DIY workshop dust collector... I'm gonna try to make one!

[Cuchilo]

I made a cyclone a few years ago . If you use a plastic bin as your collection container it can buckle under the suction so try and get a strong one .

 

[T4tomo]

It’s not much of a help, but I just use a Henry without a bag and suck it up directly, I have not managed to break it yet.

exactly this, just use a Henry, its what most builders/ joiners use, for the simple fact that they are cheap-ish and very robust.

 

[MontyVeda]

I made a cyclone a few years ago . If you use a plastic bin as your collection container it can buckle under the suction so try and get a strong one .

That's why i put a valve on it...

 

[MontyVeda]

exactly this, just use a Henry, its what most builders/ joiners use, for the simple fact that they are cheap-ish and very robust.

I think you'll find most joinery shops have a slightly more advanced dust collection system than a Henry... for the simple fact that dust is really unhealthy and there's a few H&S guidelines to adhere to.

 

[T4tomo]

I think you'll find most joinery shops have a slightly more advanced dust collection system than a Henry... for the simple fact that dust is really unhealthy and there's a few H&S guidelines to adhere to.

let me clarify, I meant trades people working in your home, not the local sawmill, which I agree will and should have a better dust extraction.

 

[MontyVeda]

It's been a while... too much work and sitting on my backside often gets in the way of a good project

Plan A failed, so did plan B and plan C meant making a wooden lid to act as an interface between the little bucket and the big bucket.

I concocted a circle cutting jig for the router which worked perfectly...

Marking out the rebate that the little bucket will sit in, and the hole that will be cut out.

On the other side is a rebate that will be filled with the rubbery adhesive to give it a good seal on the rim of the big bucket.

Holes drilled for the clamps to secure the two halves together...

Still need to cut the rebate and hole for the little bucket... but...

I just could not get the white plastic collar that holds the valve in position to stick.

Glue initially worked but after a half decent knock, it broke free. Glued it again and again with various adhesives, each failed the 'knock test' until I tried some double sided tape and that kept the sodding thing in place .

To keep as much dust as possible out of the vacuum itself, I bought some cheap HEPA filters for a handheld vac (£3 each) and made a housing out of various waste pipe fittings, a couple of hose thingies, a bit of a wire basket and some very fine wire mesh (£7 for an A4 sheet).

it's completely sealed so the only way dust can get out of the bucket is through that fine mesh.

Filter and valve in situ on the inside of the little bucket...

Little bucket glued to the wooden lid, clamps attached and a lick of paint...

and the finished thingy...

Doesn't look so bad for around £25.

Now all I need to do is tidy the kitchen to make some space, and make some dust.

I'm confident it'll work but the filter on the underside of the outlet might clog up with fine dust in no time.

We'll see.

 

[slowmotion]

It's been a while... too much work and sitting on my backside often gets in the way of a good project

Plan A failed, so did plan B and plan C meant making a wooden lid to act as an interface between the little bucket and the big bucket.

I concocted a circle cutting jig for the router which worked perfectly...
View attachment 585446
Marking out the rebate that the little bucket will sit in, and the hole that will be cut out.

On the other side is a rebate that will be filled with the rubbery adhesive to give it a good seal on the rim of the big bucket.
View attachment 585448

Holes drilled for the clamps to secure the two halves together...
View attachment 585450

Still need to cut the rebate and hole for the little bucket... but...

I just could not get the white plastic collar that holds the valve in position to stick.
View attachment 585456
Glue initially worked but after a half decent knock, it broke free. Glued it again and again with various adhesives, each failed the 'knock test' until I tried some double sided tape and that kept the sodding thing in place .

To keep as much dust as possible out of the vacuum itself, I bought some cheap HEPA filters for a handheld vac (£3 each) and made a housing out of various waste pipe fittings, a couple of hose thingies, a bit of a wire basket and some very fine wire mesh (£7 for an A4 sheet).

View attachment 585451
it's completely sealed so the only way dust can get out of the bucket is through that fine mesh.

Filter and valve in situ on the inside of the little bucket...
View attachment 585452

Little bucket glued to the wooden lid, clamps attached and a lick of paint...
View attachment 585454

and the finished thingy...
View attachment 585455
Doesn't look so bad for around £25.

Now all I need to do is tidy the kitchen to make some space, and make some dust.

I'm confident it'll work but the filter on the underside of the outlet might clog up with fine dust in no time.

We'll see.

Very nicely done. Let us know how it works when the time comes.

 

[roadrash]

I’m pretty sure Wallace and gromitt use something similar

 

[MontyVeda]

Very nicely done. Let us know how it works when the time comes.

First use seems very promising.

Trimmed the bass head to a few MM outside of my pencil line.
Dug out the sander from under the sink and connected it up.
Sanded the bass head down to the line....

There was barely any dust on the platform, which means most of it is being sucked away.
Opened the tub to find a comparable amount of dust in the bottom to what I'd sanded off, and nothing visible clogging up the filter

Next step is move everything into my mother's garage where it will be forgotten about and never used used for a wide range of projects, including making a body to bolt that bass neck on to.

 

[MontyVeda]

Update:

As i suspected, the filter i made...

...did clog up with dust in no time so i removed it.
Suction is vastly improved (no surprise there) and still very little dust ending up in the actual vacuum cleaner