# Super Dust Deputy Add on for 4" DC systems



## Cato

That looks like a worthwhile DC upgrade if you have the ceiling height for it.

I have the same problem with the pre can separator that you had. Big can but can only hold about a 1/3 of dust before it gets sucked into the bag.

How high is your unit now that you stacked it vertically for the cyclone?


----------



## TechRedneck

Cato

7 1/2 feet tall from floor to top of the filter.


----------



## HillbillyShooter

Great review and better blog. Thanks again!


----------



## tenontim

I agree with you on the efficiency of this unit. I've had mine for a couple of months now, and it's amazing the amount of debris that doesn't make it to the filter. The only time I really get any dust in the canister is when I using my drum sander, otherwise everything get dropped into the can. I have mine mounted on a 55 gallon drum. I'm able to pull down a ring, that the ropes go through, to lift the cyclone off the drum when it needs to be emptied. I may mount the motor/impeller on the wall with the cyclone below later when I get to rearranging my shop. Good review.


----------



## Allanwoodworks

I did a similar thing with my setup. Love how it separates! I have my exhaust piped to outside and the only time I get stuff going outside and not into the can is when I run my drum sander, but it still collects a lot of the sanding dust.


----------



## stenpm

Good evening (in Russia now evening). Can someone help me?
Please measure the size of Super DD (a, b , с, d, e, f)
This Super DD - a great thing, but the price of a shipment to Russia is very high. I want to try to do it myself. And consider the mistakes of the manufacturer, which are listed here.
Regards, Dmitry


----------



## shawnmasterson

every one on here should check out http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/ this dude will tell you every thing will ever need to know about DC. he gave birth to the clear view cyclone and will answer answer any ?'s you have and guide you alomg the way


----------



## Kentuk55

Thnx for the review


----------



## kelvancra

After retirement, my Oneida cyclone was more machine than I needed. They are not designed to be turned on and off as often as the smaller units and I needed to turn my collector off and on several times a day.

I sold my cyclone and bought a 1-1/2 hp Jet, with a canister filter, to run on one machine. It even does a reasonable job on my table saw, which has an Excalibur over-arm collector to deal with too.

Without a separator, the collector works well, but bags fill quickly, or the cartridge has to be cleaned often. It has a spinning agitator to knock dust off the filter pleats. A must, but you still need to shake the entire unit to finish dropping everything down, or efficiency will remain compromised.

I put an old trashcan debris separator in line on the unit. It kept impellers safe and removed a lot of debris, but it also knocked down performance significantly.

A couple days ago, my Super Dust Deputy arrived. I used a 30 gal plastic drum for the base (thank you local farmer fertilizer supplier guys). With everything well sealed, I fired my collector up and it was a vast improvement over the trash can separator. I can, again, clean the floor with it, but don't have to worry about nails and things working their way past the impeller blades.

After cutting the top out of the barrel, I used some old counter top material for the lid. I routered a lip on the underside of the lid. This is not necessary, but did make positioning the foam seal easy and helps a little with centering the top on the barrel.

For the seal, I just used foam weatherization strips you'd use on a door. It's cheap and self adhesive.

To hold the lid down and to insure a good seal, I bought four of the rubber hold hold-downs you see used on big trucks hoods (or my Twinkie mobile (step van)). I positioned one every ninety degrees, I might have been able to get by with three, but they came in pairs.

I cut a view port in the side, then riveted and sealed a piece of clear plastic over it.

I found fifty feet of clear, four inch pipe on Amazon, with free Prime shipping, for around sixty dollars. That allowed me to tie the whole system together.

Obviously, several improvements could be made. For example, going to larger hose from the collector to the cyclone would reduce line loss. I might shorten the barrel, to make it easier to handle when emptying, but may leave it, since the port should tell me when it's time (e.g., around a third full). I might add another gasket to the interior of the barrel to up the ease of sealing too.

In short, a big thumbs up for the combo. One on each side of the shop should take care of all my needs.

SIDE NOTE: I bought the metal version of a Dust Deputy about seven years ago. It sold me on cyclones. I was able to downsize the size of my vacuum, since the filters stayed clean so much longer. The only reason I opted for the plastic version this time was, its design looked like it MIGHT flow better than the metal version. Since it will not be subjected to the same abuses my little Deputy does, it should hold up fine.


----------



## sawedoff

How are these doing now? I did my own separator from ideas from by this site and haven't really been pressed with the results. I am thinking about getting one of these. I'd appreciate any new input

Thx!


----------



## TechRedneck

I've been using mine for around 3.5 years now and it is still as good as the day it was installed. It is turned on and off quite often as I work in the shop.

I hit the canister with compressed air every so often and the clear bag has a little more dust in it (about 2 cups) but have never changed the clear bag since the cyclone went in service. I just have to remember to check the drop can level when planing a bunch of lumber.


----------



## kelvancra

I have one of the trash can types that removed heavy stuff. They are just a lid with some half-hearted ports and sell for around twenty bucks. The difference between it and my cyclones is a night-and-day thing.

I don't really see a huge drop in pressure with the Super Dust Deputy. Like others, I could probably run the bag for a year, before I have to empty it.

Even with the cyclone in line, I still have to clean the canister filter regularly, which includes shaking the unit after running the paddles. Otherwise, everything drops from the filter onto the middle (on top the Jet "Vortex"), killing performance. Immediately after shaking, I'll see a cup or so of fines land in the bag and, after I start it again, I note a huge improvement.

If I wasn't running the cyclone, I'd have to go through the filter clean up more often, but like with my small vacuum unit, efficiency stays high much longer.


----------



## kelvancra

This is the updated version of mine. It has an enlarged view port so I can take the bag level even higher. I installed handles and wheels on the drum, so it can be wheeled outside for emptying or to use with my small collector for picking up pine cones and leaves.

SIDE NOTE: I am using big box store, clear lawn bags. They are held in place with a cage made from the same fencing I bought to build tomato growing cages. I can, easily, see the contents/level of the bag through the view port.

Lifting the bags out is next to impossible. HOWEVER, if, after pulling the hold down cage out, you close the top of the bag and tip the drum on its side, the contents "spill out," along with the bag and removing the full bags is a breeze.


----------



## TechRedneck

Kelly

wow, big view port there. The cage is a good idea.

All these years I still have the original bag below the filter and since I have 10 acres I dump the dust and chips next to a brush pile where it just rots away over time. My view port is on the top and sometimes I forget to check it.


----------



## kelvancra

Regarding the bags under the filter, I know what you mean. I've emptied that blue barrel headed toward twenty times and, still, the only thing of significance in the bags under the filter is a pieces of insulation, which was too big and light to spin out.

The only reason my bags get pulled is to add the 1" foam strips you use between campers and pickup beds, to improve the seal of the bags on the collector.

The side port views are great. You can see through the bags easily, thanks to the cages, and tell, at a glance, if the barrel needs to be emptied.

I was working a clean up day in our little burg and an older couple asked for help unloading their pickup. It was full of plexi and the equivalent of all shapes, colors and sizes, so I helped them load it all into my pickup. As such, finding plexi for the view ports was no challenge.

SIDE NOTE: In spite of having a lot of plexi, I still grab LED monitors and things for the nice, large pieces of Plexi/Lexon they have to offer.


----------

