Thread: Mini Cyclone WIP

Originally Posted by Bob38S

Looks really good - unless necessary I tend to avoid metalwork as I have not been that keen on it in the past and getting older I bleed easily, but you make it look fairly easy.

Thanks for sharing,
Bob

Thanks Bob.

Originally Posted by Al B

Once I finished soldering all the pieces I cut and bent up the tabs along the opening on the upper cylinder to be able to fit the inlet pipe. I also swaged up a flange on both cone and the upper cylinder so that I could join the two together.
The inlet pipe was slid into position and soldered.

Hi Al

Very nice work and getting me inspired to make one.

What is the tool you used to put the flange on the cone and upper cylinder? Where can it be purchased and about what should I expect to pay?

Thanks

Originally Posted by hitch

Hi Al

Very nice work and getting me inspired to make one.

What is the tool you used to put the flange on the cone and upper cylinder? Where can it be purchased and about what should I expect to pay?

Thanks

Thanks Hitch

It's called a SWAGE AND JENNY
I bought mine from Ebay,
Here is one on Ebay which is similar to mine and is starting at $250
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=270336170570

Hare & Forbes also sell them
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...tockCode=S640#

.

Originally Posted by hitch

Hi Al

Very nice work and getting me inspired to make one.

What is the tool you used to put the flange on the cone and upper cylinder? Where can it be purchased and about what should I expect to pay?

Thanks

.......and how would you attach the two pieces if you didn't have one?

Ben.

Ben There are lots of ways to attach the cone and upper cylinder,

One way you could do it would be to scribe a mark a 6mm (1/4") up from the edge , all the way around for the cone and the upper cylinder and then make some cuts to the line approx 6mm apart all the way around the edge and with pliers bend the tabs 90 deg to form a flange. Then you can solder the two flanges together.

If you look at the photos in #5 & #6 of this thread it sort of gives you an idea of what Im trying to explain.

Originally Posted by Al B

Thanks Hitch

It's called a SWAGE AND JENNY
I bought mine from Ebay,
Here is one on Ebay which is similar to mine and is starting at $250
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....m=270336170570

Hare & Forbes also sell them
https://www.machineryhouse.com.au/Pr...tockCode=S640#

.

Thanks Al

Very convenient but certainly adds significantly to the cost of a one off job - perhaps two!

Will investigate alternate methods and perhaps the second hand market before deciding.

Anyone got a Swage & Jenny that they would be willing to sell??

Al, just found out that 26g is 0.4mm, thats pretty thin! I guess that would make it easy to work, you sure that thing won't scrunch it's self into a little ball?
My shop vac is actualy a reco'd ducted vacuum unit which pulls around 100in/water, I'm slightly concerned that my cyclone may turn into a ball.
Would I make my life much harder if I went up to .55mm or .75mm?

Obvioulsy I'm not used to working in metal.

Ben.

Al (or anyone else)

Correct me if I'm reading this and other threads (and Bill Pentz's site) incorrectly, but it seems to me that we have cyclone design for 2hp and above and for shopvacs, but nothing to use instead of a separator top for a 1hp dusty.

If there isn't, I was thinking of adapting the Sturdee adaptation of the Triton bucket to make a separator to put just before a 1 hp Carbatec dusty that would be a bit more sophisticated and cyclonic than the separator lid.

Or am I wrong and there is already something that will be a bit more helpful for this power range already, based on the mini/shopvac cyclone?

Jeremy, it's my understanding that Bill considers that a 1hp doesn't have enough oomph to do job properly, which is why his spreadsheet won't allow it.
BUT, if that's what you've got, and you want to get the most out of it, I'd still go with a cyclone and perhaps just use the 1.5hp figures given on the spread sheet.

If you look at how the cyclone sizing goes you'll see that lower hp units are connected to larger dia' cyclones, so I think the bucket cyclone is best for shop vacs.

If you don't tell the cyclone it's hooked up to a 1hp, it might do an OK job anyway.

Ben.

Originally Posted by Ben from Vic.

Al, just found out that 26g is 0.4mm, thats pretty thin! I guess that would make it easy to work, you sure that thing won't scrunch it's self into a little ball?
My shop vac is actualy a reco'd ducted vacuum unit which pulls around 100in/water, I'm slightly concerned that my cyclone may turn into a ball.
Would I make my life much harder if I went up to .55mm or .75mm?

Obvioulsy I'm not used to working in metal.

Ben.

Ben
I am confident that the 26g for the mini cyclone will be strong enough. I found that once the air ramp is attached to the upper cylinder it adds alot of strength.
For the large cyclone I wouldn't go any lighter 24g.

I think you will find that the thicker the sheetmetal the harder it will be to work (smaller diameter stuff).

Thanks for suffering through my questions Al, I hadn't thought about the air ramp adding strength.
As you've said it sure would make working it into shape easier.
Since my original question I've remembered that my brother recently purchased a toothed metal cutting wheel for his 125mm grinder and Horizontal/Vertical metal bandsaw, which may also be enlisted.

As for the joining the cyclinder to the cone I'll probably get some of that small rubber edge channel to cover the sharp, unpleasent looking tabs.


Thanks again for all the help,

Ben.

Originally Posted by Ben from Vic.

Jeremy, it's my understanding that Bill considers that a 1hp doesn't have enough oomph to do job properly, which is why his spreadsheet won't allow it.
BUT, if that's what you've got, and you want to get the most out of it, I'd still go with a cyclone and perhaps just use the 1.5hp figures given on the spread sheet.

If you look at how the cyclone sizing goes you'll see that lower hp units are connected to larger dia' cyclones, so I think the bucket cyclone is best for shop vacs.

If you don't tell the cyclone it's hooked up to a 1hp, it might do an OK job anyway.

Ben.

Thanks, Ben. I think that's what I will do.

Originally Posted by Al B

The (Large Cyclone) Diameter of the upper cylinder was 560mm and the combined length of the upper cylinder and cone was approx 1600mm.
I used the blower and motor from my old 2HP dusty.(CT-2042)
For the large cyclone I used 24 gauge gal sheets

Here is a link for the larger cyclone.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f65/wip-cyclone-31169

Al B many thanks for the link, I read it from end to end. WOW, I particularly liked the posts from Bill. That must have made you feel good. Well deserved. I have devoured Bill's site many times over the years.

Like you, I have put off making the large unit, mainly because I wanted to source a suitable blower first. So I am interested to see that you used the CT-2042. If memory serves Bill suggests using a large diam. fan. ( 14" ?)
What size is the CT-2042 and do you think it suitable or would you buy something different ??( if you did it again)
I would prefer to use a 2hp unit ( at the risk of not being totally 'ideal' ) as I don't want to run a 3hp cyclone to suck dust from a wood lathe ( for example) if a 2hp and other gear ( air powered helmet, which I use) can suffice.
Also, after building the small cyclone, I am wondering if a group of these could be used together ( for some purpose in the workshop) 'similar' to the Dyson vacuum units. I guess that is a question for Bill.

I look forward your reply.