Project Information
This is the build of a dust separator. I needed something to pull the dust away from power tools that had a 2" or smaller hose attachment. My 1.5 hp, 6" hose double chamber vacumn didn't pull enough suction when necked down to the smaller diameters.
I had downloaded the Bill Pentz spreadsheet that generates dimensions for building your own to his design, but my skill with metal aren't adequete. Was thinking about the Clearvue design that fits on a Rigid shop vac, but the particular model wasn't available in my local store. Local metal shop quoted $250 to make me a mini Pentz and the Clearvue with shop vac was going to run $300.
The filter picture in this project shows 30 minutes of routing MDF before I built the dust separator. Being it was a finer dust, it caused it to go directly to the filter and stick. After this build, all of the MDF goes into the pail and the filter is still clean after 5 months. The air in the work shop is quite noticeably cleaner.
Being limited to six pictures, I chose the most basic steps. There were no plans for this, it is quite simple after you read the Phil Thein website and read his forum. My build was only one day and cost less than $25. There is a picture section at Phil's site that people have submitted of their builds. Essentially, a circular cyclone is created in the dust separator by the shop vac suction. the dust spins until it gets over the opening and falls to the bottom of the separator. Phil has the number of degrees and some other dimensions at his site.
I bought two plastic paint pails with lids from the blue store becauce of the flanges on the outside to stack them.
I then cut one of the pails and drilled a hole with forstner. To elongated it I with a dremel until the plumbing tube fit on an angle. The tube has to extend into the separator enough to go beyond the center.
A glue gun was used to attach the tube to the pail. I found later that pinholes were still in the joints and I had to use silicone caulk for a tight fit.
Then tracing the pail, I made the two baffles out of MDF. Then some plastic tubing to separate them and long bolts that went through the top of the pail. I used another circle of MDF on the top for strength.
From the electrical department I bought a round plastic box cover which I mounted center into the lid with the screws. Then using a larger forstner bit cut a hole to match the plastic tube. Again used the glue gun to mate the tube to box cover.
Final plumbing is to connect shop vac to tube pointing up from center and the tool to the tube pointing out the side.
After some use I found a small vacumn leak between the pails. So I went to the local hardware store and had an oring made of 3/8" rubber tubing. Also I am using three small bungee cords from the long bolts to the bottom of the lower pail for insurance. Actually once the shop vac is on you cannot separate the pails.
Hope this gives the idea and can help someone. Visit Phil's site at;
http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm
Steve.
I had downloaded the Bill Pentz spreadsheet that generates dimensions for building your own to his design, but my skill with metal aren't adequete. Was thinking about the Clearvue design that fits on a Rigid shop vac, but the particular model wasn't available in my local store. Local metal shop quoted $250 to make me a mini Pentz and the Clearvue with shop vac was going to run $300.
The filter picture in this project shows 30 minutes of routing MDF before I built the dust separator. Being it was a finer dust, it caused it to go directly to the filter and stick. After this build, all of the MDF goes into the pail and the filter is still clean after 5 months. The air in the work shop is quite noticeably cleaner.
Being limited to six pictures, I chose the most basic steps. There were no plans for this, it is quite simple after you read the Phil Thein website and read his forum. My build was only one day and cost less than $25. There is a picture section at Phil's site that people have submitted of their builds. Essentially, a circular cyclone is created in the dust separator by the shop vac suction. the dust spins until it gets over the opening and falls to the bottom of the separator. Phil has the number of degrees and some other dimensions at his site.
I bought two plastic paint pails with lids from the blue store becauce of the flanges on the outside to stack them.
I then cut one of the pails and drilled a hole with forstner. To elongated it I with a dremel until the plumbing tube fit on an angle. The tube has to extend into the separator enough to go beyond the center.
A glue gun was used to attach the tube to the pail. I found later that pinholes were still in the joints and I had to use silicone caulk for a tight fit.
Then tracing the pail, I made the two baffles out of MDF. Then some plastic tubing to separate them and long bolts that went through the top of the pail. I used another circle of MDF on the top for strength.
From the electrical department I bought a round plastic box cover which I mounted center into the lid with the screws. Then using a larger forstner bit cut a hole to match the plastic tube. Again used the glue gun to mate the tube to box cover.
Final plumbing is to connect shop vac to tube pointing up from center and the tool to the tube pointing out the side.
After some use I found a small vacumn leak between the pails. So I went to the local hardware store and had an oring made of 3/8" rubber tubing. Also I am using three small bungee cords from the long bolts to the bottom of the lower pail for insurance. Actually once the shop vac is on you cannot separate the pails.
Hope this gives the idea and can help someone. Visit Phil's site at;
http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm
Steve.
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