Epilog Zing 24 Air Curtain

[Kevin M. Adams]

Hello Creekers,

As usual I've searched high an low for answers and unfortunately have come up short. Hopefully someone will be able to help.

First, I'd like to request only those familiar with the Zing Air Curtain system to comment. I've previously tried suggestions from others with a more traditional air assist systems and can confidently say a small air flow spray paint compressor will most definitely NOT work with my Epilog Zing 24. At least I now have a $100 tire and basketball inflater to show off! Bright side of life, am I right?

THE ISSUE:
Finding a high volume, continuous duty, 30psi capable, oil less, electric air compressor that will send air uninterrupted to my air curtain when cutting rasters. I could fairly easily run back to my laser rep. with my tail between my legs and buy the $300 compressor they offer, but pride and probably stubbornness tells me "theres a better way"(any FineHomeBuilding fans out there?). I'd like to save some money if possible but I haven't found a single compressor that fits the bill. Frankly I really have no idea what specs are even required to operate my air curtain optimally so any good experience you may have had would be great to share.

THE THANK YOU:
Thanks everyone, I hope this can be a helpful thread for any other Zing users. There really seems to be no information available out there to help us with our god foresaken Air Curtain.

Kevin

[Sam Edog]

Hi Kevin,

I think you have actually answered your own question.

[Bill George]

Well you spent a $100 on one that won't work, I would go for the one suggested.

This is your air curtain Link> https://www.epiloglaser.com/products/zing-laser/zing-air-assist-curtain.htm Looks and sounds like standard air assisted as most lasers have, but with another name?

[Dave Sheldrake]

It blows a stream of air across the bed Bill, Air assists are only useful for cutting but air curtains stop junk being blown back onto the job.

cheers

Dave

[Kev Williams]

I'm not sure why 30 psi would be needed, and that said, I'm not sure why one of my HF blowers connected to the outlet side wouldn't work...?

*** ok, just read the air curtain webpage Bill posted, it says 30psi MAX. That's different. So- why not a HF blower in reverse? They're not even that loud.

If for some reason it's too MUCH air, the inlet can be "throttled down" with anything that will block the in-flow...
298786

[Dave Sheldrake]

Compressors and air movers are very different animals Kev, movers have volume, compressors have pressure. Movers are open blade as can be demonstrated by blocking the inlet, the mover won't generate a vacuum whereas a compressor inlet will.

cheers

Dave

[Bill George]

Don't know why a good exhaust system would not work? With air assist on the laser head, seems like that would be all one would need.

[Kevin M. Adams]

I'm inclined to agree with you Bill. Unfortunately there is no air assist at the laser head on my machine. The only source of cool air pressure to clear debris and keep flame out at bay is the air curtain. It requires more air flow than an air assist directed at the laser head. Thank you for your input though!

[Kevin M. Adams]

The compressor I bought for $100 will definitely be put to good use so it's not a waste. However I'm hoping I can find a less expensive option to use with my laser system that may be more practical. A good multipurpose compressor for my shop that can also be used on my laser is a real "win-win" I'd like to investigate. Really I'm just looking for a good continuous duty compressor that can be ran for an hour or more.

[Ross Moshinsky]

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Hardware-Air-Compressors-Tools-Accessories/California-Air-Tools/N-5yc1vZc2fhZ8te

[Dave Sheldrake]

Will need to know the through flow required Kevin, pretty much any compressor will supply 30 psi but not so many will supply it with large volume.

cheers

Dave

[Kev Williams]

My thought about using a dust collector in reverse is the airflow- I'm pretty sure there'd be enough pressure to be useful. One thing you can try is the blow-side of any shop vac that HAS a blow side, cheap way to test. Any $2 funnel can be hacked up and duct taped to connect the hoses...

[Dave Sheldrake]

Flow is related to a sealed compression method Kev, without a sealed unit that has no return control there will be lots of flow until the restrictive size of the pipework comes into play.Shop vacs, chip extractors, dust extractors all work pretty much the same way, easiest way to demonstrate it is to put a funnel over the outlet of a shop vac or extractor and measure the pressure, it will be in fractions of a PSI :(

cheers

Dave

[Kevin M. Adams]

Will need to know the through flow required Kevin, pretty much any compressor will supply 30 psi but not so many will supply it with large volume.

cheers

Dave


The air curtain needs at least 3cfm and can handle up to 10cfm. So the issue is, what compressor can run at 20-30psi between 3-10cfm for hours at a time without running at too high of a duty cycle. Thanks for your input dave.

[Bill George]

The air curtain needs at least 3cfm and can handle up to 10cfm. So the issue is, what compressor can run at 20-30psi between 3-10cfm for hours at a time without running at too high of a duty cycle. Thanks for your input dave.
It would be interesting to find out what others are using. I am thinking you just need a fan capable of supplying 3-5 cfm at a high static pressure. Order a OEM and be done with it.

[Dave Sheldrake]

Most of the belt driven cast iron compressors will do that at the expense of noise(78-80Dba) (they are 100% duty cycle though) A Ghast may be the way to go? not cheap but 5cfm at 30 psi within the duty cycle is easily possible.

Junwei are very good I use the UK version Titans) and very quiet (50 ish Dba), 16cfm at 75 psi with 120 litre tank can be had direct from china at under $800

Careful when you look at comps on the web, they often list the displacement not the Free Air Delivery, look for a FAD of 5cfm at 40psi and you won't go far wrong.

any which way you are likely going to be looking 300-400$+ to get somewhere close with no excess capacity with $800 being closer for a quiet machine or $600 for a noisier belt driven with extra capacity.

cheers

Dave

ps: avoid direct drive, they sound like the hammers of hell and run hot (wet air)