Cyclone dust collector question

[Ray-CA]

I've bought a generic cyclone and it is working really well. In fact, it's sucking the sides in on my 30-gallon plastic barrel! Plans are being made to build a cart to hold the cyclone/barrel and the shop vac but I have a question concerning the installation of the cyclone on a new dust barrel.

All the installations I've seen have the cyclone installed on the center of the barrel/bucket top. Do you have any information or opinion on the effectiveness if the cyclone is mounted off-center (towards the edge of the lid?) This would allow me to make the cart a bit more compact.

Thanks,

Ray

 

[mark james]

I don't have pictures, but 2 weeks ago I did the two bucket (Home Depot Orange Bucket) cyclone build for my garage located band saw. My top hose is off center, close to the edge of the top bucket. The lower hose is at a 90 degree location, with the elbow pointing away from the inlet. I estimate (visually) that 75-80 % of the material is in the bucket, before it goes to my HEPA rated shop vac bucket. I am very pleased! Cost... Less than $10.00 (I had the buckets/hoses, and only needed the elbows).

EDIT: To your question: I don't believe it will mater much if you shift the holes much as long as the 'cyclone effect' is present. Top-Centered/off-center. Lower-angled to the side.

 

[pturley]

Location on the lid won't matter.

The integrity of your 30 gallon drum will an important consideration, as well as the vacuum pressure of the source device.

A couple of weeks ago, I collapsed the sides of a HD 5 gallon bucket with a dust deputy drawing vacuum from a Festool CT15. (Very surprising head pressure from the little Festool.) My large ShopVac works fine with the same bucket.

 

[Curly]

Or you could embrace the collapse like the Dust Deputy Bagger concept and make your own. I did. Use the heavy duty 3 mil contractor bags from the Borg stores. Not regular trash bags. Eventually I will lower the cyclone/bucket board so the bag stays on the bottom. Besides it is heavy when full anyway.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/shop/tools/workshop/dust-collection/dust-extractors/111155-dust-deputy-bagger?item=03J0215

Pete

 

[Ray-CA]

This is what I mean when I say that my barrel is collapsing! And I'm just using this Ridgid shop vac. Picked this other barrel up Sunday and hope this will hold up. If it starts to fold up, it well be easy to add some ribs to the inside to reinforce it.