Thread: The Tale of the Twenty Dollar Cyclone (not yet a saga, but we're working on it.)

Originally Posted by Bohdan

If you have the smallest leak in the container below the cyclone the fine dust will be picked up by the airflow the continue into the vac filter.

Thanks Bohdan, I'd not considered that - after all it's served for 25 years as a vacuum!

HOWEVER - that time has been spent with a fabric primary filter between the bucket and the lid. Now that you've drawn it to my attention, it wouldn't hurt to replace the seal AND, I've just got the ply down on the old compressed seal with no attention paid!

I'll replace the seals and check everything after the weekend!

Cheers,

P

Originally Posted by markharrison

I think my trolley took about 4 hours to make. Most of that was figuring where to put stuff. Cost me nothing except the cyclone and plumbing. Scrappy plywood from a machine that was delivered and bits of scrap wood. I even had the wheels left over from something else.

I've already got the trolley from the Jet unit, it would be seriously easy to build a second storey on it, but seriously difficult to get it under my bench then!

It is my plan of second-last resort though, after that will be give it all away to someone with more patience!

My SuperVac vents to outside BobL so if the filter is leaking, which I doubt, the exhaust is outside. All my vacs get a check over and any seals and filters replaced, if necessary, yearly - just a routine I’ve got into.

How thick is that ply/timber panel you've got the cyclone attached to? If you get a thin metal panel to attach it to and ditch the current one I'll bet all your problems will be solved.

Originally Posted by Lappa

My SuperVac vents to outside BobL so if the filter is leaking, which I doubt, the exhaust is outside. All my vacs get a check over and any seals and filters replaced, if necessary, yearly - just a routine I’ve got into.

Good move to check the seals, look for brown stains on or outside the seals that indicate leaks and wipe down the seals with a protectant.

Originally Posted by BobL

Good move to check the seals, look for brown stains on or outside the seals that indicate leaks and wipe down the seals with a protectant.

Originally Posted by BobL

wipe down the seals with a protectant.

What exactly would you use as a protectant for the uneducated?

I reckon Armor All would probably do the trick.

Originally Posted by DJ’s Timber

What exactly would you use as a protectant for the uneducated?

For harder/shiny rubber/plastic seals something like Armor-all usually works. I know some people think is rubbish but I have used it on our old house vac for 15 years and it has not damaged the seals.
For softer synthetic fridge seal rubber type seals a thin smear of vaseline works - this is what I use on my Ryobi W&D.
However, Vaseline should not be used on natural rubbers or neoprene seals.

If you are unsure a silicone spray will cover all bases BUT knowing what a no-no silicone is around a wood workshop and if you have a few things to protect then something like 303 Protector will cover all bases. You could of course apply the spray to a rag outside your shed - wipe the seals down and chuck the rag out and you should be OK.

If you want to use top of the Wazza try this.
https://www.repco.com.au/en/car-care...CABEgIgR_D_BwE

Originally Posted by aldav

How thick is that ply/timber panel you've got the cyclone attached to? If you get a thin metal panel to attach it to and ditch the current one I'll bet all your problems will be solved.

Thanks, it's 12mm - I'll put that on the list of things to do next and report back!

Originally Posted by aldav

How thick is that ply/timber panel you've got the cyclone attached to? If you get a thin metal panel to attach it to and ditch the current one I'll bet all your problems will be solved.

Why is that?

Originally Posted by DJ’s Timber

What exactly would you use as a protectant for the uneducated?

I had a recent tip from someone I know who worked for a lloonngg time in a car wash.... for door seals and windscreen wipers, use fresh car oil.

Apparently it has some seal rejuvenate magic in it. Makes everything looks shiny and fresh after its soaked in for a bit.

Doubly apparently (!!!) it works magic on the wipers to eliminate the s-c-r-e-e-e-e and judders....

Intriguing.

Originally Posted by Bohdan

If you have the smallest leak in the container below the cyclone the fine dust will be picked up by the airflow the continue into the vac filter.

Originally Posted by BobL

Yep - this is what I would be looking at.

Well I'm back, and having taped every joint including the lid with duct tape to make sure that there were no leaks, there was negligible difference in the performance, so I can say with some certainty, that it's not a leak.

Originally Posted by aldav

How thick is that ply/timber panel you've got the cyclone attached to? If you get a thin metal panel to attach it to and ditch the current one I'll bet all your problems will be solved.

20-12- 28 at 10-06-07.jpg

So now it's over to your suggestion @aldav! Presumably the angle on the bottom of the funnel is not accidental, and as the photo shows, the ply does hang below it by a few millimetres. The next step is to take the lazy way out and chamfer the cutout to give plenty of clearance around the fitting.

If that doesn't work, in the absence of a suitable piece of metal and the tools and skill to cut it, I'll try a bit of 3mm MDF.

Cheers,

P

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

20-12- 28 at 10-06-07.jpg

Presumably the angle on the bottom of the funnel is not accidental

Correct. And get rid of that nib of plastic on the edge of the outlet as well. The tube that you've extended into the cyclone inlet shouldn't have any deleterious impact on performance so you might as well leave it. It actually probably helps with preventing some dust from stalling in the top of the cone.