I still use my diy cyclone, and recently added fittings and adapters to my tools. I am looking creative ways of attaching both to a dedicated roll around like Steve's photo above, and or a way of dedicating a distribution system.

This is way over the top, but gives some ideas. I don't have this much room to do a double, but considering some kind of single line.
http://www.gallery2.clearvuecyclones.com/v/Mini+CV06/Tom+Blomstrom/

Someone made a nice cyclone from wood strips, and did a great job. I can't find the instructions to share here at the moment, but I am looking for ideas on creating a simple base unit to roll around.

 

Awesome - is there a lot of pressure on the cyclone applied by the shop vac to the unit?

 

Drfisherman, the metal cyclone handles the pressure from the shop vac very well it was the plastic bucket that collapsed under the pressure. I ended up using a plastic bucket with heavier material and I have been running it for several years without any problem. Still my all around most favorite dust collection system in the shop.

 

This is impressive work but to me it appears very time consuming and frankly I am not up to the challenge especially the metal portion. I looked all around to find something less daunting and something I could build from on hand supplies. I found instruction somewhere for a Thein (top hat) type and after lots of head scratching managed to build one. It seemed to work and immediately I saw less saw dust and actually the air seemed cleaner even though I used a small shop vac and exhaust into the shop air. I made another one after I saw such improvement and put it in the rear of the shop. I got confused and made the air swirl the wrong way but it still collects dust from the planer, second table saw for dado work and the band saw. For those like me who are too timid to try metal work the top hat seems a valid choice and it is smaller so portability is easier. Using mostly scrap materials people gave me I have eliminated tons of saw dust and use it for compost where applicable. Now my next project is to find a 110 volt AC blower and use it to vent fines outside. If I can locate two I intend to make an air cleaner even though I read they actually do little in a shop as filthy as mine. Y'all keep that saw dust flying into receptacles if you can but keep it flying!

 

As I am building the shop back up I think I may need to try this. I already have a shop vac and could spend the money for a dust collector on something else. Working with metal is something I would like to try and avoid so I would like to run a alternative past all of you for your thoughts/input.

What about using a sheet of poster board? Once you have it taped and cut into the perfect funnel shape I could coat it with some fiberglass resin at first then slowly build up some layers of cloth and resin. It should be rigid enough once you get enough layers on it.

 

Fiberglass would work. No doubt about that. The cyclone needs to be smooth inside. The smoother the better and the poster board would wear out leaving a rougher surface. I think metal would be easier to work with than fiberglass and I also think it would cost less. There are cyclones out there that are commercially available. Those might be as cheap as buying the fiberglass to make the one your talking about. You would need to check those prices because I am just guessing. I bought some automotive grade fiberglass in a kit about 25 years ago. For me it was far more difficult to work with than metal. I would buy a piece of heavy flashing. It comes in rolls and my local lumber yard sells it by the foot. If you can't get it there try an air conditioning place that fabricates their own duct work.

 

The cost was my one thought. Looks like I will be stopping by Menards tomorrow after work to see what I can come up with.

 

If I were to do it over again, I would just buy one commercially made rather than running all over the big box store figuring out parts. IMHO. In my case, an issue of implosion of the metal cone occurred, especially if you have a decent HP vacuum. Just don't get it stuck to a flat surface to create significant suction draw! haha! If a heavier gauge metal were to be used, would be better. The drawback is forming the cone into such a tight angle, IMHO.

Being a new woodworker, saving money is one thing, and the satisfaction of making my own was good. You can find the Cyclone Dust Deputy for as low as $39.00+shipping. Find a any bucket to attach to.

 

I hear what you are saying cuyeda. I keep going back to the dust deputy. I have no issue paying the 39.99, it is the shipping cost that gets me…. I know you cant be a super tight wad when it comes to hobbies, shipping has just always been a sore spot with me.

 

To start with, the metal in home center ducts is very thin. Like 26ga. or 28ga.
If you could get some 20ga sheet metal it would not collapse.

If your only choice is the thin stuff you could stiffen it up with a flange cut to fit the cone at its mid point.

The length of the cone improves its efficiency at collecting very fine dust. A shorter cone will still work and be more rigid, but it won't capture as much fine dust. That is why Dyson vacuums have a bunch of small cyclones to capture the dust. If they only had one cyclone and the ratio of the inlet pipe diameter to the cyclone height was kept the same, the vacuum would have to be 6 feet tall.

 

I just pulled the trigger on the craftsman 21833 table saw since it is on sale right now for 479. With that done I will need to get busy on this. Will go with the original at the top here with a couple small mods as it happens.

Thanks for the input guys

 

I have that same saw.
Be very sure to check the blade to miter slot alignment at several different heights.
This is the same saw as the Ridgid 4512 and all brands under which this saw is sold have had some units with a defect in the lift mechanism.

Mine has the defect.
When I raise the blade the arbor shifts to one side.
When I lower the blade the arbor shifts back, but not necessarily to the same place. It is not repeatable.

Bottom line, I didn't realize it was a defect and kept re-aligning the machine. I thought my alignment problems were me not getting the alignment correct in the first place.
By the time I figured out it was a bad machine it was too late to get it replaced under warranty.

Trust me, this is a nice saw, especially for the price, but if you get one of the defective ones you will hate it.

Also, be aware that neither Ridgid nor Sears will admit these saws are defective and fix the manufacturing problem. They just seem to have the attitude that most folks will not know they are defective or will not fool with the hassle of returning the saw after they have spent hours assembling it.

My saw is 4 years old and just a couple months ago there were people still getting lemons.
One LJ returned his saw three times for a replacement and finally bought something else out of frustration.

 

I knew when I bought it about all the reviews on the alignment problems. Most of the bad reviews I read are very old and the newer ones don't really mention it. In either case I will be sure to check it over with a close eye and purchased the 2 year in home service with it. I have had really good luck with this service in the past and for 49 bucks I feel it is worth it.

 

I have looked at a couple of cyclones and some have a spiral that is added metal inside the cone to make the dust flow downward so we think. This should greatly stiffen the walls of the cone.

 

Looking at the bottom of the cone I am confused about the adapter used.

 

In the end I went with the dust deputy. I did make one but think I had it too long. I was getting more dust in the shop vac then what I was catching in the bucket.

 

Hello everybody, I made and been using a similar home made cyclone for several months after seeing this post and works wonderfully. I have recently acquired a proper dust collector with 2 HP motor and rather than buying a commercial cyclon (x example Super dust Deputy, etc) I was wondering if anybody has tried building a similar cyclone but with 4 or 5 inch ports and if so what kind of materials would work best?

 

I have difficulty imagining how a cyclone works, perhaps someone can explain, why doesn't the sawdust entering the cyclone from the side just get sucked into the vacuum pipe?

 

Hi,

I've recently come across this post and am in the process of building my own and have a question about the lid on the pail: The lids I can get at the local HD come in two varieties: hard to get off and impossible to get off. Just wondering what the secret to emptying these pails is? If i try to pull the lid off with the cyclone on top it will just crumple under the force needed to peel off the lid. Perhaps I'm missing something in the instructions or you guys have access to easy lifting tops. Just wondering how you've solved this part of the puzzle.

Thanks,

Jason

 

Jason, I have been using the same bucket since the beginning. The bucket was for holding salt for saltwater aquarium. The lid is not hard to remove and has a good seal. After popping the lid off the bucket, I use a 2×4 (cut to the same height as the bucket) to pop the lid up as I remove the bucket for emptying. Hope this helps.

 

There are openers made for opening these buckets. They sell for about $5 at all beekeeping supply places

 

Simon, thanks, that gives me an idea for easy opening of my pail, perhaps a 2×4 just a touch taller than my pail to push down onto and ease the lid off. Now I also see the need to hold up the whole contraption while emptying the pail.

Grandpa, that's a good idea. it seems that I am not the only one who finds these lids tight!

I'm excited to get this thing going, I'll post pics if I find a slightly different solution to anything.

Thanks,

Jason

 

oh, another thing I thought to mention, since these original posts I guess inflation has taken off. I paid about 35.00 for my supplies (not including bucket bottom and duct work which I had on hand) However the Dust Deputy has also gone up too, or it because I'm in Canada and everything is more expensive than the U.S.

J

 

http://craig-russell.co.uk/demos/cone_calculator/ This should be helpful.

 

Could you repost the pictures of this? All I'm seeing is that the Photobucket account needs to be updated to allow 3rd party hosting. Thanks!