DoESLiverpool
Extraction hose for Gerald is damaged
Replying to @magman2112 in #2029 I noticed damage to the extraction hose. See below. Marked the machine as broken.
@DoESLiverpool/laser-maintenance
Gerald is still out of action.
I will be in DoES later today for Maker Night, hopefully we will be able to fix this issue, even if just temporarily till we get the right parts.
I did actually repair this last Maker Night, but it appears that this flexible tube has just reached it’s end of life, so needs completely replacing.
I’ve managed to get the extractor re-connected using parts we had on hand in DoES, so this is working again.
We should get some new 150mm hose though, to give the best extraction for Gerald, so I will do some research to see what is a suitable replacement.
As there are issues with the filtration for Sheila as well, it’s time we got this issue resolved to get more laser cutters working again.
It appears that the hose that was originally in use was either PVC or PU (polyethylene). This has lasted for many years, so we may as well use a similar hose again. There is an option of TPR hose, but this is much more expensive (roughly 50% more expensive).
The hose needs to be 150mm in diameter, to fit both the extract point on Gerald as well as the ducting. We can also use a piece of this hose to improve the connection of the extractor fan to the ducting as well.
I decided to go for the PU option, as this is a little more resilient than PVC.
The first option I found was from Axminster.
https://www.axminstertools.com/axminster-clear-reinforced-pvc-hose-152mm-x-2-5m-505012
This works out at £68.98 for a 2.5m length with free delivery in 2-3 working days.
The second option from a Google search was this one.
https://www.efiltration.co.uk/products/flexible-ducting-3metres-standard-pu
This works out at £55.19 including VAT and shipping for the 150mm hose for a 3m length. This was for standard shipping, which is 1-3 days delivery.
I would suggest we go for the efiltration offering.
I’ve added a shopping tag so this can be ordered soon.
The new hose has been fitted. I also use a piece of this hose to improve the connection of the extraction system to the extractor fan.