Diy cyclone build wip

[slemishwoodcrafts]

First off, I know this topic has been done to death on this forum and just about every other woodworking forum I read on a daily basis.

But I am going to share this work in progress anyway as I haven't seen a cyclone built this way before. (Not saying I'm the first to do it, just haven't seen it documented before)

I built a cyclone last year using an old burgess boiler and a traffic cone and whilst it was somewhat effective I found that the diameter was too small to effectively work with my 6" ducting.
Doing a bit more research again and I realised I needed a minimum 18" although around 22" would be ideal. I measured up an oil drum and found it to be 23" in diameter. Near enough perfect. So last night I measured up and made the first cuts with the grinder to transform the lower portion of the oil drum into a conical shape. I will post further updates as I progress and I hope to be finished by this weekend

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[monkeybiter]

I'm keenly watching this one.

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

Worked on a bit more last night.

As you can see it is starting to take shape. A bit or metal bashing and I will be done. I was hoping to be able to weld it but even on the lowest power the welder burnt right through. So I'm going to have to settle for pop rivets instead.

Should hopefully get the cone part finished tonight


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[dzj]

I too built a cyclone from an oil drum a few years ago. Works very well.
The only downside is that it's a bit noisy. I put mine in the scrap room, so it
isn't that big a problem, but if you plan to keep it in the shop, you might want to
dampen the noise a bit.
butchering-conventional-100mm-chip-extractor-to-cyclone-t93641.html

 

[MattRoberts]

Great progress. It will be interesting to see if the sides not being 100% smooth affects performance or not. If you rivet, might be worth ensuring the overlap is in the direction of air flow

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

Plan is to overlap and hopefully smooth the edges with filler or resin of some kind. Your quite right Matt, I will need to ensure the overlaps are in the right direction to avoid any turbulence. I am planning to temporarily fix the cone with battens and screws tonight so I can continue the shaping. The biggest issue i am finding is that the cone parts flex too much when trying to shape them if that makes sense!

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

Slowly taking shape. The outside doesn't look too great but the edges are actually quite smooth on the inside and doesn't overlap a massive amount


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[slemishwoodcrafts]

Pretty much finished now. Just need to deal up any gaps and get the cyclone installed. Hopefully it works worth a damn after all this!!


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[monkeybiter]

Looking forward to the results of a weekend testing..

 

[MattRoberts]

She won't win any beauty contests will she?! What container are you connecting to?

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

She won't win any beauty contests will she?! What container are you connecting to?

It certainly will not, but I am hoping after a coat if primer and some paint it will look a lot better. I am planning to use a plastic dust bin to collect the sawdust. something lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. (which the cyclone definitely isn't!)

It will probably be sunday before I get it all plumbed in and ready to go so will see how she performs then!

 

[MattRoberts]

Great, looking forward to hearing the results. FYI - I'd recommend the blue airtight storage containers on amazon if budget allows

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

That's it installed now. Well sort of! Just need to get it plumbed into the pipe work and transition the cyclone to the pipe into the waste bin. Should get that done tomorrow night after work! Still thinking of getting some filler to smooth the inside of the cone. Will see how the initial results turn out.


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[MattRoberts]

Have you got enough room at the top to fit the extractor hose? What extractor do you have?

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

I have a 3 hp double bag extractor in the loft space above the workshop and connected via a hole in the floor


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[MattRoberts]

Ah, nice and neat

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

Installed and plumbed in to the dust system. Just need to get the waste drum sealed up better and the cyclone better sealed up as there is still a few gaps letting in air.
Ran a test planing some white wood and seemed to separate ok but as it all hung in the exit pipe it's clear there is an air leak somewhere


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[sunnybob]

I'm doubtful youll get success with all those flat sides on the drum. The turbulence inside must be huge. Cant you use a piece of perspex to make the sides smooth.

 

[slemishwoodcrafts]

The insides are quite smooth and curved. It's still very much a prototype in progress. If I get the time this week I'm thinking about bringing it back down and separating the cone from the upper cylinder to allow me to smooth it out better.


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[biskit]

Thats the prototype :shock: now lets see the real finished product. (in your own time) (hammer)