out until my new dust shoe gets here.

Thank you,

Bob

[myxpykalix]

Brian,
your description is exactly why i took my dust shoe off and only use dust collection when cuting mdf.

The dust collection is louder then my router. I have gotten so i cut stuff till way after midnite and close the doors. its like a muffled hum usually no louder then your airconditioning unit outside.

If i'm 3d carving i'll go all nite with no fear of waking anyone.

[COBOB]

Doesn't that get kind of messy? I will try it out tonight. All my stuff is in an attached garage. If I go in the house I never have been able to hear the dust collector. I haven't had the bot long enough to try it. I will!