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I’ve read all the posts about both, like some issues people have with runout and failures of the quiet cuts, and the issues of dust storms with the dewalt. So, I’m torn, but leaning heavily towards the dewalt. So, I have some requirements, I basically sleep with my x-carve, about 5 feet away from my bed (my room is soundproofed, perfect place for a cnc machine) so dust is a bit of an issue. And also, I wear headphones and watch youtube videos while my x-carve does its milly thing, so It need to be at least somewhat quiet. I cut a variety of materials, from rowmex and acrylic for 2.5D stuff, to aluminium for small parts, and wood for art and signage. I’ve seen the inventables video of the 400w quiet cut milling aluminium, but I also know that the dewalt can do it a lot better and faster.
So, basically, my questions are to dewalt users, how loud is the dewalt at 16,000rpm, and how loud at 30,000rpm? I’m guessing no big deal at 16, but 30 is what I’m unsure of.
How well does the air diverter mod work? I cant really have this thing covering my bed in sawdust.
That’s about it, Im reallllllly wanting the dewalt, as I super duper want to take deep cuts at very fast feed rates, and the dewalt is a lot cheaper than the quiet cut too, mega bonus. But the noise and dust are the things keeping me from pressing the buy button. Thanks!
*Also, I have done the steel spar mod on my machine, since extra rigidity for milling is always better, and I’m thinking the dewalt would be perfect now that my machine is all tuned up in the structure department.
Inventables is testing them. They haven’t started carrying them yet, but… a .8kw Air Cooled Spindle might be the answer you are looking for. It has the HP you are looking for while keeping the noise down. Your rig could easily hold it and it would also allow you to mill at lower RPM which is better for milling aluminum, plastic, and machining wax.
Edit: Also, for what it is worth, the Dewalt 611 to my ears is louder than a standard shop vac… When I decide to upgrade, I have some of the same issues to deal with (noise constraints). I will either go with the .8kw spindle or possibly do some rigidity tests with a friend’s 1.5kw spindle and go with one of those after improvements like the one you’ve done with the steal reinforcement.
If you go with a Dewalt, you’re going to want a full-on dust shoe. I’d say that the loudness of mine is roughly on par with my shop vac, but maybe I just have a loud shop vac. I typically wear earbuds and noise protection headphones over those, and I can listen to music at regular levels.
The diverter works great as long as you suck up the dust. Instead of buying an expensive brush, I bought 6" strip of plastic carpet runner for a dollar. Then hot glued it around my dust shoe. This focuses the vacuum and my hose is farther away than yours - I wish I would have seen yours before I started! I also wired a cheap book light LED to the bottom of the shoe for light (you could use a 33-100 ohm resistor to tap 5v from VIN pin on your Arduino) - then you would have a night light!
Also, my Hitachi ROARS at 24k rpms but below 20k is quieter than my relatively quiet Rigid vac. Here is a pic (that thing mounted to the front of the router is my new spindle speed monitor):
Me too!
My shop vac is about the same nose level, with the “whine” of the carving notable above it.
I have not played with the RPMs, leaving it a max for now.
I love the built in LED light. Though I do need an additional light when setting the home position on the work piece.
A dust shoe is a must. My first attempt is not that effective, I need to redo it.
Even with a dust shoe I recommend staying away from MDF unless you build a enclosure as well. That dust get EVERYWHERE.
I also were ear buds with noise protection headphones, I am guessing that is kind of a standard thing now, or will be - lol
That looks really nice, but its a bit out of price range right now. I can get the dewalt for 140 with the mount, or the 400w quiet cut and psu for 145 :\ might just have to buy this tho
I dont find the sound level of the dewalt all that bad. The noise made carving is WAY louder so even if the dewalt was silent you are going to hear the noise from the bit. Not much you can do about that
yea, and that I’m okay with. I was just curious if the dewalt was louder than carving. As have you tried milling aluminium with the dewalt? I understand that the dewalt isn’t the best for some materials since its minimum spindle speed is so high.
I measured the sound level of the Dewalt 611 just running without cutting (from two feet away) at each of its speed settings (1 to 6) and found that each time I turned it on I would get a peak db level of about 92 (for just a second) then it would drop to:
10 feet away in the same room, level 6 read about 80 dB
12 feet away with a hollow wooden interior door between the meter and the machine it was about 62 dB (still at level 6)
I was worried about that too but I have never had an issue with 8,000 rpms being too fast for anything including plastic, HDPE, foam, etc. You need the right bit of course.
Oh… perhaps. I use the Hitachi and it goes to 8,000 and it is old, so I assumed the Dewalt would have similar control. A Dewalt person is likely to chime in here.
WOW! That is pretty loud. I have the .8kw Water cooled Spindle and I LOVE IT! I am running the Shapeoko and and the X Carve side by side tonight so i am unable to do a reading on just it, but 5 feet from BOTH mills milling is only peak of 83 dB. Mind you that is with the 400W 48V spindle and the .8KW VFD spindle milling in aluminum with 4 feet of each other and 5 feet from the sound meter. By far my shop vac is louder than the VFD spindle. With RPM of about 150 to 24,000 and 1HP of power, I would vote you go with a VFD spindle. I do not even have 220 run to my mill room and yet I am able to mill with a 220V VFD by using a step up transformer. The .8kw spindle draws about 1.3- 1.6 amps for all the jobs I have been milling with it in aluminum. A number of us have and use them so anyone has any questions. The water cooling system is super easy to use and keep the spindle from blowing dust all over the place.
Not sure what you are milling that is so loud or why. But milling aluminum at .5mm DOC with the VFD spindle is only about 80-90dB tops so far. I mill indoors in a room just off my office and not but 20 feet from the living room of my house. The VFD spindle milling makes far less noise then my Shapeoko does milling aluminum with a 400W 48V spindle sitting right next to the X Carve in the same room. Each to their own of course, but I know from personal experience that the VFD spindles make far less noise idle or milling over the Dewalt 611 I tried out first. Maybe milling in wood is louder then milling in aluminum. I only mill wood to level it for aluminum milling bed for each job atop the metal bed of my X Carve so maybe that is why I do not have the loud milling some report.
I think when you sleep next to the machine, every bit counts. He can speak to both 400W Quiet Cut and the VDF Spindle that I mentioned earlier (though air cooled).
Another thing that might be worth mentioning is runout… I know the VDF Spindles have something like 0.005mm runout and I’m not sure the Dewalt will be that precise.
In the end, for me the Dewalt and other trim routers like it are nice and I’d love to have the power, but it is just too loud and I wouldn’t mind the extra cost when it comes to control, precision, HP, lower RPM, and quiet.
