A while back I purchased my first CNC machine, a Shapeoko Pro XXL. Although the Shapeoko is a perfectly fine machine, and I couldn't be happier, it came with a 65mm trim router that kept burning up. In addition, although the Shapeoko's dust collection boot works well, it sits in front of the router, which obstructs your view of the router bit as it is running. Together with the annoyance of the trim routers burning up and not being able to truly see the bit as it was working, I knew I needed to upgrade, and that meant moving up to a spindle rather than using a router for my machine.
I settled on the PwnCNC 80mm Air-Cooled spindle with the Tube Bundle for dust control. Once I got everything hooked up and running, I have been pleasantly surprised with the whole upgrade. However, I my humble opinion, there are a few issues that could make the Tube Bundle better to work with. The most annoying issue is the way in which one has to change the different sizes of covers to accommodate for a larger bit (surfacing).
The bundle comes with two sizes of acrylic covers that are screwed into the dust boot. Although there are only two tiny screws holding the acrylic plates on the dust boot and two more holding the other end onto the top of the breakaway portion of the boot, it takes time to change them and then change back again. You also run the risk of losing one of those tiny screws, which would be infuriating should that happen. I believe the covers could be attached with magnets like everything else these days. That one change would make the whole experience much more enjoyable.
Secondly, the way in which the dust boot is attached to the front of the Z-axis plate could use some improving. I am not really sure what the answer is, but it is kind of difficult to adjust the height of the dust boot when moving from project to project. However, that in and of its self is a minor annoyance compared to the issue with changing the different covers. Lastly, the bracket that holds the tube in the back of the machine could use a better retaining system. I realize it needs to be able to pop out easily, but unfortunately, the retaining bracket doesn't apply enough direct pressure to consistently hold the back of the tube level with the dust boot as it is raised and lowered. A lot of the time, the tube slips down to its lowest point, which is where the magnetic ring attaches to the top of it causing the tube to sag and increase the potential of getting caught on the corners of the work piece or drag along the workpiece, which could create an unwanted line. Maybe some type of pressure screw could be engineered into the the retaining clip to keep the tube where it needs to be as you are working.
Although I named a couple of issues that I consider to be an annoyance, I would absolutely recommend the tube bundle and will never purchase another CNC dust collection system that attaches to the front of the machine. I love the dust hose and everything running to the back so it is out of the way allowing you to see your project as it is forming. All in all, this is a very nice configuration that works well with whatever router or spindle you operate.
