Dust collector foot

[Art]

How about some details on solutions of the DC (Dust Collector) pickup foot?

[Gerald D]

Here (http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/2/55.html) is a collection of "shoes" or "feet" done by ShopBotters. I will try to take some pics of our foot soon.

There is no consensus on what constitutes the ideal foot, but some broad pointers:

- Must allow easy/quick bit changes
- Must allow good viewing of when/where the bit strikes the job for zero-ing.
- Must collect dust even at the edge of the board when the shoe hangs off the board!
- Must not block up when small/thin slivers of scrap come loose
- The hair/bristles/skirt must not be too long/flexible and suck up into the pipe.
- The hair/bristles/skirt must be long enough to ride the bumps/edges of the workpiece/board.
- The shoe must not hit clamps when cutting close to the clamps.
- The shoe must either ride up and down with the z-axis/router, or it must be at a fixed height? (Fixed height is okay for 2D board work)

Not easy.

[Art]

What is the correct name and where do I get the brisles (?). I think that I will need about 3".

[Marc Shlaes]

Art,

McMaster sells it and it is called strip brush.

Marc

[paco]

Here's another interesting link (http://www.precisionbrush.com/default.asp) for brush supply.

[Marc Shlaes]

Precision Brush is actually right down the road from me. I have talked to them and they seem like nice people. If anyone wants me to check out something personally, I can do that. They will custom make a brush shape but I doubt that that would ever be required.

I plan to mill a slot in 1/2" PVC and insert the McMaster strip brush. Also, since many parts for these machines tend to come from McMaster and given the quality of the online McMaster catalog (specs), it might be a simpler solution.