Thank you. Your thoughts make perfect sense. I’ve read comments that state that 200-500 cubic feet/min are needed to exhaust. I have no experience with lasers on CNC machines yet but it seems to me if an exhaust pipe could be placed fairly close to the laser beam it might be possible to use much less. Do you have thoughts on this?
THANKS much! I don’t have a window near my CNC in my barn but I could cut a hole in the wall. I’m thinking of getting an Opt Laser XT8 for engraving and some cutting.
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Joe, I do not use that setup any longer as I now have a 60w CO2 laser with proper exhaust. If I use my 7w JTech for anything now, it is small and I just use the 6" exhaust setup the that which goes outside. The carbon filter was not easily rechargeable and did plug up relatively quickly as well.
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Ensuring proper ventilation is crucial when operating laser systems, especially when processing materials like acrylic that emit fumes. Implementing an enclosure equipped with a 4-inch exhaust fan and ducting to direct fumes outside is highly recommended. Additionally, integrating air assist helps in minimizing flare-ups during operation.
Having a proper ventilation setup makes a huge difference, not just for keeping the workspace clear but also for protecting your health in the long run. ps. XT8 has built-in air assist!
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I just got a 5w laser a couple months ago and installed this setup, which vents out a dryer vent installed on the outside of the shed. Originally I used a 6" inline duct fan I had, but it didn’t really seem to do the job, so I upgraded it to an 8" fan which seems to work much better.
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We used the T channels from our router waste board as suction channels that feed duct work connected to a 8” AC Infinity fan. Then vented outside. Sucks the smoke from beneath. Then attached a dust collector to the front of the laser in case any fumes vented above.
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That’s probably one of the most unique implementations of a down draft table I’ve seen.
Simple, elegant.
Nice work.
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Tom, Thanks for posting! Creative ideas like this are great to share.
I have had a laser a little less than a year, still playing with fume ideas. I’ve purchased the Spider Farmer 4” listed earlier in this post, and a honeycomb laser bed. With a OF woodworker, my setup is about half the size of yours. I’m going to seriously consider this, perhaps in addition to my so, called attempt with a sewer pipe.
Just one simple question, the honeycomb comes with a thin metal beneath to protect the wasteboard. If using the T channels for suction do you have to remove the metal sheet? Any burning occurring to the Wasteboard?
Thanks Bill
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My honeycomb board sits on a thin piece of sheet metal that is screwed into a quarter inch plywood. When putting this all together, I removed the honeycomb and drilled a quarter inch hole through the sheet metal and the plywood every 2 inches for each T channel. I just needed to make sure that those holes were in line with the T channels that are sandwiched between the strips of waste board that is used for my router.
The in-line fan was important. It needed to be strong enough to pull enough air through all of those quarter inch holes. I highly recommend the 8 inch AC Infinity fan, which can be found on Amazon. Anything less, I fear, would not pull enough CFMs.
If you’d like more pics, let me know.
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Fume Extractor for Laser
I was hesitant to post this, but it seems to work relatively well. I like the creativity of both Tom C and DrSys’s approach to fume removal. Call mine the Jerry-rigged version involving sewer pipe, a heat gun, rubber mallet, and 1” spacer board.
Heated woodworking shop – attached to unheated garage
Midwest winter climate
Onefinity Woodworker
64W J Tech Laser with air supply from a compressor w/Filter regulator, water separator
Lucky to have a double-hung window close behind the CNC
The 64W is a 3.25” boxy laser and the challenge was to find or make something big enough to surround it. A spider farmer 4” is used to draw fumes (see Tom’s recommendation). With my air compressor in the adjoining attached garage, the air blowing through the laser is from outside the heated workshop; compressed air (being well above freezing) is being sucked out with the fumes. Thus, in theory, I’m keeping my heated shop air….or so I like to think?
The suction pipe is held in place using a bolt and the spindle collet. The spindle/router may have to be adjusted up or down within the clamp for the just-right setting. Hope photos will clarify everything.
Caution! Is easy to raise Z and ram the pipe into the Z slider frame.
HIGHLY RECOMMED Using a “no Z” post processor”
If someone can design something for the 64W Laser, I’ll be the first in line!
Thanks Bill
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@TomCook I love the set up! Would you mind sharing a link for the honeycomb that you have?? I have looked everywhere and havent been able to find one for my journeyman.