# Dust collection box.



## Bvh56 (Nov 8, 2011)

Has anyone used or made a wooden box as a chip separtor instead of a barrel ?


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

The square box will probably slow the air speed. If it was only the trap off of a cyclone then maybe but a chip collector has the air spinning in it so as I said a square box would slow the air speed and reduce efficiency.

Just my opinion


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

RR has,I believe nailed it with the "slow the air speed".

I do alot of reading amd talking to pros about dust management.Somehwere in those "travels" theres a bonafied notion that this trick does work.I've seen it done in regular,round duct lines.Pick a size,8" round.......then a section of rectangular duct is installed.....then it transitions back to round.

The engineering is a little over my pay scale,so any further definitions or analysis would no doubt foul the air(ha).But will say it does work...........trying to compare it however with a cyclone style arrangement is Apples to Oranges.Because we'll assume the situation has been studied and we'd put up the system that represents the best value.BUT,in some cases an expasion box would be the hot ticket.

Our Dbl brrled TS,has a ho-made,very nice cabmet underneath.The dust collector is on purpose,pulling from near the top of this "square-ish" box.Theres alot of chip seperation,which leaves a goodly amt in the cabmet.Which because of ignorance on my part(layout),its easier for us to empty this box than DC can.

Speaking of HVAC.....theres some sweeping(ha) changes being implemented in,at least residential(ain't up on commercial at this point)HVAC "codes" or criteria.What does this have to do with DC?Alot actually because of obvious pending regs on DC's.....but moreso as its a current/hot topic in HVAC world.You want to pay particular attention to how ducts are being sealed.......This is critical in some designs(expansion boxes for example).Good luck,BW


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

i'm probably wrong, but i thought the idea of a separator is to slow the air enough, so chips can fall out?!? i dunno.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

TimPa said:


> i'm probably wrong, but i thought the idea of a separator is to slow the air enough, so chips can fall out?!? i dunno.


Timpa you never want to slow the air speed in the separator. I improved the efficiency of my system by adding the canister filter which allows more exhaust air therefore increasing suction. I have 6" main line which is set to the inlet of my collector. It moves higher volume of air at lower speeds. I then reduce it down to 4" at each tool which increase the velocity of air in order to keep up with the higher volume of air in the trunk line. The slower moving air in the 6" line goes through the separator but that slower moving air is set to the collector. If I slow it further then that I'm stalling the system. 

The idea is to have the highest speed of air spin in a cyclonic motion which pushes the sawdust and chips out up against the wall. The sawdust and chips slow or stop when they hit the wall and then fall into the collector.

Canister over bag improved system by 50%.

Larger trunk line and reduced at each tool improved system another 50%. 

I also added the Thien baffle when I added the larger trunk which I believe that helped improve it the last 50% by preventing the turbulence of air hitting air as in using one of the lid separators. With just the lid separator you could here things flying around in the can, but not since I added the Thien baffle. It also helps less debris get through to the filter.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

rrbrown said:


> The idea is to have the highest speed of air spin in a cyclonic motion which pushes the sawdust and chips out up against the wall. The sawdust and chips slow or stop when they hit the wall and then fall into the collector.


 
What Rrbrown said is all correct. The whole purpose of developing cyclonic action is to slow the speed of the actual chips and dust. They don't move as easily as air, so when it comes to a curved surface, they "smack" into that and the friction caused from the dust and chips riding along the curved surface causes them to slow down, and then gravity takes over, and helps them fall below. The air is still moving as fast as it can, and can be redirected more easily. That is why they say on DC systems, it is better to have sweeps, or (2) - 45's than 1-90 degree elbow, because you are causing the dust/chips to slow down prematurely.

With all that being said, if you have a separator dump into a square container to hold all the debris, that would be alright. There is very little air flow in the actual container. You could make some thing like this, and instead of putting it on top of a can, you could install it on top of a box, with a hole big enough for the bottom of the separator to dump into.

Fabian


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## TMA Woodworks (Apr 23, 2010)

Bvh56 said:


> Has anyone used or made a wooden box as a chip separtor instead of a barrel ?



Wood magazine made one of sorts. It was a square box that sat on top of the garbage can. The inlet was on one side and the outlet on the other. There was a board that divided the 2 boxes and went down below the hosed by 12". The air flow came in slowed from hitting the board divider the chips fell in the trash can and the fine dust and airs left towards the impeller. This was my first separator. It was adequate but I was only using it on a couple of tools and I had maybe 5 feet of pipe.

Bob


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## Bvh56 (Nov 8, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'm going to go with a 30 gal. Fiber drum. And run 5" Metal main line and branch off with 4" to tools. I'm running a harbor freight dc with a wynn filter . Total run will be around 25 ft.


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