cyclone lids and dust collection

[rickd]

somehow, until a few weeks ago, i missed seeing any of the previous postings here or info anywhere else about 'cylclone lids' and dust collection. I just happened to notice a thing called a 'cyclone' lid while i was browsing thru a Lee Valley Tools catalogue. I searched the bt3 archives and found quite a few postings re cyclone's along with some pretty good home made systems.

i decided to order the clear plastic Veritas Cylclone lid, that sits on top of a Rubbermaid trashcan, from Lee Valley. I hooked it up to my Ridgid ShopVac a few days ago and couldn't believe the difference it has made in my shop. I am no longer having to empty my shopvac every few hours when i am using my jointer and planer. I've already emptied the trashcan a few times and my shopvac still has almost no dust/shavings in it at all. It's great.

so, if there are any others out there like me who had never heard of 'cyclone lids', do a search on this site and check it out - it is well worth it.

By the way, the clear plastic lid from Lee Valley Tools cost $49CDN. They have large and small lids(clear and black).

[final_t]

Shop Fox also sells the same thing, black plastic, for less. I got mine at Andersons. HF sells a 5-gallon bucket version suitable for a shop vac system. Both work fine - except when using something like a planer that has a force-fed ejection system. Then it will blow the lid off the chip seperator, even when bungie-corded down.
For that kind of problem, two solutions I've done that work. One: make your own out mdf/plywood/etc with an elbow in it to make the seperator. Less air leakage with this, tight fit. Two: use the HF mini unit with the dust bag from the BT3 accessory kit and let the planer do the pumping.

[Bulkley]

I bought one of those Lee Valley cyclone lids a few years back. It was too large for any garbage can that I could find; consequently, I could never seal it. I eventually threw it away.

[dkhoward]

I have the black cyclone lid from Rockler that is supposed to fit a large metal trash can. I obtained a large white plastic drum from the coca-cola company that they use to transport syrup and sweetner. Since these drums do not have a removable lid, only a bung hole, I used a recip saw to cut the top out of the drum. I made the cut along the bottom of the drum ring at the top. This left a rim that was slightly smaller in diameter than the cyclone lid. I glued a length of high density foarm garage door sealer around the outside of the lip which made the cycloe lid a nice tight almost air tight fit. I screwed a small eye into each side of the drum and stretch a bungee cord across the cyclow lid to keep it nice and tight. Works like a charm. Connected to my HF 2hp DC, hardly any material gets to the dust collector bag.

[rickd]

quote:Originally posted by Bulkley

I bought one of those Lee Valley cyclone lids a few years back. It was too large for any garbage can that I could find; consequently, I could never seal it. I eventually threw it away.

I bought the smaller lid from Lee Valley for use with my shop-vac and it fits and seals perfectly with the rubbermaid trashcan(Rubbermaid model # 2892 in USA and # 2882 in Canada.) I'm very happy with it.

The large lid they sell is designed to fit on any round container with a top diameter between 19" (I.D.) and 23-1/2" (O.D.)- but, i didn't get that one so i haven't got any personal experience with it one way or the other.

[Bulkley]

quote:Originally posted by rickd

I bought the smaller lid from Lee Valley for use with my shop-vac and it fits and seals perfectly with the rubbermaid trashcan(Rubbermaid model # 2892 in USA and # 2882 in Canada.) I'm very happy with it.

I should have added that they didn't have the small one available at the time I bought mine. Lee Valley added the small one for the Rubber Maid at a later date. Of course, that's the one I should have had. The big one was useless to me.

[MilDoc]

So, which lid, and what size trash can, will work best with the 2HP HF dust collector & 4" hose?

[ironhat]

Hey MilDoc, I can't commentm on the lids since I built mine but some of this still applies. I also use the HF unit and I went to a shop that makes tie-down chains for heavy equipment. They receive their bulk chain in metal drums - about 30 gal standing about 3' tall - with a removeable lid and a clamping rim band which clamps down. You could check with some industrial suppliers for such a drum or just drill holes to accomodate the fittings available at Lowes & BORG, making your own. Anyway, this size works really well with very little getting thru to the bags. I did see one guy's unit which he made from a round concrete form and it was 5' tall. I theory, I guess the more room the particles have to fall the less likely they are to be pulled into the bag. All I know is, mine works.