Trash Can Topper Project with 6" Ports

[vawoodworker84]

I am a new member to this forum but I have been gathering insight here for a month or two. Like alot of others, I was looking for a way to avoid emptying the DC bags as often. My design goals were as follows...

1) Integrate the separator within my existing system such that it could be used by everything or easily bypassed.
2) Design the separator to sit on top of the can so that (a) the can's full volume could be utilized (b) 6" ports could be used (c) I could readily modify it to work with another container


Here is the core of the separator where you can see the side entry port



In this photo, I have just added the 1/8" hardboard in the core to create the perfectly round skin. You may be able to see that I beveled the leading edge (nearest the entry port)



Here is the 1" thick bottom plate with a 5/8" x 3/4" deep groove around the perimeter that perfectly mates my current trash can. You can also see the 1 1/8" drop slot.







This photo shows the underside of the top plate. The green 6? PVC pipe passes through the plate and is tightly trapped by a coupler on the top and 1? cut-off from that same coupler on the bottom.






Now? on to integrating my new toy into my DC system!

[phil (admin)]

Nice work.  That deserves a fancy paint job.  :)

[vawoodworker84]

Here it is integrated into my DC system. I REALLY like the side benefit of having a more accessible switch.


The results from its first test while cleaning up the shop



And finally, here is a video of it working with the hose between the motor and DC bags disconnected so that you can see how well it works!

Demo Video


-Don

[dabullseye]

is that a 50-850 and when you dump the can does your seperator hang from the center flex tube. or do u have a couple of french cleats on studs so that it can sit on can and then b lifted and put on a higher cleat to hold it up while u dump the can. how does the plastic can hold up to the suction forces. oh yea nice job. what is the size (schedule) of the 6" green pipe and what size is the white pipe.

[dbhost]

That is some very nice work...

[Greg McCallister]

Nice job, wish mine looked as good as that!

[Billy]

Very nice design! And inspiring -- which means that I'm planning to steal a bunch of ideas from you. ;)

[pprobus]

As a complete Newb who has looked at other builds, it appears that the 1-3/8" drop slot is the same size regardless of what size ports you use, is that correct?  I would have thought that the drop slot would change as you increased the airflow, this is not causing any restrictions for those who use the 6" ports vs. the 4" ports? 

Paul

[phil (admin)]

As a complete Newb who has looked at other builds, it appears that the 1-3/8" drop slot is the same size regardless of what size ports you use, is that correct?  I would have thought that the drop slot would change as you increased the airflow, this is not causing any restrictions for those who use the 6" ports vs. the 4" ports? 

Paul

Right, drop slot depends on media you're separating (sawdust), not CFM.

[pprobus]

Thank you, sir.  Makes sense, now. 

Paul

[vawoodworker84]

As an update, after completing a couple of projects, I just had to empty a 3/4 full trash can for the first time. The lower bag of the DC may have had an inch or two of material. I am a HAPPY camper with this! I used a garden watering can to wet down the material in the trash can before popping the lid on. I then delivered it to the dump - no fuss, no inhaled dust! The moist dust didn't even cloud up when I poured it out into the brush bin at the recycle center. A BIG improvement over the last bag emptying episode where I inhaled more dust in 5 minutes than the months of woodworking that created the mess.

Thanks to Phil for this site and all of the folks here for sharing their ideas!

[JTJ]

As an update, after completing a couple of projects, I just had to empty a 3/4 full trash can for the first time. The lower bag of the DC may have had an inch or two of material. I am a HAPPY camper with this! I used a garden watering can to wet down the material in the trash can before popping the lid on. I then delivered it to the dump - no fuss, no inhaled dust! The moist dust didn't even cloud up when I poured it out into the brush bin at the recycle center. A BIG improvement over the last bag emptying episode where I inhaled more dust in 5 minutes than the months of woodworking that created the mess.

Thanks to Phil for this site and all of the folks here for sharing their ideas!

I'm going to have to remember that watering trick.  I want a topper too, but it'll mean cutting down a drum to get it under my 50-760 and to have either 5" or 6" pipework (not to mention actually organizing the shop so I can use it  ::) ).  Right now mobility is higher on the list.

Ditto on the Kudu's for Phil and the site.  There's more value on this site for great penny pinching dust collection than many many others.

[vawoodworker84]

I had somebody ask me about design on this. So, I am posting my basic incomplete rendering I did with visio while I was thinking throught the design.

[rnease]

Just built one inspired by this one - mine is on top of a 30 gallon recycled dairy drum, and I just glued the 6" thinwall pipe into the side and top. It works as advertised, dumped everything in the bag from the dc onto the floor, and sucked it up as a test. I'd say at least 95% of the stuff dumped went into the separator, and only a handful of fines went back into the bag. I'm totally sold. Will try to post pictures of the completed build, if I can stop using it long enough.

Thanks, Phil. Hope you got my contribution, because I got a paypal receipt for it. Thanks DB host, VAwoodworker 84, Greg Mcallister, and all the other folks who have contributed to my design juices. This was very much fun, very inexpensive, and VERY worthwhile. ::)

[Negative_Zero]

This looks like exactly the project I was thinking to build to intercept most of the debris before it gets to my 2hp HF DC.  I am thinking that I will build a single unit with a 5" input that attaches the blower directly above the baffle and the motor directly above the blower, with the output from the blower feeding into the DC filter/collection bag.  If I build the baffle unit from plywood it should be strong enough to carry the weight of the motor and the blower, with the catch barrel clamped from below (and able to be separated and lowered for emptying with the motor, blower and baffle staying stationary).

One question I could not answer for myself is the angle at which the baffle is oriented.  It seems to me that the flat part of the baffle in this design is horizontal (i.e., parallel to the ground) while other baffle designs seem to be slanted.  Is this appearance just the because of the way things were photographed?

Also, how far down into the swirling air should be central vent be to minimize the sawdust that is picked up and sent into the DC.  It seems that most have the central pipe only going 1-2 inches below the top surface.

Finally, I am planning to use a galvanized steel garbage can.  Is a 2hp HF DC likely to collapse that if there is blockage in the air flow?

Thanks for this great baffle design and this example of how to implement it!

-Will