Thein Separator vrs. Cyclone questions

[poolhound]

Nice cart. I plan to do something similar with the now redundant base of my 50-760 DC.

[JimD]

Looks good. Dominos make it fancier!

It's not too late to switch the shop vac to cyclone to 2 inch PVC. Your piping would be roughly in the same shape as the hose with a 180 degree bend on top. That is what I use as a handle on mine. The PVC is plenty rigid enough to keep the cyclone from falling over. I think the smooth PVC increases suction a little.

[capncarl]

Nope, not fingers! A gash in your table saw will be a reminder to be more careful. A nasty finger cut could possibly cost you more money that a new table saw cost.
The cart looks good. May it serve you well.

[atgcpaul]

It's not going to win any beauty contests, but it functions well. I modified it some by reusing the mobile base of my HF DC. The plans call for plywood but I already had MDF so I used that instead. The build is pretty simple. Only took a couple hours to do. The blocks that will hold up the hose are in clamps and I'll install that tomorrow. I used an extra pull rather than cutting a pull from the flip top. I like that the flip top prevents the DD from tipping over which was my #1 problem with the old setup. I don't know how the author shortened the hose from the DC to the DD, but mine sticks out. I removed the wheels from the DC but then I realized those are necessary to hold the extension pipes. I think I will add some hooks and bungie them on. You can also see the new hose from the Rockler universal hose kit. The kit worked well. I also recently bought the autoswitching DC power plug which works just as advertised.

I used my Dewalt track saw to cut most of the MDF. I also used my Domino for the first time to join the upright parts together. I HAD to get fancy instead of just using screws. I did something REALLY stupid in the process getting to know the Domino. I was trying to figure out how to line up the joints and did a plunge cut with the Domino facing down on a scrap piece of MDF. I was using my cast iron TS top as a flat surface. Well, maybe you can guess what happened. The Domino not only cuts wood and wood products, but also cast iron! So then I read the manual and then looked at the Domino again. Seems everything was right but maybe I somehow changed the depth setting by accident and didn't realize it. The Domino bit is pretty much trashed and I've got a nice little Domino sized slot in my TS surface. It's not in a critical area but annoying. I guess I will fill it with epoxy. I have a biscuit joiner and cutting that deep is impossible to do. I imagined what would happen if the board were held upright in a vise as I was plunging. I'd probably would have held the back of the board to support the cut and then cut into my fingers.

[JimD]

I agree with this to a degree. I think the smaller DD benefits from having much tighter connections than the SDD and the cyclone itself seems to be much taller and skinnier in proportion to the SDD.

I sanded some MDF tonight with my ROS connected to the DD and there wasn't any dust left on the surface and from what I could tell, it all stayed in the DD can and didn't get to my shopvac. I just don't like how noisy the shopvac is compared to a DC, though. What I haven't tried is connecting my DD to my planer. I just can't imagine that it wouldn't clog but I've been wrong before.

This weekend--wife willing--I'm planning on making this cart for my shopvac and DD. I really don't use my shopvac anymore unless it's connected to the DD.

http://www.woodsmithshop.com/downloa...hop-vacuum.pdf

I made that cart, modified somewhat, for my shop vac DD combination. It is a good design. My main change was to use 2 inch PVC to connect the shop vacuum to the cyclone. I had to heat it up with a heat gun and form it some to fit both the shop vacuum and the cyclone but it didn't take long and it works well. With the PVC connection, I didn't need the handle thing on the front. I also made it shorter so it is below the height of my table saw and other tools. I have an outlet on it with an automated switch so it turns on and off when I switch the connected tool on and off (7 second delay turning off). It all works well. Wheel don't roll over debris as well as I would like but otherwise, no complaints.

[atgcpaul]

Been thinking about this a little tonight. Even if the shopvac is quieter in the enclosure, the tool I'm using is still probably going to be loud so I'll probably be wearing earmuffs anyway. I'm just going to KISS and stick with the stock plans. I also won't have to buy more sheet goods for the box.

[atgcpaul]

I did wonder about how the airflow would work with this running in a box and might the motor overheat.

There's a channel under the box that redirects the exhaust down and out the back.

Here is another alternative

http://www.amazon.com/Mybecca-12-Pac...X0W7KE3WDGVX16

Hmmm...that's not too bad either...

[capncarl]

I suspect that instead of the expensive Acoustic foam the beautiful shag carpet that we used on all of our floors in the 70s would do well. (Remember the stuff that we used to put in the walls, floors, ceiling and dash on our custom vans).

capncarl

[poolhound]

Here is another alternative

http://www.amazon.com/Mybecca-12-Pac...X0W7KE3WDGVX16

[poolhound]

That stuff ain't cheap!

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-...s/N-5yc1vZc64x

Almost makes you want to buy a Festool shopvac instead.

Not sure how effective it will be, but I plan to use foam floor mats. HD also sells 4x8 sheets of Homasote. Not sure which one will work better, but I don't feel like hauling that back home.

Dang, as you say thats big bucks for a quieter shop vac. How about some sheets of rigid insulation

http://www.homedepot.com/p/R-Tech-3-...0873/202530470

$8 for a 4x8 sheet sounds a lot better to me!

I did wonder about how the airflow would work with this running in a box and might the motor overheat.

[atgcpaul]

Where would one source the acoustic damping material?

That stuff ain't cheap!

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-...s/N-5yc1vZc64x

Almost makes you want to buy a Festool shopvac instead.

Not sure how effective it will be, but I plan to use foam floor mats. HD also sells 4x8 sheets of Homasote. Not sure which one will work better, but I don't feel like hauling that back home.

[poolhound]

Sorry but not a lot to report from me. As usual lots of other things have gotten in the way of my plans. Last weekend I finally got the DC installed in its new outside home and the SDD connected. I have made the hole through the outside wall and have a plan to get all the DC plumbing hooked up. That is my project for this coming weekend, time allowing. Only then will I be able to start using it and can report on performance in a month or two. With my DC in pieces for a few weeks I was using my shop vac with its own small DD and it works great although it can't really keep up with the more powerful machines.

I plan to mount the 2 together on the old wheeled base of the 50-760 and adding that acoustic muffler box to the cart sounds like a great idea. Where would one source the acoustic damping material?

[capncarl]

atgcpaul, you build one first and post the photos of the vac cart, I believe it will draw a lot of interest here! I would build it myself this week but I am leaving for 3 weeks in Alaska, sorry. No telling what kind of wood I will bring home.
capncarl

[atgcpaul]

atgcpaul, suggestion, in building your cart add this sound reducing enclosure. The amount of noise it reduces is amazing.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki....aspx?id=29740
This box alone is worth the effort, I believe that I will construct one for my vac.
capncarl

Done! That was a dramatic improvement!

[capncarl]

atgcpaul, suggestion, in building your cart add this sound reducing enclosure. The amount of noise it reduces is amazing.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworki....aspx?id=29740
This box alone is worth the effort, I believe that I will construct one for my vac.
capncarl