Dust Skirt Mounted Parallel to Y-Axis

[webbhead]

Does anyone have a good setup for a dust skirt mount parallel to the y-axis? I've been using the PRT Alpha dust skirt on my PRT96 parallel to the x-axis & it gets in the way of my hold down bridge on short length signs.

The hold down bridge consists of 2 T-slot rails embedded in 2 - 2x4's roughly at Y0 & Y48 that run for the length of the table. The Y0 rail is milled by the Bot to provide a true y=0 reference point (Morris Dovey's idea... sweet) The hold down "bridges" are 4' long 1"x1" oak slats with a piece a aluminum flatbar mounted to the top. They slide to any position perpendicular to the x-axis & are affixed over the piece with t-knobs. The piece never moves & remains flat to the table surface.

The 1" tall height of these bridges gets in the way of the dust skirt as mounted parallel to the x-axis. If the skirt was mounted parallel to the y-axis this wouldn't be a problem as most of the pieces I cut are less than 2' tall (y-axis has plenty of free travel).

Before I go scratching this out, I thought I'd check to see what's already been implemented. Any ideas?... I'd be glad to hear them.

Also, as a suggesion to ShopBot addressing accessories, is there any reason not to produce an add-on kit that would address this scenario? It has to do with the system. Options like this should already be available. Don't get me wrong here, I love my Bot. It's phenomenal... but this is one of the things that I would gladly shovel some duckets at instead of having to design & implement myself. My time is better spent designing & milling graphics & art... not ShopBot components. Yes, I still have my day job which I love, & yes I still have a need to satisfy my artistic side via the ShopBot evenings & weekends, but time has yet to become a luxury.

Another thing I would include is Frank Leinbach's z-axis squaring rig
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/26/6526.html

... or an X, Y, Z, zeroing corner plate with zeroing routine w/ bit dia. designations etc.
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/312/4524.html

... or a mod to the PRT Alpha dust skirt for a 3" hookup.

... etc.

... all are things I've built that work like a dream & should be available as add-ons to save time...

Ideas much appreciated- John Webb

[Brady Watson]

John,
I think that the general unspoken truth is that ShopBot's affordability allows you to engineer your own solution, while still allowing you to afford the basic tool. One reason that a Y-oriented dust foot is not available is because it would interfere with the machinable area of the tool. You WILL lose some cutting area if you mount the foot in the Y-direction since the hose uptake would most likely hit the legs on the Y-most portion of the machine.

One idea that may work for you is to bolt a piece of steel or AL angle to one of the 2X2 Z-axis components, just over from where it is mounted on the T-rail now. This would allow you to set the height of the foot so that it does not move when the Z does. This is how the 1st Gen dust foots were, and although the new ones are better in almost every other way, they don't always work well in situations like yours. If you bolted the angle to a 2X2, you could slot it on the bot (if you use AL!...could even be wood) you could have a 2 knob/slot setup that would allow easy adjustment in Z-height.

With so many different applications the Bot is being used for these days, I would imagine that it would be a full time job for several people to engineer, test and produce all of these little accessories you mention, in addition to all of the other ones out there. I think that one great thing about this community is the sharing of tricks & jigs etc between us when a commercial version is not available.

-Brady

[gerald_d]

Some stuff on ShopBot dust collection....link (http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/53/53.html)

[webbhead]

Thanks guys,
I'm going to make something with AL angle that will raise/lower w/ the z, can be easily switched back to standard dust skirt mounting, & fit within the Y-car's bounding box. Machineable area is not an issue in the Y-direction 90% of the time.

[pete]

John
Sounds like a valuable idea. Please keep us posted on your progress - of course, pictures will be essential. Thanks. Pete