Advice for small 2 stage dust collection ... shop vac size

[Dorm]

Situation ... I moved this year to new location and am currently working out of 1/2 of the garage. I need something small for dust collection. I like a 2-stage approach allowing the 'junk' to be separated and to not have to constantly clean filters.

I've done a fair amount of research on small dust collection stuff and found the plethora of recommendations on dust collection - totally frustrating. A lot of people want to post "what not to do", or the 3,000 steps and minutiae leading up to what they finally did, instead of something simple, clear and to the point.

I'd appreciate a link, thread or someone's post for pointed guidance on the parts and pieces for building a small cart setup. I need something I can put on a cart to roll around and use ,one at a time, on the dirtiest machines ... planer, table saw, etc. I'm thinking a 35 gal trash can, with a small cyclone on top, using my shop vac for suction. Current shop vac is a wet/dry 16gal Shop Vac ... 150cfm air flow.

This may be an over simplification, but I'm thinking an 8'-10' section of hose (~2.5") connecting to a small cyclone inlet (mounted atop the trash can), and connecting the cyclone (outlet) to the shop vac. All mounted on a cart which can be rolled around to connect individually to equipment.

Love this forum as it's always great for advice when I'm in a bind. Thanks in advance for ones help!!

Ciao ... Dorm

 

[SteveHall]

As someone who fabricated a half size cyclone, I recommend you look at a Thein baffle. A cyclone has to be scaled fairly large to function properly, and requires a 3 HP motor and 4-5" ducting to move enough air and twist it fast enough to drop out the most dangerous particulates. My scaled version, designed around exactly what you are trying to do, just isn't big enough to move enough air. And it's top heavy, and sticks up very high to fit a large a large enough trash can below.

There has been countless pages written about dust collection, but IMO a Thein baffle fitted to a Harbor Freight collector is very functional, portable, inexpensive solution. But if you need <2.5 PM collection, nothing beats a huge built-in collection with supplemental air filtration.

 

[Pop Golden]

I'm with Steve on the HF collector, but I would replace the Thein baffle with a Dust Deputy. My son has this set-up and it works. I have the same system, but have not put it in service due to my shop is in up-fit mode. The basic idea is that the HP DC works as the power source, and the DD gets everything. After using this system for 2 years my son says there is still nothing in the HF DC to empty.

Pop

 

[Dorm]

Thanks guys, but I need to be able to use my shop vac as the suction source. My space is extremely limited, ergo I need to use what I have. Are there suggestions for using my shop vac in conjunction with other components?

Ciao ... Dorm

 

[Brantnative]

I have a small garage workshop. My biggest sawdust/chip producer is probably my Dewalt 735 planer. My Rigid shopvac with Dust Deputy cyclone works fine for what I do. It only has a 5 gal bucket but you could easily switch it out to a larger drum if you want to. It's the cyclone that's important. Very little carries over to my shopvac, usually because I forget to empty the bucket. There are many designs on the internet to build a cart that holds both. With wheels on my cart I can move it to where ever in my shop I need it. I've thought about a bigger dust collecting system but I just don't have the room nor the need.

 

[Raymond]

Check out YouTube videos - just search "shop vac dust collection system" and you will get plenty of videos.

Check this one out:

 

[JeffH]

I have a Ridgid shop vac, and use a Dust Deputy cyclone installed on a fiber drum. Can't remember whether the drum is 10 gal or 15 gal, but I have two of those, and they're easy to switch out quickly since they've got those locking metal lids. I never had much luck with the plastic buckets, which weren't really strong enough to hold their shape during vacuum action.

 

[Martin Roper]

Check out YouTube videos - just search "shop vac dust collection system" and you will get plenty of videos.

I bought the bits to put one of those together. I just need to get off my duff and do it.

 

[Rwe2156]

It would help to know what specific machines, eg, stationary vos benchtop planer, cabinet saw vs contractor.

You need more CFM’S to effectively collect some of those machines.

In your situation I would think about a 1HP wall mount type blower in conjunction with a separator like the Rockler Dust right separator or Thein lid. It’s not going to take up any more space than a shop vac and have a lot more CFM. You can buy a 1HP blower fairly cheap too.

 

[junquecol]

Be aware that using a shop vacuum can collapse most containers, including metal trash cans. Five gallon buckets come in different weights, with the cheapest ones being colored either blue or orange, as in Lowes / HD. My son get buckets of fluids to service heavy equipment. These buckets are much heavier construction.

 

[Oka]

Agree, if you can get the food grade buckets. The Home Depot and Lowes are cheap and thin, they only last us at our job about 3-5 months max. The White food grade buckets have a wall thickness 2-3 times thicker.
Restaurant supply places have them.

Be aware that using a shop vacuum can collapse most containers, including metal trash cans. Five gallon buckets come in different weights, with the cheapest ones being colored either blue or orange, as in Lowes / HD. My son get buckets of fluids to service heavy equipment. These buckets are much heavier construction.

 

[JimD]

I use a shop vac with a dust deputy cyclone for my track saw, sanders, and domino. I tried several cart arrangements but I currently have the shop vac under the drywall bucket/cyclone so it is easier to empty the drywall bucket. I got a little shop vac with a big motor because nearly nothing goes into the dust area of the shop vac. I have to clean the quasi HEPA filter sometimes but their is very little in the vac, as long as I don't let the drywall bucket overfill. I have used a thein separator before but I found it did not separate fine dust very well so it did not reduce filter cleaning like a cyclone. The shop vac is connected to the cyclone with plumbing pipe (less loss of cfm than flex hose). My shop vac would not collect the dust from my PCS table saw, planner, or jointer. For that I use a HF 2hp DC motor and blower mounted on top of a Super Dust Deputy Cyclone which is on top of a home made ~70 gallon wood box and discharging outside. I used to use a Ryobi BT3100 table saw and a shop vac worked OK with it.

 

[Dorm]

I have a small garage workshop. My biggest sawdust/chip producer is probably my Dewalt 735 planer. My Rigid shopvac with Dust Deputy cyclone works fine for what I do. It only has a 5 gal bucket but you could easily switch it out to a larger drum if you want to. It's the cyclone that's important. Very little carries over to my shopvac, usually because I forget to empty the bucket. There are many designs on the internet to build a cart that holds both. With wheels on my cart I can move it to where ever in my shop I need it. I've thought about a bigger dust collecting system but I just don't have the room nor the need.

Thanks Jeff ... this is the info I need. The dirtiest machines I use are a DeW 735 planer and a Metabo tablesaw. The tablesaw is notorious with not discharging sawdust and the discharge clogs. The times I’ve hooked up the shop vac directly I spent way too much time dumping sawdust and cleaning the filter. I need to be portable and the simple shop vac/drum setup is what I’m after. I’ll likely go with a large 30gal setup.
Ciao ... Dorm

 

[Rwe2156]

Sounds like you get the answer you wanted LOL!!

 

[Dorm]

Sounds like you get the answer you wanted LOL!!

And I didn’t have to type much at all
Ciao ... Dorm

 

[Michael Mathews]

I have both the Thein Separator and the Dust Deputy. The Thein separator is in front of my Grizzly dust collector motor / impeller combo. The discharge from that goes outside. I never see any dust, debris or anything outside. The Thein is very good and separating everything, at least the way I built mine! My DD is sitting on top of a homemade mount on a Festool HEPA vac. I never see anything inside the vac bag! I've been running this setup for well over a year and I've never changed a bag, nor even see any amount of buildup in the bag. I keep an eye on the 5 gal. bucket and empty it as it's so easy to do. If you're going to use your shop-vac, then you definitely should use the dust deputy! It works like a charm!

 

[wooduser]

Check on you tube with Stumpy Nubs. He has two on dust collecting that are very good. One is recent, maybe a month old and the other is three or four years old.

Lecil

 

[Dorm]

Check out YouTube videos - just search "shop vac dust collection system" and you will get plenty of videos.

Check this one out:

All ... your feedback and comments are much appreciated. Similar to Raymond's suggestion I found this one as well. Super simple to do and a small footprint as well. I liked this guys straightforward, get to the point approach with his video. I've ordered the stuff and hopefully it will have enough 'hair' to tackle the planer.

Eric Sorensen small shop dust collection

 

[Keye]

Situation ... I moved this year to new location and am currently working out of 1/2 of the garage. I need something small for dust collection. I like a 2-stage approach allowing the 'junk' to be separated and to not have to constantly clean filters.

I've done a fair amount of research on small dust collection stuff and found the plethora of recommendations on dust collection - totally frustrating. A lot of people want to post "what not to do", or the 3,000 steps and minutiae leading up to what they finally did, instead of something simple, clear and to the point.

I'd appreciate a link, thread or someone's post for pointed guidance on the parts and pieces for building a small cart setup. I need something I can put on a cart to roll around and use ,one at a time, on the dirtiest machines ... planer, table saw, etc. I'm thinking a 35 gal trash can, with a small cyclone on top, using my shop vac for suction. Current shop vac is a wet/dry 16gal Shop Vac ... 150cfm air flow.

This may be an over simplification, but I'm thinking an 8'-10' section of hose (~2.5") connecting to a small cyclone inlet (mounted atop the trash can), and connecting the cyclone (outlet) to the shop vac. All mounted on a cart which can be rolled around to connect individually to equipment.

Love this forum as it's always great for advice when I'm in a bind. Thanks in advance for ones help!!

Ciao ... Dorm

Thanks for kick starting my brain. When we moved I lost my stand alone shop and my wife gained a horse barn. I stopped wood working to train horses. The horses are now gone and I have started making sawdust in part of the garage. Renting the barn and pasture so the barn is not an option.

I was using a Delta 50-580 dust collector but left it stored in the barn, not enough room for it. I had custom bags made and the top one is way to tall for the garage. I need for the whole thing to have a smaller footprint. Started looking online and found out there are a lot of things out there I did not know about.

I do not have the volume of sawdust I had but the fine dust fills up the filters on the 2 shop vacs I am using really fast.

I need for it to be mobile and the platform it sits on is on rollers but is also crappy. I need to figure out how to use the motor and ports and not require the large bags.

Not positive about the model number. Pic I saw had one port and mine has two.

Anyone who sees this and has some ideas I would love to hear from you.

I guess I should apologize. Do not mean to intrude on someone else's thread.

 

[JonB]

Check out YouTube videos - just search "shop vac dust collection system" and you will get plenty of videos.

Check this one out:

After seeing this video a while back, I spent some time putting one together, I needed a new shop vac anyway. It works really well, the bucket is quick and easy to empty, almost nothing ends up in the shop vac. I can suck up shavings from turning easily and there are adapters available to hook up to just about any machine. The Rigid shop vac is much more quiet that my old Craftsman. The cyclone part is less expensive than the Dust Deputy and works just as well.