# Rectangular separator build



## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

I read through previous threads about the fallacies of boxed style chip separators. Lot's of good info and I would like to ask for feedback on what I am planning to do. Most is out of space constraints and noise/performance. I had a 1685, but it was too loud (90 in the shop and 70 in the house) and I couldn't justify working with that much noise in a garage. I'm limited by space and performance of smaller units. I've accepted that I wont be able to run dedicated lines to each of the tools so I do think the 537 cfm 1826 will suffice for running one tool at a time. It has done well so far. It's time to mount it and get the rest of the tools in their place.

I am left with either using a metal can separator and taking up the space needed for the bandsaw cart, or building a separator into a 12" wide rectangle box to fit between the drill press and bandsaw. The unit will exhaust directly outside though a dryer vent. I live in Wyoming and the dust will be blown well into Nebraska before I am even done using the DC. Hopefully that would free up some resistance to keep the cfm up. 

Here is how the setup will be:









At most, probably 10ft of hose to the power tool as everything is mobile.

Just wondering if the tool attachment is in the front and the exhaust to the DC is in the top at the back, if that would be enough dead space for the chips to drop and finer dust can do whatever it wants. I may add a shelf near the exhaust 12" long maybe just to "focus" the airflow.

What ya think for single tool use?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*3 types of separators ...*

There are 3 types of separators I am aware of .... cyclonic, Thien, and Top Hat all of which operate in a circular housing. :surprise2: That's not to say you could adapt one of them to a rectangular box.... I donno? but I don't think the air likes to flow around that easily in that shape environment. So, why bother with any dust separator if your are going to blow it outside over to Nebraska anyway? You could put a baffle on the outside, like a deflector, to stop the large chips, over a barrel or container and let the fines keep going beyond. OR don't even bother with that and use a large weave "sock" to collect the chips while the dust escapes.

All this is in keeping with freeing up that narrow space for other uses like tool or parts storage. just my .02$


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## UnisawGuy (Jul 20, 2014)

I would like to see a link to the fan curve for the unit.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

If it is only going to be used for one tool at a time why go to all of the trouble and use up space. Just purchase the most powerful vacuum you can find and use that?

George


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

I'm not sure one exists for the unit without calling them. I'll have to find the DC comparison article I read a while ago when researching the larger unit I had and see if they tested this one. It's been some time....

This is a link to the specs- https://d27ewrs9ow50op.cloudfront.net/specsheets/w1826_ds.pdf


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

I have a shop vac and small dust deputy that works pretty good. It doesn't really have place and often sits in front of the bench. The garage shop shares space with a Tundra and a Camry... Having a unit mounted on the wall and separation bin in line with the other tools was appealing. The vac is behind the bandsaw, under the DC bag.


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

There she is! 

I took a lot of ideas from family handyman magazine when I first started. Didn't have the tools or skills to jump into rubios. This setup has worked for the most part though.


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## UnisawGuy (Jul 20, 2014)

A fan curve is a chart or graph with cfm on 1 axis and static pressure on the other. With it you can calculate the true airflow of any configuration of pipe. Without it you cannot. 



Wyo7200 said:


> I'm not sure one exists for the unit without calling them. I'll have to find the DC comparison article I read a while ago when researching the larger unit I had and see if they tested this one. It's been some time....
> 
> This is a link to the specs- https://d27ewrs9ow50op.cloudfront.net/specsheets/w1826_ds.pdf


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

I'm aware of what the fan curve is. Have searched the depths of Google and have not seen any.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Overthinking this I think...*

You have a single stage DC, the most basic type, a blower with a bag over the exhaust. No need to run fan curves and such in my opinion. It's just not very efficient in the first place. I would just hook the inlet to the machine directly and catch the dust in the bag OR blow it outdoors. 

I experimented hooking my single stage DC to my planer to collect the chips and it work well enough. Obviously, with a planer the chips build up very quickly and you need to clean the bag more often.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Not a direct answer to OP....as with a lot of shop subjects,we each have different G&O's(goals/objectives).

We're in the beginning stages(ha) of building a "Multi-clone".Even though they're still "cyclonic" by nature......they do infact fit into rectangular packaging.

Probably more effort than they're worth,unless.....we're talking about really fine particulates here.There's a correlation between cyclone diameter and particle size.Our last cyclone,that stayed here,has worked pretty durn good hooked up to a cpl edge sanders.It was/is designed for our vert panel saw though.But it's still exhausting into the shop...canister filter,yadayada.

Got tired of moving it from the sanders,where it's used almost everyday....to the once a week location on the panel saw.So,we're building a "better" system(multi-clone,with much smaller cycloneS),and venting outside.It has a line of 5 smaller diameter cyclones,all dumping into one collection bx. dedicated to 3 or 4 stationary sanders.The whole affair is housed in a rectangular "box".

Barronfan.com has a decent visual aide for multi-clones.Good luck with your project.


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

Multi-clone... Sweet!

With the unit mounted, I gave it a try at the chop saw. 12' of flexible 4" hose, exhausted into the bag. It performed pretty well... Better than nothing. Made a 2 1/2" reduction hose that is a foot long and on the end of 6' hose, sucked pretty good. I know It can't catch everything, but it is doing more than my shop vac did. Win.



















I might just try a "collector" and see how it goes. I don't think blowing shavings from the router would go over very well with the neighbors.


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

I got the exhaust going outside. Suction at 2" in front of the 10' hose is 45-50 mph according to my wind gauge. Exhaust is 45 too and it is quite loud outside. It is high 70's db in the garage 5' away from from the unit. 

Need some more attachment pieces and to build a test separator based off shop notes #55.


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## Wyo7200 (Apr 29, 2015)

Before I started the box part, I wanted to see how much suction was lost by adding a chip separator. I don't want large chips pelting my neighbors house...

I came up with this idea, using a trash can from menard's. I routed the top so it pushes in and gives the can rigidity. I cut out 2 4" circles and attached the hose fittings. Tested without a baffle between the two at first, hoping the large chips would just fall but they went right from one hose to the next and through the machine and outside. A few pieces landed in the bottom. I tried a crude baffle between the two, and still it spit out the chips. I think I can build the separator box with confidence that I won't loose too much suction.


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