The heart of my clean room!! Cyclone in action video!

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MesquiteMan

MesquiteMan

Retired Head Moderator
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Location
San Marcos, TX, USA.
I have shown a few pics and videos recently of various dust hoods I have made for some of my tools. Some asked to see more pics of my system so here they are.

This is some of my duct work. It is all 6" PVC with short 4" PVC drops. When possible, I ran PVC straight to the machines but occasionally, I had to use a really short (2') piece of flex duct.

This is one of my main drops. It branches to the 8" jointer, the 18" planer/molder, and my Unisaw. Each is individually controlled with blast gates.

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This is going to the far side of the shop. these drops are for my Performax 22-44 Pro drum sander, my 18" Rikon bandsaw, a floor sweep, my Norm Abrams router table, my lathe, and my drill press.

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This is a downdraft table I built into one of my work benches. I use it when gluing tubes to evacuate the CA fumes as well as anytime I am sanding with the palm sander. Of course, the palm sander is always hooked up to the shop vac to so I get all of the dust from it. You can also see the miter saw on the left.

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And last but not least, the heart of the system, my Clearvue Cyclone.

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Here is a really cool video I shot of the cyclone in action. You can really see how it works and how effective it is. The first scene is pickup up MDF dust from the miter saw as I made a couple of cuts. As you are aware, I am sure, MDF dust is really fine and terrible to try to collect.

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Well It's ok I guess. Kinda small. for a "work shop" And your DC looks like it does not have much power. Maybe you could see about something a bit better like harbour freight 3/4 hp 30 micron bag unit???

Lol. Yea RIGHT!!!
that is an awsome setup Curtis. Great set of toys you have there. I wish I lived close to you so I could come over and play.
 
I really like my clear vue cyclone. I have a much smaller one, but it is very efficient for my shop, which would fit into one of your small corners. Does everyone is Texas have a shop this big? Lucky you. Nice set up
 
That's an awesome setup! Is the cyclone in a separate room? did you build your own blower/housing etc, as looks different from the ones on clearvues page, but i noticed you can just buy the cone itself? Is this the 15" impellor version?

Seems your shops big enough to fit about 5 of mine in!

PHIL
 
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You make it look easy! The efficiency of well constructed and sealed joints along with good gates can easily be missed by many. That looks like a small DC unit for the amount of pipe you have - which strongly suggests your experience and penchant for precision and detail!

The gates - Did you make them, or most of them?
 
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nava1uni said:
I really like my clear vue cyclone. I have a much smaller one, but it is very efficient for my shop, which would fit into one of your small corners. Does everyone is Texas have a shop this big? Lucky you. Nice set up
Click to expand...

You know what they say about everything being bigger in Texas, well in Texas this is considered a small shop. LOL
 
Phil,

My shop is 40' x 75' but my woodshop iteslf is one end of the building walled off from the rest. It is 25' x 40'. The DC is outside the wall that seperates the 2 area. The wood box on the right side of the pic is where the .3 micron filters are located wtih a hole in the wall to return my air conditioned air back into the shop!

I bought the complete cyclone from Clearvue 2 years ago. They may have changed some things since then. When I bought it, they did not have options on different impellers so I am not sure what mine has. I know it works GREAT though!
 
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Lee,

I actually calculated the static pressure drop for each run and each machine to make sure I was achieving the amount of air flow at the machine that I needed for proper fine dust collection. Each drop exceeds the minimum by quite a bit.
 
Was just going to ask if you had calculated the static pressure! Do you have to reduce the 6" pipe for many of the tools? As most in the UK have 4" DC ports at the most!

My belt sander has a 2.5" and my scrollsaw has nothing! And there the two that create the most dust!
 
Hey Curtis - What can you tell us about the building construction itself. Looks like a steel frame covered with prefab insulated walls??? Wonder if something like that will work in the NE.
 
Yea, Curtis, I didn't see your pot (vacuum pot to be specific) setup anywhere. Trade secrets to be found out there, dude!

In picture number two down from the top ... Is that a tool holder on the top of the wall and above the bandsaw to the right??

IF so, just how danged tall are you?

Extremely nice setup and very well thought out and put together. And with the vacuum system you have your health will surely benefit. Now IF everyone else would just follow your lead and collect their dust as well we can all enjoy our hobby for years to come. :biggrin:
 
alamocdc said:
Can I just work out of your shop and quit worrying about getting mine in order? JK

I am quite envious of Curtis' set up. One day...
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Billy,

I know you say your were just kidding, but please know that my shop and any and all of it's tools are available for your use anytime! That goes for any other IAP member that is in or passing through the area! I also have a sawmill if anyone needs anything large sawn up into lumber! For fellow woodworker's person use, I do not chage anything other then the cost of a blade if I mess one up.
 
I am worn out just looking at it, lots of hard work represented there. It is so nice to see you taking the DC seriously. I think we did our homework in the same place. That it is not about a clean shop but clean air the clean shop thing is a bonus. great job. sort of stinks when you go to all the trouble and expense of 6" ducting to run into all those 4" ports they seem determined to put on equipment. I think I am going t o switch my collector to vent to outdoors as well. as it is I have a sine wave of performance out of mine. It would be nice to know it is always working at peak performance. that Clearvue is the DC of all DC's as well.
 
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