Thread: Dust Extraction - Cyclone

Wall Saw Top

Wall Saw Sheet Storage.

Ken,

Regarding Static Elec. - Nothing. I have read and read and read about it and from all that I decided to do nothing. The only thing that may happen is I might get a zap from the PVC. What WONT happen is the dust will explode or catch fire due to static. The dangers of dust catching fire are in the bin due to spontaneous combustion and that is generally only if some moisture is present (ie. turning wet wood) or a piece of metal (which strikes the impeller causing a spark) or a cig butt getting sucked up. So, empty the bins/bags regularly. This goes for your Bag unit as well. Actually, it goes more so as a metal strike is more likely with Bag units as the Dust/crap goes through the impeller first. Note that it is not very likely to happen but can.

Anyway, I'm of to bed as well. Thanks for the complements - I'll have to squeeze my big head into bed now.

Cheers,

Wayne,

Thanks for the tour of your workshop and new cyclone, I now know exactly what I want for my shop

I will be heading down to the $2 shop today to grad a couple of the breadboards, very smart idea, I'll make the drill bit holder out of the same thing.

Thanks

Sarge,

No worries - thanks for the interest. Those breadboards come in handy for lots of things. Draw Slides are another good one.

My shop is small as it is under the house and lacks headroom for one thing. If I could just convince SHMBO that the laundry tubs and Washing machine could live outside, I would have a lot more room Dont think that is gunna happen anytime soon.

One day I'll build a proper shed down the back yard - Come on Lotto

In the mean time feel free to come to Mexico and practice on mine
It look smaller than under your house but I'm willing for you to fit it out for me, generous aren't I

Yes, very generous LOL

So, what have you got for a shop?

A car and a half carport that I have (had) boxed in and wired.
I fitted it with no idea what I would want or need and was just having fun building benches and shelves .
Now I look at it and think it is a perfect example of what an apprentice amature hack would build .
But I'm not too good with the tools yet and I'm still learning at a great rate. The layout and tools aren't restricting me so it seems silly to start up grading until they are.
The main problem is dust.
I have a triton bucket (boo! hiss!) and we know how useful those are . Having rollerdoors at both ends of the shed helps but I still sneeze black snot at the end of a shed session. (sorry about the imagry)
My main consern is upgrading to soon to something that will be inadequate in the near future and yet not getting sucked in (HA) to buying a 747 when all I need is a kite.
The main thing I lack I guess is experiance, which I will get, oh, and patience which I can't get quick enough.

Dave,

Save up and get a 2hp Twin Bag Dust Collector. These cost $340-$600 depending on brand/quality and nearly all of them have two 4 inch inlet ports. (they all look like this one http://svc010.bne011i.server-web.com....html?cache=no)

I bought a cheap one from Hare and Forbes ($330 on sale) and used the motor/blower for the Cyclone. You don't have to build a Cyclone initially as the Bag unit will work Ok for your setup. If you build a Cyclone in the future, you will already have the blower/motor for it which is the costliest part.

Cheers,

Wayne,

With just too many questions about the detailed building steps, I added more to my pages with very detailed instructions:


Take a look here and let me know if these would have helped: Cyclone Building Instructions I know, a day late and dollar short.

Also, most are now building their own blower rather than buying a large dust collector. My Budget Blower page is getting a lot of people who are building their own dust collectors as well as their own cyclones. These plans, a motor, and an impeller will let you build a much stronger blower for about 2/3 the cost of a dust collector.

Well done on your unit. Looks very similar to Steve Cilca's that I have a link to on my page and is also being displayed as a new article on the Wood Central Forums.

*smile*

bill

Bill

Your site just keeps getting better by the day.

Pictures are great.

I was very keen to build my own blower after checking your site however; building your own blower is a bit more of challenge in Oz than in the US I believe.

I sent many emails to many different manufactures and retailers in Oz regarding the impeller or air foil, finally found one that may fit the bill but they where not really interested in retail.

Also the electric motor was not easy to source, once again I sent numerous emails to retailers and manufacturers and could not find anything competitive.

Maybe that was just me and my lack of expertise in this area.

But I can buy a 3hp dust extractor for $499 or 2hp for $369.

Pull the blower off and whack it on the cyclone, after the warranty is up maybe a few modifications are possible.

As Wayne mentioned in previous posts that he spent many weeks searching for the motor and impeller, himself.

I think I agree with Wayne and simply go with the dust extractor idea for the blower.

I have no doubts your blower design would be superior.

Cheers

Pulpo

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the comments on my Cyclone - I'm (slowly) doing up a web site with my experiences building one. I'll email you a link in a month or two (to many things to do with little ones in the house).

Have to agree with Pulpo, buying the bits in Oz and building a Blower just does not add up. I know that your designed Blowers are way better but it would cost about $200 MORE than buying a 2hp D/C and using its blower. I, like pulpo, rang/emailed/dropped in to heaps of places for motors and impellers and either the prices were way out there or they were not interested in a one of problamatic order. So, buying a D/C it was.

Cheers,

Wayne

G'Day Team,
I'm preparing a brief as part of a workplace course I am undertaking and, since we are both woodworkers, my boss has kindly let me do it on the cyclone system of dust extraction rather than something work related.
So I have been very happily surfing the forum and other sites during work time learning as much as I can about the system!!
I have a question for you gurus who have already built your cyclone.

How do you empty and clean the collector bin and filter without surrounding yourself in a cloud of the very dust you are trying to avoid? I haven't been able to find an answer to this one as yet.

Thanks

Pat

For the dust bin, I just unlatch the lid, and dump the barrel in the trash. For the filters I have a little cleanout on the bottom that fits a 4" hose. I snake a 30' hose off of that cleanout to outside well away from my shop, turn on the cyclone, and spray down the outside of the filter with about 45 PSI of air. Going over 60 PSI can hurt the filter. Below is a copy of Dizzy's similar cleanout that I copied.

bill