ready for a quick shift tomorrow? i hope not for your sake, but yikes its going to be a nasty one, still look at the poor sods on east coast.
ready for a quick shift tomorrow? i hope not for your sake, but yikes its going to be a nasty one, still look at the poor sods on east coast.
Yeah, emergency evacuation bag is packed and ready to go. We used to stay and defend but nowadays we just do what we can beforehand and then leave early. We have had a lot more practice at this over here than those poor unprepared people on the east coast, but it looks like nowhere is going to spared from this now.
Interesting Subject.
Well NeilS, it can be done and being your own Boss, you can do it your way.
Mannum Men's Shed of which I am a member went through a similar exercise.
I researched the needs,(thanks BobL) costs, ways to get it done, hardest part was to convince the committee of the need to get a top quality system, finally after a visit to "revs" (forum member) for an inspection of a home built system, I was given the go ahead.
The shed bought the motor, blower and VFD from Clearvue, I chased up quotes to build the cyclone from a Port Adelaide works when Blue Mc. said his mate from WA was coming over to visit, being a top sheet metal man, could make the cyclone while having a spell.
Blue organised the use of machinery at Angaston, sat on the kitchen floor with his mate and drew up the plans for the cone, transition etc., needless to say a top job.
The cyclone was installed, 9" and 6" piping to the machines, I built 10 6" gates to BobL's design, then while I was away disaster struck, "experts" connected 4" flexi and 4" gates.(no opening up of machines)
I am still of battling to get the system back to the original design, after a year I have been able to remove an obstruction from the exit resulting in a gain of 1" water column.
Well done, Mannum!
We all need a mate to come visit us from WA...:)
I'm familiar with some of the exercise you went through with the cyclone at your Men's Shed.
When I built my original Cyclone (Pentz design) I made a duplicate for our local Men's Shed (at Aldgate) with the help of one of the other members. Got as far as running 6" ducting through the shed then went away for three months. When I got back back all of the machine with 4 and 5" ports were connected to the 6" ducting. I've done some retrofitting but it is a challenge to put a machine out of action while getting that done. I'm also our shed's saw doctor (our TC circular saw blades are in constant need of re-sharpening), so my time is more than taken up whenever I'm there.
The one smart thing I did with the ducting was buy up on 45° bends and junctions so that the crew at the Shed didn't go and buy a bunch of 90° bends and Ts to throttle the air flow while I was away. I know that Bob has measured the 'impedance' of the different bends and junction dimensions and reports that there isn't much in it, but I'm inclined to give a ducting system the optimum chance of flowing smoothly.
Interesting to see that you went with the Clearview fan unit and control. This option wasn't available to us ten or so years ago when we were building ours. At the time I got a quote for having a larger impeller manufactured here, or imported, and the price was astronomical. So, with having Clearview here that is one advantage we have now.
If I do go ahead with my second workshop I will definitely go with the Clearview fan unit and control even if I build, or get built, the cyclone here.
I am in the process of helping a Men's Shed build a system and my initial fear was their management committee system getting in the way but so far so good and they appear to just be grateful to listen to someone who can guide them in the right direction. I have dealt with others who take months to make up their minds about trivial matters of no consequence.
Bill Pentz's plan
Mannum used 24g. galv sheet steel.
I was quoted on 16g steel welded at Port Adelaide, that would have been solid,heavier.
It's not a big job when you have full size plans, access to folders, rollers, guillotines,as well a top craftsman who knows how to lay out a transition. rectangle to 9"round
I may not have made myself clear, I am not a member of any Men's Shed and if they choose to change it then it is no skin off my nose as I have no interest beyond helping. I have found the management style of Men's Sheds not to my liking but that is my problem not theirs as they seem to be doing ok.
The sheds I have provided dust extraction advice to have been a mixed bag.
One small mens shed has invited me back 3 times over 18 months to (re)discuss possibilities and they are still no further along than they were at the start. Recently I heard they obtained a commercial quote for a system than came to over $20k which gave them a bit of shock - I expect I might hear from them again soon but I may be too busy to assist this time.
Some sheds I visit once, or send me a draft DE plan by email to review, to which give my recommendations and never hear from them again so I don't really know what they have implemented.
Half a dozen other mens shed have had me over during which I have given them a set of detailed recommendations, left them to it and re-visited these shed to perform some actual dust testing.
Two of the sheds have done an excellent job on their systems and have happily referred other Sheds to view these. The others have set up mixed systems, only one shed has gone with mostly 100 mm ducting but they have very good ventilation so my dust detectors don't see much dust inside their sheds. From what I have seen few mens sheds are operating anywhere near an industrial type scale so rarely require that level of DE.
Sorry for the red herring, the thread is "Buy or Build a Cyclone", not Men's Sheds, they have different funding methods, some run themselves, others have a Shire/Council paid Supervisor.
Keith from Metaltorque in Perth along with Blue Mc. did a great job for Mannum Men's Shed.