The Hermes is a fixed-height dust shoe that is a near drop-in replacement for your Onefinity Suckit, using the same brushes, knobs, and nuts. The only other required materials are a handful of basic 6mmx3mm Magnets and some 3D printer filament.
Unlike the Suckit, you do not need to worry about changing adapter plates for different bit sizes, and you will never risk crashing the spindle into it causing damage to your dust boot, workpiece, or machine. (In fact, the Hermes can be used to hold up your Z-axis if you do not have a braking stepper!)
Most dust boots currently on the market suffer from severe angles and restricted flow-paths resulting in poor collection, especially when paired with a general purpose shopvac. The Hermes was designed around the requirement of a full-bore flow path resulting in much better performance for those of us who haven’t spent thousands on a powerful dust collector.
These maker files are a full package for hose management that include all the parts for the dust boot, magnetic hose adapter, and even includes a hose management gantry clip that doubles as a cable management system for your spindle!
The view portal is another included accessory that allows you to see the bit during cuts. It is an optional part of the Hermes, and simply snaps into place between the hose and the shoe using the open source WDM7557 magnetic hose connection standard. It does, however, require a 65mm OD x 61mm ID acrylic tube, purchased separately.
FANTASTIC and thanks for posting! Can’t wait to use it.
I tried purchasing from your website but it only shows in stock if selecting the “Z-20” option. Will this boot work on the Z-16 slider? Note: I have the Z-16 with 80mm mount and spindle.
Does the spindle just slide up and down through the boot? if so how much clearance is there? Also your link to the assembly on the purchase site didn’t work for me.
Yes, the spindle just slides vertically through the opening and the boot seals against the spindle. There is a very small amount of clearance (~2mm) so that it maintains a proper amount of suction.
I’m sorry that link isn’t working for you. You can find the assembly guide at workmandm.com → Docs → Assembly guides → Hermes Dust Boot Assembly guide.
I would not recommend using the spacer kit as I cannot guarantee that it will work. The Hermes needs to be spaced quite precisely, and it also needs to be parallel to the spindle. The spacer kit has a very small contact area with the Z axis which could result in angular misalignment.
I plan on making six native versions of the Hermes so everyone has a perfect fit.
Currently available:
Z20 80mm mount 80mm spindle
Still being tested:
Z20 80mm mount adapted for 65mm spindle
Z16 80mm mount 80mm spindle
Z16 80mm mount adapted for 65mm spindle
On the backburner:
Z20 65mm mount 65mm spindle
Z16 65mm mount 65mm spindle
Love this concept, any timeline on the back burner options? Specifically the Z16 with 65mm spindle in 65mm mount? Looking to upgrade my dust collection in the next month and a half before holiday orders really start jumping up.
While I can’t speak for Josh, I believe he can create a 4" hose adapter. However, you might want to reconsider that approach.
I’ve spent over a year trying to find a solution that connects a 4" hose directly to a dust boot without reducing it to 2.5". The closest I came was with the PwnCNC v9 boot. However, this boot has a few drawbacks:
It takes up about 2 inches of valuable Z-axis space due to its rear-mounted design, preventing it from rising above the Z-axis bottom plate.
The rear section, where the hose attaches, is noticeably floppy because of its length, which creates leverage (cantilever) forces.
The hose itself can contribute to sagging if there’s too much slack, or it may disconnect if the slack is too tight.
The best solution I found was to run the 4" hose up to the Z-axis stepper motor, then downsize to a 2.5" hose to the dust boot with the shortest length possible. This allows me to disconnect either the 4" or 2.5" hose for manual cleanup or to move it out of the way. Photos of this are below, and let me know if you want the 3D model for the 4" hose clamp.
In my experience, trying to run a 4" hose all the way to a Z-axis-independent dust boot is too cumbersome, given the limited space and design of the 1F Z-axis mechanism. I believe others have successfully used a spindle-mounted boot design (e.g. Nighthawk) that accepts a 4" hose, but I really want the independent design.
The main limitation I’ve found is with the stock Suckit dust boot itself. The dust collection chamber is too small, causing the brush strip to do things like block larger chips. Additionally, the sharp bend where the hose connects restricts airflow, reducing suction and particle collection.
This is where I believe Josh’s Hermes design will make a difference. It provides an almost uninterrupted flow of air all the way to the cutting area and has a snug fit around the router/spindle, improving airflow into the hose.
I’m still in the process of installing the Hermes on my machine. I need to adjust and tram my setup after lowering the spindle, and I’m replacing my Harbor Freight dust collector, which recently broke down. These tasks are delaying me a few days, but after watching the Hermes in action, I’m confident in its effectiveness. I recommend giving it a try with a 2.5" hose.
If you don’t have a laser you can do what I did if you want to run a 4" hose. I have an aluminum plate mounted where the laser would go. I secure the hose to that so there’s no force on the dust boot from the hose. But it requires a different type of boot. One connected to the spindle (so it moves up and down with the spindle. Since I use almost the whole range of my z20 mounting it to arms wouldn’t work well. One of these days I’ll get a 3d printer and make my own boot. It seems like everyone has different requirements.
@SurfinGump Forrest, I’ve tried the same options that you have and have reached the conclusion. Let me/us know when you’re back up and running. I’d love to have 4" all the way to the cutting area but what you’ve developed might be the best compromise. Can you post the 3D model for the hose clamp? I don’t have a 3D printer but there are services around. What kind of 3D printing material did you use to get the right flexibility/rigidity?
The light I used was just some generic emergency light I had kicking around. I just used double-sided mounting tape to stick it to the bottom of my X-Axis Carriage. For now, it won’t be an “official” part of Hermes (with how janky it currently is), but I will add a note about backlighting to the assembly instructions!
One of my Beta Testers used a 4" hose adapter, but unfortunately it doesn’t work with the view portal, so I’ll need to redesign it when I have time! But that is something that will be coming soon as part of the Hermes kit.
Thanks, SG. I’m currently using the PwnCNC v9. I agree that it limits z travel and I have to mess around with the strain relief much more than I like.
I’m a little afraid to restrict the airflow too much to my dust collection. I think I will measure the motor temp in the current setup and again with a 2.5" hose to check the difference. If this works, I’ll print the Hermes give it a try.
