Cyclone / pre collection / filter

[Nick_]

I was hoping to use a gutter vac for my dust extraction, but after speaking with the manufacturer it seems it might not be suitable. Their concern was that the small particles would get into the motor and burn it out.

This is only a hobby for me, but I will be building cabinets in mdf etc and using sanders and routers so don’t want to fill my lungs or house.

The gutter vac is 1600W and 3800LPM, and has a side cyclone entry, but not much good if it kills the motor.

Is it possible to filter the fine particles out? The filter in the vac is a cloth antimicrobial filter.

I’m quite tempted to use it and see how I get on and watch for it over heating. The motor is user replaceable, but £125.

 

[Sideways]

I'd give it a try myself.
It'll be a bog standard vacuum cleaner motor in a big tin can. Essentially the same as any budget shop vac. Look into the hepa filter bags available for the numatic / Axminster NVD750 canister vac. Maybe those could be adapted to improve the filtering in your guttervac. It is standard practice to cut the seams of the hepa filter bag to get a big sheet of hepa filter material and use that in some numatic machines.
An external cyclone before the vac will help but it's a waste of space if the gutter vac has a big canister that will then never fill up.

 

[Nick_]

I'd give it a try myself.
It'll be a bog standard vacuum cleaner motor in a big tin can. Essentially the same as any budget shop vac. Look into the hepa filter bags available for the numatic / Axminster NVD750 canister vac. Maybe those could be adapted to improve the filtering in your guttervac. It is standard practice to cut the seams of the hepa filter bag to get a big sheet of hepa filter material and use that in some numatic machines.
An external cyclone before the vac will help but it's a waste of space if the gutter vac has a big canister that will then never fill up.

Thanks, I’ll look at the filter bags, I wasn’t aware of those, but could protect the motor.

The gutter vac is as you describe, 35L bucket, with a 1600w motor.

 

[Nick_]

Actually, thinking about what you said now, I should be able to unclip the cloth filter and replace it with the material from the hepa bag when using it for dust collection.

The setup is just a float valve, with a cloth filter cone around it. Most of the heavy material from a gutter clean ends up spun against the side of the drum.

 

[Sachakins]

I'd leave that filter in and try sucking up sawdust, chippings and shop floor bits etc and see how it goes.
You can always put a vacuum cleaner paper bag over the cage first too.

 

[Sideways]

It looks fine to me too

 

[Orraloon]

Like the others say its worth a try. Its basically a wet and dry like most shop vacs. The filter will clog and reduce suction so will need to be cleaned when that happens. I would use a cyclone and catcher then not much dust will get in the vac itself so filter will last longer between cleans. Have a look on Amazon and ebay for cyclones.
Regards
John