Shopnotes Dust Separator

Another great idea. I can’t tell from your pictures, but I take it the saw dust comes from the tool it’s hooked up to, into your Separator (through a hole into the trash can…right?) and where does the other hose run to?

-- Hawaiilad Larry

looks like a quick way
to separate some dust

anything to help from those bags overloading
is a good thing

hawaiilad
this is between the tool
and the vacuum bags
as is the thein separator too
it keeps most of the dust
from filling up the bags

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

Jeremy:

You’re project is a testament to practical solutions.

For your filter, you may be at a point where you can install a HEPA-grade (sub-micron) version. These easily clog when an effective pre-filter separator is not used. If you’re interested, I can highly recommend Wynn Environmental 35A series – both ‘Techredneck” and I, as well as many others, have blogs on this site which go through this, and the Oneida Super Dust Deputy (a formal version of what you’ve accomplished, here). Oddly, the more dangerous particle size is the sub-micron stuff which escapes through you DC filter – this stuff is nearly invisible.

Again, an excellent solution toward an important problem. I believe you’ll find that the CFM through the DC system increases.
MJCD

-- Lead By Example; Make a Difference

Great job Jeremy, and great blog to describe and show it.

I wish I would have gone to a separator sooner.

Emptying my dust bag was a big pain in the butt until I did.

It’s amazing what planing a few boards, and using the dust collector on a daily basis can produce.

Thanks for sharing your ideas.

-- Eric

@MJCD
That’s my plan, is to get a wynn filter to attach to the top instead of the stupid bag, I just knew having a filter like that was worthless without a separator first because it’d clogged so fast.

I saw the super dust deputy and my only gripe with it was it goes from a 6’’ in to a 5’’ out and 5’’ ducting is much harder/expensive to get.

-jeremy

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html

Cant really tell from the pictures but is the tophat section just two seperate chambers with the divider extending down into the trash can?

I’ll take some better pictures today, but yes that’s pretty much it, it’s super simple

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html

Thanks for sharing Jeremey looks like a very useful and practicable project.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Jeremy, I knew you would be impressed with the simplicity to build as well as suprised that it works as well as it does.I have the cannister filter instead of a top bag on my Grizz and really like it. The flapper/crank to clean it is WONDERFUL!

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

Jeremy – one day I’m going to ride my hog over to see your shop. I’ve been following you for some time (since you were looking for a good lumberyard) I find your projects are very well built. This project is no exception – quite the perfectionist!! Keep posting, brother.

-- Harold

Gave this thing a workout today, holy smokes it worked great.
Posted the details and pictures on my blog: http://lumberjocks.com/jgreiner/blog/29978

But I also promised better pictures of the separator so I took those today as well.

Here is a picture top down so you can see inside of the separator

Here is a picture of the underside of the separator

Here is a picture of the side, so you can see how baffle works.

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html

Did you use any type of gasket or seal between the ply top and the trash can?

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

@gfadvm
I was going to put some weather stripping around the rim, but the suction is so tight I don’t feel any air leaking so I didn’t think it was needed.

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html

Jeremy, do you place anything between the top (plywood) and the trash can and to you use anything to hold the top down to the trash can like claps?

-- Hawaiilad Larry

@Hawaiilad
Nope nothing in between, and no clamps I actually tried to lift the separator off while the dust collector was running and it wouldn’t come off. The air suction pulled the separator tight to the trash can, and it won’t let go until you turn off the dust collector.

-- Easy to use end grain cutting board designer: http://www.1024studios.com/cuttingboard.html