DIY MDF dust separator

[impala454]

I'm a follower of hackaday and saw a nice, cheap, easy way to create your own cyclonic dust separator, so you aren't consantly clogging your shop vac. Anyhow thought it was worth a post here:

http://hackaday.com/2009/07/19/cyclonic-dust-seperation/

[Hdale85]

I've seen quite a few people make these with sheet metal.

[M.Roberts8]

Here's a link to a place that makes a kit (basically just the cyclone) for 59.00. Kinda pricey I guess, but easier than glueing a bunch of cups together and trying to get a vac hose conector on there too. Besides this one looks cooler.
link

[Hank]

Here you go - $19.95 and $34.95 solutions:

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/trash-can-separators.html

[ThomasW]

Here's a link to a place that makes a kit (basically just the cyclone) for 59.00. Kinda pricey I guess, but easier than glueing a bunch of cups together and trying to get a vac hose conector on there too. Besides this one looks cooler.
link

I have one of those they work great .... :T

Here you go - $19.95 and $34.95 solutions:
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/tr...eparators.html

I had one of the larger ones they don't work very well so it went into the Goodwill box.

[Hdale85]

Ahh 60 bucks ain't bad. They have some that are like 300-1000. Of course some of their stuff is a full system but those are even higher then 1k.

[Dennis H]

I have one of those they work great .... :T
I had one of the larger ones they don't work very well so it went into the Goodwill box.

It takes a small diameter to separate out small particles like MDF dust.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclonic_separation

[M.Roberts8]

I have one of those they work great .... :T

Cool I was wondering if someone around had tried it. Going to have get one now.

[dwk]

I have the Clearvue equivalent of the Dust Deputy and while I haven't put a ton of mileage on it, it seems to work great. The ability to put a HEPA filter in the shop vac and not have it clog after 5 seconds of sucking up router dust is great.

[Undefinition]

but easier than glueing a bunch of cups together and trying to get a vac hose conector on there too. Besides this one looks cooler.

... and you call yourself a DIYer? :W

Seriously, though, I am just in awe of how brilliant that hack is. I was just complaining to my father in law today about how MDF dust clogs up the filters on my shop vac so fast, and here I see this! And I'm sorry but the zoo cups and Chinese food containers really sent it over the top for me; really gives it some character! :B

[M.Roberts8]

... and you call yourself a DIYer? :W

Hey watch it
It's just I'd rather build a speaker than a shop vac attachment. I gotta get cracking, I have a dual 15" sub for the nephew and 5 China Syndromes (2 towers w/subs)for my daughters room.

[bobhowell]

I built a big one out of HVAC based sheetmetal 15 years ago, with a 1.5 hp blower from Penn St on top. Works great and will handle 5-600cfm, which is a 12 planner or a table saw and a band saw at the same time. Way over kill for most.

From my experience I say keep it simple. Mine is a pain to empty the bin for larger particals, so I don't do it enough. The 30 gal lid from Penn St would be fine and a Great improvement. Lowes sell Heavy duty bags you can put in it initially, and not have to dump it over when its full. They also sell a muffler to quiet down the ShopVac.

[impala454]

I was just complaining to my father in law today about how MDF dust clogs up the filters on my shop vac so fast, and here I see this!

Awesome, I figured it'd help someone out. As I had the same problems. I admit I'd probably just buy the thing but at least it got the word out that these things exist

[impala454]

I gotta get cracking, I have a dual 15" sub for the nephew

why can't I have an uncle like this :cry:

[JonP]

Cool stuff... it's always good to do more to reduce the dust load...

Yeah, this isn't any protection from the finer, dangerous particles... but to mostly cut down on the lodes of larger stuff that clogs filters faster... A portion of that fine stuff will always be blowing out your shopvac exhaust.. so aim it accordingly, and use good protection.

You usually can get a fine filter bag for your shop vac... I can get 1 micron bags for my Sears one... that helps some. Something like this will help your more expensive bags go longer between changes...

Do some research, there's various things out ther about the dust hazard and what to do about it. Some other high end cyclones too, that are pretty cool.

I'm all for DIY everything too... but I wonder how much fiddling to get the angles optimized on a full DIY build of one of these, etc... vs buying one for $50 or so......