Bill Pentz's Cyclone

[Barry Burgess]

Has anybody on this list attempted to make Bill's cyclone?
I am trying to get quotes to get the cyclone body made at a sheet metal shop. I have no idea what it should cost and have been having difficulty finding a sheet metal shop that wants to do it.
Thanks in advance

 

[Woodythepecker]

I have no idea how much it would cost, but if you want to build your own, Dave.L is the man to see. He built one and by all accounts it works very well. I am sure that if you have a word with him he will point you in the right direction.

Regards

Woody

 

[Woodythepecker]

While looking for Dave's cyclone i noticed that you actually spoke to him back in July and that he gave you a link to his effort. What did you think of it?

Would you have a go at making you own?

Good luck in whatever route you take.

Regards

Woody

 

[Barry Burgess]

I have no idea how much it would cost, but if you want to build your own, Dave.L is the man to see. He built one and by all accounts it works very well. I am sure that if you have a word with him he will point you in the right direction.

Regards

Woody

Dave's version is from the Wood mag but it has a number of design faults according to Bill's site. There are 3major faults - the ratios of the cyclone are wrong - the entry should not be pipe shaped but rectangular - the metal used is too thin.
The construction of the Wood version is better suited to my skill levels.
Bill claims that he is working with Wood to redesign the cyclone.

 

[LyNx]

i'm going to have a go at building one after my workstation. I was going to fibreglass but i have a few sheets of flexiply that i may use for a wooden version. Keep us posted if you do make one

Andy

 

[DaveL]

I agree that the design that have I built does have compromises, :evil: but it works better than the dust collector I stole the blower from. 8)
It would be possible to adjust the sizes of the different parts, the plans do allow for some variation.
The metal I used is definitely not too thin, (dash to shop) its about 30 thou, any thicker and I don't think I could have worked it. It was hard work cutting the tabs as it was.

I bought my metal from a small fabricators and if I was going to make another I would ask them to price making the cone for me. I am quite sure that they could do the flat inlet as well if asked.

I know that we all strive for perfection but I have learned to accept a working compromise if perfection cannot be achieved. :-k

 

[Barry Burgess]

Dave I agree that the 30gauge is easier to work with but there have been collapse of the Wood version in the USA. The 24 gauge that I tested was a pig to cut. using rivets and two sided tape is a much easier option than soldering.
Most of the current dust extractors(bag type) are worse than no extraction as the worst dust (below 2micro) is blown out the bags. This can be overcome by using a suitable cartridge filter replacing the top bag. The pleated filters I can find here have an area of 5sq metres where as the ones in the USA are 25 sq m so most are restricting the motor air flow.
As you wont have a filter fitted the problem of the fine dust still exists especially if you use MDF.
My mini cyclones work well if I use 2 at a time (one above & one below the table but they do not cut the mustard with a router table especially with MDF
I don't want to compromise as I feel bad when running after a day in the workshop as I forget to use my airshield all the time. The dust must be ending up in my lungs.

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Barry.
I had planned onm making one as a project for GWW.... the reason i never was i have a very good felder extraction system and it would have went to waste just sitting in the corner.

my breakdown was
2 or 3HP fan/blower £200 with switch
22 guage barrel cut and rolled to shape at the tinnys.......£120 inc 6"inlet
mdf parts £25
metal collections bin and lid with hole....£25
lengths of spiral wound ducting......£20
rivets...tape.......clear flexi hose...wall plate for mounting in metal....£30
truck style air filter....£50

still not bad for a good dust extraction but as i said i already have one.
hope the prices didnt put you off...thee are some americon co's will ship over and 2hp seems to be the standard for a home workshop.

cyclones aren't new...they've been around for decades also for some reason the HSE dont like them hence you dont see them much over here.

I cant elaborate on why the hse dont like them but i was informed of this from the dust extraction guys who supplied me bits for my workshop


hope this was of help

Ian

 

[Barry Burgess]

Barry.
I had planned onm making one as a project for GWW.... the reason i never was i have a very good felder extraction system and it would have went to waste just sitting in the corner.

my breakdown was
2 or 3HP fan/blower £200 with switch
22 guage barrel cut and rolled to shape at the tinnys.......£120 inc 6"inlet
mdf parts £25
metal collections bin and lid with hole....£25
lengths of spiral wound ducting......£20
rivets...tape.......clear flexi hose...wall plate for mounting in metal....£30
truck style air filter....£50

still not bad for a good dust extraction but as i said i already have one.
hope the prices didnt put you off...thee are some americon co's will ship over and 2hp seems to be the standard for a home workshop.

cyclones aren't new...they've been around for decades also for some reason the HSE dont like them hence you dont see them much over here.

I cant elaborate on why the hse dont like them but i was informed of this from the dust extraction guys who supplied me bits for my workshop


hope this was of help

Ian

Ian the prices do not worry me.
A 3HP motor 7 switch costs about £120-150 but the problem for me is getting a 350mm impellor - at present I can get a 300mm for £34 +VAT
JET do not do their 14" impellor as they do in the USA.
A 60litre chemical drum cost £6 from the recycler
I have been unable to get a supply of metal sheeting yet but have been testing on scraps and with 24 gauge I have problems cutting and rolling but Ok with 30 gauge.
The filter I thought would cost me £120.
I have been into a number of workshops/garages where an extractor is connected from one machine to another but found that people forget to change it over all the time and everything is covered in fine dust.
I concluded that a ducted system was the only way to go.
I ran 4" waste pipe ducting before reading bill's site but am going to stay with this and see the dust buildup before changing.
I checked a few friends with bag type extractors and found that fine dust was an even bigger problem hence I want to go down the cyclone route as it is working on my vacuum based cyclones.

 

[cambournepete]

Most of the current dust extractors(bag type) are worse than no extraction as the worst dust (below 2micro) is blown out the bags.

That's because they're really chip collectors - at which they are good - rather than dust extractors, despite what they're generally advertised as.

I've put mine in a ventilated cupboard outside my shop, which should address your floating dust concerns (inside the shop anyway).

Pete

 

[Barry Burgess]

[

That's because they're really chip collectors - at which they are good - rather than dust extractors, despite what they're generally advertised as.

I've put mine in a ventilated cupboard outside my shop, which should address your floating dust concerns (inside the shop anyway).

Pete

I would also put mine outside if i could
Yes they are chip collectors

 

[SammyQ]

I'm still interested in hearing from anyone making, thinking of making or having made a B.P. cyclone with cheap (skiprat or recycled) materials. For example, delivery lorry sides make interesting sources of sheet aluminium.....Tumbler dryers have a form of caged fan to direct air........Anyone stirred by these, please post here or pm me; I have a thicknesser with a real chip and fragment problem that I'd like to tame without selling the children to raise the readies.

 

[DaveL]

Tumbler dryers have a form of caged fan to direct air........

Nice idea but the volume of air required in a tumble dryer is very small compared to that of a blower on a cyclone system. :?

 

[Barry Burgess]

Take a look at this site. It shows through pictures who he made Bill's cyclone with some mods to make it easier.

http://www.ablett.jp/workshop/cyclone.htm

 

[SammyQ]

Thanks. Got a new digital camera and am in progress with renovation of woodworking area; hopefully, I'll post as progress or asteriskival language allows. Sam

P. S. Sorry about telegramese.

 

[Freetochat]

Looking at the costs and trouble involved, would a kit be the answer? This site linked off Bill's have a kit reasonably priced http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/

 

[Barry Burgess]

Looking at the costs and trouble involved, would a kit be the answer? This site linked off Bill's have a kit reasonably priced http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/

You are looking at a 110 volt motor.
VAT & import duty and not to mention the $300 to $500 carriage.
Been there - done that

 

[Freetochat]

Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly. I was refering solely to the cyclone part of the kit. The motor can be a UK sourced one as planned. It would just avoid all the meatal bending and forming.

 

[Barry Burgess]

Perhaps I didn't explain myself properly. I was refering solely to the cyclone part of the kit. The motor can be a UK sourced one as planned. It would just avoid all the meatal bending and forming.

I have e mailed most of the contacts on the Bill's site. Most are not interested in shipping overseas as the cube size is too large and the costs involved are large.
The filter supplier quoted $300 per filter to ship to the UK
Most of the others said they only ship to the USA.

 

[Freetochat]

Thanks for that Barry - just an idea!!