Help making a dust collector

lightnin · Post by **lightnin** » Wed May 16, 2012 6:29 pm

When I get my Mk V together I think a good first project would be a dust collector.
I watched some videos on the web and have been thinking of different ways to go on this.

For the vortex funnel thingy I first thought Plexiglas and resin then tin then I thought of
(and I think it was a clever idea) a big orange highway cone.
But.... I really want to go with wood so now I'm thinking through the process for different
ways to make one. First assemble wood rings kinda like ringmaster bowels or second,
taper and miter slats kinda like making a barrel. ether way it would end up being smoothed
out on the lathe.

Next comes .. Is there a preferred slope/angle/taper to the vortex?
Seems like the air flow speed would effect the optimum angle
so with like a 5-6 horse shop vac (is what I'll probably pick up for this)
is there a preferred taper?

I only have a vague idea in my head.. at the top oh say about 14" ID
at the bottom around 4" ID and all maybe 20" tall

And last comes the dust bin I'll call it. I haven't seen one I liked yet.
The worse ones you place a plastic bag on and attempt keep them in place as the load
continues to increase and hope you don't rip or puncture it ever.
The better ones you must lift the entire contraption off of a garbage can or bucket.

I'm thinking of a box with a door and rubber seal perhaps surgical tubing to seal it and a
couple latches to hold it tight. In there put a garbage can with a bag in it.

I have never even used a dust collector before so I am hoping the voices of experience
to input on this before I progress to far in the planing.

Thanx for any help you can give

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed May 16, 2012 7:06 pm

lightnin wrote:When I get my Mk V together I think a good first project would be a dust collector.
I watched some videos on the web and have been thinking of different ways to go on this.

For the vortex funnel thingy I first thought Plexiglas and resin then tin then I thought of
(and I think it was a clever idea) a big orange highway cone.
But.... I really want to go with wood so now I'm thinking through the process for different
ways to make one. First assemble wood rings kinda like ringmaster bowels or second,
taper and miter slats kinda like making a barrel. ether way it would end up being smoothed
out on the lathe.

Next comes .. Is there a preferred slope/angle/taper to the vortex?
Seems like the air flow speed would effect the optimum angle
so with like a 5-6 horse shop vac (is what I'll probably pick up for this)
is there a preferred taper?

I only have a vague idea in my head.. at the top oh say about 14" ID
at the bottom around 4" ID and all maybe 20" tall

And last comes the dust bin I'll call it. I haven't seen one I liked yet.
The worse ones you place a plastic bag on and attempt keep them in place as the load
continues to increase and hope you don't rip or puncture it ever.
The better ones you must lift the entire contraption off of a garbage can or bucket.

I'm thinking of a box with a door and rubber seal perhaps surgical tubing to seal it and a
couple latches to hold it tight. In there put a garbage can with a bag in it.

I have never even used a dust collector before so I am hoping the voices of experience
to input on this before I progress to far in the planing.

Thanx for any help you can give

Start Here - http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/DCBasics.cfm

Scroll down

derekdarling · Post by **derekdarling** » Wed May 16, 2012 11:30 pm

I'm thinking that if you could cooper a vortex (yes, I said 'cooper', look it up, and then give thanks for many generation sof whiskey, rum and assorted beer makers and drinkers), you could make conga drums, djembes and the like, and have a nice little side business with the local musicians in your area.

Derek

2bits · Post by **2bits** » Thu May 17, 2012 12:13 am

Just to give you some ideas on fashioning the vortex from wood, pick up a copy of Foxfire3 from Anchor press/ Doubleday. The chapter on butter churns may be of interest.

themox · Post by **themox** » Thu May 17, 2012 6:54 am

Another route to go is with a Thien separator. It is pretty easy to fabricate and requires no cyclone. I have made one from a brute 20 gallon trash can and some scrap MDF. I used PVC fitting from the local big box store and some rubber transitions. It work well and is nor very tall.

http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm

Many good ideas can also be found in the associated forum.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Thu May 17, 2012 9:38 am

Why not just purchase the DC3300 and be done with it?

BPR

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu May 17, 2012 11:08 am

ryanbp01 wrote:Why not just purchase the DC3300 and be done with it?

BPR

He still would not have a 'Cyclone' separator.

I use a Dust Deputy with my DC3300!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu May 17, 2012 11:29 am

JPG40504 wrote:He still would not have a 'Cyclone' separator.

I use a Dust Deputy with my DC3300!

Why?

Does nothing go into the DC3300 dust bag while everything goes into the Dust Deputy?

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu May 17, 2012 11:59 am

dusty wrote:Why?

Does nothing go into the DC3300 dust bag while everything goes into the Dust Deputy?

Pretty much so!

The DD separates the big stuff and the fine stuff goes to the filter bag. Hardly any goes to the bottom bag.

I detest changing the DC bag.*

The DD is mounted on top of a defunct shopvac barrel and is very easy to empty.

However, I have only fairly recently started using this combination, so the experience is somewhat limited, but so far I really really like it.

It keeps up with the jointer and the planer(I have the older planer chute so it misses a lot there).

I plug the two side DC inlets and use the lower center inlet only with a 10' hose to the DD and a 20' hose to the dust creator all 2 1/2".

* If only all that 'stuff' would not settle on the top of the blower parts and drop down after removing the full bag and while wrestling with the bag and bag clamp(the upmteenth time!:mad:)!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu May 17, 2012 12:32 pm

JPG40504 wrote:Pretty much so!

The DD separates the big stuff and the fine stuff goes to the filter bag. Hardly any goes to the bottom bag.

I detest changing the DC bag.* I can relate to this statement. When doing this is about the only time I wear a mask. If this exposure to fine dust could be eliminated, it would be a great improvement.

The DD is mounted on top of a defunct shopvac barrel and is very easy to empty.

However, I have only fairly recently started using this combination, so the experience is somewhat limited, but so far I really really like it.

It keeps up with the jointer and the planer(I have the older planer chute so it misses a lot there). So are you saying that all of the heavier debris, like chips off the jointer, go to the Dust Deputy barrel and only the fine dust goes to the DC3300?

I plug the two side DC inlets and use the lower center inlet only with a 10' hose to the DD and a 20' hose to the dust creator all 2 1/2". I would have to deviate here because I use one side hose to the router table and the other side hose to the belt sander.

* If only all that 'stuff' would not settle on the top of the blower parts and drop down after removing the full bag and while wrestling with the bag and bag clamp(the upmteenth time!:mad:)! Again, I agree. I lay the dust collector down and manhandle the bag to get the dust off the top of the DC3300. This procedure is not absolute but it helps.

In addition to the DC3300, I have a 4hp, 10 gallon ShopVac. I use this a lot just as a vacuum but this thread got me to thinking about adding a Dust Deputy type interface to the Shop Vac. The down side of the Shop Vac, for me, has been the degree to which the filter plugs up (especially when using MDF).

However, if I read all of this correctly, the Dust Deputy would do nothing to improve that situation because the fine dust will still end up in the Dust Deputy barrel via the filter.

I found out the hard and embarrassing way, a couple weeks ago, that I cannot leave out the filter. When I did that, the fine dust just got expelled out into the shop.

The BEST SOLUTION is - don't use MDF or cut it way out back amongst the cactus and don't breathe while cutting:rolleyes:.