The purpose of this piece is to redirect the flow of cooling air through the router. Normally, this blows straight at the cutting area, in order to clear chips. The problem is that thie volume of air moved is far greater than the volume of air that the vacuum/dust collection unit can suck in.
The result is somewhat like trying to fill your kitchen sink with a fire hose, and expecting that all of that water will somehow end up going down the drain without splashing all over the kitchen.
With the vent part, the cooling air blast is directed out of the router shoe, and an opening exists for some air to be drawn into the tool area where it will then direct that towards the dust collection. This avoids overwhelming the dist collection and allows it to function efficiently and (hopefully) collect up most of the chips that the router cuts.
Thanks, yes I get that - it’s the raised “vent” part of it which connects the sub base (router bit) to the outside air that has me puzzled. The router exhaust exits over the top of this piece and it appears be an inlet for the vacuum? If I rotate the router on the base, I’ll be forcing air through either 90 or 180 degrees beyond the design intent. I could block it off with a bit of tape I know, but Frederik has gone to a lot of trouble to model it, so I’m guessing there’s a bit more to it than appears to me.
I am about to pull my base apart to countersink the router bolts (thanks for that! :D) and put locktite on the stepper pulley (thanks for that as well!) so I figured now is a good time to make some preliminary changes!
I’m more concerned about dust escaping from that inlet - it’s obviously not a problem for you! I’m a bit serious about dust collection (I have a rather nasty allergy to find wood dust) so I wonder about the need to have it.
I have promised myself I won’t get distracted before I have my build complete so I think since I have all the parts installed I might just go with it as is!
So long as it can generally take in air past the tool towards the dust collection vent, it will work OK. Ideally, the direction would also be towards the dust collection, but an angle isn’t going to harm anything. This is really only needed when the X plate is really close to the material, such that there isn’t adequate space around the plate to suck air in from. It relieves excess pressure differential from sucking the X rails downwards or lifting the work upwards.
I’ve been running down a slightly different path for a day or two - am not entirely convinced that my logic is right, but it’s been fun to do. More info here:
Sorry, I have been very busy with work etc, and I ended up having to put the LowRider build on the back burner again
Anyhow, I didn’t get a chance to assemble and completely test this, so I did not upload it originally, however, I did a check fit just now, and it looks ok, so I have uploaded it to thingiverse as a remix of @frederik’s original listing.
@kirtangl
Printed it, and test fitted to the router mount.
I still need to change my Z plate (it’s still a Dewalt version) but it all looks to match perfectly!
Sorry to resurrect the dead on this but what bottom plate did you use for this mod? I am trying to read through what is now mostly v3 post but the plate I have I cant simply rotate mine and print your modification for the vacuum or the holes do not line up to my makita
Here’s a link to my version of the LR2-Makita bottom plate - not the vac mods - you don’t need the router template files just the DXF if you have a working CNC.
Hey Peter thanks for the reply. I realize I’m digging up some bones on this post here, just trying to find some answers finally finishing up my build (… 3 years later).
In this post I noticed Kirt has rotated his Makita - 90 degrees. I have the plate already for Makita, but if I rotate mine as his images has shows, the holes do not line up… so I was curious if he redesigned the bottom plate to suit - or thinking now maybe mine is different from his? Mine is 701c
While I have you, another thought is I see some pictures with builds using black bottom plate included with the Makita and others not. If I use it, I would need longer screws to come up through the LR2 plate and it would decrease the already limited access to nut a collet.
In addition I guess what I am looking for is the work flow feel of those experienced in operating it with this set up - are tool changes a pain? I am at a “buttoning up stage”
I have a bottom plate that fits the Makita, a top dust collection piece that fits to the side of the Makita shoe, and an insert to shunt the cooling air flow from blowing directly into the dust collection area.
All of my parts there are in a box, since I disassembled my LR2 to build the LR3.
I didn’t rotate my base - I printed a little part to capture a nut and use a hex machine screw with an allen key in lieu of the stock lever.
The black base doesn’t serve any purpose other than to get in the way - keep it in the box with all the other parts.
For me tool changing is easy - I just take the whole router out of the case and slip it back again when I’ve finished. I am hardly a “power user” though.
The little deflector part I made to stop the router fan blowing on the workpiece has worked beautifully with very little airborne dust even with MDF (unless my air particle measurer is very wrong)
Link to my mods a few posts up. But chatting to Dan about posting his leftover parts seems easier!
ok thanks I think I will just continue on and try the method as you mentioned. I looked through these parts and I have the plate but the holes do not line up with mine if I rotate it… so still a bit confused on that, mine is the 701c. Appreciate the info. I know there are more people moving to v3, but I personally like the design more of the L2r and the ease of setting it up on different tables. I’ll give it some time and look at doing the v3 when the garage is complete