Cyclon filtering

[czechsonofagun]

I am planning to add dust collecting system to my shop - I am sick and tired of sweeping

Anyway, from what I read so far, the best way to filter the air is to use a cyclon for particle separation and there are articles on the internet how to build one.

Driving to work this morning, I saw a dump truck and it reminded me, that they use cyclons to filter the engine air. Do you think it would be adaptable for woodworking shop bigger particals separation?

Or is it just a stupid idea and waste of time/money?

 

[CharlieTR]

Not sure I understand about the truck motor cyclone idea.
Can you give more details.

What is your goal and expectations for a dust collector?
In my shop I have an air cleaner and a dust collector (bag type, not cyclone).
After installing them, there was no noticable reduction in the small dust covering things I wanted to keep clear of dust. They both work great but the dust is just unbeatable. The air cleaner cleans the the entire shop 6 times an hour, and when I run the router to make raised panel doors I need to change the filter every 2 hours.

The plumbing will need to be engineered to get the most out of the dust collector. There is a small book the retailers sell that you will want to get.
You must know the CFMs of the unit to size and distance the pipes. So building your own may be a little harder. Be sure to run ground wire thru the pipes and ground the unit to prevent static caused fires.

 

[kennyd]

I installed a ClearVue cyclone in my woodshop 8 months ago, I ran all 6" S&D pipe to all of my machines, upgraded all the 4" ports to 6", andbuilt an enclosure around my miter saw. My dust problems are all but gone now This thing really SUCKS!

Here is a link to ClearVue:
Clear Vue Cyclones Home

Here is a link to the GOD of dust collecters home page, it is alot of reading an info to absorb, but worthwhile if you are concerned about the health issues with fine dust:
Bill's Cyclone Dust Collection Research - Home Page

Here is link to a forum dedicated to dust collection:
http://dgroups.woodmagazine.com/n/pfx/forum.aspx?webtag=airfiltration

And finally, a link to a great woodworkers forum that has alot of info on this subject as well if you search:
General Woodworking and Power Tools - Sawmill Creek

Goog luck, and get comfortable!

 

[czechsonofagun]

The primary engine filter on dump truck is a cyclone type on the front fender - thinking about finding it somewhere to try it out.

My plan for the shop is to use cyclone to collect bigger particles into a trash can and than filter the air and blow it out of the shop - luckily I can do it, at least I think i can.

It will be hard piped (4") around machinery allowing me to run it one machine at a time - since I never run two in the same time and some ports I can plug in vacuum hose 2 1/2" for hand power tools.

 

[LC Brewing]

I can't believe that Bill Pentz's site actually got linked in a Tractor Forum! yikes! (I'm a frequenter at WoodNet, where he gets linked to, and flamed, often). Some of Bill's stuff has to be taken with a grain of salt - but there is a lot of good information there as well.

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The size of the filter on a dump truck (or similar) intake air filter won't be large enough for the volume required to adequately pull chips and dust from most woodworking tools. You'll need a much larger cyclone body, and a decent-sized motor/impeller combination to get a dust collector to really work for you. KennyD suggested the ClearVue - which is one option. Their cyclones are a bit less expensive, come partially assembled, and you provide the rest of the materials/parts/labor to put it together. Other options are Grizzly's new line of cyclone collectors, the Oneida Dust Gorilla line of cyclones, the Penn State Tempest line, and many others. All have varying costs, sizes, features, and highlights that set them apart from others. I've personally got an Oneida Super Gorilla that performs incredibly. I think that if my 3-year-old got too close to an inlet, she might end up in the chip bin!

 

[czechsonofagun]

Thank you, LC

Thats the answer I wanted - or similar - before I start searching junk yards

I am gonna follow up on the information - and my youngest is almost six, I dont think she would fit anywhere - means I can built real big sucking machine)

Thanks