Thread: a vaccum cyclone WIP

Im watching. post as many photos as posible - as it is small scale im will be intersted in the performance of he unit.

The above design I started to put together....but I changed it, I decided to make the outlet area equal the inlet area which meant a larger inlet, same width but with increased hieght, this means air velocity in should be equal air velocity out, (should) but losses occour but we wont go down that path....

so a few more pics,
I redrew the triangle, the length of the bottom equals the circumference around the outlet, the rough blue line equals the hieght of inlet and the short side of the right triangle should equal the length of the inlet when cut at the angle
paper pitch triangle.jpg

I then wrap the triangle around the outlet, the short side on center and the pointy bit should meet up with the 90° corner, draw a line on the outlet down the long side of the triangle, the air ramp should follow this line or as close as possible, if when fitting the ramp and your hole is too small the ramp will be above the line and if too big the ramp will be below the line
paper pitch triangle wrapped around outlet.jpgair ramp following pitch line.jpgside view air ramp.jpg

and the inlet
inlet.jpg

Once the ramp follows the line I attached the inlet, I used pop rivets, anywhere there is air flow I tried to use the flat side and additionally I lightly hammered them flat, also I extended the lower end of the ramp past the inlet, this gives a smoother transition under the inlet for when the incoming air meets the air that has done 1 (and a bit) turn, also it means that the ramp is held in position and heaps easier to fit to the cyclone top
side view inlet ramp outlet.jpginlet and ramp1.jpginlet and ramp.jpgAttachment 158559

With the ramp attached to the inlet top and btm I fitted the inlet/ramp to the top section of the cyclone, I cut the outside diameter of the ramp full, rather have some to trim off than be too loose, also it's far easier to trim the outside than the inside
top view inlet cyclone.jpgclose up inlet ramp cyclone.jpgAttachment 158560top view inlet ramp outline cyclone.jpg


Pete

Continuing with the cyclone WIP

I formed (just used a hammer) a small flare on the btm of the outlet to aid in smooth air flow into the outlet
Attachment 158730

With the ramp fitted to the outlet and the cyclone top I folded some 90° tabs to pop rivet it all together and I sealed it all up with silastic.
Attachment 158728Attachment 158729

Next I folded up the cone
Attachment 158731Attachment 158732Attachment 158733

I decided to attach the cone and cyclone top to each other with a flange and clamp, I can separate the two quite easily if ever I need to, I start the flange on the cone with the vise grips and fold a little at a time while working my way around the cone, finishing by hammering on the edge of the bench
Attachment 158734Attachment 158735Attachment 158736


Pete

For the dust collection I used a 20litre drum with a lever lock lid (paint drum), there was a mounting flange on the leg (now my outlet pipe) of the ex dusty stand, I used this to weld to the btm of the cone and then bolted the drum lid to the flange.
Attachment 158842Attachment 158840

and with it all hooked up to the saw
Attachment 158843Attachment 158846

and the all important question, Does it work?
Attachment 158844
Must be quite a swirl going on in there cos the dust piles up around the edges down to nothing at the btm of the drum
This amount would have previously had the bag 3/4 full and the suck at the saw would have dropped off quite noticably

I took the outlet connection off and there is a very fine powder on the walls of the outlet, the oulet is a toilet pan to cistern pipe rubber connector, this and some silastic is all I had to buy, the vaccums and hoses are from $5 auction pickups
Attachment 158847Attachment 158845

This one should be in the previous post, just the btm side of the cyclone top all riveted and sealed up.
Attachment 158841

I hope this helps anyone who wants to build one, mine certainly seems to work!


Pete

Many thanks for putting up your WIP, i have been looking at building one that i can move ftom router, curular saw, sander and also be used to clean up the shop, i have downloaded the directions on Bill's site, but i dont need it that big. did you get much dust through to the vac.

No worries Opel,
there will be some getting thru to the vac but this will only be very fine stuff as per the oulet pic, as far as quantity hard to say at this point but I reckon it will take 10 or more 20 litre buckets to one vac bag hopefully more, don't know, the vac bag is still flat,


Pete