hi I’m in the final stages of assembling my lr3 my question is what size drag chan is every one using I’m thinking 10x20 across the gantry and my be the same along the long edge thanks for your imput I know some people think they are dust traps but they do make them look finished and very tidy
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Already planned your Vac hose setup? Will both fit? Reason I ask…
Drag chains do look great. Originally printed Doug’s sweet drag chain, but have yet to use mine since I ended up just attaching wiring to my 2-1/2" vac hose (Velcro straps). I couldn’t figure out a way to make the hose and drag chain fit without it feeling like drag chain was just there for the sake of having one.
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I have not done the vacuum hose set up the chain I’m thinking of using is 10mm x 20mm little small for vacuum hose
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I use 10x15 for the wiring harnesses. Plenty enough for motor and end stop switch wired.
On my Primo, I use a 15x25 openable drag chain going to the core, because I have the power cord for the router in it, but the ones going to the trucks is 10x15.
The LR3 uses 10x15 as well, with the drag chain clipped to the vacuum hose via velcro ties. This also constrains the flex in the vacuum hose to the single dimension that the drag chain allows, which is actually kind of nice. 3D printed clips hold the router power cord here.
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The original plan, which is to use the vac hose as the drag chain, is a great plan. The only reason I don’t use that is because my overhead dust collection drops down from above. So I do use drag chain.
The drag chain I used is this one — R28 Internal Size 15X15mm:
For mounting it, I designed this:
https://www.printables.com/model/223004-lowrider-3-cnc-drag-chain-mount-v10
For protecting against the dust collection hose getting caught under the drag chain, I designed and installed this:
https://www.printables.com/model/398396-lowrider-3-cnc-drag-chain-shield-protection-from-v
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I also then later designed and printed a much larger drag chain for my plasma cutting LowRider 3, because with plasma you have that thick, heavy cable and you have lots more wires to get through.
Here’s the big printable chain:
https://www.printables.com/model/250838-drag-chain-for-cnc-two-piece-snap-open-20mm-x-40mm
And here are the mounts I designed for it:
https://www.printables.com/model/253880-lowrider-3-plasma-cnc-drag-chain-mount-revised-for
And here is the “J channel raceway” that connects from Y axis to X axis:
https://www.printables.com/model/501048-lowrider-3-cnc-large-drag-chain-90-curve-raceway-s
Sorry for the late reply i have been at work thanks you for all your help i will post some pics when completed
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this is the one I came up with. its for a 1.5 hose but I included the f3d file so you could make it for a larger hose
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