Almost forgot, i also have 3 solid-state AC relays now, for the CNC. will take 5Vdc input, and up to 240Vac @ 25A of load. this will be for my vacuum control, and either 3 spares, or 2 other controls.
On the vacuum system... how to have it work, and still be able to use a ATC in the future... ?
i was thinking of having it slide up and down on the spindle body of the ATC spindle, so when it hits something, it just rides up on a spring. hitting something includes when it is hitting the fixture to load a new tool. so it needs to ride up easy. looks like about a 100mm straight-cylinder body, so it may not bee too hard to make a dust shoe. the other option is just a couple vacuum nozzles to either side of the spindle head.
in theory, i could make a rigid, yet movable fixture for a dust shoe. mount it with a small lead screw, and as part of the tool change macro, it would lift the dust shoe up. seems rather over complicated though...
if i have 3 nozzles... two behind, one in front... it should negate the need for the need for nozzle-hair. with enough suction, it would suck up most debris. i suspect i would want a 4" inlet dust collection system. but the 3 nozzles could be mounted high enough to hopefully be mostly out of the way, maybe.
the cheapest idea is to just have little or no dust collection, and just vacuum up after the job is done. but that is just boring.
currently, with no ATC, dust collection is easier... i could just modify the dust shoe i have so it is a single front nozzle. being in front it would be out of the way of the ATC. and if it is high enough, no part collision risk. this could work with my current spindle too, so less to change over. just a matter or mounting it somehow.
I wonder... if i could mount it behind, so the hose comes up behind the gantry... out of the way. the ATC, that i don't have yet, could just as easily change in the front of the machine. a front change ATC could be fun to watch.

the dust hose could just hang from suspension springs and a travel track to take up slack. 4" hose, flexible (dryer hose?) and the rest of the hose could be hard-line to reduce vacuum loss.