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I found most solutions for tying vacuums and cyclones, like the Dust Deputy, cumbersome in appearance and they appeared less efficient than they could be.
Every package I see either places the vacuum on the bottom and the Dust Deputy [DD] on top, or the two side by side.
With the DD on top, you have to have a hose running up from the vacuum up over and doing a U-turn to attach to the Dust Deputy [DD] top. This requires a couple bends and adds hose to the system.
The side by side systems take up a lot of floor space and require that extra hose too.
In considering designs, it’s noteworthy every big cyclone system, like my 3-hp Dust Gorilla, places the cyclone under the impeller case, alleviating the need for pipe or hose required to get suction to the top of the cyclone.
It should, also, be remembered cyclones greatly reduce what gets to filters, so having a stronger vacuum is not as important as it would be if the filter clogged quickly with fine dust and other debris.
While bends in vacuum hoses aren’t as problematic as bends in things like clothing dryers and dust collectors, the bends and addition of hose still add up and reduce efficiency.
For the reasons above, I chose to mount the vacuum above the Dust Deputy in a simple and lightweight (all the weight is on the bottom) cart.
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![399402]()
![399403]()
[VACUUM MOD]
Absent modifications to the shop vac, this still requires an external hose between vacuum input and the top of the cyclone. For that reason, I chose to modify a small shop vac, to greatly streamline and otherwise improve the system:
(1) I blocked off the inlet port with silicone and clear Plexi I had on hand.
(2) I moved the intake port of the vacuum to the bottom of the collection can by cutting a hole for just big enough to fit a 2-1/8" black plastic pipe through.
(3) I used the flared end of the black plastic pipe for part that would fit over the intake of the Dust Deputy. Making that happen did require I grind a bevel in the pipe.
(4) For length, I used the depth of collection can, subtracted an inch for the clearance between the top of the pipe and the vacuum lid, then added four inches to stick out the bottom, on to the DD. I cut the end inside the vacuum can at an angle, to insure draw
(5) I installed the pipe and sealed it in place, with that inch gap between the end of it and the underside of the vacuum lid. I also hot glued it to the inside of the collection can wall, insuring it would remain where it belonged.
With all this done, I attached a hose to the DD, aligned the pipe sticking out of the bottom of the vacuum with the cyclone top and just let gravity take over. The pipe fit down over the DD intake port (top) about 1-1/2". I propped the vacuum in place by leaning it against something. This allowed me to test drive the package.
I was more than happy with the results, so set about building a cart for the final unit. This involved cutting a base (about 15" x 17"), adding casters at each corner, cutting two vertical 3/8" ply vertical pieces about 10" wide and 34" tall, and one 3/8" inch, horizontal top piece just a few inches larger than the vacuum can.
I, also cut two 2x4's. One 10" and the other 8-1/2". I mounted the 2x's, on edge, to the base, to give me more surface to attach the vertical supports to. Then I attached the 10" x 34" verticals to them, on one corner.
I used some of the 3/8" cut offs to thicken the top, to give more area to attach the horizontal vac support. They were only 1-1/2" wide and matched the width of the top of the vertical supports.
I cut a hole in the scrap 15" square piece just large enough to drop the vacuum can through (oversized about 1/4"). The hole is about 1" off the edges of the plywood. Subtracting the thickness of the 3/8" vertical pieces of ply left 5/8" for the upper plywood shims used to thicken the top to hold the vac support.
I secured the upper, horizontal piece, in which I'd cut the can hole, to the tops of the vertical pieces.
With the cyclone and vac aligned to level, I cut pieces from 1/2" plywood to hold the can bottom in place and secured them around the base of the 5 gallon bucket.
With everything in place assembled, I test drove the system. It pulls around the shop by the hose, which is just a press in fit. The larger casters (3-1/2") may help quit a bit with that.
I vacuumed about a gallon of chips and fine dust from the big collector bag, as well as some spots around the shop the dust collector wand couldn't get to. The vacuum ate it all up like a champ. In fact, it did better than my other Deputy, which is running in front of an even more powerful vac.
When done, I lifted the top off the vac and could not see anything but a minor coating of dust, which was just enough to take reduce the mirror finish of the interior of the vac, but I could still see my reflection clearly.
_
NOTES:
I’m doing several modifications to a Harbor Freight sand blast booth. Included in those modifications is, dust collection (the exhaust will go outside). Thus this project. However, because it turned out so well, I made it mobile, so I can use it to vacuum the car and for other such projects.
The whole thing weighs less than forty pounds and pulls around the shop via the hose with no sign of instability.
The vac is held on the cyclone input via gravity and lifts off easily, giving access to the cyclone, which, also, just lifts out. The hole in the top support holds the vac while the cyclone is emptied.
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Every package I see either places the vacuum on the bottom and the Dust Deputy [DD] on top, or the two side by side.
With the DD on top, you have to have a hose running up from the vacuum up over and doing a U-turn to attach to the Dust Deputy [DD] top. This requires a couple bends and adds hose to the system.
The side by side systems take up a lot of floor space and require that extra hose too.
In considering designs, it’s noteworthy every big cyclone system, like my 3-hp Dust Gorilla, places the cyclone under the impeller case, alleviating the need for pipe or hose required to get suction to the top of the cyclone.
It should, also, be remembered cyclones greatly reduce what gets to filters, so having a stronger vacuum is not as important as it would be if the filter clogged quickly with fine dust and other debris.
While bends in vacuum hoses aren’t as problematic as bends in things like clothing dryers and dust collectors, the bends and addition of hose still add up and reduce efficiency.
For the reasons above, I chose to mount the vacuum above the Dust Deputy in a simple and lightweight (all the weight is on the bottom) cart.
[VACUUM MOD]
Absent modifications to the shop vac, this still requires an external hose between vacuum input and the top of the cyclone. For that reason, I chose to modify a small shop vac, to greatly streamline and otherwise improve the system:
(1) I blocked off the inlet port with silicone and clear Plexi I had on hand.
(2) I moved the intake port of the vacuum to the bottom of the collection can by cutting a hole for just big enough to fit a 2-1/8" black plastic pipe through.
(3) I used the flared end of the black plastic pipe for part that would fit over the intake of the Dust Deputy. Making that happen did require I grind a bevel in the pipe.
(4) For length, I used the depth of collection can, subtracted an inch for the clearance between the top of the pipe and the vacuum lid, then added four inches to stick out the bottom, on to the DD. I cut the end inside the vacuum can at an angle, to insure draw
(5) I installed the pipe and sealed it in place, with that inch gap between the end of it and the underside of the vacuum lid. I also hot glued it to the inside of the collection can wall, insuring it would remain where it belonged.
With all this done, I attached a hose to the DD, aligned the pipe sticking out of the bottom of the vacuum with the cyclone top and just let gravity take over. The pipe fit down over the DD intake port (top) about 1-1/2". I propped the vacuum in place by leaning it against something. This allowed me to test drive the package.
I was more than happy with the results, so set about building a cart for the final unit. This involved cutting a base (about 15" x 17"), adding casters at each corner, cutting two vertical 3/8" ply vertical pieces about 10" wide and 34" tall, and one 3/8" inch, horizontal top piece just a few inches larger than the vacuum can.
I, also cut two 2x4's. One 10" and the other 8-1/2". I mounted the 2x's, on edge, to the base, to give me more surface to attach the vertical supports to. Then I attached the 10" x 34" verticals to them, on one corner.
I used some of the 3/8" cut offs to thicken the top, to give more area to attach the horizontal vac support. They were only 1-1/2" wide and matched the width of the top of the vertical supports.
I cut a hole in the scrap 15" square piece just large enough to drop the vacuum can through (oversized about 1/4"). The hole is about 1" off the edges of the plywood. Subtracting the thickness of the 3/8" vertical pieces of ply left 5/8" for the upper plywood shims used to thicken the top to hold the vac support.
I secured the upper, horizontal piece, in which I'd cut the can hole, to the tops of the vertical pieces.
With the cyclone and vac aligned to level, I cut pieces from 1/2" plywood to hold the can bottom in place and secured them around the base of the 5 gallon bucket.
With everything in place assembled, I test drove the system. It pulls around the shop by the hose, which is just a press in fit. The larger casters (3-1/2") may help quit a bit with that.
I vacuumed about a gallon of chips and fine dust from the big collector bag, as well as some spots around the shop the dust collector wand couldn't get to. The vacuum ate it all up like a champ. In fact, it did better than my other Deputy, which is running in front of an even more powerful vac.
When done, I lifted the top off the vac and could not see anything but a minor coating of dust, which was just enough to take reduce the mirror finish of the interior of the vac, but I could still see my reflection clearly.
_
NOTES:
I’m doing several modifications to a Harbor Freight sand blast booth. Included in those modifications is, dust collection (the exhaust will go outside). Thus this project. However, because it turned out so well, I made it mobile, so I can use it to vacuum the car and for other such projects.
The whole thing weighs less than forty pounds and pulls around the shop via the hose with no sign of instability.
The vac is held on the cyclone input via gravity and lifts off easily, giving access to the cyclone, which, also, just lifts out. The hole in the top support holds the vac while the cyclone is emptied.
