Dust commander

[murphy]

I was thinking of getting one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dust-Comma...aaf-4e04-86af-9f819c4b053f&pd_rd_i=B06XW9H1DF
I have a Record Power Camvac twin motor which is great so I thought this might save emptying the Camvac too often, has anyone on here got one, I also thought of buying a 30 -40 litre steel drum and making a thein baffle, but finding a suitable drum is not easy

 

[RobNichols]

I use a DUST COMMANDER S30-30 Liter Steel kit (https://amzn.eu/d/dJrpUu2) that I use with a two motor camvac connected via a Record Power DX1500B. It works a treat.

The only issue I have is that you can't see inside the bin without opening it. That's only a problem when I use it with my planer/thicknesser (Charnwood 8'' x 5'' Bench Top Planer Thicknesser). But now I'm aware of the problem I can keep my eye on it.

I was concerned that a 32mm system wouldn't work with the P/T but it works fine. It also means I can use the separator with my cheap shopvac which is convenient when using small power tools (sander for example) where the on load power supply makes operation more convenient.

 

[murphy]

I use a DUST COMMANDER S30-30 Liter Steel kit (https://amzn.eu/d/dJrpUu2) that I use with a two motor camvac connected via a Record Power DX1500B. It works a treat.

The only issue I have is that you can't see inside the bin without opening it. That's only a problem when I use it with my planer/thicknesser (Charnwood 8'' x 5'' Bench Top Planer Thicknesser). But now I'm aware of the problem I can keep my eye on it.

I was concerned that a 32mm system wouldn't work with the P/T but it works fine. It also means I can use the separator with my cheap shopvac which is convenient when using small power tools (sander for example) where the on load power supply makes operation more convenient.

Thank you Rob,
I did see the one you have and it is about £65 cheaper, I think the only difference is the more expensive one is all steel, so maybe that is not so important in this case, nice to know that it is working well with your setup

 

[Sideways]

Is it difficult to empty the drum on the camvac that you need to add a cyclone drum to empty instead ?
The dust commander cyclones are good - I use the black plastic one on a 30 L blue plastic drum, but that is 1. To save the cost of bags in my dust extractor and 2. So I can also vacuum up oily swarf off my metal lathe without making a mess of the extractor.

Having found how good the cyclones are, if I were buying again I would have paid the extra and bought the metal ones you gents are discussing.

 

[Distinterior]

I have this one..... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12132065...43NPbAeLoBsD1TUqpk4xkuPNSdWkWSJBoC6j4QAvD_BwE

I use it with a homemade dust collection box and my Festool extractors. It works very well, but the vast majority of dust/ chips that go into it are from cutting/ routing man made materials, so quite fine particles.
It's also Anti Static, as are the hoses, which is more important on man made materials than real timber.
This is my set up here..... https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/thread...-your-vac-for-power-tools.136676/post-1570885

Had I not already of got mine, I may have been tempted by the one in Murphy's post.

 

[murphy]

Thank you all for your input, I think I will go ahead and order one, Sideways it is a bit difficult to empty the Camvac as it is outside my workshop in an enclosure I built, with a chip extractor, to cut down on noise and they do take up a lot of room in a small workshop, so this Dust commander is quite small and should solve all the problems, it will need emptying more often but I can live with that, plus the dust from the Camvac has to be scooped out with a small hand shovel and it is very messy

 

[TomGW]

I use a similar diy setup that works very well. For me, the main advantage is keeping the filter in my vacuum clean and therefore operating more efficiently.

 

[MikeJhn]

Is it difficult to empty the drum on the camvac that you need to add a cyclone drum to empty instead ?

I have never understood the use of cyclones, concentrating dust into one area that can not be contained in a bag and disposed of without exposing myself IMO defeats the object of dust collection, better (again IMO) to use the internal bags of the vacuum and dispose of cleanly, the two motor Numatic George I use for vacuum extraction has four filters, the main filter never seems to clog up and the other filters can be shaken clear inside a bag, thereby not exposing me to the dust collected which is the object of the process.

 

[Inspector]

I have never understood the use of cyclones, concentrating dust into one area that can not be contained in a bag and disposed of without exposing myself IMO defeats the object of dust collection, better (again IMO) to use the internal bags of the vacuum and dispose of cleanly, the two motor Numatic George I use for vacuum extraction has four filters, the main filter never seems to clog up and the other filters can be shaken clear inside a bag, thereby not exposing me to the dust collected which is the object of the process.

Make yourself your own version of the Dust Deputy Bagger. I did. You want to look for thicker contractor type bags because some of the household ones tear/puncture more easily. Put it on a cart if you want to move it around. A link to a short video showing how it works.



Pete

 

[Sachakins]

Also this simple diy option

 

[murphy]

Also this simple diy option

That looks like a great idea, I will try it out as it is easy and cheap to make, I am just waiting for the Cyclone to be delivered and get the measurement of the bucket

 

[RobNichols]

I am just waiting for the Cyclone to be delivered and get the measurement of the bucket

The bucket works well I think. The catch is easy to release and reattach. The bin is solid and light so it's easy to move around.

I think the question is: What are you going to do with the sawdust?

I put mine on my compost, I'm a weekend woodworker who mainly uses hand tools, so I'm not producing huge amounts of sawdust/shavings. I have two compost bins and they seem to keep up with my input. In this situation, a bag system would just get in the way. It's easier just to empty the bin straight into a compost bin.

I only occasionally have to bag up my shavings (a friend finds my plane shavings excellent kindling to get her open fire started), but mainly its into the compost.

If I were having to bag up all my sawdust/shavings then a system that collected it directly into a bag would be really nice, but for my current situation I think it would just get in the way.

 

[murphy]

Thanks, Rob
that's good to know

 

[woodmaker]

Variation on a theme. I use a metal Oneida Dust Deputy (bought on holiday in Canada) on top of a steel crock pot and slide the combo into a frame that can sit on the floor or lock onto the top of my Festool extractor, like a systainer does. To empty, I take outside and either put onto my compost heap or empty into a bag and bin it. As far as exposure to dust when emptying goes, I figure a) the dust in the pot is the bigger stuff rather than really fine particles, b) outside is a big benefit, c) I can either wear a mask or in reality just exhale while bagging it. The big gain for me is that the expensive disposable Festool bags last forever.

 

[murphy]

Variation on a theme. I use a metal Oneida Dust Deputy (bought on holiday in Canada) on top of a steel crock pot and slide the combo into a frame that can sit on the floor or lock onto the top of my Festool extractor, like a systainer does. To empty, I take outside and either put onto my compost heap or empty into a bag and bin it. As far as exposure to dust when emptying goes, I figure a) the dust in the pot is the bigger stuff rather than really fine particles, b) outside is a big benefit, c) I can either wear a mask or in reality just exhale while bagging it. The big gain for me is that the expensive disposable Festool bags last forever.

Nice easy setup, yours looks like it is 4 inch ports on the cyclone

 

[woodmaker]

Nice easy setup, yours looks like it is 4 inch ports on the cyclone

That's possibly an illusion of the wide angle lens. The ports on the Oneida Dust Deputy are 2". Adapters (I think from Oneida but can't remember for sure) let me fix a 50mm Festool hose from the cyclone outlet to the extractor. Identical adapters let me fix either of the Festool 27 or 36mm hoses to the cyclone inlet. I use this set-up for my chop saw, track saw, Domino and rotary sander. It's too small for e.g. a planer thicknesser.

 

[murphy]

That's possibly an illusion of the wide angle lens. The ports on the Oneida Dust Deputy are 2". Adapters (I think from Oneida but can't remember for sure) let me fix a 50mm Festool hose from the cyclone outlet to the extractor. Identical adapters let me fix either of the Festool 27 or 36mm hoses to the cyclone inlet. I use this set-up for my chop saw, track saw, Domino and rotary sander. It's too small for e.g. a planer thicknesser.

Thanks, Woodmaker, I have a separate chip collector for the planer thicknesser and like you I will only use this cyclone for smaller stuff

 

[BradyS]

I'm sorry for replying so late. Since my dust extraction is not yet installed I can only say what I'm planning to do.

I was thinking of getting one of these https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dust-Comma...aaf-4e04-86af-9f819c4b053f&pd_rd_i=B06XW9H1DF
I have a Record Power Camvac twin motor which is great so I thought this might save emptying the Camvac too often, has anyone on here got one, I also thought of buying a 30 -40 litre steel drum and making a thein baffle, but finding a suitable drum is not easy

I have the plastic Dust Commander cyclone that others mentioned in this post. Tried different variations. I also bought that 100mm Axminster kit that's not a cyclone per se, but will have to do for now. For both I bough fiber drums (or Kraft paper drums). I got them from the UK, a nice shop with good prices. Used them as packaging for all the small tools and stuff I bought for my shop from your country. Best 'packaging' ever, came without a scratch. There is a lot of 'literature' online and on YouTube. They make for great cyclone bins as they are formed with resins that harden the materials. For the 100mm diameter kit I got a 120 l drum and one of those anti-collapse valves that Dust Commander makes, forgot how they are called.
For the smaller Dust Commander cyclone, which I want to use with my small power tools and, when tune comes, with my cnc, I should have bought a smaller drum. I got so excited by quality that I bought 3x 120 l drums. Not sure it will work with a shop vac. But they obviously sell smaller sizes starting from 20 or 30 l.

The only issue I have is that you can't see inside the bin without opening it.

If you digest some tinkering, there are YouTube videos on how to install level sensors for this purpose. They are pretty awesome systems that actuate an external indicator like red and green bulbs/leds, etc.

For me, the main advantage is keeping the filter in my vacuum clean

In my opinion abd especially for shop vacs, that's the main advantage. My vac is a Parkside. The best one, but still a Parkside. I don't believe they did much calculation on the circuit of internal air flow. The filter keeps clogging with dust even if on the bottom of the recipient are only a few grams of sawdust. It's so counterproductive. The cyclone system should sort this out. It all comes down to the personal needs.