Exhaust fan for Epilog laser

[Scott Alberts]

Just wondering what everyone uses. The one they gave me with it here in Seattle is not very good. It just broke.

Thanks,
Scott Alberts

[Ross Moshinsky]

This has been covered a lot so searching will give you a lot of information.

Personally, I believe you want a lot of vacuum to reduce the chance of fire. That typically means using a 600+cfm dust collector. Others like to use smaller, quieter, inline exhaust systems.

[Joe Pelonio]

I got a Fantech at the Grainger in Bellevue, has been running great since 2006. It's an inline duct fan, 8" (reduced) 500 CFM.

[Henri Sallinen]

The one I'm using is called TBH LN230 Z, but the one found on their website is missing one layer of filters (so mine is taller). It seems that the airflow that this machine gives is about 160 CFM, which is quite low but then again, I mainly do light engravings and cuttings and everything seems to be working just fine. There aren't major debris buildups in the machine / lens and the smoke seems to be going in the right direction (rather than staying in the machine). This vacuum would probably be to low if I cut a lot of heavy smoking materials like wood veneer / thick plastics.

I've been thinking that this airflow might be too low, but everything seems to work fine. Can anyone comment on my current CFM? Do you think it's really really low?

Hope you get a lot of insight on the matter Scott!

(Edit) Oh, and I filter the air inside instead of venting outside since my shop is at the bottom floor of an apartment house so venting outside would probably cause too much odors.

[walter hofmann]

It should be around 500CFM a hydrophonic inline 6 or 8 inch fan with a filter unit would do it just reduce the 6 or 8 inch inlets to 4 inch. greetings waltfl

[Joe Pelonio]

A filter reduces flow, so you should have more power than when venting outside.

[Mike Null]

As previously mentioned, do a search--there have been numerous threads on this topic.

[Mark Ross]

Not sure which machine and fan you have but we are running two Epilog 36EXT's and they gave us big units that are made in america and one we have run for years, 6 days a week 8 hours a day. Penn State Industries Model DC-3XL. Remember, do not reduce your exhaust size. If your machine is piped for 6 inch ducts and the exhaust unit is too, reducing it will reduce your airflow.

[andrew zen]

OMG, "The which exhaust fan should I use question". The breakdown is this. Loud vs, less loud. Cheap vs. less cheap. convenient vs less convenient. Everyone here will promote the one they are using as the best (for them). I say the Harbor Freight 1.5 HP (green one is the best) You can always block suction with some fancy ducting distraction, but you can't add. Get a good fan that doesn't blow your breaker and get a good fan that shoves that acrylic exhaust as far from your place as possible. If you have a couple $K locked up in a laser, spend a Benjamin or two on exhaust. Now if you have a close neighbor, I find a good BBQ allows for good exhaust buddies, but please shutdown your laser at the time.