I have read lots of the experts criticizing your system. Other than the circle cutter I think you nailed it for 90% of the woodwork hobbyists. If you need professional dust collection... then add more accessories. I have watched 100 dust collection videos and yours is cheap, effective, simple, and easy to make. I am going to model mine after yours.
I appreciate you documenting your mistakes as well as your successes! So much more realistic, it looks like me doing a project! After all my mistakes, I came up with the acronym SITDIE...Simple In Theory, Difficult In Execution...rock on!
This is the dust collection vid I’ve been looking for. I wanted to design mine to exhaust outside but wasn’t exactly sure how to configure it. Awesome setup & vid. Thanks so much for sharing.
I know this video is a bit older but it is also exactly what I was thinking of doing. What are the plumbing parts you used? The elbos and such specifically.
Nice video. It was very well done. Dust collection keeps evolving so there's always something new to learn. Here are a few tips. .. -The circle cutter was dull if it was smoking. sharpen it and run it slower. -Put some Loctite on the set screw to keep it from loosening. - Look up "Thien separator design" for a configuration that will pass around 10x less dust than what you have there. It may even have a lower pressure drop than what you have there. Those 90 degree bends create a large pressure drop which causes lower flow. -It would be a good idea to check the current going to the motor. It's probably fine since you have 90 degree bends and plenty of hose connected but it's good practice to make sure the motor is not pulling more than its rated amperage. It seems counterintuitive but if there is too little air resistance the motor will overheat draw too many amps and overheat. If it's running very much under the rated amperage listed on the motor plate then you have some margin and can try to reduce flow resistance to increase flow rate. -With a good cyclone design you can add a good filter from Oneida or Wynn Environmental and vent inside. That prevents heat/cooling loss and it will actually make your shop air cleaner than the outside air. I've verified this in my shop using a Dylos 1100 Pro laser particle counter. Venting inside also prevents sucking your stove gasses back into the shop. In the winter the 1500 Watts or so that the blower draws will be used to heat the shop instead of sending it outside. In the summer it will pump that heat into the shop but that's not nearly as bad as sucking in hot humid air.
Thanks Tony, that's a lot of good information! I figure I could tinker and modify this thing almost endlessly. This would be my 3rd version of dust collection and it's the best so far. When I first started, I wondered how some of those full dust collection units could cost $1000 or more, but now I get it. Some day as my budget will allow I'll looking into the next evolution of my war on dust.
good job on the set up, you said the dust going out would not be near your neighbours, but don't forget the washing line, I forgot about mine once and the boss still says it to me each time I go to the shed.
i am from a really hot area of the world, and the way we used to cool off the house and shops was with a swamp cooler, all you need to do is drop big chunks of ice in the water and allow it to bring fresh air from an outside shaded area in to your shop, once the vaccum is done being used, tur the a/c on and dehumidify the shop with it, this way you get to keep the work area fresher and as you said is only for a couple of months out of the year
I enjoyed the video. I agree with the other comments that the circle cutter must be run slowly. Very slowly! They don't come with proper instructions and I discovered their speed limit the same way you did. I now run mine at 180 rpm (slowest speed on my drill press) and it works fine.
Fly cutters are not for hand drills (as some have mentioned), or drywall which is not stiff enough to support the center. They are most suitable for stiff and tightly clamped systems, such as a drill press. Glad there was no injury, take care.
Excellent vid mate. Thanks for leaving in and even highlighting the mistakes - that's really very helpful! Wish we had those hot summers here in Northern Ireland! Thanks again.
Just clamp a sheet of wood to your router table (large enough to support the circle), then measure the distance from your bit (flush trim bit should do fine) to the center of your circle. Use a small screw or nail to protrude a bit thru that center mark, then just carefully turn the circular piece counter clockwise one full revolution. The important thing is measuring the correct circumference and, as he noted, hold the piece firmly as you rotate it. Good luck.
You are moving huge volumes of air out of the building with the dust collector. That air has to be replaced somehow, if you have a combustion source with a chimney, that will likely be the path of least resistance for "makeup air". So instead of poisonous combustion gasses (CO) venting up the chimney, they are pulled into the shop.
Gunflint Designs Brian Bain nailed it. I considered doing what you did, but decided against it after researching a bit. Basically you have to let as much air in as you are sucking out. I didn't want to loose my cooling in the summer or suck c02 in through the chimney or let in a ton of cold air in the winter so i ended up with a self contained unit. Yeah, you have to deal with filters, but seemed the best bet for my situation.
I like your setup, I have a 1200 sq ft shop just outside of Louisville, KY. I thought about exhausting through the wall like you did but I had concerns about loosing my heat in the winter months. Starting to think maybe I build a filter box and put it above the office in my shop to keep that heat in. 80,000 BTU natural gas heater can get expensive to run. I will be using a plastic 55 gal drum instead of a garbage can to collect my large dust particles.
Looks awesome man! Nice setup! I put my system on a remote switch that I just carry around the shop with me. I'm not sure how you switch yours on/off, but that might be an idea for you as well. It's made a world of difference for me... until I lose the remote among the clutter on my bench.
I bought a 3-pack of remote outlets that all run off the same switch and it worked fantastically... until I dropped the remote one too many times and it died on me. Mine was just a cheap kit from the local hardware store so I'm going to run out and buy another one!
Get you a couple of 55 gallon plastic drums and fill them with water, these will help even out your heating and cooling problems and help the AC and heat recover quicker.
There is a simple fix to prevent the cold air or heat from escaping the shop. If you look at April Wilkerson's Dust collection install by Cyclone, they explain the problem and simple fix for that issue. It is easier for you to watch the video than for me to try and explain it(they are the experts for dust collection). I used the fix in my shop and I don't have the problem anymore.
the best advantae is the fine dust is exhausted harmlessly out of doors instead of being blown back into the shop through the bag and changing the bag also lets the invisible fines get back into the shop and all over the kids and you. Its nasty, especially for growing kids. Best thing you did yet is exhausting the fines outside! Smart. very smart.
That circle cutter is only intended for wood use. Plus it's only designed to be used in a drill press. My guess is the cutter was really dull. I've used one and had pretty good luck
@@root1657 Also he is using it at way too high of a speed. These are supposed to be used at 500Rpm or less. I have one and have cut several holes without burning beause I was using it at the right speed and as you pointed out I was using the cutting edge.
That is a great setup. I didn't read all of the comments to see if this has already been suggested, but how about putting some small nails or screws on the inside of the viewing window on an angle (similar to what glaziers used to do before putting putty on old wood framed windows) to ensure it will hold with the suction? The silicon glue should do the trick, but if you are worried, this might do the trick.
Thank you! And that is a good suggestion. I actually ended up drilling some holes through the plexiglass and into the wood then used some pan head screws to make sure it would never come out.
Thats great! I have a SMALL basement shop and need a DC. I've been using shop vacs and dust stoppers but would like to get a more efficient system. I just can't fit a big 2HP DC. Your design is awesome. It's compact and simple. I've lots of other big, complicated modifications and this is the only one that may actually work for me in a practical way. Thanks!
i know this an old video but i vent my dust collector out a 2nd story window in a gambrel style barn i never open a window or have had a problem with temp change in my shop and i live in Upstate NY but i also heat my shop with electric heat that runs off the Solar from my house i dont have any CO2 problems maybe thats because i heat with electric i have used a CO detector and have never had a problem.
Love how precise you’re on your instructions. Sorry for this question because it’s probably been asked but I didn’t feel like scrolling through the over 200 responses. How is the trash can holding up? Does it collapse at all?
excellent project. I'm curious. Did you give any consideration to building a cyclone ramp inside the top part of your trash can? Possibly attaching it to the lid so that it comes out too to make dumping easier?
I considered it, but I decided the rocker kit would do a good enough job for what I was trying to accomplish right now. With those elbows in the lid pointing they way they do, it creates a cyclone effect, just maybe not the most efficient version of it.
I feel your pain on the adjustable hole cutter. I got the same thing from HF and the first time I used it, even though I made sure the set screw was tightened one of the cutters completely flew off and into the wall. Thankfully it went that way and not at me! I hate that thing and it's in the garbage!
I know this is an older video and you may not even have this same set up anymore but i was thinking. you could use blast gates on the exhaust side of the system. when it is really hot out you could divert exhaust through a filter or filter bag and when the weather is mild you could vent straight outside. just a though. thanks for the video.
Fantastic idea to vent outside after the cyclone collector. Is there any dust visible outside? I ask because I live in a townhouse connected, in a row, to others and I wonder if my neighbors would notice.
As long as you use a flashlight to look into it, it still works fine. But static does cause dust to stick to it so you can't see in it all that well. I've actually found that when a noticeable amount of dust makes it past the system and blows outside, then its time to empty the bin!
That kind of circlecutters is ONLY safely used in a drillpress with the material clamped to the table. No filtermaterial means nopressure resistance so more air displaced. I'd be really surprised if it hadn't improved the suction...
Your going to want to keep an eye on your wood stove. You might have a problem with proper draw. If your system pulls to much air it could pull the smoke into the shop instead of up the stove pipe. This can be eliminated by bringing in the air for the wood stove directly from outside and just make sure the dust collection is off when feeding the stove.
Thanks for looking out for me William. Its been cold for a few months now and I have been using them a lot. It doesn't seem to be an issue. My concern of the collector sucking out all my hot air seems to be a non-issue as well.
Gunflint Designs no problem. Cold here as well. It has been in the negative at night and during the day some times as well. I also have plans to vent my collector outside as well now that I am doing away with my wood stove. Also thought about making a filter box with furnace filters to pipe it into my garage and not lose the heat.
The problem with your fly cutter is speed and probably sharpness. They never come nearly sharp enough and have to hone them up. Speed should be done around 100 rpm for large holes and I wouldn't try one in a hand drill. For the set screw, if there's enough metal drill and tap for the next larger size.
I have one and that speed was way too fast. To show you what I mean, when I got it and read the instruction sheet, I realized my drill press ran too fast, so I got another drill press that was 12 speed so I could slow it down slow enough. I cut a 8 inch hole in 0.25 inch plywood and it did a great job. Speed and sharpness are the key to using these cutters.
I don’t have that circle cutting bit, but it looks like you are cutting way too fast. That could explain why it was burning. Did the bit come with guidance on the window for acceptable RPMs?
I watched this video (2nd time) and just occurred to me that if you put an A/B blast gate in line just before it goes outside, on those special occasions you can divert the flow to an air filter box (shop made, of course :>) to filter back into the room. I made one with two 20"x20" furnace filters, works great.
Add a gate and filter to your exhaust going out the wall with a Y. When you want to climate control with the collector on, you just switch to the filter. All moving air stays inside. Boom.
on you AC pull the unit apart once a year and clean the condenser coils and change the filters once a month when your using it. you might also consider adding shade over the unit direct sunlight tends to heat them up so much they can't cool. also put foam on the underside of your roof about 2" off and add a foil face do enough of that you'll block the sun and keep the shop. cooler. That hole cutter is a cheep knock off but they are ment to run at low speed all large drilling and cutting bits are for low speed. Just like you would slow down a router motor for a large panel raising bit same is true for drill bits and hole saws.
One thing about putting the blower AFTER the separator nobody seems to mention is a safety factor. With any dust collector where everything goes through the impeller first thete is sort of a hidden fire danger. If a nail or any thing metal hits the impeller and generates sparks these will be blown right into the sawdust. If this happens yo wont know theres a fire until after a huge amount of damage is done. Having the blower PAST the separator prevents anything bigger than basic dust from getting to the impeller. As nothing to speak of ever hits the impeller blades both the motor and impeller will last far longer. In my opinion ANY dust collectr system, irregardless of the cost, that has the impeller BEFORE the separator is a fire hazzard.
What a great video thank you The added comment about air exchange is interesting Curious how loud is it. Me thinks outside venting keeps the noise down Thanks again
so i know this is dated, but for my edification, we know now that the blower should be blowing debris into the bin in a vortex or circular pattern, around the bin until it settles to the bottom. the sucking hose should actually be positioned in the center of the lid in order to suck, ostensibly, in the middle of the vortex, sucking up as little debris as possible...right? yours is on the side, potentially sucking up more debris than necessary from the vortex of debris. am i on base with that?
I thought the exhaust port of your bin should be in the center. That way the circulation of the dust causes the particles to fall out of the moving air into the bin???
Is your viewing window still in place? I think you're right that the step should have been on the other side for that. If you had or made a ring, you could support the window with a few through bolts. Nice build anyway. 👍
I really like this system. I wanted to set something like this up for my shop, but the problem is that we would not be able to have the dust vent outside due to the neighbours, plus the temperature loss would be a major issue in Canada during the winter
I think the speed is probably way too fast for the circle cutter - in general, the larger the hole you cut the slower you need to cut. Those adjustable ones are difficult and clunky but they are efficient if you take your time.
Great video man. Im in the processing my hf dust collector almost exactly the same way. What diameter size flex hose did you use to exhaust outside and where did you find it? Thanks again.
My father had a similare system but a lot bigger and when the tank (basket in your case) get half full big ship start to fly out. In my father case, chips were flying out of a chimney ending up all over the place.
Great vid. Thinking something similar. My only concern is where you makeup air is coming from. I am thinking about building an air screen that would use a few filters to allow clean air back in that would filter out basic dust insects etc. Most of the time i am not conditioning my shop. Of course a diverter valve to outside or insode through a cansiter filter could solve it. Without an way for air to come in its going to pull through every crack and creaves in the shop. Nice work.
Nice upgrade! Curious how the view window is working? Does it get coated with fine dust too much to see? Or is it working well? Thank you for the videos.
Thanks Tharemy! I've wondered that very thing myself, but I haven't used it enough to know yet. So far it seems to be working okay. The inside of the bucket is so dark that I have to shine a flashlight through the window and that tells me what I need to know so far. My back up idea is to just put a small plug in the hole in the center of the lid instead of sealing it off, then I can slide a stick down in it periodically and get a more tactile answer about the depth of the dust.
Those fly cutters are definitely old-school technology. The worst thing about them is the faulty impressions the importers or no-nothing hardware clerks try to create. They're not worth a quack except in a drill press at low speed. Even then the owner will have to sharpen the cutters to get satisfactory work out of them. Finally, they're okay for making precise cuts. I keep a couple on hand but don't actually use either except maybe 3 times in 10 years.
Thanks Nathan! I try to tell people what I did and why I did it. I'm sure that there are other ways, so I wouldn't want to make anyone believe that my way is the only one. Harbor Freight claims that my dust collector is 2 H.P.
I'm not sure how that circle cutter could have possibly worked on the metal on the outside of the building. ignoring the speed issue which has been brought up a few times already - 1) it's metal 2) it's not flat! those raised ridges are going to play hell with something trying to "trace" a circle over that surface 3) it's in a hand held drill & not a press
I know this video is old but there are two small things I would like to suggest. 1) Hang a 50 Gal bag ( basic trash bag) in your barrel. That way you don't need to catch a lot of dust (there will always be some), when you dump the barrel. Just take the bag to the dumpster. 2) At the end of your shop piping, above the barrel, install a 45 degree elbow, facing the barrel and a 45 on the top of the barrel, so as to eliminate the excessive and sagging flex tubing. Beyond those points, Good Job.👍👍
Very nice upgrade and more space for maybe some more clamp racks, i see there is one there so maybe take that down and make a bigger one now. As for the hole cutter, i hate that type of cutter i use the normal hole cutters that are use for wood and plastic much better. The dust bin worked out great, i read one of your comments below about how hard it was to see how full it was, why did you put the see through hole on top and not on the side of the bin? Sorry about the questions, still a great and better upgrade for you, oh and i'm very jealous of your weather, want to swap with mine? Barry (ENG)
Thanks Barry! That clamp actually is my new bigger one - I don't have a very big supply of clamps at this point. I did throw it together quickly with the intention of adding to it later on. It's really not that hard to see into the bin, just wen it's notably empty. Ad the dust level gets closer to full I predict that I'll be able to see it without any addition light source. A window in the side would make it easier to monitor, but it would also be more difficult to install and require cutting a hold in a perfectly good garbage can. With the window in my lid, I got to work with flat, not curved surfaces. I had to move several times to get this weather and I plan on keeping it!
You just blow the fine dust out without filter. The wind blows that way you say. But what if there is no wind? What if the wind blows in the wrong direction and all the dust is blown in again through an open door or window?
umm that is why you plan your exhaust. also notice how the outside exhaust housing is pointing downwards. this is to help deflect what you are exhausting. since he is using a separator, only very fine dust would be exhausted, so most buildup (if your conditions were met) will be negligible coming from a hobby woodshop.
A good point, though it would be hard to get *all* the dust back in even if you were trying. Do need to pay attention to where the dust goes. Suppose you found out your kid had been playing in the dust cloud? Fine dust causes lung damage.
Hey buddy. I’m looking to do something similar in my garage. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your lid? The inside of the lid circle and the outside circle specifically. Thank you!
I'm not sure you want to go with my dimensions. It really needs to be air tight, so you would be better off measuring your own can and cutting a lid to fit it exactly.
GREATLY reduce your RPM's when cutting circles that big. The effective SFM (surface feet per minute) at that radius is waaaay too fast, and why you were burning the wood. That single point cutter just isn't going to work on a huge interrupted cut like the exterior siding. It's a workable tool in something like a drill press, but I've never seen one effectively used in a hand drill.
Sir, I am afraid that you are not using the intended working principle of this type of dust converter to get the maximum separating efficiency of the unit. While the inflow with the elbow bit, could be improved greatly my worry appertains to the exhaust part where it is not at the center of the circle where it should be. The input momentum of the particles mixed with air should find themselves rotating at the inner upper circumference of the container and they should do that without any interference not even from the input elbow into the unit. I am afraid that putting the exhaust of the unit on the side of the top circle, then feeding the motor unit, this side mounting is spoiling a lot of the efficiency. Try moving the exhaust of the unit to the exact center and you will have a much better performance. As it is, the particles are hitting the exhaust elbow and also that at the intake, slowing the debris down, where the lightest would be sucked up by the motor. Moving the exhaust to the center and improving intake placing the elbow outside and entering with a slanting angle, it will keep the highest velocity at the inside top of the container, which would greatly improve your separating and suction processes.
Too bad you didn't turn the blower housing around so the output didn't require the flex hose. You lost a lot of suction from the bends in the hose when it could have gone straight through the hole.
I have read lots of the experts criticizing your system. Other than the circle cutter I think you nailed it for 90% of the woodwork hobbyists. If you need professional dust collection... then add more accessories. I have watched 100 dust collection videos and yours is cheap, effective, simple, and easy to make. I am going to model mine after yours.
I appreciate you documenting your mistakes as well as your successes! So much more realistic, it looks like me doing a project! After all my mistakes, I came up with the acronym SITDIE...Simple In Theory, Difficult In Execution...rock on!
That sounds exactly like me!
This is the dust collection vid I’ve been looking for. I wanted to design mine to exhaust outside but wasn’t exactly sure how to configure it. Awesome setup & vid. Thanks so much for sharing.
I'm glad you found it useful! Let me know how your's turns out.
I know this video is a bit older but it is also exactly what I was thinking of doing. What are the plumbing parts you used? The elbos and such specifically.
Simplest modifications I've seen yet for an HF dust collector. I've tried several and will use your version in next rebuild. Thanks.
Thanks Mark! I'm glad I could help you out.
Nice video. It was very well done. Dust collection keeps evolving so there's always something new to learn.
Here are a few tips. ..
-The circle cutter was dull if it was smoking. sharpen it and run it slower.
-Put some Loctite on the set screw to keep it from loosening.
- Look up "Thien separator design" for a configuration that will pass around 10x less dust than what you have there. It may even have a lower pressure drop than what you have there. Those 90 degree bends create a large pressure drop which causes lower flow.
-It would be a good idea to check the current going to the motor. It's probably fine since you have 90 degree bends and plenty of hose connected but it's good practice to make sure the motor is not pulling more than its rated amperage. It seems counterintuitive but if there is too little air resistance the motor will overheat draw too many amps and overheat. If it's running very much under the rated amperage listed on the motor plate then you have some margin and can try to reduce flow resistance to increase flow rate.
-With a good cyclone design you can add a good filter from Oneida or Wynn Environmental and vent inside. That prevents heat/cooling loss and it will actually make your shop air cleaner than the outside air. I've verified this in my shop using a Dylos 1100 Pro laser particle counter. Venting inside also prevents sucking your stove gasses back into the shop. In the winter the 1500 Watts or so that the blower draws will be used to heat the shop instead of sending it outside. In the summer it will pump that heat into the shop but that's not nearly as bad as sucking in hot humid air.
Thanks Tony, that's a lot of good information! I figure I could tinker and modify this thing almost endlessly. This would be my 3rd version of dust collection and it's the best so far. When I first started, I wondered how some of those full dust collection units could cost $1000 or more, but now I get it. Some day as my budget will allow I'll looking into the next evolution of my war on dust.
good job on the set up, you said the dust going out would not be near your neighbours, but don't forget the washing line, I forgot about mine once and the boss still says it to me each time I go to the shed.
Haha, that's a good point! Our washing line broke this spring, so it won't be a problem until I get around to fixing it!
MAN: THIS IS GENIUS! I don't know why I stuck with the bag and filters AFTER the cyclone... wow! thanks
I love those circle cutters. Definitely for use with a drill press only!
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
I thought they where only for drywall?
ua-cam.com/video/iS_30lIVLvc/v-deo.html
i am from a really hot area of the world, and the way we used to cool off the house and shops was with a swamp cooler, all you need to do is drop big chunks of ice in the water and allow it to bring fresh air from an outside shaded area in to your shop, once the vaccum is done being used, tur the a/c on and dehumidify the shop with it, this way you get to keep the work area fresher and as you said is only for a couple of months out of the year
There are a lot of swamp coolers in this area too. I've never been a big fan, but they might work pretty well in this small space.
I enjoyed the video. I agree with the other comments that the circle cutter must be run slowly. Very slowly! They don't come with proper instructions and I discovered their speed limit the same way you did.
I now run mine at 180 rpm (slowest speed on my drill press) and it works fine.
Thanks for the info! I'll give it another try sooner or later.
Year plus later, How is system holding up? I'm looking at doing something similar and wondering how everything has help up?
For the temp, it seems like you could have a "Y" after the blower - when you don't want to lose conditioned air, redirect through a bag filter.
I like that idea! We will see what this winter brings and I might have to add that in.
Fly cutters are not for hand drills (as some have mentioned), or drywall which is not stiff enough to support the center. They are most suitable for stiff and tightly clamped systems, such as a drill press. Glad there was no injury, take care.
Thanks for the heads up Alan.
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
Excellent vid mate. Thanks for leaving in and even highlighting the mistakes - that's really very helpful! Wish we had those hot summers here in Northern Ireland! Thanks again.
Love to see a video with more detail on how you used your router to cut the perfect circle for the garbage can lid. Cool trick!
Just clamp a sheet of wood to your router table (large enough to support the circle), then measure the distance from your bit (flush trim bit should do fine) to the center of your circle. Use a small screw or nail to protrude a bit thru that center mark, then just carefully turn the circular piece counter clockwise one full revolution. The important thing is measuring the correct circumference and, as he noted, hold the piece firmly as you rotate it. Good luck.
Awesome idea
In the winter it can suck smoke and c02 back into the shop too. You have to vent to the outside or your chimney becomes the vent!
Have you got some experience with this? I'm having a hard time picturing how that would actually happen.
You are moving huge volumes of air out of the building with the dust collector. That air has to be replaced somehow, if you have a combustion source with a chimney, that will likely be the path of least resistance for "makeup air". So instead of poisonous combustion gasses (CO) venting up the chimney, they are pulled into the shop.
Brian Bain zactly
Gunflint Designs Brian Bain nailed it. I considered doing what you did, but decided against it after researching a bit. Basically you have to let as much air in as you are sucking out. I didn't want to loose my cooling in the summer or suck c02 in through the chimney or let in a ton of cold air in the winter so i ended up with a self contained unit. Yeah, you have to deal with filters, but seemed the best bet for my situation.
Gave me some great ideas for my dust collector!
I like your setup, I have a 1200 sq ft shop just outside of Louisville, KY. I thought about exhausting through the wall like you did but I had concerns about loosing my heat in the winter months. Starting to think maybe I build a filter box and put it above the office in my shop to keep that heat in. 80,000 BTU natural gas heater can get expensive to run. I will be using a plastic 55 gal drum instead of a garbage can to collect my large dust particles.
Looks awesome man! Nice setup! I put my system on a remote switch that I just carry around the shop with me. I'm not sure how you switch yours on/off, but that might be an idea for you as well. It's made a world of difference for me... until I lose the remote among the clutter on my bench.
I bought a 3-pack of remote outlets that all run off the same switch and it worked fantastically... until I dropped the remote one too many times and it died on me. Mine was just a cheap kit from the local hardware store so I'm going to run out and buy another one!
Get you a couple of 55 gallon plastic drums and fill them with water, these will help even out your heating and cooling problems and help the AC and heat recover quicker.
Yes you will lose conditioned air but you'll also put the building under a negative pressure which can bring with it it's own issues.
NIce job my friend. I have an idea now for my system. Appreciate it and thumbs up!
Thanks Kevin, glad I could help!
There is a simple fix to prevent the cold air or heat from escaping the shop. If you look at April Wilkerson's Dust collection install by Cyclone, they explain the problem and simple fix for that issue. It is easier for you to watch the video than for me to try and explain it(they are the experts for dust collection). I used the fix in my shop and I don't have the problem anymore.
Looks a great setup. I just installed the rockler separator today.
How are you liking your separator so far?
For something so cheap and simple, its working great. I hope you are pleased with your setup.
the best advantae is the fine dust is exhausted harmlessly out of doors instead of being blown back into the shop through the bag and changing the bag also lets the invisible fines get back into the shop and all over the kids and you. Its nasty, especially for growing kids. Best thing you did yet is exhausting the fines outside! Smart. very smart.
Great job, Thanks again!
That circle cutter is only intended for wood use. Plus it's only designed to be used in a drill press. My guess is the cutter was really dull. I've used one and had pretty good luck
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
@@root1657 Also he is using it at way too high of a speed. These are supposed to be used at 500Rpm or less. I have one and have cut several holes without burning beause I was using it at the right speed and as you pointed out I was using the cutting edge.
After being used to cut metal, it's definitely dull.
That is a great setup. I didn't read all of the comments to see if this has already been suggested, but how about putting some small nails or screws on the inside of the viewing window on an angle (similar to what glaziers used to do before putting putty on old wood framed windows) to ensure it will hold with the suction? The silicon glue should do the trick, but if you are worried, this might do the trick.
Thank you! And that is a good suggestion. I actually ended up drilling some holes through the plexiglass and into the wood then used some pan head screws to make sure it would never come out.
This is the exact video I’ve been looking for! Thank you
Thats great! I have a SMALL basement shop and need a DC. I've been using shop vacs and dust stoppers but would like to get a more efficient system. I just can't fit a big 2HP DC. Your design is awesome. It's compact and simple. I've lots of other big, complicated modifications and this is the only one that may actually work for me in a practical way. Thanks!
Just saying hi from Western South Dakota. It has been in the higher 90s here as well and I just gave up on working much in my shop over the summer.
Where about in Western South Dakota? I lived in Spearfish for a few years.
Great! - I am from Rapid City but have a bunch of friends in Sspearfish
Rapid City, but i often go to Spearfish - have some close friends there.
Great idea of adding a view window
i know this an old video but i vent my dust collector out a 2nd story window in a gambrel style barn i never open a window or have had a problem with temp change in my shop and i live in Upstate NY but i also heat my shop with electric heat that runs off the Solar from my house i dont have any CO2 problems maybe thats because i heat with electric i have used a CO detector and have never had a problem.
Love how precise you’re on your instructions. Sorry for this question because it’s probably been asked but I didn’t feel like scrolling through the over 200 responses. How is the trash can holding up? Does it collapse at all?
excellent project. I'm curious. Did you give any consideration to building a cyclone ramp inside the top part of your trash can? Possibly attaching it to the lid so that it comes out too to make dumping easier?
I considered it, but I decided the rocker kit would do a good enough job for what I was trying to accomplish right now. With those elbows in the lid pointing they way they do, it creates a cyclone effect, just maybe not the most efficient version of it.
Super cool! Cheers, Chris.
I feel your pain on the adjustable hole cutter. I got the same thing from HF and the first time I used it, even though I made sure the set screw was tightened one of the cutters completely flew off and into the wall. Thankfully it went that way and not at me! I hate that thing and it's in the garbage!
They are scary! I have since learned that I was trying to run it too fast... but even so, I don't want to use it again.
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
I know this is an older video and you may not even have this same set up anymore but i was thinking. you could use blast gates on the exhaust side of the system. when it is really hot out you could divert exhaust through a filter or filter bag and when the weather is mild you could vent straight outside. just a though. thanks for the video.
Do you have vac lines running to each individual tool and isolated with blast gates? Video? Looks good. Thanks
Fantastic idea to vent outside after the cyclone collector. Is there any dust visible outside? I ask because I live in a townhouse connected, in a row, to others and I wonder if my neighbors would notice.
Great video, keep them coming!
Thanks!
Really like that sight port you put on top of the can. I think I'll add that on my system.
As long as you use a flashlight to look into it, it still works fine. But static does cause dust to stick to it so you can't see in it all that well. I've actually found that when a noticeable amount of dust makes it past the system and blows outside, then its time to empty the bin!
Love this Idea.
Thanks Bob!
That kind of circlecutters is ONLY safely used in a drillpress with the material clamped to the table. No filtermaterial means nopressure resistance so more air displaced. I'd be really surprised if it hadn't improved the suction...
Your going to want to keep an eye on your wood stove. You might have a problem with proper draw. If your system pulls to much air it could pull the smoke into the shop instead of up the stove pipe. This can be eliminated by bringing in the air for the wood stove directly from outside and just make sure the dust collection is off when feeding the stove.
Thanks for looking out for me William. Its been cold for a few months now and I have been using them a lot. It doesn't seem to be an issue. My concern of the collector sucking out all my hot air seems to be a non-issue as well.
Gunflint Designs no problem. Cold here as well. It has been in the negative at night and during the day some times as well. I also have plans to vent my collector outside as well now that I am doing away with my wood stove. Also thought about making a filter box with furnace filters to pipe it into my garage and not lose the heat.
The problem with your fly cutter is speed and probably sharpness. They never come nearly sharp enough and have to hone them up. Speed should be done around 100 rpm for large holes and I wouldn't try one in a hand drill. For the set screw, if there's enough metal drill and tap for the next larger size.
Thanks John, I might play with it again just to see if I can make it work.
Agreed, that was way too fast, makes it dangerous and unreliable.
Slow down hone it and you won't have to worry about the screw
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
I have one and that speed was way too fast. To show you what I mean, when I got it and read the instruction sheet, I realized my drill press ran too fast, so I got another drill press that was 12 speed so I could slow it down slow enough. I cut a 8 inch hole in 0.25 inch plywood and it did a great job. Speed and sharpness are the key to using these cutters.
I don’t have that circle cutting bit, but it looks like you are cutting way too fast. That could explain why it was burning. Did the bit come with guidance on the window for acceptable RPMs?
I watched this video (2nd time) and just occurred to me that if you put an A/B blast gate in line just before it goes outside, on those special occasions you can divert the flow to an air filter box (shop made, of course :>) to filter back into the room. I made one with two 20"x20" furnace filters, works great.
That’s definitely in the back of my mind. So far it hasn’t been a problem blowing heat out in the winter. Maybe in the summer it’ll be different.
build a closer around the dust collection system with insulation and it should help with sucking out all your cool air or hot air.
Can you elaborate?
he probably meant "build a closet"
How? Its got to pull the air from somewhere so it would just pull it through the gaps around the door or worse still create a vacuum
Add a gate and filter to your exhaust going out the wall with a Y. When you want to climate control with the collector on, you just switch to the filter. All moving air stays inside. Boom.
on you AC pull the unit apart once a year and clean the condenser coils and change the filters once a month when your using it.
you might also consider adding shade over the unit direct sunlight tends to heat them up so much they can't cool.
also put foam on the underside of your roof about 2" off and add a foil face do enough of that you'll block the sun and keep the shop. cooler.
That hole cutter is a cheep knock off but they are ment to run at low speed all large drilling and cutting bits are for low speed.
Just like you would slow down a router motor for a large panel raising bit same is true for drill bits and hole saws.
Thanks for all the great tips!
One thing about putting the blower AFTER the separator nobody seems to mention is a safety factor. With any dust collector where everything goes through the impeller first thete is sort of a hidden fire danger. If a nail or any thing metal hits the impeller and generates sparks these will be blown right into the sawdust. If this happens yo wont know theres a fire until after a huge amount of damage is done. Having the blower PAST the separator prevents anything bigger than basic dust from getting to the impeller. As nothing to speak of ever hits the impeller blades both the motor and impeller will last far longer.
In my opinion ANY dust collectr system, irregardless of the cost, that has the impeller BEFORE the separator is a fire hazzard.
Should cut erosion of and damage to the impeller too.
What a great video thank you
The added comment about air exchange is interesting
Curious how loud is it. Me thinks outside venting keeps the noise down
Thanks again
I like the no filter thing,
so i know this is dated, but for my edification, we know now that the blower should be blowing debris into the bin in a vortex or circular pattern, around the bin until it settles to the bottom. the sucking hose should actually be positioned in the center of the lid in order to suck, ostensibly, in the middle of the vortex, sucking up as little debris as possible...right? yours is on the side, potentially sucking up more debris than necessary from the vortex of debris. am i on base with that?
hi, awesome job! few questions here: how strong is your dust collector? (kW or HP) and how many devices are plugged in? thanks in advance!
I thought the exhaust port of your bin should be in the center. That way the circulation of the dust causes the particles to fall out of the moving air into the bin???
This is the way the seperatror instructions said to set it up.
Look up Thien dust separators.
Is your viewing window still in place? I think you're right that the step should have been on the other side for that. If you had or made a ring, you could support the window with a few through bolts. Nice build anyway. 👍
I really like this system. I wanted to set something like this up for my shop, but the problem is that we would not be able to have the dust vent outside due to the neighbours, plus the temperature loss would be a major issue in Canada during the winter
the dust is not even noticeable coming out of the vent, its basically invisible because its so fine.
I think the speed is probably way too fast for the circle cutter - in general, the larger the hole you cut the slower you need to cut. Those adjustable ones are difficult and clunky but they are efficient if you take your time.
Thanks Aaron.
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
You could use a 55 gallon drum for the wood chips or would I be to large.?
New subscriber making something similar to this now great help thanks!!
What schedule and size of pvc are you using for your main runs?
Subscribed - awesome stuff
Great video man. Im in the processing my hf dust collector almost exactly the same way. What diameter size flex hose did you use to exhaust outside and where did you find it? Thanks again.
My father had a similare system but a lot bigger and when the tank (basket in your case) get half full big ship start to fly out. In my father case, chips were flying out of a chimney ending up all over the place.
5" hole saw well worth the money!
Fantastic!
Your circle cutter is going too fast, creating the burning. Thanks for this video. Some good info!
Great vid. Thinking something similar. My only concern is where you makeup air is coming from. I am thinking about building an air screen that would use a few filters to allow clean air back in that would filter out basic dust insects etc. Most of the time i am not conditioning my shop. Of course a diverter valve to outside or insode through a cansiter filter could solve it. Without an way for air to come in its going to pull through every crack and creaves in the shop.
Nice work.
Thanks.
You're very welcome!
Nice upgrade! Curious how the view window is working? Does it get coated with fine dust too much to see? Or is it working well? Thank you for the videos.
Thanks Tharemy! I've wondered that very thing myself, but I haven't used it enough to know yet. So far it seems to be working okay. The inside of the bucket is so dark that I have to shine a flashlight through the window and that tells me what I need to know so far. My back up idea is to just put a small plug in the hole in the center of the lid instead of sealing it off, then I can slide a stick down in it periodically and get a more tactile answer about the depth of the dust.
Those fly cutters are definitely old-school technology. The worst thing about them is the faulty impressions the importers or no-nothing hardware clerks try to create. They're not worth a quack except in a drill press at low speed. Even then the owner will have to sharpen the cutters to get satisfactory work out of them. Finally, they're okay for making precise cuts. I keep a couple on hand but don't actually use either except maybe 3 times in 10 years.
Try your hand at building an air heat exchanger.
Really enjoy your videos, you have a way of explaining things that doesn't sound like I'm being dictated to. What HP is your dust collector?
Thanks Nathan! I try to tell people what I did and why I did it. I'm sure that there are other ways, so I wouldn't want to make anyone believe that my way is the only one. Harbor Freight claims that my dust collector is 2 H.P.
Thanks mark, looking forward to your next videos!
Does this work as good or better/worse than a cyclone separator?
I'm not sure how that circle cutter could have possibly worked on the metal on the outside of the building.
ignoring the speed issue which has been brought up a few times already -
1) it's metal
2) it's not flat! those raised ridges are going to play hell with something trying to "trace" a circle over that surface
3) it's in a hand held drill & not a press
Yep, it wasn't ideal. That's how you learn right?
hi can you do a quick over view of your wood burner many thanks jon
Great video! Subscribed!
Great idea . And what is the power of the engine ???
I believe they claim it is a 1-horse.
ok. What is the longest section of the hose from the tank to the machine?
I'd guess only about 3 feet.
This is awesome!
Thanks Brandon.
Good job.
Thanks Martin.
I know this video is old but there are two small things I would like to suggest.
1) Hang a 50 Gal bag ( basic trash bag) in your barrel. That way you don't need to catch a lot of dust (there will always be some), when you dump the barrel. Just take the bag to the dumpster.
2) At the end of your shop piping, above the barrel, install a 45 degree elbow, facing the barrel and a 45 on the top of the barrel, so as to eliminate the excessive and sagging flex tubing.
Beyond those points, Good Job.👍👍
What type of hearing protection did you have on while cutting the sheet metal? It had an antenna??
They are made by 3M - AM/FM/Bluetooth. Here's a link:
amzn.to/2tWzGg2
Very nice upgrade and more space for maybe some more clamp racks, i see there is one there so maybe take that down and make a bigger one now. As for the hole cutter, i hate that type of cutter i use the normal hole cutters that are use for wood and plastic much better. The dust bin worked out great, i read one of your comments below about how hard it was to see how full it was, why did you put the see through hole on top and not on the side of the bin? Sorry about the questions, still a great and better upgrade for you, oh and i'm very jealous of your weather, want to swap with mine?
Barry (ENG)
Thanks Barry! That clamp actually is my new bigger one - I don't have a very big supply of clamps at this point. I did throw it together quickly with the intention of adding to it later on.
It's really not that hard to see into the bin, just wen it's notably empty. Ad the dust level gets closer to full I predict that I'll be able to see it without any addition light source. A window in the side would make it easier to monitor, but it would also be more difficult to install and require cutting a hold in a perfectly good garbage can. With the window in my lid, I got to work with flat, not curved surfaces.
I had to move several times to get this weather and I plan on keeping it!
You just blow the fine dust out without filter. The wind blows that way you say. But what if there is no wind? What if the wind blows in the wrong direction and all the dust is blown in again through an open door or window?
It's just not a concern.
umm that is why you plan your exhaust. also notice how the outside exhaust housing is pointing downwards. this is to help deflect what you are exhausting. since he is using a separator, only very fine dust would be exhausted, so most buildup (if your conditions were met) will be negligible coming from a hobby woodshop.
A good point, though it would be hard to get *all* the dust back in even if you were trying. Do need to pay attention to where the dust goes. Suppose you found out your kid had been playing in the dust cloud? Fine dust causes lung damage.
hi any ideas for sound reduction
If you're not worried about sucking heated or cooled air out of your shop this is the cleanest solution.
Hey buddy. I’m looking to do something similar in my garage. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your lid? The inside of the lid circle and the outside circle specifically. Thank you!
I'm not sure you want to go with my dimensions. It really needs to be air tight, so you would be better off measuring your own can and cutting a lid to fit it exactly.
Gunflint Designs I have the exact same can :) that’s why I was wondering
Where in North west Wyoming? I was in Jackson Hole area for 25 years. Love your vids! Jordan
I'm in the Cody/Powell area. Thanks Jordan!
I have one of those adjustable hole cutting monstrosities too. I hate mine as well. I wish there was something else available instead of this thing.
There is... but at $40 each I can't afford some of the bigger hole saws. I was really hoping this was the best compromise, but I was wrong.
He has the blade mounted wrong. He isnt using the cutting edge, hes plowing through with what should be the side face.
GREATLY reduce your RPM's when cutting circles that big. The effective SFM (surface feet per minute) at that radius is waaaay too fast, and why you were burning the wood.
That single point cutter just isn't going to work on a huge interrupted cut like the exterior siding. It's a workable tool in something like a drill press, but I've never seen one effectively used in a hand drill.
Love this guys voice.. sounds familiar but i cant place it. Sounds like someone i heard on tv. Dang..
Couldn't you just exhaust all the sawdust outside and completely eliminate the need for the separator/garage can?
Real answer is to move up north where you can enjoy the summer and really crank up the stove in the winter, with no need to open the doors.
Sir, I am afraid that you are not using the intended working principle of this type of dust converter to get the maximum separating efficiency of the unit. While the inflow with the elbow bit, could be improved greatly my worry appertains to the exhaust part where it is not at the center of the circle where it should be. The input momentum of the particles mixed with air should find themselves rotating at the inner upper circumference of the container and they should do that without any interference not even from the input elbow into the unit. I am afraid that putting the exhaust of the unit on the side of the top circle, then feeding the motor unit, this side mounting is spoiling a lot of the efficiency. Try moving the exhaust of the unit to the exact center and you will have a much better performance. As it is, the particles are hitting the exhaust elbow and also that at the intake, slowing the debris down, where the lightest would be sucked up by the motor. Moving the exhaust to the center and improving intake placing the elbow outside and entering with a slanting angle, it will keep the highest velocity at the inside top of the container, which would greatly improve your separating and suction processes.
I can almost hear the cussing from when that circle cutter was messing up!
It's a good thing that shop is almost sound proof!
Hey man, did you put a grounding screw and wire through that PVC you’re using?
No I haven't bothered.
Gunflint Designs static build-up and sawdust are not friends
I don't think its as big a problem as you think. but i'd do it anyway.
Nice vid, Yeh like Tony said; and your drill bits are dull too
Too bad you didn't turn the blower housing around so the output didn't require the flex hose. You lost a lot of suction from the bends in the hose when it could have gone straight through the hole.