On Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:53:41 -0600, "Leon"
wrote:

Pretty cool... I have often wondered about these type portable units.

You mention that you used a 5 gal bucket and you could use have used a 10
gal bucket. I wonder if the size of the container really matters as long
as it is at least 5 gal and is air tight.
The reason I ask is that you mentioned the tendency for the unit to tip. If
you attached a larger container to the unit it may not be so easily tipped.
Additionally you might consider using a longer hose to get to where you need
to go so that you could fasten the bucket down.
I use a 20' flexible hose with my DC and that works very well, not having to
move the DC, except to empty it.

I have a different one, the one from clearvuecyclones, but it's on a
30 gal steel drum. It's then hooked up to a network of 2-1/2" clear
pvc piping with blast gates. What's really fun is if I forgot to open
a gate the flex hosing between the cyclone and the piping shrinks and
it will lift one end of the drum up in the air.

They really are very effective. It's hooked up to my TS, SCMS, router
table, spindle sander, and now my CNC, as well as a hose for my hand
held sanders and general shop cleanup. There is never anything in the
base of the vacuum unless I let the drum overflow. Which I really try
to avoid as that drum is mighty heavy when it's full, but happens
anyway at least twice a year. You could do a 55 gal drum if you
wanted, but I wouldn't want to be the one to have to empty it.

I clean the HEPA filter in the Fein every 3 months or so. Without the
cyclone it would be at least every week.

A couple caveats. If you suck up a long piece of scrap it gets wedged
at the inlet of the cyclone and this gives a starting point to create
a blockage. Light fluffy stuff like hand plane shavings or from a
large forstner bit tend to just circle around inside the cyclone
without falling down until you shut off the vac.

Burnt out the motor in the Fein after 3 years just recently. Bought
another one. Now they've got variable power like the Festools. Now I
don't have to partially open another blast gate when I use the ROS and
it's REALLY quiet when you turn it down to level 2.

-Kevin