Piranha Laser cutter air assist filter mount

thingiverse

This adapter is used to connect a standard Vax Swift/Turbo type HEPA filter on the normal air pump that is supplied with Pirahna laser cutters to provide the air assist for cutting. We made this at [rLab](https://wiki.rlab.org.uk/wiki/Main_Page) where we were finding that dirty air was causing the lenses in our laser cutter to only last a few months, since it was fitted the current lens has lasted over a year and still looks almost new. To use this filter you'll need to print all 5 parts. The junction pipe, HEPA module mount and pump mount will need to be glued together; standard plumbers pipe weld cement works quite well for this. This section completely replaces the existing rather inadequate filter that these pumps come with, some threaded rod and a wingnut will be needed to attach it. The upper and lower mesh mounts are only needed if the filter is to be installed in a location where sparks from the laser cutter might reach it. The mesh mounts hold a cylinder of fine stainless steel mesh to act as a spark catcher to prevent sparks from cutting reaching the quite flammable filter. In order to assemble the spark arrestor you will need to get a sheet of fine stainless steel mesh and trim it to size so that it fits into the groove in the mesh mounts with a small overlap, either glue or weld the edges together so that there are no gaps for any sparks to get though. It's easiest to do this by using the 2 mounts as a support structure to hold the mesh in a suitable location while you work. Once the mesh has been glued into a tube then trim it to length so that when it's assembled the top of the HEPA filter locates into the recess in the upper mesh mount. The stainless mesh can then be glued into the grooves in the mesh mounts, I would recommend epoxy resin for this as it soaks right through the mesh and forms a strong and spark-proof seal around both ends. Depending on how much use your laser cutter gets it's likely that the mesh should be taken out and washed in soapy water every 3-6 months and the filter changed every 6 months.