Homemade floor sweep for DC?

[Ben Grunow]

Anyone ever made one? Pics?

I am thinking of doing this and was hoping for some help before hackery begins. I would like to be able to step on it to open while sweeping.

The only concern I have heard of is sparks/fire in the DC bin from metal objects. Is this all I should worry about (other than the cat and I'm really not that worried about him)...I guess what I mean is, is there anything else I shouldnt let into the DC?

Thanks in advance for any help on this.

Ben

[Jim Becker]

Yes, two of my three floor sweeps were made from an HVAC boot. A few quick snips and they were ready to go. That said, do NOT use a floor sweep with a single stage DC. They should only be used with cyclones and other two-stage type systems where the collected material does not pass through the impeller. Any metal picked up could spark if it has to navigate said impeller and cause "a problem"...

[Cody Colston]

I made mine out of Baltic Birch plywood and some 1/8" aluminum plate for the bottom. The aluminum is not necessary but i already had it so I used it. The gate for mine is about chest high. Works great.

[Al Killian]

If you want to avoid metal going in you can place a few magnets at the entrance to catch the metal.

[John Bush]

I added two floor sweeps to my cyclone system with a gated 2 1/2" Y above the sweep gate for a 15' flex hose and wand. I have found that it is quicker/easier to push broom the big stuff in a pile, dustpan it up and into the trash barrel, then use the vaccum hose and wand to pick up the fine dust. It is fun to watch the stuff fly into the sweep but it is not as practical as I initially thought it would be.

Oh yeah, The original ??-- I bought the sweeps from Penn State. They are heavy gauge and spendy. The HVAC stuff at HD, etc. seemed too thin and would likely(I thought) deform if hit with a broom. Kinda doubt it now, so cheapy or homemade ones would be good call. Good luck,JCB.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I think floor sweeps are a potential fire hazard regardless of whether one has a single stage or two stage (cyclone) collector.

In my home shop, there always seems to be some bits of metal on the floor. Discarded or dropped screws are one example. I don't cherish the thought of metal objects banging around my duct system and ending up lying on a pile of perfectly dry kindling.

Unless my entire dust collection system is made from non ferrous metal or plastic, a dust pan or shop vac is the best strategy for me.

Just my opinion...and I've been wrong before!

-Jeff :)

[Randal Stevenson]

Shop vac had a dedicated dust collection kit a bit back on sale. That would be great for built in sweeps (floor, bench)

[Matt Meiser]

I made mine. I have pvc duct and used 3/4" plywood to build it. The top has a hole with a piece of pipe screwed and caulked into it. I then made angled sides an a back. It doesn't have a bottom.

Mine does decent sorting out the screws and stuff from the wood. Since they heavier than the dust and shavings, they collect in a pile inside the floor sweep.

[glenn bradley]

I removed my floor sweep after about a year. It was functional and had magnets to catch any metal. I also have a 2 stage rig. I just found a dust pan to be faster and more efficient. It was fun to watch it suck up that stuff though; just not as quick and useful as it seemed it would be. For me, more of a toy than a tool and there was just that much more stuff going into my DC bin causing it to fill up faster, only to be removed to dump the stuff where the dust pan takes it directly. I will say that when I free hand route or use my hand circular saw without any DC hookup I do look at the floor and wonder if I should have kept it. If your methods create a lot of otherwise uncontrolled chips it may make sense for you.

[Jim Becker]

I just found a dust pan to be faster and more efficient.

I'm puzzled by this...with one at either end of the shop and one available behind the lathe, I'd not be without my floor sweeps. The dust pan would be more work for me, but perhaps this is somewhat of a function of shop arrangement, etc. But it's nice to have choices...so if the dust pan works better, that's kewel too!

[Matt Meiser]

I don't use mine a ton, but I do use it. I usally rough clean with a broom and vacuum the entire floor after that.

[Bart Leetch]

DC for the machines. Vacuum for floors & other cleaning. No chance of metal getting in my single stage DC.

[Bob Swenson]

My floor sweep is a 17-year-old 6’2’’ grandson. He doses a great and willing job.
Per takes him out on jobs to do the same thing. He also makes a handy dolly, automatic truck loader and unloader. Pretty good wood worker, but we try not to tell him cause he might start looking for money:rolleyes:
.

[Ben Grunow]

Thanks for the ideas and I think I will make mine from plywood so my son can smash it with the dumptruck collection he has in the shop (loading and unloading sawdust for hours which leads to the floor sweep idea). I have a cyclone and very little metal if none hits the shop floor. Plus you still have to sweep it and there is the time to cull it out.

Bob- I have been the floor sweep and I am done now.

Thanks- pics to follow someday.

Ben

[Jeff Miller]

I added two floor sweeps to my cyclone system with a gated 2 1/2" Y above the sweep gate for a 15' flex hose and wand. I have found that it is quicker/easier to push broom the big stuff in a pile, dustpan it up and into the trash barrel, then use the vaccum hose and wand to pick up the fine dust. It is fun to watch the stuff fly into the sweep but it is not as practical as I initially thought it would be.

Oh yeah, The original ??-- I bought the sweeps from Penn State. They are heavy gauge and spendy. The HVAC stuff at HD, etc. seemed too thin and would likely(I thought) deform if hit with a broom. Kinda doubt it now, so cheapy or homemade ones would be good call. Good luck,JCB.

Hey John do you have a pictuer of the hose setup I am thinking about doing the same thing

Thanks

Jeff

[Pete Brown]

My floor sweep is a 17-year-old 6’2’’ grandson. He doses a great and willing job.
Per takes him out on jobs to do the same thing. He also makes a handy dolly, automatic truck loader and unloader. Pretty good wood worker, but we try not to tell him cause he might start looking for money:rolleyes:
.

LOL!

I have a lawn mower, weed wacker and gutter cleaner like that, but I still have 16 years to go on him before he's 17 :D

Pete