Recommendations for extracting to air.

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hiya all,

I have a Laser pro X252 that I currently use with a BOFA Oracle. I cut MDF pretty much exclusively and I'm going through pre filters every few weeks.

I have the option of extracting to air but I have had no success in finding a suitable extractor. I brought an Axminster AWDE 5002 and the push and pull seemed good but the unit isn't air tight and soon my workshop is full of fumes. I also tried an extractor recommended by HPC lasers here in the UK but the draw was very low and didn't even pull all the smoke from the cabinet and smoke was escaping from the air vents on the laser.

Does anyone have recommendations for an extractor that's quiet, mdf fume proof and preferably under £250.00

If not as an alternative is there an extractor that either has cheap or long lasting filters??

Many thanks,

Nige

[Kevin Gregerson]

Hiya all,

I have a Laser pro X252 that I currently use with a BOFA Oracle. I cut MDF pretty much exclusively and I'm going through pre filters every few weeks.

I have the option of extracting to air but I have had no success in finding a suitable extractor. I brought an Axminster AWDE 5002 and the push and pull seemed good but the unit isn't air tight and soon my workshop is full of fumes. I also tried an extractor recommended by HPC lasers here in the UK but the draw was very low and didn't even pull all the smoke from the cabinet and smoke was escaping from the air vents on the laser.

Does anyone have recommendations for an extractor that's quiet, mdf fume proof and preferably under £250.00

If not as an alternative is there an extractor that either has cheap or long lasting filters??

Many thanks,

Nige

You might want to consider getting a inline filter box from BOFA. Model number ILF 300 I think and run 95% bag servapak filters which can be found from Purlator for a lot less than BOFA pricing. Should lengthen the life of your pre filters on that oracle by quite a bit and the bag filters can be had for less than 45 bucks a filter.

-Kevin

[Dave Sheldrake]

The AWDE 5002 will suck a golf ball through a garden hose suggesting you aren't getting enough input air. Seal the edges of the face plate on the unit with silicon sealer and that machine will perform very well (I run them on open bed lasers)

cheers

Dave

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick responses! I'll look into those options thanks.

Nige

[Kevin Gregerson]

You might want to consider getting a inline filter box from BOFA. Model number ILF 300 I think and run 95% bag servapak filters which can be found from Purlator for a lot less than BOFA pricing. Should lengthen the life of your pre filters on that oracle by quite a bit and the bag filters can be had for less than 45 bucks a filter.

-Kevin

Here is the link to the Inline filter from BOFA

http://www.bofa.co.uk/cm/dynamic/lar...2014102642.pdf

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hiya,

I looked into the BOFA units, they are quite expensive and the filter bags themselves are £100.00 ($160) each so I looks like going from 2 expensive filters to 3, not sure how long the inline filter would last? Are there any more makes of inline filter? I couldn't find any.

Thanks,

Nigel.

www.timelineminiatures.co.uk

[Dave Sheldrake]

Nature of the beast Nige, anything that filters (traps) MDF will clog up quickly

cheers

Dave

[Kevin Gregerson]

Hiya,

I looked into the BOFA units, they are quite expensive and the filter bags themselves are £100.00 ($160) each so I looks like going from 2 expensive filters to 3, not sure how long the inline filter would last? Are there any more makes of inline filter? I couldn't find any.

Thanks,

Nigel.

www.timelineminiatures.co.uk

Get the aftermarket bag filters from AirRaid or Purlator. It's basically the same thing at 1/3 the price. The BOFA fume extractors have patented filters in them. But the inline ones aren't all that unique as the Aftermarket provides you equivalents. They are simply 24x12x22 nominal size.

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/hv...ic-bag-filters

The above is just one place you can get them. This is what I sell my customers instead of the BOFA filters.

[Keith Colson]

"anything that filters (traps) MDF will clog up quickly"

Dave, you are right. I was thinking to add a bypass for my outside filter. Maybe servo or cable control. I could engage the filter for the nasty stuff and disengage the filter for mdf, plywood and acrylic etc

Cheers
Keith

[Dave Sheldrake]

That will work Keith without spending BUCKS$$$$ on electrostatic and mist filters, I run mine through the Mitsu filter system and that removes all the sticky sludge but the filtration unit is bigger than most small rooms (it's intended for use on the metal cutting machines) as Yet I haven't found a sensible priced filter unit that has both long life AND efficiency when working with MDF

cheers

Dave

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hi

Thanks all.

Dave - I took a look at my axminster unit today and it does 'leak' quite a bit. The actual housing of the centrifugal fan seems fine but if you put your hands over the ally heat sink of the motor there is a tremendous amount of air blowing. It's hard to see where the air is coming from. I sealed the black flange that joins the motor to the main body and I'll give it a try tomorrow.

Thanks

Nige.

[Dave Sheldrake]

Hi Nige, there is a fan mounted on the end of the motor that pulls air over the heatsink, a draft there is quite normal (and required for cooling)

Remember for every cubic foot of air you pull out the same has to be getting in to the cabinet or you have no flow - ergo no extraction.

cheers

Dave

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hiya dave,

Yes, I did notice that and it does pull in a fair amount! I don't think the airflow I noticed was anything to do with this as it was it defiantly seemed to flowing away from the unit. I'll check gain tomorrow as the sealant I used should be dry.

I'm also going to try and use my Bofa unit as an extractor by taking the filters out and fitting an adapted plate on the back to take the out hose. I'm hoping I can seal the unit (doors etc), with gafa tape!

Thanks,

Nige.

[Nigel Gilbert]

Hiya,

Well, I tried using the BOFA to extract to air but I couldn't completely seal the unit and it leaked quite a bit of fume into the workshop.

I set up my AWDE 5002 again but it didn't pull any smoke from out of the laser cabinet - this has always happened when I use it. The 5002 is placed nearer the outdoor vent point than the laser so its pulling more than it's pushing. There are no kinks are anything in the flexible hose that I use so I don't understand why it under performs so dramatically?

I got an extraction company in today to quote for an extractor but they said they can't quote until they know the pressure that generated for the recommended air flow. I'm sure Graphitype (here in the UK), quote me something like 800m3 hr for the flow but I don't know anything about the pressure - any one have any ideas?

Thanks again,

Nigel.

[Kevin Gregerson]

Hiya,

Well, I tried using the BOFA to extract to air but I couldn't completely seal the unit and it leaked quite a bit of fume into the workshop.

I set up my AWDE 5002 again but it didn't pull any smoke from out of the laser cabinet - this has always happened when I use it. The 5002 is placed nearer the outdoor vent point than the laser so its pulling more than it's pushing. There are no kinks are anything in the flexible hose that I use so I don't understand why it under performs so dramatically?

I got an extraction company in today to quote for an extractor but they said they can't quote until they know the pressure that generated for the recommended air flow. I'm sure Graphitype (here in the UK), quote me something like 800m3 hr for the flow but I don't know anything about the pressure - any one have any ideas?

Thanks again,

Nigel.

Typical Laser setup requires 6 inches of Static pressure. To be on the safe side this is the number I would use 500 CFM @ 6 in static pressure (850 m3/hr at 1.5 kPa) and tell them this is the minimum and not to use an expansion valve. Also you might want to add in blast gates if you ever decide to use lighter materials they don't cost much for the install and they work well.

I'm surprised your Laser pro guy didn't help you out with this problem.