Bucket Cyclone Vacuum Dust Colection

thingiverse

I needed a better way to keep dust out of my dust collector bag. I was using a Thien Baffle in a garbage can, which was a big improvement over nothing, but I wanted to use some kind of cyclone. The baffle made the garbage can a pain to dump, it cut down on the suction, and it would clog with any stringy cuts of oak I ran. The Cyclones for 4"+ hose lines are $500+CN, so I thought I may as well make my own. I made a bucket clamp system to keep the bucket attached firmly but with easy removal in case of clogs. While I was at it I flipped my dust collector motor 90 degrees with an adapter I have included. I also used a bucket hose attachment from https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2848852 made by https://www.thingiverse.com/Costa_D as it was perfect for the situation. I have a tall printer, and made the cone as big as I could make it. I made a SHORTER version for shorter printers while I still remembered the steps I used, but I haven't printed it myself. I connected all the parts by drilling out the holes in the models with a 3/16 bit and riveting from the inside with 3/16" X 1/2" long rivets to keep down with drag, but you could also just use adhesive caulking. I also used sealant on the joints to keep everything airtight, and for strength. I used a 4" PVC Pipe for the internal collector chute but I have included a printable version. I eventually trimmed it to be about 4" shorter than the bucket. I printed everything out of ABS at .3mm layer height with 4-5 walls for strength. This took almost a week to print and at least two rolls of plastic. I had some warping, so I connected the 4 top cone pedals to the bottom funnel, then attached the top of the pedals to the bucket before I attached the sides of the pedals together. Not only did this improve efficiency in the system, but got the machine off the ground, and made the can easier to empty now. The heavier items stick to the walls as the vortex spins, leaving only the finest dust to end up in the collector bag... Maybe my next project should be blowing all the fine stuff outside!