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View Full Version : Epilog mini 18 backside diagram ?



Ben Levesque
09-24-2006, 10:13 PM
Anyone has the Epilog mini 18 backside diagrams available.
I've ordered this model, but before it arrives in 3 weeks, I would like to position the 4" exhaust pipe that goes behind. If there is a drawing in the manual were it shoes the position of the exhaust, could someone email it to me?

Thanks

Ben

Mike Hood
09-24-2006, 10:24 PM
It's just like hooking up a clothes dryer. Short length of 4" flex hose and a louvered exhaust heading out of the shop. Make sure it's pointed at the neighbor least likely to complain. Sooner or later you're gonna wanna do some rubber stamps. :D

Dave Fifield
09-25-2006, 12:59 AM
Don't you need a 4" blower/fan to go in the extraction path? AFAIK, there's no extraction fan built into the Mini 18 so the smelly air is just going to hang around if you only connect a pipe from the laser to the outside. I have a Mini 24, so I may be entirely wrong about this and stand to be corrected....

:Dave F.

FWIW, the 4" dust extraction blowers available from Penn State seem to be the best deal going IMO. Other places seem to sell the exact same blower units but for up to twice the cost!!

Joe Pelonio
09-25-2006, 7:47 AM
You do need the fan, the pulling of air is what cools the tube as well as venting the fumes.

Pete Simmons
09-25-2006, 8:26 AM
On a Mini-18 the Laser Tube is cooled by built in fans. Independent of the exhaust airflow system.

No diagram of the back but the back is about 28 inches wide.
When looking at the machine from the front the center of the 4 inch exhaust vent is 18 inches from the right and about 4 inches up from the bottom. The bottom being the shelf level that it would sit on.

Ben Levesque
09-25-2006, 9:53 AM
No diagram of the back but the back is about 28 inches wide.
When looking at the machine from the front the center of the 4 inch exhaust vent is 18 inches from the right and about 4 inches up from the bottom. The bottom being the shelf level that it would sit on. Thanks Pete, that is exacly what I wanted.:D

:rolleyes:It's funny how people thought that I was not putting a blower outside, it was never a question about the blower, but more were to position my fixe 4" pipes on the wall.

Thanks everyone.

David Fairfield
09-25-2006, 12:47 PM
I'd recommend using the metal flex ducting as opposed to the plastic. Since you are dealing with combustion, and particles do get sucked into the duct (I can hear them landing in there with a "ping").

I'm no expert and I'd figure the odds of a fire in the plastic duct extremely low, but when the flexible metal ducts are roughly the same price and availability, why be half-safe? Be sure the whole unit is properly grounded.

I got my blower from harbor freight, $100 super cheap compared to others, but see below.

One last thing to keep in mind. The duct leading from the laser to the blower has negative pressure and won't leak any smoke. The blower unit and the duct leading away from the blower to the outside has positive pressure and may possibly leak enough smoke that you'll smell it. I used a ton of duct tape on my setup but I still get a whiff of whatever I'm cutting. I think its the blower itself that leaks a little while in operation. Planning on using the negative pressure to my advantage and move the whole blower outside

HTH
Sincerely
Dave

Mike Hood
09-25-2006, 3:00 PM
I was just chasing the same thing myself last night. I was cutting some stamps and realized I was smelling more rubber than I should. :)

As a fix; I'm boxing the blower unit and opening a small hole on the inlet side (in the box). This will keep the blower (and the box insides) at a slightly negative pressure and also quiet things down a lot.

It's going outside the shop as well (pulling air from the shop). I'll enjoy the quiet. :)