RTS Engineering 8-Foot Articulated Boom Arm

[Rick Christopherson]

I've had this design on my computer for 3 or 4 years now, but haven't pursued it until now because the cards just weren't right before. About a month ago, everything fell into place, and I discovered that I can actually produce these vacuum boom arms at a marketable price.

My question is, how much interest is there in a production 8-foot articulating boom arm? It has an 8-foot radius, so it can actually span a 16-foot diameter sweep in a workshop. It has one tube for dust extraction, and a second tube for user-defined content, such as compressed air, VacSys vacuum air, electrical power, etc., whatever you need. Over time, I will be offering various options to go with it. At some point, I will probably also offer a smaller 6-foot version too.

This happened so fast that I haven't figured out an exact price-point yet, but I anticipate being able to offer these somewhere between $1200 and $1500. When you consider that Festool's vac-mounted boom arm costs over $400 for only 3-feet of extension, this price range seems very reasonable for nearly 3-times the reach, at 8-foot extension....plus articulated on top of that.

The project is a "GO" and I'm pulling the trigger on the initial production run in the next couple of days, but I would really like to know in advance how much interest there is in them. I've already decided on a minimum first-production quantity, but I am also concerned that initial interest might be higher than expected, and I don't want to get caught off guard. So let me know how much interest there is in these.

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[RKA]

Not interested at this time, but I think you would need to provide some mounting details as that might restrict or raise concern for some applications.  Stick framed garages and hollow block walls would probably cover 90% of the installations.  I remember from your post many years ago you worked out something to mount it in your basement, but it did require care with 8 ft of span on the arm.

 

[nvalinski]

Not interested at the moment, but would be very appealing in a larger shop space. Are there any provisions to have something similar to the energy box that Festool offers? And can the vacuum hose be the lower pipe so that wires/air piping doesn't run into the downward drop?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Yes, you are referring to my Festool ASA-5000, which is 16 feet long. This boom arm is only 8 feet long, for the very reason you mention. The engineering to mount an 8-foot boom arm is far more simple. Plus, the cost is about 1/5 what Festool wants for the ASA-5000.

Nevertheless, I did design this to capture the best features of the ASA-5000 boom arm in a more user-friendly package for home workshop use.

Here is a picture of my ASA-5000, and you can see the dust extraction hose, VacSys vacuum hose, Compressed air hose, switched electrical power to trigger the CT-vac, and unswitched electrical power. I also have a "tool Balancer" to take up the slack of the vacuum hose when not in use. This will be one of the first options I offer on my boom arm too.

BUT.....not very many woodworkers can afford the $5000 price tag of the ASA-5000, nor will their workshops even physically support one. That's why I designed this for the typical woodworker.

[attachimg=1]

 

[promark747]

Is that the actual color scheme or just what you used on your computer?

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Is that the actual color scheme or just what you used on your computer?

No, that's the SolidWorks model of the design. I use high-contrast colors to help the assemblers to identify parts.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Rick, maybe you could provide a table estimating the loads on the mounting fasteners at full extension with various (likely) loads carried by the arm. This might get so people off the fence who guess they don’t have a way to mount the arm.

 

[Sparktrician]

The shorter unit is of potential interest to me for the future.  Can't use it in my existing scenario, but I won't be here forever... 

 

[jeh]

Definitely interested at that price point. Would like to see a functional sample mounted on the wall to see what the final product looks like. Thx for you effort on this. I have all but had it fighting with the boom arm on my vacuum.

 

[zapdafish]

if it could be fitted to a garage support pole and I had the funds I'd be thinking very hard about it  It would be perfect in my garage but  tbh, I'd be very hard to justify it.

I'm a hobbyiest and unfortunately I've discovered another hobby that is more expensive than woodworking, lol.

(not a pic of mine but similar)

 

[jeh]

I'm a hobbyiest and unfortunately I've discovered another hobby that is more expensive than woodworking, lol.

Do tell?

 

[zapdafish]

Shooting. Got started with handguns and have an AR Pistol inbound. And you know my tastes considering how I am in the Festool forums, lol. Just didn't want to offend anyone who doesn't like guns but since you asked  [big grin]

I'm a hobbyiest and unfortunately I've discovered another hobby that is more expensive than woodworking, lol.

Do tell?

 

[elfick]

What are you thinking for diameter of the vacuum tube? I'm wonder if this is extractor/vac only or if it could be used with a larger DC.

 

[Cheese]

The shorter unit is of potential interest to me for the future.  Can't use it in my existing scenario, but I won't be here forever...

I'd also be interested in the shorter unit. I've about had it with wrapping the hose around my neck/shoulder while using the router and also trying to avoid the Festool quick clamps and the corners and edges on an MFS.  [eek] [eek]

 

[Rick Christopherson]

OK, shortening the length is EASY!! What do you guys want for lengths?

 

[mark_hobson]

Any length from 6 to 8 feet would be of interest to me.

 

[Master Carpenter]

I’m at least interested in seeing how it plays out. 8’ would be too small for my shop, 12’ would be better.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

I’m at least interested in seeing how it plays out. 8’ would be too small for my shop, 12’ would be better.

I'm actually planning to have the first prototype made at 12' for the shop that's doing the fabrication. For their own use. I wasn't planning ever selling one that long, but if it proves to be stable, I suppose I could.

 

[jeh]

Shooting. Got started with handguns and have an AR Pistol inbound. And you know my tastes considering how I am in the Festool forums, lol. Just didn't want to offend anyone who doesn't like guns but since you asked  [big grin]

I'm a hobbyiest and unfortunately I've discovered another hobby that is more expensive than woodworking, lol.

Do tell?

That is the only explanation needed. You have trekked into a second expensive hobby.

 

[jeh]

Any length from 6 to 8 feet would be of interest to me.

Same for me though I'd lean towards the 8'. I need to do some measuring though to make it gets the reach I need. Will do after the returning for the weekend.