cyclone dust bin view window

[William A Johnston]

I am using a 55 gallon steel drum for my cyclone dust bin. My question is has anyone cut a rectangular hole in the drum and siliconed a clear plexi glass viewing window to see if the drum needs to be emptied? I figured I could heat the plexi glass to mold it to the circular shape of the drum. I'm just not sure if you would be able to see in the drum when the dust is in there. My other thought is to drill a hole in the lid and retrofit a small LED light so it would lite the inside of the barrel so you could see through the viewing window.

Any thoughts or has anyone done something similar.

Bill

[Jamie Buxton]

I put an acrylic window in the side of my cyclone dust bin. It is perhaps ten inches tall, near the top of the bin. I can see quite easily when the bin needs to be emptied.

My bin is shop-made, and has flat sides, so I didn't have to curve the acrylic.

[William A Johnston]

Jamie thanks. I was a little unsure. Is it fairly easy to see when to empty. I have a piece of plexi about 12" tall but will have to cut the bin above the top crease.

[Jamie Buxton]

Jamie thanks. I was a little unsure. Is it fairly easy to see when to empty. I have a piece of plexi about 12" tall but will have to cut the bin above the top crease.

Yes, I can see the chip level quite easily. Even when the cyclone is operating, there's a definite level that is the top of the chips. Above that, there's stuff flying around, but it looks very different.

[Jim Andrew]

I have a clear hose between cyclone and barrel. Put a trouble light on the lid so I can see when the hose starts to fill. Only time I have trouble with over filling is when I am jointing boards flat and planing to thickness.

[Alan Schaffter]

Put a candelabra LED on one side of the clear flex at the top of the drum and a lamppost day night sensor (<$15) wired to a bright bulb, flasher bulb, etc. or a relay to shut down the DC when the drum is full and the light beam is broken.

If you add a short length of duct into the drum, the drum won't be full when the alarm activates. Google my name for more details. My cyclone is push-through so I have no drum just a bag, so I attached my alarm to the cone. Below are pics of a couple of different versions.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-1.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-6.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-3.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-10.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P2260032.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P2270046.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_2729.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_27271.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/High_Dust_Alarm-1.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/High_Dust_Alarm-2.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_3095.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_30941.jpg

[Jamie Buxton]

In contrast, a window is easy to build, and doesn't need electricity.

[William A Johnston]

Put a candelabra LED on one side of the clear flex at the top of the drum and a lamppost day night sensor (<$15) wired to a bright bulb, flasher bulb, etc. or a relay to shut down the DC when the drum is full and the light beam is broken.

If you add a short length of duct into the drum, the drum won't be full when the alarm activates. Google my name for more details. My cyclone is push-through so I have no drum just a bag, so I attached my alarm to the cone. Below are pics of a couple of different versions.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-1.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-6.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-3.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/HighDust-10.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P2260032.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P2270046.JPG

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_2729.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_27271.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/High_Dust_Alarm-1.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/High_Dust_Alarm-2.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_3095.jpg

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/IMG_30941.jpg

Pretty darn cool.

[William A Johnston]

In contrast, a window is easy to build, and doesn't need electricity.

I think I'll start with a viewing window as I have a scrap piece of plexi glass.

[Alan Schaffter]

How often will you be looking at the window? Is it located where you can easily see it? Do you think it is safe to do that while operating machinery? How many times have you over-filled your dust bin and had dust fill your expensive cartridge filter? Just some things to think about.