(Copied from here - http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1614)

:) Here are the pictures of the machine to date. The dust foot, vacuum grid and the supports for the vacuum system were machined on the MechMate and I did a table top for a poker table overlay but I can't find the pictures.:mad: The control box is pretty full and there is a fan installed through the back with an air filter. This worked with no problems to cut the grid for the vacuum. I just have some wiring to tidy up and will do it when the ATC arrives.
If anyone needs the G-code for the vacuum support or the dust foot I can supply it. The software that I use is Alibre Expert and Cam. Very good software for modeling single parts and putting them into an assembly.
I would like to thank all the MechMate Engineers who post on this forum and of course Gerald for the design - without this forum this would never have been realized. :D

Sorry guys I forgot to include the vacuum motor info.http://www.centralvacuummotor.com/imperial.htm is the supplier and the motors are LH7123-13 on the Lighthouse Brand. With all four motors running and loaded as much as can be through 3/4" spoil board is 28amps @ 240V. I think with the table sealed around the outside two fans running in parallel should be enough. As things progress I will post the results for what holds the best. You will notice in the pictures that the grid board has edge banding around each zone. This is supposed to isolate for leakage. It seems to me that the spoilboard should be the same way for the same reason. A friend of mine is running a 4'x8' ShopBot with 4 isolated zones (one motor for each zone) on the grid and a 4'x8' non isolated spoilboard and cuts 16mm melamine in two passes - 15mm and 1mm cleanup pass in the opposite direction.
When I can I will post more.

Buzz

Very nice work! Sign me up for the code!

Hi Buzz, I also have a vacuum hold down system and was wondering if you are running those in series or parallel? Also, are you running two motors or the quad configuration from the Shopbot forum? Do you have a vac gauge to measure how much vac you are pulling at 28amps (240v)? I assume you are using a bleeder board of some kind. Would you mind sharing what bleeder material you are using? I'm having a lot of luck with 1/4" standard mdf. I heard trupan low density works best, but I am unable to source this in my location.

Hi David,
I will be running some parts today and I will be able to give you some readings. The spoil board needs to be surfaced on both sides to equalize the panel. I did only one side and after a couple of days the sheet started to warp. A ShopBot friend of mine said that he does this and has no problem. The spoilboard that we both use is from the same load. The board that we have is Uniboard Ultra Lite and is available to us in 61"x97".