Thank you for sharing this video. Really appreciate you giving credit to original designer and showing the mistakes made and how you fixed them. I will be making one of these in the near future. Definitely following the channel now, keep up the great work!
You are a genius. You also show us that genius comes with hard work, and that you don't lose until you quit. You did such a great service to the whole community of people that require dust collection with that video. Showing the mistakes was golden to. Thank you.
Really useful, I wanted to save it so I could watch it again, I am sure I have missed some tips, but it will not save I think the problem is this end. Thank you for sharing Regards Chris
A suggestion for those using this on a planer or thicknesseser that produces large chips; these can clog the slot if they build up at the end of the travel, eventually blocking the whole baffle. When I made mine i added a 100mm circle at the end of the slot. Still works fine as expected but if anything larger than dust goes down the chute it can find a way down into the bin. Thanks for a great channel, hi from Oz.
Good tip - I considered it... and I may still build a full on "dust collection cart" that integrates everything (including storage of hoses and adapter, etc)
I've done the same basic design ... EXCEPT ... I used a 55-gal metal drum for the main receptable. Works great. Just that I don't have the ideal air flow configuration just yet. Your video is a great source for that info, Thank you.
Wow - subscribed! This way of showing your mistakes is such an important part of learning new stuff! I’m just about to build one myself and wanted to check how to build for the 30th time or so and I can see myself doing some of the same mistakes had I not seen your video - so thank you very much!
By far the best video I've watched on DIY dust collection. Loved that you showed the mistakes as that is just as helpful as showing you how to make. Thanks for taking the time to post. Happy wood working.
Attach 2 45 degree elbows on the side and top to allow the hoses to attach without crimping the hoses. This will allow the suction to be more efficient.
You need to support your inlet that fastens into the plexiglass to the wood so you don't end up cracking the plexiglass when you trip on the hose or something snags it.
Amazing! It's already been said, but showing mistakes and the corrections is extremely helpful. My shop is packed with dust and there's no money to spend on extensive systems. Hope I can successfully build several of these.
yep, I build one. except I don't generate a ton of dusr So mine is built around a 5 gallon bucket. I Cut a piece of 1 1/2" PVC in to the side of the bucket (conforming to the circumference) The bafffe is part of a bucket lid I use a Stanley 6 hp 10 gallon vac. Then built a stand out of PVC to stack them (also stores tools) the collapsing bucket was fixed be sticking the separator inside of another bucket. The vac has a bag (for fine dust) after emptying the sepewrator 5 or so times the filter looks new (zero dust) (I have less than $100 in it including the vac (new) and the PVC I am right proud of the way it works abd looks and the conveience of it
Excellent video. I really enjoyed watching the build. Not having a separate place to do woodworking tasks, I am forced to accomplish my projects in my garage. I've been contemplating the need to create a better dust collection method. Like you, I've found most of the solutions on youtube as inadequate, having a very small collection bin. Your design solves the storage capacity issue and appears to be extremely efficient as well. Nice work! Thumbs up!
i actually just stumbled upon your channel while looking for a portable dust collection system for my small workshop. This is going to work 2 fold, 1)a fun project that i will in no doubt learn from and 2) solve my issue. thank you in advance and i will reply later to let you know how this worked out for me. also thank you for letting me know ahead of time how to avoid my mistakes that i would have ultimately have made. 👍
I think that is really awesome. I need to make me one. That would help out a lot in my little shop. Cause I do plain on getting a plainer and a larger bandsaw soon.
A small version of the cyclone air pre filter has been used on tractors since the 1930s, They worked pretty good to filter the larger stuff and you just emptied the glass jar every morning before you started for the day!
Overall a nice video and informative. The inlet should be at the top, not the bottom of the cylinder. And it should be angled downward slightly. Also, the dip tube should come down further into the cylinder. The dust path while running shows you the problem. If you look at other videos, you can see how the dust path is suppose to look like. The most harmful dust is invisible, so what you see in the vacuum doesn't tell the whole story.
You're so calm, even with all the mistakes you admit to. I'd probably be grunting and groaning through each step. (Maybe that happens off camera or under the music.)
Heh. There was definitely plenty of frustration along the way with this project. All the other videos made it look so easy.... but smeone wise told me once while learning to ski that if I wasn’t falling down I wasn’t learning and improving. I’ve tried to learn from mistakes rather than be upset by them as a result. Thanks for watching!
Is there any relationship of the collector volume to the CFM of the shop vac? I know the size of the ports relates, but how about the actual volume of the canister or baffle volume?
Great video, thanks. The entry port to the baffle is at its lower end. Is there any benefit in placing the inlet higher up, at the upper part of the transparent side piece...
I don't know for sure. I placed it lower because intuitively I wanted the dust/debris to be as close as possible to the slots that drop into the collection bin below. Given the cyclonic action though, I'm not sure it matters much at all. Thanks for watching!
So if you do a big trawl of the website you will eventually find the answer. Main thing is the intake should be at the top, and the outflow to the shop vac should have a central tube that extends to within an inch of the baffle. The reason is that the air comes in high and then spirals downwards to try to enter the baffle, helping pull the dust into the bucket below. As in the video, the air is spiralling up, and debris from above can be caught into the upstream and never make it into the bucket. I think there was some testing on the height of the top hat cyclone too but I can’t remember the results properly - I think it was determined that having height double intake diameter increased separation but with the cost of a small flow decrease, but don’t quote me on that
Excellent info, thanks for digging that out! Mine works so well I’m not likely to change the intake port location, but if I ever build another one I’ll put it up at the top. Thanks!
Need to build another one, so I came back to get another look at how yours was constructed. Glad to hear it is still working well. Also noticed the dolly beneath the trash can, which appeared to move very smoothly. Was it another diy project? Or purchased? Source? Thanks, and have a wonderful holiday!
Welcome back! The dolly under the trash can was just an accessory that I bought with the can. It was on the same aisle at Lowes or Home Depot as the can. Good luck!
Include a pressure relief valve, aka check valve, one way valve or nonreturn valve - “How to stop your cyclone dust barrel collapsing” by Charlie DIYte; features Dust Commander SP Anti-crush Valve, from Dust Commander; commercial valve, 5 euros, made in France, ordered from website, quick delivery - “2 Ways to Make DIY Cyclone for Workshop” by Mazay DIY; employs a check valve made for plumbing, start at about $12, seems to work fine, - “Cyclone with pressure relief valve” by Badger Workshop; DIY valve
I've watched several videos on making this type of dust separator, this is the best! Nice job in showing your mistakes as you went along! I do have one question, why don't I see plastic elbows where the dust enters and on the exit pipe to help with the kinking of the flex hose I see in just about every one of the videos?
If you extend the vacuum pipe in the baffel so it just has a 1.5 inch space between the baffel and the vacuum pipe, and move the "intake" of the dust to the top of the baffel, the dust will loose speed alot faster and fall thru to the baffel.. also adding a larger pipe standing on the baffel itself creating a bit of a "maze" will help reducing anything getting passed even more. As vacuum is a constant and the only thing you need to be fighting is velocity vs. gravity it can be halted effecitly.
Can you give a little more detail on this. I’m kinda slow so I have I have a difficult time understanding what you’re exactly saying. I’m planning on building something soon however a little larger and it would be great to get the dust pulled down into trash can rather than it continue spinning. Thanks, Joey
@@Spurtaker Moronicsmurf has suggested I make 2 different changes: Make the pipe at the top center of the whole thing extend down lower (so it's about 1.5" from the bottom of the circular chamber) and move the intake pipe (that the dust enters through) up to the top part of that chamber instead of at the bottom as I did. These 2 changes will make the dust come into the chamber *above* the top of the pipe that runs out to the vacuum, which will make it near impossible for any of that dust to get sucked into the pipe that goes out to the vacuum. This device already does a fantastic job separating out my dust, but those 2 changes would make it a bit better. Hope that makes sense - thanks for watching!
Really cool Video, I only hoped I watched this Video before I Ordered a cheap Cyclone dust unit but I am going make this as it can collect lots dust, Thank you so much for this Video and I like the Circle cutting jig and the way you used it upside down, well done you got a new Subscriber.
The ‘different’ thing here is the bottom entry inlet port which causes the waste to spin high up the sides. There is room for a LOT of design experimenting here. No one addresses the height of the chamber to its diameter ratio, or depth of outflow tube into the swirl. I’d love to do tests, unfortunately I don’t have the advantage of the super cheap materials cost you guys are blessed with in the US. In UK that sheet of Polycarbonate is like 60 bucks (GBP) and the ply used here is about 30 bucks worth….with glue etc its 100 bucks per ‘top hat’. The stuff you casually throw together and as easily throw away is over a weeks worth of entire disposable income! Ah well.
From all I’ve read or seen, the inlet port should be as high as possible (see comment by billwebster759, above). Also, the exhaust port should be positioned about 2 inches above the baffle. As to the ratio of height to diameter, I do not recall having come across any particular guidance. I have seen woodworkers construct Thien-style dust separators that are two feet across and probably 16-20 inches high, or made from a #10 can or two liter plastic soft drink bottle. I have observed that folks sometimes appear to forget or overlook certain aspects: gravity, momentum, distance for example. Good luck!
Hi Lou - thanks for the heads up about the dead link. It was a 48" wide sheet, in 1/16" thickness, I believe. Here's a new link that should work: amzn.to/37BNIYQ Good luck with your build!
If you do a lot of work with MDF, you should use a HEPA filter cartridge in that Shop-Vac. A regular filter will still let some MDF dust through and you don't want to be breathing that stuff.
Good point. I don’t do a lot with mdf, but when I do I wear a full face respirator. I think you can see it in a few shots in this video. Great advice, thanks!
I have 2 questions. 1) I've heard that there needs to be some sort of a grounding wire to relieve the static charge. 2) How do you discard you sawdust-- burn it, put it a garden or compost pile which will take a long time to break down or some other way. Thank you
There is some static that builds up on the chamber and dust bin, but not much more than you'd get by dragging your feet across a carpeted floor. If you built a larger version of this that was not portable, a ground strap may be useful... but in this application it's not really needed. As for disposal, I usually just dump it into my regular trash for landfill garbage collection. I am just a hobby wood worker, so I only wind up needing to empty it a few times / year. Thanks for watching!
love the video, ? could you give some sizes on the top dust hole you made 3/4 around the edge and size of the clear top how tall is it . I have the same trash can as you have and planning on making this soon . Thanks
So...I am wondering if efficiency is affected by the height of the input port and what difference does it make if the exhaust tube goes down into the cavity?
I don't have good answers to either question. Have you checked out the discussion forum that Mr. Thien hosts? They likely have lots more detail about different design decisions. www.jpthien.com/smf/
Best guidance I have seen is the exhaust port should come down to about 1.5”-2” above the baffle. I have seen at least one or two built with the exhaust port extending below the baffle, but that greatly increases the risk of dust and chips getting sucked out, and into the shop vac or dust collector - ie, it’s counter productive.
Did you ever think about using a 20 - 55-gallon industrial barrel? They are a lot stronger than a cheap plastic trashcan. Some have handles on the outsides. They also are smooth on the inside. If you need any leads on where to get one... Try Craigslist for your area. Just make sure the one you get has a removable lid. If it comes with a screw-type lid you may want to use some type of seal for the lid.
The one thing I do not understand on you’re first design is why was no actual baffle installed below the inlet port? Wouldn’t it prevent the chip/dust from being drawn into the shop vacuum?
It might have, but ultimately just following the recommendation from the forum I liked to in the description yielded fantastic results. I still use this thing today, and it’s great!
Awesome video. I loved that you showed your mistakes. We all make them. I learned so much more after seeing what you went through. Would your original design have worked if the trash bin had smoother walls (and the sides didn't collapse in)? Or do you think there were additional reasons it didn't work?
Hey Mike! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! As for my original design: I think it would have been ok(ish) with a smooth-walled can with enough strength to avoid collapsing... but doing the baffled top-hat design I think is quite a bit better. Had the original design worked better, I think there still would have been quite a bit of dust which worked its way into the shop-vac... particularly the super fine stuff. The top hat with clear sides also offers the advantage that I can see how well the cyclone is working, and it's really easy to tell when it gets close to full. If you are considering building your own, I encourage you to go with the top-hat design or something very similar. It really does work amazingly well. Thanks!
@@AmplifyDIY You went right from an interior, UNBAFFLED design with a long outlet pipe to the tophat design. There may have been a way to salvage your original attempt, although the walls of your can would still be working against you.
Unfortunately, they are all pretty loud, unless you are willing to spend quite a bit. Here's a pretty thorough article: bettersoundproofing.com/best-quiet-shop-vac/
Awesome video! I've been looking at making a dedicated dust collector for a cnc machine and I think this is perfect! It's funny because I have that same shop vac and trash can! Thanks! (already a subscriber)
Best of luck, Eric! I'd love to hear how it turns out for you if you do decide to build this collector. I still have mine going strong, and it still works amazingly well. Thanks for watching!
@@AmplifyDIY I just tried mine out for the first time.. The trash can collapsed with such force, it pushed the baffle off of the top of the can.. I guess I have to make one of those rings for the inside of the can
Hi Eddie - you mean the ring that you can see inside the can at the 4:08 mark? That ring lives inside the can, as the suction power of the vacuum will collapse the can without some reinforcement. There may have been some later shots in the video of the inside of the can with that ring removed as I was experimenting to find the best setup - but that ring lives in the can full time now. Let me know if I've misunderstood the question. Thanks!
nice job. mistakes are only learning opertunities. the thien forum is great. im a regular over there. retired 2 is great . to improve it i would thin out the edge of the slot on the bottom . i would extend the outlet more. its a shame you made a double height seperater but put the inlet so low, if efectivly a single height . not a lot you can do to fix that though . not sure a bell mough would help when the inlet is below it , it could make it worse. . i would double check you are sealing fully to the can , when you removed it on the first version you can see where dust has escaped onto the top edge. . dont worry , these things are only small issues, once it works fairly good then thats all that matters
All or most industrial companies and small woodworking shop always have there dust collection out side and away from the working area this would keep the working area much cleaner and healthier Also try to keep the exhaust port to the outside of the shop.
Sounds good if you are working on a shed or your garage as your small shop but, my shop is in my home basement. Don’t think I can vent or put the collector outside.
Thank you for the great video. I am in the process of building the top hat now, but struggling with the polycarbonate. Do you know what size you used? Thank you in advance
HI Adam - I believe it was 1/8" thick. It is quite brittle, so be careful that you don't try to bend it too far too fast, and you have to work it pretty gently with power tools. Drilling aggressively into it, for example, can cause it to crack/split. Good luck!
When you showed the original Thein device, it had both input and output through the top, one in the center and one near the edge, with a 90 degree turn to create the vortex. That seems like an easier design to build since you are going through a flat surface and don’t have to deal with complex ellipse shapes. What was your logic for going through the side?
Hi Robin - I didn't want the 90º elbow hanging out disrupting the airflow of the vortex. Maybe it does not make much difference, but my intuition says small particles could hit the back side of the elbow and ricochet into the intake stream of the port headed out to the vacuum. Great observation!
Great video and step-by-step explanations! One comment: Wouldn't it be better to have the inlet at the top of the drum, rather than the bottom? The way you have it, dust gets trapped between the top of the cylinder and the high-speed inlet vortex. Having the inlet at the top would allow the dust to fall down after being thrown to the outside of the chamber. Thanks.
It may work better to put it at the top, yes. This one performs so well though, I'm not likely to try a different design. If I were building it again though, I think I would put it at the top rather than the bottom of the chamber. Thanks for watching!
Anyone out there using the Fulton 2 1/2" hose linked in the description? I'm ready to buy but worried about the hose collapsing in some of the reviews for the 10' and 20' lengths. Great video! The editing and voiceover is outstanding. Sharing your mistakes and how you fixed them is what earned my subscription to your channel.
Hi David - thank you! I've been using this 2 1/2" hose for a few years now, and love it. I don't recall for certain, but I'm pretty sure I ordered something like a 50' length of it, which I cut up into the various sizes I needed for this dust collector. I am pretty sure that the longest piece I use regularly is around 20' (goes from dust collector out to various tools in the shop) and I've never had it collapse. Are you going to be using a shop vac, or something more powerful?
Excellent video! What size (thickness) polycarbonate did you use? I especially appreciate when makers show their mistakes because your mistakes are, more or less, the same mistakes I would have made. Just found this channel - have subscribed! Thanks for your effort. :)
Plexiglas is a commercial name for acrylic panels - not polycarbonate which is often sold under the commercial name of Lexan, a far more durable and malleable material to work with, although somewhat more expensive.
I would think that if the inlet was high up on the hat that would be better, but I am not an expert by any means, just something i noted from other similar designs.
I think the rationale behind having the inlet lower is that it's easier / faster for the dust to fall through the slit into the can below, and harder for it to get sucked up into the outlet port. If the inlet and outlet are both at the top, it's a little easier for dust to hop straight from inlet to outlet.... but I think either design will work quite well.
Hi Steve - Sorry about the confusion. I did not show anything because there literally is nothing extra that I did. Gravity holds it on there just fine. When the vacuum is running, the suction in the system REALLY holds it on tight. Once I turn off the vacuum, I can just lift it right off the top of the can to go empty the can. Thanks for watching!
Najtańszym i najłatwiejszym sposobem uzyskania wystarczającej siły ssania do wykonania tego projektu jest użycie prawdziwego odkurzacza. Gdybym miał tylko silnik próżniowy, musiałbym w zasadzie zbudować dla niego obudowę, dodać filtr wstępny dla bardzo drobnych cząstek przedostających się przez cyklon itp. Dobre pytanie i dzięki za obejrzenie!
I visited the links provided, using only part of the list above and the cost (minus the garbage can, poly carbonate, and seal) came to $95 USD. I am in Canada. For both the hoses, clamps, and adapters it came to $211 and that does not include about another $65 in import fees! Do companies think Canadians are made of damn money!?!? Ridiculous! I mean I get our dollar is not worth as much but come ON! nearly TRIPLE the cost? And this is not just for this...it's EVERYTHING lately. RUDE!
Hi Arthur - You can clearly see the labeling at 14:15 that I was using Makrolon Polycarbonate. I may have referred to it as "plexiglass" and "glass" at other points in the video, but I was using those terms colloquially. I specifically chose polycarbonate instead of acrylic as it holds up better under harsher conditions such as this application. Thanks for watching!
A dust collector is super helpful, but don't forget to wear a dust mask or respirator when producing a lot of saw dust. Happy woodworking, everyone!
It’s one heck of a visual …👀
if nothing else. 👅
Thank you for sharing this video. Really appreciate you giving credit to original designer and showing the mistakes made and how you fixed them. I will be making one of these in the near future. Definitely following the channel now, keep up the great work!
Thanks for watching!
You are a genius. You also show us that genius comes with hard work, and that you don't lose until you quit. You did such a great service to the whole community of people that require dust collection with that video. Showing the mistakes was golden to. Thank you.
Thank you!
This channel is seriously underrated! You are great !
Thank you! Sharing this video with whoever you think would find it useful would really help. Thanks!
Excellent video, well organized, very instructive, straightforward, no extraneous BS. You have a nice delivery
Glad you liked it!
Really useful, I wanted to save it so I could watch it again, I am sure I have missed some tips, but it will not save I think the problem is this end. Thank you for sharing Regards Chris
😃 Measure 16 times, cut once..... perfectly MacGyver'd. Thumbs up.
Well thought out vid . . .500 points for putting your mistakes out there, were ALL in a better place. THANK YOU
The dust tends to spin at the top. I wonder if an angled piece would help direct the dust downward.
I appreciate your honesty which certainly helps my understanding of this form of a dust collection system.
I appreciate your honest way of explaining things
Excellent take and approach on the eternal issue of dust collection. Will take some advice from here and apply to my reality in the shop.
A suggestion for those using this on a planer or thicknesseser that produces large chips; these can clog the slot if they build up at the end of the travel, eventually blocking the whole baffle. When I made mine i added a 100mm circle at the end of the slot. Still works fine as expected but if anything larger than dust goes down the chute it can find a way down into the bin.
Thanks for a great channel, hi from Oz.
Thanks I had the same problem but hadn`t taken time to fix, now i know
Good job! The only thing I would do different is I would put the vacuum and garbage can on one cart so they move together
Good tip - I considered it... and I may still build a full on "dust collection cart" that integrates everything (including storage of hoses and adapter, etc)
thanks for the video, it helped me see where I made a mistake
Misstakes and succes,good presentation, thank you.
I've done the same basic design ... EXCEPT ... I used a 55-gal metal drum for the main receptable. Works great. Just that I don't have the ideal air flow configuration just yet. Your video is a great source for that info, Thank you.
Ya did good Bud! I can appreciate the mistakes as well as the successes! Keep up the good work....
Thanks, will do!
Wow - subscribed!
This way of showing your mistakes is such an important part of learning new stuff!
I’m just about to build one myself and wanted to check how to build for the 30th time or so and I can see myself doing some of the same mistakes had I not seen your video - so thank you very much!
I’m so glad you found it useful, and I’m happy to try to answer any questions that come up during your build. Best of luck!
By far the best video I've watched on DIY dust collection. Loved that you showed the mistakes as that is just as helpful as showing you how to make. Thanks for taking the time to post. Happy wood working.
Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!
Attach 2 45 degree elbows on the side and top to allow the hoses to attach without crimping the hoses. This will allow the suction to be more efficient.
excellent ... been destroying expensive filters for years . too lazy to get stuck into fabricating this simple cyclonic separator,
You need to support your inlet that fastens into the plexiglass to the wood so you don't end up cracking the plexiglass when you trip on the hose or something snags it.
This is a good tip. Thanks!
That's a great video, I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who makes mistakes.
To err is human, right?!
Amazing! It's already been said, but showing mistakes and the corrections is extremely helpful. My shop is packed with dust and there's no money to spend on extensive systems. Hope I can successfully build several of these.
Good luck, Number 6! Reducing the dust in your shop will be awesome. :)
I really enjoyed watching, and learning, from your video. Thank you.
Tony.
Thanks Tony!
Good to see a video where mistakes were made and rectified...Great job man
Thanks 👍
Great design, and Craftsmanship!
Well done!
yep, I build one. except I don't generate a ton of dusr So mine is built around a 5 gallon bucket. I Cut a piece of 1 1/2" PVC in to the side of the bucket (conforming to the circumference) The bafffe is part of a bucket lid I use a Stanley 6 hp 10 gallon vac. Then built a stand out of PVC to stack them (also stores tools) the collapsing bucket was fixed be sticking the separator inside of another bucket. The vac has a bag (for fine dust) after emptying the sepewrator 5 or so times the filter looks new (zero dust) (I have less than $100 in it including the vac (new) and the PVC I am right proud of the way it works abd looks and the conveience of it
Excellent video. I really enjoyed watching the build. Not having a separate place to do woodworking tasks, I am forced to accomplish my projects in my garage. I've been contemplating the need to create a better dust collection method. Like you, I've found most of the solutions on youtube as inadequate, having a very small collection bin. Your design solves the storage capacity issue and appears to be extremely efficient as well. Nice work! Thumbs up!
Thanks, Bud! I'm happy to answer any questions you may run into if you decide to build your own. Happy woodworking!
Thank you for showing RUclipsrs make mistakes too.
Nobody is perfect. :)
Thanks man, and very nicely presented.
I think you did a great job I'm going to try to build one myself
You can do it! I’m happy to try and answer any questions that come up during your build. Good luck!
I made one years ago with the same kinda trash can and did what you did to keep it from collapsing. Lol
Good video, thank you for the time you must have put into it
I thought I had it rough, till I found your channel
i actually just stumbled upon your channel while looking for a portable dust collection system for my small workshop. This is going to work 2 fold, 1)a fun project that i will in no doubt learn from and 2) solve my issue. thank you in advance and i will reply later to let you know how this worked out for me. also thank you for letting me know ahead of time how to avoid my mistakes that i would have ultimately have made. 👍
Fantastic! I can’t wait to hear how yours turns out. Thanks for watching!
Good video
I am about to build one of these. I hope it works as well as yours
Nice job
I think that is really awesome. I need to make me one. That would help out a lot in my little shop. Cause I do plain on getting a plainer and a larger bandsaw soon.
Good luck! I’m happy to answer any questions you run into building yours!
Dude you are awesome. I totally seen someone do what i would go through.
A small version of the cyclone air pre filter has been used on tractors since the 1930s, They worked pretty good to filter the larger stuff and you just emptied the glass jar every morning before you started for the day!
Cool! I love it when I learn something new from a viewer. Thanks for watching!
Overall a nice video and informative. The inlet should be at the top, not the bottom of the cylinder. And it should be angled downward slightly. Also, the dip tube should come down further into the cylinder. The dust path while running shows you the problem. If you look at other videos, you can see how the dust path is suppose to look like. The most harmful dust is invisible, so what you see in the vacuum doesn't tell the whole story.
Thanks for the tips!
Nice build. I do G10 on my CNC and it produces a very fine dust, I'm having to build a water media filtration system after my cyclone separator.
You're so calm, even with all the mistakes you admit to. I'd probably be grunting and groaning through each step. (Maybe that happens off camera or under the music.)
Heh. There was definitely plenty of frustration along the way with this project. All the other videos made it look so easy.... but smeone wise told me once while learning to ski that if I wasn’t falling down I wasn’t learning and improving. I’ve tried to learn from mistakes rather than be upset by them as a result. Thanks for watching!
Great vid and evolution documentation!
Nice job. Well told, especially your design process and thoughts. Thanks.
Is there any relationship of the collector volume to the CFM of the shop vac? I know the size of the ports relates, but how about the actual volume of the canister or baffle volume?
Great video, thanks. The entry port to the baffle is at its lower end. Is there any benefit in placing the inlet higher up, at the upper part of the transparent side piece...
I don't know for sure. I placed it lower because intuitively I wanted the dust/debris to be as close as possible to the slots that drop into the collection bin below. Given the cyclonic action though, I'm not sure it matters much at all. Thanks for watching!
So if you do a big trawl of the website you will eventually find the answer. Main thing is the intake should be at the top, and the outflow to the shop vac should have a central tube that extends to within an inch of the baffle.
The reason is that the air comes in high and then spirals downwards to try to enter the baffle, helping pull the dust into the bucket below. As in the video, the air is spiralling up, and debris from above can be caught into the upstream and never make it into the bucket.
I think there was some testing on the height of the top hat cyclone too but I can’t remember the results properly - I think it was determined that having height double intake diameter increased separation but with the cost of a small flow decrease, but don’t quote me on that
Excellent info, thanks for digging that out! Mine works so well I’m not likely to change the intake port location, but if I ever build another one I’ll put it up at the top. Thanks!
Need to build another one, so I came back to get another look at how yours was constructed. Glad to hear it is still working well. Also noticed the dolly beneath the trash can, which appeared to move very smoothly. Was it another diy project? Or purchased? Source? Thanks, and have a wonderful holiday!
Welcome back! The dolly under the trash can was just an accessory that I bought with the can. It was on the same aisle at Lowes or Home Depot as the can. Good luck!
FYI.. I emailed him and his reply was "Rhymes with 'clean'"
Brilliant idea. Thank you for sharing...
Thank you! Cheers!
Include a pressure relief valve, aka check valve, one way valve or nonreturn valve
- “How to stop your cyclone dust barrel collapsing” by Charlie DIYte; features Dust Commander SP Anti-crush Valve, from Dust Commander; commercial valve, 5 euros, made in France, ordered from website, quick delivery
- “2 Ways to Make DIY Cyclone for Workshop” by Mazay DIY; employs a check valve made for plumbing, start at about $12, seems to work fine,
- “Cyclone with pressure relief valve” by Badger Workshop; DIY valve
I've watched several videos on making this type of dust separator, this is the best! Nice job in showing your mistakes as you went along! I do have one question, why don't I see plastic elbows where the dust enters and on the exit pipe to help with the kinking of the flex hose I see in just about every one of the videos?
Thanks for the feedback! It never occurred to me to use an elbow at those locations. That’s a great idea!
Are there plans capable for a 2 hp shop?
Really enjoyed👍
If you extend the vacuum pipe in the baffel so it just has a 1.5 inch space between the baffel and the vacuum pipe, and move the "intake" of the dust to the top of the baffel, the dust will loose speed alot faster and fall thru to the baffel.. also adding a larger pipe standing on the baffel itself creating a bit of a "maze" will help reducing anything getting passed even more. As vacuum is a constant and the only thing you need to be fighting is velocity vs. gravity it can be halted effecitly.
Good tips. Thanks!
Can you give a little more detail on this. I’m kinda slow so I have I have a difficult time understanding what you’re exactly saying. I’m planning on building something soon however a little larger and it would be great to get the dust pulled down into trash can rather than it continue spinning. Thanks, Joey
@@Spurtaker Moronicsmurf has suggested I make 2 different changes: Make the pipe at the top center of the whole thing extend down lower (so it's about 1.5" from the bottom of the circular chamber) and move the intake pipe (that the dust enters through) up to the top part of that chamber instead of at the bottom as I did. These 2 changes will make the dust come into the chamber *above* the top of the pipe that runs out to the vacuum, which will make it near impossible for any of that dust to get sucked into the pipe that goes out to the vacuum. This device already does a fantastic job separating out my dust, but those 2 changes would make it a bit better. Hope that makes sense - thanks for watching!
Really cool Video, I only hoped I watched this Video before I Ordered a cheap Cyclone dust unit but I am going make this as it can collect lots dust, Thank you so much for this Video and I like the Circle cutting jig and the way you used it upside down, well done you got a new Subscriber.
Glad you like them. Thanks!
Very nice video. Wondering if you can post a video showing home air duct cleaning? Thanks!
Thanks for the suggestion - I'll see if I can get that added to my lengthy list of project ideas.
@@AmplifyDIY awesome! I'll be waiting on that. Thanks!
The ‘different’ thing here is the bottom entry inlet port which causes the waste to spin high up the sides. There is room for a LOT of design experimenting here. No one addresses the height of the chamber to its diameter ratio, or depth of outflow tube into the swirl. I’d love to do tests, unfortunately I don’t have the advantage of the super cheap materials cost you guys are blessed with in the US. In UK that sheet of Polycarbonate is like 60 bucks (GBP) and the ply used here is about 30 bucks worth….with glue etc its 100 bucks per ‘top hat’. The stuff you casually throw together and as easily throw away is over a weeks worth of entire disposable income! Ah well.
From all I’ve read or seen, the inlet port should be as high as possible (see comment by billwebster759, above). Also, the exhaust port should be positioned about 2 inches above the baffle. As to the ratio of height to diameter, I do not recall having come across any particular guidance. I have seen woodworkers construct Thien-style dust separators that are two feet across and probably 16-20 inches high, or made from a #10 can or two liter plastic soft drink bottle. I have observed that folks sometimes appear to forget or overlook certain aspects: gravity, momentum, distance for example. Good luck!
Great video - the amazon link to the polycarbonate is broken. Can you provide size and thickness of what you used?
Hi Lou - thanks for the heads up about the dead link. It was a 48" wide sheet, in 1/16" thickness, I believe. Here's a new link that should work: amzn.to/37BNIYQ
Good luck with your build!
@@AmplifyDIY BINGO! thanks so very much... also, unless I missed it, is that a 20 gallon Brute Can you used?
If you do a lot of work with MDF, you should use a HEPA filter cartridge in that Shop-Vac. A regular filter will still let some MDF dust through and you don't want to be breathing that stuff.
Good point. I don’t do a lot with mdf, but when I do I wear a full face respirator. I think you can see it in a few shots in this video. Great advice, thanks!
I have 2 questions. 1) I've heard that there needs to be some sort of a grounding wire to relieve the static charge. 2) How do you discard you sawdust-- burn it, put it a garden or compost pile which will take a long time to break down or some other way. Thank you
There is some static that builds up on the chamber and dust bin, but not much more than you'd get by dragging your feet across a carpeted floor. If you built a larger version of this that was not portable, a ground strap may be useful... but in this application it's not really needed.
As for disposal, I usually just dump it into my regular trash for landfill garbage collection. I am just a hobby wood worker, so I only wind up needing to empty it a few times / year. Thanks for watching!
love the video, ? could you give some sizes on the top dust hole you made 3/4 around the edge and size of the clear top how tall is it . I have the same trash can as you have and planning on making this soon . Thanks
So...I am wondering if efficiency is affected by the height of the input port and what difference does it make if the exhaust tube goes down into the cavity?
I don't have good answers to either question. Have you checked out the discussion forum that Mr. Thien hosts? They likely have lots more detail about different design decisions. www.jpthien.com/smf/
Thank you👍
Best guidance I have seen is the exhaust port should come down to about 1.5”-2” above the baffle. I have seen at least one or two built with the exhaust port extending below the baffle, but that greatly increases the risk of dust and chips getting sucked out, and into the shop vac or dust collector - ie, it’s counter productive.
Did you ever think about using a 20 - 55-gallon industrial barrel? They are a lot stronger than a cheap plastic trashcan. Some have handles on the outsides. They also are smooth on the inside. If you need any leads on where to get one... Try Craigslist for your area.
Just make sure the one you get has a removable lid. If it comes with a screw-type lid you may want to use some type of seal for the lid.
This is a great idea, thanks!
The one thing I do not understand on you’re first design is why was no actual baffle installed below the inlet port? Wouldn’t it prevent the chip/dust from being drawn into the shop vacuum?
It might have, but ultimately just following the recommendation from the forum I liked to in the description yielded fantastic results. I still use this thing today, and it’s great!
Awesome video. I loved that you showed your mistakes. We all make them. I learned so much more after seeing what you went through.
Would your original design have worked if the trash bin had smoother walls (and the sides didn't collapse in)? Or do you think there were additional reasons it didn't work?
Hey Mike! I'm glad you enjoyed the video! As for my original design: I think it would have been ok(ish) with a smooth-walled can with enough strength to avoid collapsing... but doing the baffled top-hat design I think is quite a bit better. Had the original design worked better, I think there still would have been quite a bit of dust which worked its way into the shop-vac... particularly the super fine stuff. The top hat with clear sides also offers the advantage that I can see how well the cyclone is working, and it's really easy to tell when it gets close to full. If you are considering building your own, I encourage you to go with the top-hat design or something very similar. It really does work amazingly well. Thanks!
@@AmplifyDIY You went right from an interior, UNBAFFLED design with a long outlet pipe to the tophat design. There may have been a way to salvage your original attempt, although the walls of your can would still be working against you.
Ultimately I'm glad I went to the tophat design. It's been working wonderfully.
Do you have a suggestion for a quiet wet/dry vacuum?
Unfortunately, they are all pretty loud, unless you are willing to spend quite a bit. Here's a pretty thorough article: bettersoundproofing.com/best-quiet-shop-vac/
There is a muffler you can buy for the exhaust port of the shopvac. Sometimes it is called a diffuser. Brings the noise down a bit.
Awesome video! I've been looking at making a dedicated dust collector for a cnc machine and I think this is perfect! It's funny because I have that same shop vac and trash can! Thanks! (already a subscriber)
Best of luck, Eric! I'd love to hear how it turns out for you if you do decide to build this collector. I still have mine going strong, and it still works amazingly well. Thanks for watching!
@@AmplifyDIY I just tried mine out for the first time.. The trash can collapsed with such force, it pushed the baffle off of the top of the can.. I guess I have to make one of those rings for the inside of the can
Where did the plywood ring go that was in the first shot of the garbage can?
Hi Eddie - you mean the ring that you can see inside the can at the 4:08 mark? That ring lives inside the can, as the suction power of the vacuum will collapse the can without some reinforcement. There may have been some later shots in the video of the inside of the can with that ring removed as I was experimenting to find the best setup - but that ring lives in the can full time now. Let me know if I've misunderstood the question. Thanks!
nice job. mistakes are only learning opertunities.
the thien forum is great. im a regular over there. retired 2 is great . to improve it i would thin out the edge of the slot on the bottom . i would extend the outlet more. its a shame you made a double height seperater but put the inlet so low, if efectivly a single height . not a lot you can do to fix that though . not sure a bell mough would help when the inlet is below it , it could make it worse. . i would double check you are sealing fully to the can , when you removed it on the first version you can see where dust has escaped onto the top edge. . dont worry , these things are only small issues, once it works fairly good then thats all that matters
Great feedback, thank you!
All or most industrial companies and small woodworking shop always have there dust collection out side and away from the working area this would keep the working area much cleaner and healthier
Also try to keep the exhaust port to the outside of the shop.
Sounds good if you are working on a shed or your garage as your small shop but, my shop is in my home basement. Don’t think I can vent or put the collector outside.
Thank you for the great video. I am in the process of building the top hat now, but struggling with the polycarbonate. Do you know what size you used? Thank you in advance
HI Adam - I believe it was 1/8" thick. It is quite brittle, so be careful that you don't try to bend it too far too fast, and you have to work it pretty gently with power tools. Drilling aggressively into it, for example, can cause it to crack/split. Good luck!
does clockwise versus counterclockwise spin make a difference?
Hi Jc - depends on if you live in the northern or southern hemisphere. 😂 - Actually, I don't think it will make any difference at all. Good luck!
When you showed the original Thein device, it had both input and output through the top, one in the center and one near the edge, with a 90 degree turn to create the vortex. That seems like an easier design to build since you are going through a flat surface and don’t have to deal with complex ellipse shapes. What was your logic for going through the side?
Hi Robin - I didn't want the 90º elbow hanging out disrupting the airflow of the vortex. Maybe it does not make much difference, but my intuition says small particles could hit the back side of the elbow and ricochet into the intake stream of the port headed out to the vacuum. Great observation!
Thanks. Makes sense.
what size is the brute can you're using?
Hi Lou - sorry for the late response: I used a 20 gal brute garbage can for theirs project. Thanks for watching!
Great video and step-by-step explanations! One comment: Wouldn't it be better to have the inlet at the top of the drum, rather than the bottom? The way you have it, dust gets trapped between the top of the cylinder and the high-speed inlet vortex. Having the inlet at the top would allow the dust to fall down after being thrown to the outside of the chamber. Thanks.
It may work better to put it at the top, yes. This one performs so well though, I'm not likely to try a different design. If I were building it again though, I think I would put it at the top rather than the bottom of the chamber. Thanks for watching!
Make it stack on top of the vac or vice versa.
Interesting idea. Thank you!
@@AmplifyDIY My pleasure. I'm thinking that just remaking the vac's bottom half (or cutting a hole in it) would be sufficient.
Anyone out there using the Fulton 2 1/2" hose linked in the description? I'm ready to buy but worried about the hose collapsing in some of the reviews for the 10' and 20' lengths.
Great video! The editing and voiceover is outstanding. Sharing your mistakes and how you fixed them is what earned my subscription to your channel.
Hi David - thank you! I've been using this 2 1/2" hose for a few years now, and love it. I don't recall for certain, but I'm pretty sure I ordered something like a 50' length of it, which I cut up into the various sizes I needed for this dust collector. I am pretty sure that the longest piece I use regularly is around 20' (goes from dust collector out to various tools in the shop) and I've never had it collapse.
Are you going to be using a shop vac, or something more powerful?
Excellent video! What size (thickness) polycarbonate did you use? I especially appreciate when makers show their mistakes because your mistakes are, more or less, the same mistakes I would have made. Just found this channel - have subscribed! Thanks for your effort. :)
I've always believed that if you are not making mistakes, you're not learning. I believe the polycarbonate is 1/8" thick. Thanks for watching!
Could you kindly let us know the dimensions of the thien baffle? I'm guessing 20 inches diameter and 16 inches high?
I built one myself but the airflow to the cyclone was too weak . How to fix this
What kind of shop-vac did you use? What diameter hoses?
How tall is this, and how wide?
cyclone but no inner tube?
Plexiglas is a commercial name for acrylic panels - not polycarbonate which is often sold under the commercial name of Lexan, a far more durable and malleable material to work with, although somewhat more expensive.
Thanks for clarifying.
I would think that if the inlet was high up on the hat that would be better, but I am not an expert by any means, just something i noted from other similar designs.
I think the rationale behind having the inlet lower is that it's easier / faster for the dust to fall through the slit into the can below, and harder for it to get sucked up into the outlet port. If the inlet and outlet are both at the top, it's a little easier for dust to hop straight from inlet to outlet.... but I think either design will work quite well.
What thickness of poly did you use?
Hi Ryan - it was pretty thin. 1/8", as I recall. Thanks for watching!
@@AmplifyDIY when you go to the link for the poly, it says 1/16.
@@snakemaster26 I'd trust the link, then. Go with 1/16". Good luck!
DO YOU HAVE BLUEPRINTS I CAN BUY FROM YOU
Sorry Stan, I don't... but if you check out the link in the description you'll find a large community full of folks with resources. Good luck!
How does your separator stay connected to the trash can? You show nothing on that.
Hi Steve - Sorry about the confusion. I did not show anything because there literally is nothing extra that I did. Gravity holds it on there just fine. When the vacuum is running, the suction in the system REALLY holds it on tight. Once I turn off the vacuum, I can just lift it right off the top of the can to go empty the can. Thanks for watching!
24:07
po cholerę ten odkurzacz do pochłaniacza pyłów wystarczy sam silnik od odkurzacza
Najtańszym i najłatwiejszym sposobem uzyskania wystarczającej siły ssania do wykonania tego projektu jest użycie prawdziwego odkurzacza. Gdybym miał tylko silnik próżniowy, musiałbym w zasadzie zbudować dla niego obudowę, dodać filtr wstępny dla bardzo drobnych cząstek przedostających się przez cyklon itp.
Dobre pytanie i dzięki za obejrzenie!
nie zrozumieliśmy się chodzi o cały silnik odkurzacza z całą turbiną zsądzą@@AmplifyDIY
I visited the links provided, using only part of the list above and the cost (minus the garbage can, poly carbonate, and seal) came to $95 USD. I am in Canada. For both the hoses, clamps, and adapters it came to $211 and that does not include about another $65 in import fees! Do companies think Canadians are made of damn money!?!? Ridiculous! I mean I get our dollar is not worth as much but come ON! nearly TRIPLE the cost? And this is not just for this...it's EVERYTHING lately. RUDE!
Oof. Can you get any of these parts locally at a better price?
Plexiglass and polycarbonate are not the same thing. You're using Plexiglass not polycarbonate
Hi Arthur - You can clearly see the labeling at 14:15 that I was using Makrolon Polycarbonate. I may have referred to it as "plexiglass" and "glass" at other points in the video, but I was using those terms colloquially. I specifically chose polycarbonate instead of acrylic as it holds up better under harsher conditions such as this application. Thanks for watching!
It's pronounced "Thien"
Whatever noise/music you have in the background is super annoying. (Sorry to be so blunt)
I appreciate the feedback, and will make sure that's not a problem in future videos. Thanks for watching!
I think you did a great job I'm going to try to build one myself