Dust Separator Design (Low tech garbage can)

[Bill Stock]

I've got a 1 hp blower that's constantly clogging up with sawdust. So I want to build a dust separator to see if this will solve my problem. Although I suspect the blower is too small.

I've seen the Lee Valley lids, but can't get over the price for a piece of plastic. I'm also not sure that it's the best design.

I'm going to make the lid out of mdf with a groove to fit over the lid of the garbage can. But I'm thinking that the output should be a pipe down the center of the can and not another elbow on the opposite side of the lid? I also thought that I should put wings (baffle) on each side of the center pipe to force the airflow to the outside of the can. The center pipe would look something like this --O-- (Top view). I'm not sure if the baffle should be a triangle, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom to force the air more to the outside (upside down cyclone). I guess a spiral would be even better, but a tad to much work for my experiment. How about an upside down cone, with the pipe in the middle?

Perhaps someone with more knowledge/experience could explain the error/air of my ways.

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

I have a lid from Woodcraft, I have no idea what brand it is. I paid $30 for it. My lid has actual ABS pipe fittings, some lids have simple holes for the hose. I find the first version to be superior, as it's much easier to attach and seal the hoses.

FWIW, I could have made my own for about $15, including fittings. I think spending the $15 was worth it, but if you're looking for an engineering challenge, it may not be to you.

Mine works great, I saved my box and receipt for a week until I was sure I liked it. If I had any lack of confidence in it, I would have returned it.

Barry

[Traves W. Coppock]

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 17:00:12 GMT, "Bill Stock" Crawled out of the shop and said. . .:

i built one of these for my shopvac that i use with the planer.total cost? about 5$ works like a charm and allows very little of the dust/chips to get to the vac itself.

i'll snap a few pics and post to ABPW

Traves

[Bay Area Dave]

you are making this whole thing way too complicated, Bill. The manufactured plastic DC separator lids work fine and they don't use all that baffling stuff you are considering. Make it easy on yourself--air in one side of the top and outlet at the other side. Mine works like a champ--a purchased plastic lid...

dave

Bill Stock wrote:

[Steve Kreitler]

I made mine out of a large cardboard barrel. I made a top out of layers of

1/4 ply (with the middle layer protruding to fit into the locking ring), made an adapter for the side (several layers of 3/4 ply scrollsaw cut to fit around a 4" plastic hose splice, bandsawn to fit the curve of the barrel and glued/screwed inside and out), and another adapter in the top for a 4" plastic elbow, to which I attached the bag from my dust collector. I then cut a piece of 1/4 ply about a foot square and fastened that to the bottom of the lid about six inches in from the inlet so that incoming chips would hit it and fall straight down. Casters on the bottom, and it works like a charm. Didn't cost me a penny, as I scavenged the barrel and all the wood. Okay, maybe a buck for screws.

Steve

[Bill Stock]

Thanks for the replies guys. Interesting design Steve.

I'm a little cramped for space, so I was considering taking the wheels of my blower and laying it flat on top of my barrel. This would make the barrel outlet the inlet for the blower. I'd need to cut a hole in the side of the barrel for the input (ala Steve), since the blower would cover the top of the barrel. This would eliminate the need for a flex pipe between the blower to the separator. I'm hoping to eliminate as much resistance as possible, since I've only got 1 HP to work with. I already bought a new bag to replace the small bag that came with my blower. Just need to build a hanger/barrel for it.

BTW, Does anyone know of a source for those cardboard/fiber barrels in the Toronto area?

[Bill Stock]

Damn!

I just realized that they already make this exact same contraption!

It's called a JET 650TS. Blower glued to top of G can, with out to a filter. The Road Runner does it again.

W. Coyote.

[Frank K.]

Check moving companies for fiber drums.