Are all cyclone lids made the same?

[Peter Bogiatzidis]

Hello,

Any feedback from the group as to the design quality of cyclone lids?

In looking at them in the past, it did seem like there were some, albeit, subtle differences in their design. How would a HF lid compare to one bought from one of the 'usual suspect' woodworking stores such as LV or WC?

I'm only in the planning stages and have been reading the info from website links about dust collection that I've found here.

Thanks in advance to those who reply to the group.

Peter.

[RayV]

Make your own!

I just mounted a dryer elbow under the lid of a trash can and put the outlet hole *behind* the elbow. Probably not extremely efficient as far as air flow but it really separates the wheat from the chaff.

____out ____ in ____ |___

H

[Chris Friesen]

You're actually better off putting the outlet hole dead center. With the outlet behind the elbow you can get a single "loop" of air from the inlet to the outlet.

Chris

[Phisherman]

The most important aspect of a cyclone lid is leakage. To get a cyclone accept port positioned exactly right is a science, and it depends on airflow, the shape, and the weight of the material being moved. If the cyclone is removing 90% or more of the dust/chips, it is doing a decent job. I constructed my cyclone lid from parts available at the BORG and used a galvanized garbage can. I used weather stripping around the rim to get a good seal. Later, I cut a plexi window in the can to see when it is time to empty it.

[Wood Butcher]

I have this one

and seals very well to the trash can. Hoses attach securely and don't leak. Paid $20 for it at the woodworking show.

Cons: The intake elbow has a serious reduction in ID at the midpoint which causes a large airflow reduction. The exhaust port location allows some debris to escape. This would have been better located in the center IMHO. The hoses are attached vertically. This makes for additional bends in the hose in order to get to floor level machine connections.

Fixes: I removed the molded elbow and replaced it with an adjustable 4" dryer duct elbow from HD. This greatly improved the airflow.

If I had it to do all over again I think I'd go for the Lee Valley lid.

[Toller]

Odds are the restriction was deliberate to increase the air velocity just before it hit the can and slowed down. It is the change in speed that causes the airflow to drop the debris.

I have one of these

separates well; nothing but fine dust makes it past, and not much of that. However there are too many places for air to leak. Some day I have to work on that.

[Wood Butcher]

The separation was quite good and about the same with either elbow,

95%+ by volume, up until the can is about half full.

Art