Shopmade Vortex Drum

[KenOfCary]

Since it is a pain to empty the bag on the Dust Collector, I decided to make a simple Vortex Drum using the system from Rockler and a Fiber Drum I got from Industrial Supplies on the web. It was easy to do and seems to work very well.

This is the Rockler input/output duct system.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=25225


I did a little re-plumbing of the 4" lines into the DC and routed them through the Vortex drum on the way to the DC.

View image in gallery​

I put a window made of Lexan. I used a couple of 1-1/2" aluminum bars to back it up inside the fiber drum and used aluminum rivets to hold the window in place. I loaded up the edges with silicone caulk to seal things up good. The window looks kind of ugly, but it lets me know when the drum is getting full.

View image in gallery​

It filled up nicely with the chips from the planer.

- Ken.

 

[junquecol]

Now stick a "Phil Thien Baffle" in there. Fiber drums can often be had for FREE. You have to know the right place to look. I would take a friendly trip by a janitorial supply house and ask what they sell that comes in drums? Then find out who is buying it. Then go beg drums. Lowes gets floor sweep that they use in masonry aisle, in this type drum.

 

[KenOfCary]

I've seen the Thien baffles before but am not sure what that extra complexity would gain me in functionality. There is a very clear vortex created now with just the redirected air flow that separates the shavings from the airstream remarkably well.

The shavings end up in a nice little round pyramid shaped pile inside the drum.

- Ken.