On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:42:19 -0700, Steve B wrote:

"Tim Wescott" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:36:38 -0500, Tim Wescott wrote:

On Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:24:27 -0700, Steve B wrote:

I need to build a vacuum with a 4" or 6" hose to pick up leaves. My
smaller Ridgid and other vacs clog too easily with leaves. Anyone
know of a site with simple directions and basics on such a thing?
Might I use a big barrel, and buy TWO smaller shop vacs and use TWO
suction motors on it?

Other ideas for a simple effective vacuum? Doesn't have to be that
powerful, just for leaves. Just a big hose to avoid clogging.

I don't know if two shop vacs are going to do it. The working vacuum
comes from air velocity, which a shop vac maintains is a hose that's
1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. A 6 inch hose has 9 times more area,
so if you wanted to maintain the same air velocity you'd need nine
shop vac motors -- and motors designed for 2" hoses, at that.

How big is the hose in your Rigid vac?

If you could figure out how to duct it, using the motor from a big
leaf blower might work. You'd have to turn things around, so the
intake to the blower portion goes to your barrel, and you'd have to do
it in such a way that you don't interfere with airflow to your carb or
away from your exhaust.

Don't blame me if you get your head stuck in the hose...

Oh -- and you'd need a filter between the barrel and your blower.
You're not going to care about dust, so probably something like window
screen would work.

--
www.wescottdesign.com

I have a canyon to discharge into, so maybe a long length of PVC or flex
hose might work with just a plain venturi setup with a blow through type
of action ..................................

I use a leaf blower now, but that's like shoveling sand against the
surf. Move it from here to over there. Move it back. New
leaves............

Steve

Leaf blowers seem to make sense when you're trying to get a diffuse bunch
of leaves into a low pile, but when it comes time to get everything onto
a tarp to put it in the compost pile you just gotta get out the rake

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com