DIY Cyclone Separator

[Doug Walls]

Searching the web some more, It seems like 24ga. is the thickest material used for homemade cyclones.
Any thicker than that sounds like it would be hard to shape by hand?

24ga. is too thin for me to weld with my old stick welder!
I could just rivet it together as others have done, But the connection of the cone & upper section could be tricky?

I did manage to find a local sheet metal fabricator that can cut & roll the cone for me out of 16ga. material for around $75, So more than likely I'm probably going to go that route.

Doug

[Jim Becker]

That sounds like a pretty darn reasonable price for a 16 gage cone, Doug. You might have them do a matching constant diameter piece for above the cone, too.

[Doug Walls]

While searching the web for information on the gauge of metal used in DIY cyclones, I ran across this web-site that shows a modified version of a Thien Baffle


It wouldn't really be that hard to modify the bottom of my barrel to try this method out!
Here's a few ideas I'm thinking of:
1st. one is to just drill some holes along the inside edge of he barrel.
Drum Bottom 1.jpg

2nd. idea is to cut the center out & add some metal supports to hold it in the center.
Drum Bottom 2.jpg

Has anyone seen or used this modified version of a Thien Baffle?

Doug

[Doug Walls]

That sounds like a pretty darn reasonable price for a 16 gage cone

Yeah that price almost sounds too good when compared to other shops I checked with, Several other shops were around the $100 range.

You might have them do a matching constant diameter piece for above the cone, too.

I really wouldn't need a constant diameter piece for the upper section, But it's something to consider if the price is good.

As for having a constant or smooth inner diameter, I plan to cut the barrel down just above the lower rib anyway. A good part of the upper rib will be above the inlet-pipe & inner air ramp and the little bit of the inside of the rib I'll fill with fiberglass or epoxy.
Drum Bottom Removed.jpg

The outside not being constant or smooth won't be a problem because I plan to enclose the cyclone & sawdust storage container.
Here's a couple pics of the type of side panels I plan to use.
IMG_5620.JPGIMG_5622.JPG
The long section of PVC pipe was for when I had planed on going with a regular Thien Baffle.

Doug

[Mike Cutler]

There appear to be some pretty impressive results in that video, using just a 5 gallon bucket.
Has anybody tried out the final two setups themselves?

[Frank Pratt]

That video's test methodology is highly flawed and the results next to useless. They are judging the results by what is caught in a piece of non-woven fabric that is being loosely described as a filter. I doubt it would stop anything smaller than a 100 microns. There was no weighing to quantify how much the separator took out.

Just about any kind of cobbled together separator will take out the big stuff. It's getting the small stuff is where the good separators (taller cyclones) shine. It's the fine stuff that clogs filters the worst and is the hardest to clean out of them.

So, if the goal is to keep the chunks from rattling around in the blower and you're venting outside, a bucket separator is fine. If you are aiming to minimize filter cleaning, a good cyclone is much better.

[Jim Andrew]

If you are going to go through with this fabrication, make the cyclone body the same size as the ones sold by Oneida and other companies, with a long cone, as the 18" diameter seems to work very well. You could make the cone a few inches longer and possibly improve the separation. My cyclone has a tube that goes near the bottom of the cone, which seems to separate the air from the dust. As to venting outside, would not want to vent mine outside without a cyclone, do not want a sawdust pile outside the shop, unless it comes with a trailer to catch the dust.

[Prashun Patel]

I'd step back and consider if it is worth the time and expense of fabricating your own cyclone for the HF blower. A Thien baffle worked pretty well on my table saw, bandsaw, and jointer for several years. It was easier to build. You may find that you want or would appreciate an even more powerful dust collector depending on your future shop/equipment/convenience needs. At that point, maybe just buy a true cyclone.

Also, FWIW, I have a Super Dust Deputy which utilizes an old 3/4hp blower I had. The blower was also 'wrong handed' for the SDD. However, why would that come into play? Is the suction created from the blower rotation-specific? It pulls up through the center of the cone. The vortex would be dependent on the cone geometry - not the blower direction, right? Anyway, this is the first time I've even considered it would be an issue. But the config has worked just fine for me.

[Doug Walls]

If you are going to go through with this fabrication, make the cyclone body the same size as the ones sold by Oneida and other companies, with a long cone, as the 18" diameter seems to work very well.

From what I've read the 18" dia. cyclone usually works best with a 3hp.~5hp. blower, My blower is only a 2hp. Also the larger cyclones usually have 6" inlets & outlets, From what I've read 5" is the ideal duct size for a 2hp. blower.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

I'd step back and consider if it is worth the time and expense of fabricating your own cyclone for the HF blower.

I never said it was a HF blower!
My blower came from a industrial style Cincinnati Dust Master model 200S with a 2hp. 3-phase motor.
https://www.cincinnatifan.com/catalo...ors108-sls.pdf
IMG_2460.JPG

The blower was also 'wrong handed' for the SDD. However, why would that come into play?

It will reduce your usable HP.

"Quote From Bill Pentz" If made incorrectly your cyclone turns that air in the opposite direction as your blower. A blower wastes about 1/2 hp to reverse the spinning air direction.

Doug

[Prashun Patel]

I learn something every day. Thanks!

[Doug Walls]

consider if it is worth the time and expense of fabricating your own cyclone

Work is slowing down for me right now & I currently have the time to work on some of these projects I had sitting around! I also like fabricating & metalworking, It probably comes from working in a machine shop for 10 years

Once the snow starts falling I'll be busy again doing snow removal.

As far as the expense, I'm pretty much using items/stock that I already have on hand.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

Continuing this project with my use what I have approach!
I picked up this workbench from C/L awhile back for $20, I figured the lumber alone was worth the price.
To my surprise it had two sheets of 16ga. sheet metal on the top.
IMG_5337.JPG

As luck would have it!
The sheet metal top was just the right size needed for the cone I was planning on.
IMG_5636.JPG

Being the 16ga. material was too thick for me to shape by hand I took the cut out sheet to a local sheet metal shop & they ran it through their roller. They only charged me $20 which was well worth it!
IMG_5654.JPG

I used some rivets to hold it temporarily in-place until I cut the drum, Then I'll weld everything together & seal the seams with epoxy.

Doug