Quote Originally Posted by cropwell View Post
Bear in mind that I have an A4 machine and am only cutting small parts...

I am thinking about trying a fridge compressor to provide a continuous stream of air to the tool and using a vacuum cleaner to remove chips. I am mainly going to machine acrylics and I know I have a lot to learn about, but with thermoplastic materials I understand that build-up on the tool will ruin work very quickly and easily.
Fridge compressor will work better if you can send to a small storage tank so it's got a slight head start but should work fine.
Like I said to Micheal who is also cutting mostly acrylics you don't need much air to clear chips from recutting, which is what you mostly want to avoid for both cutter life and finish quality. The nozzle size is key here like M_C says, I find the flexi Loc-line type pipe/nozzle that you find most Engineering suppliers offer that the nozzles are to large and mostly designed for coolant. My cheap and dirty solution is to use car brake pipe and solder main jet from motorcycle on end, it's simple and easy but accurate jet and controlable. (or simpler still just nip end with pliers, just can be a bit random on direction!!)

Quote Originally Posted by cropwell View Post
The Vac is a Wickes workshop vac and I am thinking of making a holster with a microswitch in it to switch it of when the nozzle is put in it.

My view is against any shrouding round the cutter as I like to see what's going on.
This would work good and if you used the M codes M8/9 for coolant turning outputs on/off controlling relay turning vac on/off the microswitch could be put in line with relay so it only comes on when pipes in it's holster. . . . Theres other ways but this would be easiest.!!

I'm the same with wanting to see cutter but to have that and still clear the crap you need plenty of Vacuum with a large pipe sucking up everything not nailed down.!!
The shroud helps slow power vacs but comes with the price of lower visabilty.!! I've seen some good shrouds made with clear acrylic but I'm sure it's only short lived affair before they get frosted by the shot blast affect.?

My solution is to just blast every thing out the way and hope my 6" pipe grabs most of it.!!