Thread: my cyclone build

Thought I'd mention...

Noise is remarkably low. much less than my 12" chop saw. Haven't got a dB meter but I believe it is quieter now than when it was running with the bags (i.e. stock form).

Suction is scary. I have not hooked up a meter yet (way down the build list. SWMBO is getting impatient for her bathroom cabinet and coffee table) but using the metric of 'throw stuff at it' it performs very well.

Can I ask 1 question pls?.

What is overall height from bottom of the cone to the top of engine cowl?

Just wondering if it would fit above a wheelie bin (1100) and still inside the apex of my roof height at the pitch is all?

Inspirational build by the way!

Cheers!

I would remove the whirly bird as it will produce a significant back resistance to the flow. It might seem like it makes no difference but the 400 km/hr look doesn't come out of thin air.
Just bend the 12" ducting enough so that rain cannot get into it. A 180º bend in a 12" duct won't have much resistance.

Originally Posted by Timless Timber

Can I ask 1 question pls?.

What is overall height from bottom of the cone to the top of engine cowl?

Just wondering if it would fit above a wheelie bin (1100) and still inside the apex of my roof height at the pitch is all?

Inspirational build by the way!

Cheers!

It is 2050 from bottom of cone to top of motor but the cooling fan needs room to breath too. I gave it 100mm.

Originally Posted by BobL

I would remove the whirly bird as it will produce a significant back resistance to the flow. It might seem like it makes no difference but the 400 km/hr look doesn't come out of thin air.
Just bend the 12" ducting enough so that rain cannot get into it. A 180º bend in a 12" duct won't have much resistance.

Thanks bob. I have looked at heaps of ways of doing it and frankly the whirly bird was the cheapest. I was looking at a chinamans hat but they are 4 times dearer. I don't know how to bend solid 12" duct and can't find any flex aluminum duct. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Originally Posted by C0000005

Thanks bob. I have looked at heaps of ways of doing it and frankly the whirly bird was the cheapest. I was looking at a chinamans hat but they are 4 times dearer. I don't know how to bend solid 12" duct and can't find any flex aluminum duct. Any suggestions would be welcome.

I'm referring to the same foil ducting you use to for the exhaust.

Originally Posted by C0000005

The dust chute is just into a timber box with a container in it. I find the dust tends to get blown all around this box though (outside the container) so some rethink is needed.

Here's a pic of the way the dust in my collection box builds up

volcano shape.jpg
A volcano shape, the front fell off when I opened the door, the door has a clear window, I can see the dust exiting at an angle and spinning as a result of the rotation, with your collection box an idea might be to slow or stop this rotation at the btm of the cone/box intersection so the dust falls with less disturbance, I'd try some straight pieces of sheet across the hole or some short pieces up into the cylinder, might be some trial an error to get the right configuration, not sure if it might be detrimental to the overall speed of the rotation within the cylinder/cone tho.

Alternatively maybe a seal (foam?) around the top of the box, I want to do something like this for when I make a separate box which will then go into the main box, (currently I empty it by shovelling it out) when I make the insert box I will make the seal arrangement with a taper so that the mating faces only come together as it is pushed home, that's the idea anyways.

Good looking cyclone too



Pete

Originally Posted by C0000005

It is 2050 from bottom of cone to top of motor but the cooling fan needs room to breath too. I gave it 100mm.

Bewdy - it's damn close...

The wheelie bins a fraction under 1100 from memory.. + 2050 = 3150!

I have exactly 3150mm from floor to the underside of my 2 ridge purlons, at the back gable wall and maybe another say 60mm to the underside of the insulation air cell and wire mesh... for breathing room.

IF I were to place it Inside at that point.... there's a slight chance I might just squeeze it in... If I make a flat alloy lid fitting that clamps to the top of the wheelie bin - (fold the plastic lid down out the way before putting it under the cone) I might crib another 50mm maybe.... perhaps smaller dia wheels on the wheelie bin for another 25mm or so...

It MIGHT just shoe horn in there...

I see a cunning plan forming.

One more question if I may (if it's not a secret), what do you reckon the materials to build the cyclone cost you all up roughly? Just comparing against buying a plastic clearvue cyclone already made. Not sure I possess the metal work skills (and patience) to duplicate your efforts is all - well not on my own anyway!.

Originally Posted by pjt

Here's a pic of the way the dust in my collection box builds up

volcano shape.jpg
A volcano shape, the front fell off when I opened the door, the door has a clear window, I can see the dust exiting at an angle and spinning as a result of the rotation, with your collection box an idea might be to slow or stop this rotation at the btm of the cone/box intersection so the dust falls with less disturbance, I'd try some straight pieces of sheet across the hole or some short pieces up into the cylinder, might be some trial an error to get the right configuration, not sure if it might be detrimental to the overall speed of the rotation within the cylinder/cone tho.

Alternatively maybe a seal (foam?) around the top of the box, I want to do something like this for when I make a separate box which will then go into the main box, (currently I empty it by shovelling it out) when I make the insert box I will make the seal arrangement with a taper so that the mating faces only come together as it is pushed home, that's the idea anyways.

Good looking cyclone too



Pete

Thanks Pete I suspected it might be getting flung around. Next time you empty the bin do you think you could get a photo or video of the dust entering the bin?

Karl

Originally Posted by Timless Timber

One more question if I may (if it's not a secret), what do you reckon the materials to build the cyclone cost you all up roughly? Just comparing against buying a plastic clearvue cyclone already made. Not sure I possess the metal work skills (and patience) to duplicate your efforts is all - well not on my own anyway!.

The woodfast dusty was $820 plus freight
2x 2400x1200 .55mm zinc sheet @ $57ea
2x sheets of chipboard/mdf that I got for $10ea
2 tubes of uri @ $18ea
Box of rivets $6
4x 3000x70x35 about $30
plus some odds and sods

So all up $206 cyclone plus $820 dusty.

This is the first thing I've made out of sheet metal. It was quite intimidating to start with but it really did go together without any major dramas.

Cheers
Karl

Thanks Karl,

A little over $200 is damn good, for such a lovely result, that you have achieved!.

Originally Posted by Timless Timber

Thanks Karl,

A little over $200 is damn good, for such a lovely result, that you have achieved!.

Thanks. Just don't look too close

Originally Posted by C0000005

Thanks Pete I suspected it might be getting flung around. Next time you empty the bin do you think you could get a photo or video of the dust entering the bin?

Karl

This is a vid I did a while back mainly to get an idea of how much noise the DC made, I edited it to about a minute (was about 6mins long) at the start of planing some pieces, the movement you see is the perspex door flexing, the camera is placed about a metre below and directly under the exhaust, the bin is nearly empty here so the view is of the btm of the bin, a view of the dust exiting the short straight section would be interesting.

dust falling into bin start 0001 - YouTube


Pete

Surprising,

I had sort of expected the dust would be traveling faster and swirling around a lot more, having gone thru the cyclone!.

Encouraging!.