In stead of hijacking peoples threads - I’ll share a little advice here. I made the cyclone filter to use as a shop vacuum. I’m amazed by how effective it is. The back side is that the bucket used to gather the dust implodes because of the vacuums pressure. Barry suggested to add a new bucket - a simple and effective tip. BUUT - the shops are closed in the weekend, and I’m trying not to spend aaalll of my money on this. So, I cut out some simple circular pieces to enforce the bucket.
I measured the circumference, found the diameter and made the pieces with a difference of 5% for the three parts. Super quick, cheap (as long as you have some scrap plates lying around), and doesn’t add any bulk.
Hi @turbinbjorn , that’s a nice simple solution but you have caught me at a time of navel gazing! I have been contemplating this very issue today, and was all set to swap my failed plastic bucket over for a metal one when I began to think that I was not addressing the problem.
Your cyclone has 40mm inlets if you printed it from the drawing linked above. Do you have a 50mm (2") or bigger shopvac? A 50mm diameter provides almost exactly 1.5 times the area of a 40mm hose, so I figure thats the equivalent of choking the thing by at least 2/3, which is probably the reason for the “implosion”.
No argument that your collector is working - but I think I’m going to go back to square one, and build a new cyclone with a bigger inlet… one day (sigh!).
You are asking some good questions, Peter, @bitingmidge ! I’ve been wondering about the same things. I’ve heard that the diameter of the vacuum hoses are important, in terms of balance in the suction system. The answer is: I have no idea what I’m doing! I’m just throwing stuff together, sometimes it works, and sometimes not. Between the vacuum and the cyclone, I use the original vacuum hose, which is 40mm wide, and the cut off mouthpice fits perfectly in the cyclone opening. On the other side of the cyclone, I bought some 6m long and 50 mm wide suction hose. (that stuff is expensive btw!) I don’t know if it’s bad for the system that the hoses are different, I can only say that it works very well! After reinforcing the bucket, it stays still and vacuums superbly. And nothing in the vacuums bag!!
Not sure where you live, but here in the states, if you have a “Firehouse Subs” shop near by you can pickup an empty pickle bucket (they get their pickles in 5 gallon the same size as what’s sold in the hardware stores) for $2. That’s pretty cheap. And you get a great smelling bucket (assuming you like pickle smell, of course).
That’s what I did as a temporary fix, I placed the 30 l plastic bucket inside a planter for outdoors. Worked like a charm. Now the bucket is much less bulky, with the reinforcement on the inside.
I have the ‘official’ cyclone lid that goes on a big old trash can. It’s inlet and outlet sizes are matched to the vacuum I use and I often picker the big Hefty trash can. I’m gonna put reinforcements in for sure!
Do you know if it changes the efficiency of the cyclone?
I’ve used the setup for some days now, and theres next to nothing in the vacuum’s bag. I don’t know if there would’ve been even less dust in the bag without the reinforcements, but it’s more than good enough for me.
I guess it doesn’t hurt that the bucket/container isn’t too small! Mine is 30l.
I originally had the dust deputy mounted to a big 31 gallon metal trash can. It imploded too. I think the problem is the inlet is slightly smaller than the outlet to the vac.
Some make sound proof enclosures, others build nuclear alarm clocks and handheld android joysticks. I’m just happy that my vacuum setup is fully finished! (I only need a spool on the wall, to hang the hose)
Btw: I’m amazed by how versatile and simple to use the MPCNC is! Making this lid took me an hour, with drawing in inkscape, cutting 14*2 minutes and screwing things together. It’s great fun!
Just wate till youbget your first sale it is amazing to have someone pay you to make something you design and make with a machine you built and made do what you want and have fun doing it and sharing with t hi is community
