Finished my HFDC 2 Stage conversion with 6" ports!

[gregascull]

Just Finished up my Harbor Freight DC conversion!.  I Borrowed ideas from many,  Thanks to Phil, VAWoodworker and all those who helped the design evolve to what is now mounted on my garage wall!

I used 3/4 MDF for the top and bottom of the separator unit and used 1/2" to build the case.  Inside there is some dry erase hardboard which was bent to fit the inner circle.  I used another piece of 3/4" MDF and replaced the inlet of the DC to a new 6" port.  The new port is screwed onto the housing and screwed to the unit below.  The whole unit is supported by a 3/4" Ply brace which was lag bolted to the studs.  

For the cart I used 3/4 Ply and bolted the original metal cart under for stability.  If I separate the Ring and Blower connections by loosening the small piece of flex the whole cart, trashcan, filter, and bag roll away for cleaning leaving the blower and separator mounted to the wall.  The can is supported by some scrap for now but was thinking about some sort of lever action to lift it into place.


The Ducting is 6" S&D.  I got a 14' length and a 6" Wye with 4" reducer and 4" wye part for 25$.  After the Wye 4" continues on to the other tools.  I'm currently have one 4" pipe coming off the Wye to the below blade of the TS and am planning a 3" port from above once I get around to building the above blade guard.  This should allow me to have both "open" at the same time.

Sorry for the grainy photos,  Phone camera isn't so great.

[Rob Faucett]

Looks good. Could you post pics of the baffle & inlet?

[jfin]

Hi - I also thank Vawoodworker for his super design, and I put a few mods on mine.

1) I remounted the whole DC on a new, castered stand to keep it portable, thus eliminating the need to mount the blower & motor to a wall,

2) Being concerned about the TRUE volume flow from an HF unit, I went with 5" ducting, and

3) I built mine with ONLY 1/8" hardboard separating the "topper" top from bottom, then cut out the bottom to extend the hardboard "swirl chamber" about 3/4" into the trash can, then added a common Thien baffle made from 2 sandwiched/glued 1/8" hardboard discs (Phil recommends a thin baffle).

So far I am very pleased -very good separation and no apparent scrubbing in the plastic dust bag - but, testing to date has been minimal, so I'm looking forward to a good run sucking up planer chips.

Jim

[gregascull]

Looks good. Could you post pics of the baffle & inlet?

Unfortunately I didn't take many pictures of the inside of the part,  The inlet to the separator is using 2 3/4" MDF with a 6 1/4 hole in it to accept the 6" pvc.  The PVC goes into the unit about 2 inches.


Here is the view from the bottom.

[SteveSawyer]

So I  have to ask - since you've been using this for a couple of weeks, what can you tell us about a) the effectiveness of the separation, and b) the effectiveness of the dust collection?

I'd like to run my 6" inlet can-topper using my HF motor and blower, but I'm concerned that it really doesn't have enough air-moving capacity to maintain the air velocity in 6" ducting.

Thanks.

[gregascull]

So I  have to ask - since you've been using this for a couple of weeks, what can you tell us about a) the effectiveness of the separation, and b) the effectiveness of the dust collection?

I'd like to run my 6" inlet can-topper using my HF motor and blower, but I'm concerned that it really doesn't have enough air-moving capacity to maintain the air velocity in 6" ducting.

Thanks.

I never did get around to getting the dimensions done but did want to respond to this question.

I have noticed very good separation from the unit after using.  I have almost no dust in the lower bag and I have emptied the can 2-3 times about half full.
There is WAY more suction than there was before.  I am able to use the farthest away sweep that I have installed and it picks up vertically ~7 feet and runs about 10 feet back to the unit. 

The only issue I have had since doing the mod is that my unit began throwing my20 amp breaker when I first turn it on after letting it sit for a few days.  Not sure if this is the change in orientation, 6" port, more use, weather.... but it is annoying.

The biggest change for me is that I can easily have my upper and lower branches both 4" open and still work fine.  The 6" main trunk is key.

[SteveSawyer]

Thanks for the feedback - that IS impressive performance on a crappy little HF dc motor and blower. Odd that you're getting the CB trip only after the unit is sitting idle for a few days.

Thanks again.

[SteveSawyer]

Sorry - one other question I forgot to ask.

Did you use the original 5" inlet on the blower, or did you remove the inlet flange and make a new flange with a 6" inlet? Since your picture show it already assembled, I'm trying to figure out how to configure the top. I have everything cut out and am to the point of starting to assemble, but the top is still solid - haven't cut a whole for the blower inlet yet.

Thanks!

[gregascull]

Sorry - one other question I forgot to ask.

Did you use the original 5" inlet on the blower, or did you remove the inlet flange and make a new flange with a 6" inlet? Since your picture show it already assembled, I'm trying to figure out how to configure the top. I have everything cut out and am to the point of starting to assemble, but the top is still solid - haven't cut a whole for the blower inlet yet.

Thanks!

I removed the 5" flange, used it as a template to make a 6" one out of 3/4 MDF,  I made the new "flange" square mostly so that I could screw it to the top of the separator.  the 6" holes in both tops are lined with a short piece of PVC which was screwed and glued into the new flange.  that piece of PVC protrudes into the top of the separator by about 1/2".

Hope it helps,  I really wish I had taken more pictures of the assembly but totally got caught up in assembly and then it was all installed!

[SteveSawyer]

Hope it helps

It does indeed. Thanks!