# Independent Z Dust Shoe **URL:** \ **Category:** Build Logs\ **Created:** [October 20, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007 "2022-10-20T20:12:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![eyesonlybob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@eyesonlybob](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/eyesonlybob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 8:12pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/1 "2022-10-20T20:12:47Z")
I recently got a pro model 2x4 and wanted a custom dust shoe that was adjustable in Z and maintained good visibility of the work piece. I couldn’t find many that weren’t fixed to the spindle. This is what I came up with. ![IMG_0750](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/030eebae3f479324398b3add85a7696df0b06d5b.jpeg) I’m a new user and it won’t allow me to upload more than one photo… ---
**Author:** ![eyesonlybob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@eyesonlybob](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/eyesonlybob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 8:13pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/2 "2022-10-20T20:13:39Z")
Visibility while in use: ![IMG_0816](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/030f5a90a4ea3045cacd3dbcb5dc58bf156a8d0e.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Eric](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/eric/32/3220_2.png) [@Eric](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/Eric)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 8:38pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/3 "2022-10-20T20:38:10Z")
That’s cool. Looks like you mounted it to some linear rail? Also I set you to be able to upload more photos now. ---
**Author:** ![eyesonlybob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@eyesonlybob](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/eyesonlybob)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 9:01pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/4 "2022-10-20T21:01:53Z")
Thanks! Yes, I used two small 250mm MGN9 linear rails to keep the moving parts nice and tight. ![IMG_0652](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/09bb4b381167679bc670f1e5694d475b52b14412.jpeg) ![IMG_0656](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/e6295bcc8d4e32e63b1222a78e3192e19a0ace88.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![AussieMike](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/aussiemike/32/116_2.png) [@AussieMike](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/AussieMike)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2022, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/5 "2022-10-20T21:10:20Z")
I’m a fan of Z independent dust boots. Yours is one of the more elegant designs, nicely done. I’m working on a redesign to work with my pneumatic lifter to work with the ATC. The challenge is having the lifted position constant, but the lowered position variable according to material height. Maybe springs will solve it. ---
**Author:** ![beltramidave](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/beltramidave/32/103_2.png) [@beltramidave](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/beltramidave)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 11:16am UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/6 "2022-10-21T11:16:55Z")
I too am a fan of the independent shoe. Is it an optical illusion or why is the hole for the spindle larger than it needs to be? Seems that you would lose a lot of dust collection. Like the use of a linear rail to keep adjustment smooth. ---
**Author:** ![davidcnc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@davidcnc](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/davidcnc)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/7 "2022-10-21T15:55:42Z")
Nice solution, thanks for sharing 👍 ---
**Author:** ![CCC](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/ccc/32/74_2.png) [@CCC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/CCC)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/8 "2022-10-21T16:28:29Z")
That is a great design! I need to up my dust shoe game. Still using the old design put out by Avid. Are plans/files available for sale anywhere? ---
**Author:** ![eyesonlybob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@eyesonlybob](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/eyesonlybob)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 6:29pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/9 "2022-10-21T18:29:40Z")
The opening around the spindle is quite large because I was trying to maximize visibility. I haven’t tested a smaller one but I’m not having any issues with my dust collector. The spindle blows quite a bit of air down toward the work piece and I wonder if it actually helps. I have since added a compressed air line that blows ~5psi at the endmill to aid in evacuating chips from deeper pockets. A smaller cut out on the shoe would prevent this from working for me. ---
**Author:** ![eyesonlybob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@eyesonlybob](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/eyesonlybob)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/10 "2022-10-21T18:32:43Z")
Thanks! I don’t currently have plans or files available. I have a few minor changes in mind and then I may release them if there’s enough interest. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Know\_A\_Guy\_Designs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a183cd/32.png) [@I\_Know\_A\_Guy\_Designs](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/I_Know_A_Guy_Designs)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2022, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/11 "2022-10-25T15:17:17Z")
I made my own, similar to some of yours. I just remodeled the one on avids site and added tabs. Then created a sliding rail system to adjust the height of the shoe depending on what I was cutting. With mine the dust shoe can be removed when making a tool change ![20220321_132048](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/3cf3022667c70f86651c105589f6e0d30ab4609d.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![CNCKitMill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5e9695/32.png) [@CNCKitMill](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/CNCKitMill)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 5:17pm UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/13 "2023-01-01T17:17:31Z")
Auto Dust Shoe set up its a test system and is being modified to create better suction. But first tests went well. It gets out of the way for tool changes and covers most tools well ![2022-11-15_11-55-29_595](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/uploads/avidcnc/original/1X/c9414de02d4f4c2d33de62132220a58ab6c3fd8b.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jjneeb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/forum.avidcnc.com/jjneeb/32/244_2.png) [@jjneeb](https://forum.avidcnc.com/u/jjneeb)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://forum.avidcnc.com/t/independent-z-dust-shoe/1007/14 "2023-01-02T01:28:27Z")
That is a different angle on visibility in the dust shoe. I really like being able to see in the side of mine, but it doesn’t catch fast chips from bigger bits. I bet yours works a lot better for that. You can get away with shorter bristles, and probably don’t even need a removable broom. Nice job.