# plastic water barrels for Dust collector?



## mbs (May 8, 2010)

I have a clearview 1800 DC. Have any of you used the blue white plastic drums for a dust bin?


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## gtbuzz (Sep 19, 2011)

I don't see why it wouldn't work. You'd just have to make a new hole in the top to connect the cyclone body to the barrel. Remember that the most important thing is to make sure it's as airtight as possible so there's a negative pressure environment in there - otherwise the cyclone action doesn't work.

I use a fiber drum like this one on my DIY cyclone:

http://www.oneida-air.com/inventoryD.asp?item_no=SCOLLECT2&CatId={EFE9EEDD-447E-4AC8-8349-33B372D61DB8}

There's a place near me that sells old ones and I managed to pick mine up for $15. Just had to modify the top myself so I could attach a hose from the cyclone body. I just used an airtight take off from Home Depot that I got for about $8.


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## shawnn (Aug 30, 2014)

I use a 55 gal plastic drum to collect shavings from the DC. I use a cyclone separator & vent to the outside rather than through a filter, with the drum as the trap under the cyclone. IMO a 55 gal drum is too large, once it's full it's a pain to lift out & empty. I originally set it up intending to use a garbage bag liner & just change the bag when it got full, however the bag "sucks in" against the separator & doesn't allow the chips to fall into the drum; plus when the bag was full it would not easily come out of the drum. I would rather use a 30 gal drum to make it easier to handle.


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## shawnn (Aug 30, 2014)

I'll also add that I use another identical 55 gal drum to catch rain water from the gutter, works great for that!


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Should work ok if you're comfortable with the weight. The other concern is under a high vacuum situation, can the barrel handle the vacuum pressure without collapsing?


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## shawnn (Aug 30, 2014)

For the time being, get a much more commonly available 55 gal drum & use it, just empty it when half full. That's what I do. Once I find a smaller drum that can use the lid I modified for the cyclone, I'll replace the drum. My drum is the blue PVC, really thick, no DC is going to collapse this one. It uses a black top with integrated seal, and has a light gauge steel band that tightens on the top edge of the barrel and the lid. I've seen smaller barrels that use this lid just haven't found one cheap!


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

you guys are pointing out the dilemma. A large container is desired so it doesn't require frequent dumping. But, A large container is heavy. I have a steel can now that I may keep unless i have to empty it too often.

Our neighborhood has 60 and 90 gal roll away trash cans but they want $12/ month to empty it. It would be a perfect solution if it wasn't so expensive.


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

I use a 55 gallon plastic drum and it works very well. The top has a flat portion that made it easy to glue on a couple of pieces of plywood wit a hole cut to fit around the opening. Another removable piece of 3/4" plywood with weather stripping serves as the lid. I mounted some 3" casters to the bottom and it easily rolls to the dumping location.

I usually try to empty it when it is around half full, but it never really seems to be too heavy.


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## mbs (May 8, 2010)

I'll see if I can find a cheap plastic 55 gal drum to try. thanks to all for the comments.


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

I looked into plastic water barrels when I built my rig … decided to go with a smaller steel garbage can instead:









Factors I was concerned about were the weight for a larger barrel, and ability to seal the top (I laminated two 3/4" slabs of MDF for a lid and routed a groove … it is air tight). The garbage can doesn't hold as much as a larger drum or barrel, but it is easy to handle.

Some have used a trash bag inside the can with a removable form inside the bag to keep it from collapsing. That is something that is on my 'list' when I get around to it.


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## BasementShop (Nov 3, 2014)

> Some have used a trash bag inside the can with a removable form inside the bag to keep it from collapsing. That is something that is on my list when I get around to it.
> 
> - TheDane


From the peanut gallery: I saw a design where they had put pvc pipe "legs" down from the lid with caps on the end to keep the lawn and garden bags from being sucked into the exit port to the vacuum. I thought it was clever. The legs wouldn't take up much space, wouldn't hold saw dust when capped, would hold the garbage sack to the bottom of the barrel if they were the proper length, and would slide out of the bag without making too much of a mess.


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