Good evening all, New to the 'space and eager to pitch in where needed. Am super interested in helping out on the Woodpecker (have a smaller home grown version in my shop). Please let me know how I can help.
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HB, I honestly don’t have any design or engineering expertise/experience with this stuff…it’s actually pretty complicated as a discipline. So my being there or looking at it would have the effect of Hank Hill with a beer in his hand staring at someone else’s car engine. My comment was mostly to help ensure that doing something for the sake of doing something can leave a situation worse off sometimes, this maybe being one of them.
I totally agree, based just on my anecdotal experience, that 1300 CFM is (way more than) enough for an effective solution in this situation. Most D/C systems have 4-inch pipe with this much power/suction, so if anything, look to open the aperture (or ingress or whatever we want to call it) at the point of…ummm…saw dust suction? I am talking about the business end of the air flow.
If I can make it into DMS on Saturday, by which I mean if I don’t spontaneously combust because I stepped outside for a minute, I will. But again… a guy with a beer staring at someone else’s car engine.
All good til we hear “Hold my beer…” 
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I do have some design experience with this sort of thing. We’ll just keep iterating until we get a gold master.
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A few comments so far:
You can remove the 2.5" adapter and put the spiral vacuum tube right over the orange 3" outlet. This will probably be a better fit.
I’m already 80% done with the next iteration which will include the following:
- Correct female fitting for the black plastic vacuum hose end (2.5") I believe.
- Trimmed upper area so it fits under the clamp fitting (ie so it doesn’t have to be trimmed on the band saw).
- Trimming of the edges to better match the shape of the router holder casting.
- Revised flow path for better initial velocity near the router.
One thing I’d really like to test before proceeding is to remove the tape / velcro currently used to mount it and clamp it in place or get bolt holes put on it for studs and wing nuts (McMaster Carr).
I want to see how well it works being better sealed. It is supposed to be pulling all of it’s air from under the router and leaks may interfere with the intended purpose.
I suspect the opening is too large and the velocity too low to move larger particles. I’m probably going to decrease the area by by 25% and see how it works.
I’m thinking we’ll have 2 more iterations until we are truly happy with it.
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I’m be up at DMS this weekend, if the Slab Mill is up and running is there any chance I can get signed off on it?
All, We are still waiting on the revisions for the slab mill dust ports… the Prototype is just helps on by 3m double sided tape… which will come off with moderate use…
There’s a couple of things that still need to made to hold down for slabs…I’ll be finishing them up tomorrow:
If the ports are ready then we can move forward with training on Saturday. Afternoon… I would like to train the trainers first, while the slabmill is simple in design, there was a lot of engineering put into it… it’s not a simple as it looks…
Project clamping is an advanced technique… but once you know , you know how to do this…
as well as setting the router up is akin to manually setting the material height on the CNC.
I’ll update the post tomorrow
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Thank you for the update. If it isn’t ready for members to use this weekend I’ll just wait until it is.
Sorry peeps - The slab mill will not be ready this weekend. We needed utilize the slab mill router motor for the router table and Wood shop. We’re working on getting that motor warranty once it’s returned we will be back up and running with the slab mill
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As far as I know Evan I do… I’ve reached out to me I think you as well but I don’t remember I haven’t heard a response from anybody
Would you have time Saturday morning to meet up?
have we got a replacement router?
Next week it will be here
Hello! I saw that fancy new slab sled sittin’ over yonder and was wondering if/when it will be ready to go any time soon? I have the perfect piece for it!
Thanks!
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I’m working on dust collection now I’m hoping to have it finishes tomorrow or by Friday…
I myself have 3 slabs myself to flatten…
I could use help if you would like?
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Nice! When are you needing help?
I’d be down to help you. Just let me know when.