Cyclone Separator for Dust Collector
 

While at the Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga Springs today I saw something
that was rather interesting... On display was a cyclone unit that sits on
top of the steel trash can and hooks up to a two bag dust collector. I spoke
with the vendor about it a bit and thought it was rather interesting. Thus I
figured I'd mention it here (I've got NO connection to the vendor). The
vendor mentioned he had them listed on e-Bay so I looked them up.

The assembly has low headroom requirements as there is no blower on top and
there is no space between the top of the can and cyclone.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

John

I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the trash
can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4310
--dave


"John Grossbohlin" wrote in message
link.net...
While at the Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga Springs today I saw
something that was rather interesting... On display was a cyclone unit
that sits on top of the steel trash can and hooks up to a two bag dust
collector. I spoke with the vendor about it a bit and thought it was
rather interesting. Thus I figured I'd mention it here (I've got NO
connection to the vendor). The vendor mentioned he had them listed on
e-Bay so I looked them up.

The assembly has low headroom requirements as there is no blower on top
and there is no space between the top of the can and cyclone.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

John

Dave Jackson wrote:

I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the trash
can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4310

Probably a considerable improvement. A true cyclone gets just about
everything except the super-fines.

--dave


"John Grossbohlin" wrote in message
link.net...
While at the Woodworkers Showcase in Saratoga Springs today I saw
something that was rather interesting... On display was a cyclone unit
that sits on top of the steel trash can and hooks up to a two bag dust
collector. I spoke with the vendor about it a bit and thought it was
rather interesting. Thus I figured I'd mention it here (I've got NO
connection to the vendor). The vendor mentioned he had them listed on
e-Bay so I looked them up.

The assembly has low headroom requirements as there is no blower on top
and there is no space between the top of the can and cyclone.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...sPageName=WDVW

John


--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

"Dave Jackson" wrote in message
link.net...
I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the trash
can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4310
--dave

If it is indeed a cyclone, it will precipitate most of the dust, let alone
the chips. It is also less prone to surprise bagfuls caused by taking the
last couple of passes on those two boards you're planing.

On Sun, 03 Apr 2005 14:08:40 GMT, "Dave Jackson"
wrote:

I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the trash
can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:

That isn't a cyclone, that's a drop box.

For 4" hose and a chip collector for a thicknesser, it's not a bad
idea. But for sawdust from my bandsaw, my home-made 2 1/2" hose
cyclone collects all the dust and doesn't pass anything to the vacuum.
I can be emptying two bucketfuls of dust from the cyclone before I've
even collected a dust cake on the vacuum filter.


--
If we fail, then let us fail heroically
(or even better, stoichiometrically)

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Dave Jackson wrote:

I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the trash
can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4310

Probably a considerable improvement. A true cyclone gets just about
everything except the super-fines.

The vendor claimed that you could run a thickness planer with no bag... and
that little dust would make it to the filter bags for other uses. Claims
that sound similar to other cyclone vendor's claims!

As concerns the design. I looked at the inside of the unit and it doesn't
look fundamentally different than the inside of a Oneida cyclone. There is
an inlet coming into the side of the cylinder near the top and an outlet
tube exiting the top that extends down into the cylinder. The drop opening
has a flange that is supposed to be fastened to the trash can's top and
sealed with silicone (obviously a hole has to be cut in the top!).

John

"John Grossbohlin" wrote in
nk.net:


"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Dave Jackson wrote:

I wonder what kind of improvement this thing is over just using the
trash can with the plastic lid for the two stage, like this:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...&FamilyID=4310

Probably a considerable improvement. A true cyclone gets just about
everything except the super-fines.

The vendor claimed that you could run a thickness planer with no
bag... and that little dust would make it to the filter bags for other
uses. Claims that sound similar to other cyclone vendor's claims!

As concerns the design. I looked at the inside of the unit and it
doesn't look fundamentally different than the inside of a Oneida
cyclone. There is an inlet coming into the side of the cylinder near
the top and an outlet tube exiting the top that extends down into the
cylinder. The drop opening has a flange that is supposed to be
fastened to the trash can's top and sealed with silicone (obviously a
hole has to be cut in the top!).

John


With a sufficiently tall trash can, I get very similar results with my
plywood and PVC homebuilt. I think that was Andy's point as well.

My thinkness planer produces very little 'dust' either, but lots of
shavings. And my neighbor, with a 2 hp Oneida, runs without bags or
filters, ducting the exhaust out through the wall, 8' up. After 6
months, there was but a small dusting visible on the eave boards.

There is science. There is engineering. And there is marketing. And
there are practical matters. Sometimes they actually talk to one
another.

Patriarch

On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 02:00:50 GMT, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:

The vendor claimed that you could run a thickness planer with no bag.

That has as much to do with (sharp) thickness planers making very
little dust and their shavings being quite large. Now try that trick
with it hooked to a bandsaw.

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 04 Apr 2005 02:00:50 GMT, "John Grossbohlin"
wrote:

The vendor claimed that you could run a thickness planer with no bag.

That has as much to do with (sharp) thickness planers making very
little dust and their shavings being quite large. Now try that trick
with it hooked to a bandsaw.

No argument there! I run a dust collector and air cleaner when using the
table saw, bandsaw, CMS, or doing any sanding (even hand sanding). The
jointer, thickness planer, drill press, and hollow chisel mortiser don't
require the air cleaner. The shaper... well, that depends on what I'm
cutting and what profile. Some shaper work makes a lot of dust and some
chips and others make very little dust and lots of chips. I don't do much
with my router table any more but it tended to be much like the shaper.

While this cyclone separator isn't as robust as the Onieda or Penn State
units it appears to be serviceable. I found out Sunday that a local vendor
is stocking them (Warren Cutlery -- also a stocking Fox dealer). The next
time I'm over near Warren Cutlery I'm going to stop in and ask Jim for a
demo...

John

My thinkness planer produces very little 'dust' either,

Is yours one of them newfangled "smart" planers?