As a side item to using the CNC I would like to suggest that the dust collection system be emptied each time the CNC is used for more than a very short time (10 minutes?).
If we do frequent removal of the dust it isn’t that bad. If the system gets overloaded it can be quite a pain to empty.
Basically you plug in one of the shop vacs to the bottom blast gate on the dust collection.
With the dust collection “off”, open the blast gate and turn on the shop vac. It should suck out the fine dust collecting in the bottom of the filter assembly. Give the filters a few taps on the sides to dislodge the dust and watch the shop vac getting full.
Turn off the shop vac and the shut the blast gate. Carefully remove the shop vac hose and take the shop vac out to the dumpster to empty. Might want to wear a respirator as some of the MDF dust can be a bit nasty. Empty the shop vac into the dumpster and tap the shop vac filter to shake off the fine dust into the dumpster. Reassemble the shop vac and put it back into the Hive.
I think we are looking into getting a manometer gauge for the filter system so we can tell when it is full/blocked. For now I would suggest emptying it more often.
Just think of the kerf cut by the CNC, most of that material is getting sucked into the dust collection system.