Buying task · Dust boots and dust shoes
Dust boots and shoes: mount diameter, hose port and machine fit
Choose a CNC dust boot by the diameter of your router or spindle, the machines its maker names, and its hose port's inside and outside diameter. No health claims.
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Short answer
Choose a dust boot by three things: the body diameter of your router or spindle, a maker list that names your machine, and a hose port whose inside and outside diameter match your vacuum hose. A new mount size usually means a new boot or collar. No boot comes with a dust-exposure guarantee, and none of the sources we read gives one.
What a dust boot does
A dust boot (or dust shoe) surrounds the bit, with a brush down to the stock and a port for a vacuum or collector hose. Most clamp around the router or spindle body, so the collar size follows the mount. OSHA says the primary way to control wood dust is local exhaust ventilation that captures it at or near its source;[1] a boot is the capture point, not a health guarantee.
The decisions, in order
1. Router or spindle diameter. Carbide 3D sells Sweepy 2.0 in 65 mm (Carbide Compact Router, VFD Spindle Kit or Makita trim routers), 69 mm (DeWalt trim router) and 80 mm (80 mm VFD Spindle Kit) versions.[2] Genmitsu's table matches the DS3018 to 42 mm, the DS52 to 52 mm and the DS69 to 65-69 mm spindles.[3] Genmitsu says the DS69 is not compatible with 52 mm spindles.[4] Onefinity's Suckit SM fits 80 mm spindles only, not 65 mm spindles or the Makita router,[5] and PwnCNC says the current PwnBoot is for 80 mm spindles only.[6]
2. The boot maker names your machine. Carbide 3D says Sweepy 2.0 works with any Shapeoko Z axis without adapters, and lists no other machines.[2] Onefinity says the Suck It boot it sells works only with the Onefinity CNC.[7] Mount changes can rule a boot out: Sienci says its 71 and 80 mm LongMill mounts will not work with the MK2 dust shoe.[8] See dust boot fit by mount and machine.
3. The hose port, inside and outside. Sweepy 2.0 fits a 2.5-inch shop-vac hose as standard and includes 2.25-inch and 36 mm Festool adapters.[2] Genmitsu's DS-series shoes all have a 32 mm inner and 38 mm outer port.[3] The PwnBoot has a 4-inch intake and lists a 4-to-2.5-inch reducer among its contents.[6] KentCNC's Standard split-shoe has a 4-inch threaded hose connector[9] and its Mini a 2-1/2-inch quick connector.[9] See hose ports, adapters and brushes.
4. Brush length and access to the collet. KentCNC ships its Standard shoe with a 3-inch brush ring, and lets you choose a 2 or 3-inch brush on the Mini.[9] Check how the boot opens for bit changes before you buy.
5. No health claims. OSHA and NIOSH guidance on wood dust is summarized in CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say. None of the boot pages we read publishes an exposure figure, and we do not infer one.
How to choose
Match the collar to your body size, then the machine list, then the port. Five approved shoes state their size and port.
Picks that fit5 products
Genmitsu DS69: 65-69 mm bodies, ships with a 65 mm gasket fitted; not for 52 mm. Genmitsu DS52: 52 mm spindles.
More on choosing
Genmitsu DS3018: 42 mm spindles on the 3018 series. All three have a 32 mm inner / 38 mm outer port. FoxAlien 69 mm shoe: FoxAlien lists it for 52, 65 and 69 mm bodies on its 4040-XE, WM3020 and Vasto machines. FoxAlien 42 mm shoe: 42 mm spindles on Masuter machines. On Amazon, check that 'Ships from / Sold by' shows Amazon.com or the brand.
65-69 mm shoe for Genmitsu machines
Genmitsu DS69 dust shoe for 65‑69 mm spindles and compact routers
42 mm shoe for 3018-series machines
52, 65 and 69 mm shoe for FoxAlien machines
FoxAlien 69 mm dust shoe for 52, 65 and 69 mm spindles and routers
42 mm shoe for FoxAlien Masuter machines
Every page on dust boots
Guides
- Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
- Dust-boot hose ports, adapters and brush rings
- CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say about wood dust
By mount size and machine
- 52 mm, 65 mm, 69 mm, 71 mm and 80 mm mounts, each with the boots for that size
- CNC part finder by machine: each machine page lists the boots that name it
Key terms
Spindle-mounted dust boot, wood dust, mount bore and body diameter.
Everything in this topic
Guides
- Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travelHelps you choose a dust boot whose diameter and machine list match what you own.
- CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say about wood dustExplains what US agencies say about wood dust so you can judge what a dust boot can and cannot do.
- Dust-boot hose ports, adapters and brush ringsHelps you connect your hose to a dust boot and find the right replacement brush.
Shortlists
- Dust boots with the mount diameter and hose port statedHelps you pick a dust shoe that fits your router or spindle body and your vacuum hose.
Common questions
Will a 65 mm dust boot fit a DeWalt router?
No. Carbide 3D sells Sweepy 2.0 in 65 mm for Makita-class routers and spindles and in 69 mm for the DeWalt trim router. Look for a boot whose maker names the DeWalt. More in Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
Does the Onefinity Suckit SM fit a 65 mm spindle?
No. Onefinity says the Suckit SM fits 80 mm spindles only and will not work with 65 mm spindles or the Makita router. More in Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
Do I need a new dust boot after a spindle upgrade?
Usually, if the body diameter changes. Sweepy 2.0, for example, comes in separate 65, 69 and 80 mm versions, and Carbide 3D's 80 mm spindle kit includes its own 80 mm Sweepy 2.0. More in Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
Does a 69 mm Genmitsu shoe fit a 52 mm spindle?
No. Genmitsu says the DS69 is not compatible with 52 mm spindles; it sells the DS52 for those. More in Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
Will the Onefinity Suck It fit my Shapeoko?
Onefinity states that the Suck It it sells works only with the Onefinity CNC. More in Will a dust boot fit? Mount diameter, machine and Z travel
Is MDF or hardwood dust dangerous?
OSHA lists dermatitis, allergic and nonallergic respiratory effects and cancer among health effects associated with wood dust, and notes nasal cancer linked to certain hardwoods especially at high exposures. NIOSH considers both hardwood and softwood dust potentially carcinogenic. The sources we cite do not single out MDF. More in CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say about wood dust
Does a dust boot make CNC dust safe?
No source we found gives that guarantee for any hobby dust boot. OSHA names local exhaust at or near the source as the primary control, which is what a boot connected to a collector attempts, but no boot is rated for exposure. More in CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say about wood dust
Is there an OSHA limit for wood dust?
According to NIOSH, the 1989 OSHA wood dust limits were remanded by a federal appeals court and are not currently in force. More in CNC router dust: what OSHA and NIOSH say about wood dust
Questions
Which dust boot fits my Shapeoko?
Carbide 3D says its Sweepy 2.0 works with any Shapeoko Z axis without adapters. Pick the collar for the installed motor: 65 mm for the Carbide Compact Router, VFD kit or Makita trim routers, 69 mm for the DeWalt trim router, 80 mm for the 80 mm VFD kit.[2]
What hose do I need for a dust boot?
The one its port takes, by inside and outside diameter. Sweepy 2.0 fits a 2.5-inch shop-vac hose and includes 2.25-inch and 36 mm adapters; Genmitsu's DS-series shoes have a 32 mm inner and 38 mm outer port; the PwnBoot has a 4-inch intake with a 4-to-2.5-inch reducer.[2][3][6]
Does a dust boot make CNC dust safe?
No source we read guarantees that for any boot. OSHA says the primary way to control wood dust is local exhaust ventilation that captures it at or near the source; a boot is one part of that, not proof of protection.[1]