# Trash can separator / Plastic garbage bag



## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

This may seem a bit obtuse but bear with me.

Rainbow Trash went from picking up and dumping the trash cans to an automated truck system. We now have those square cans (75 gallon size) with hinged lids. One can each for garbage, green waste and recycle waste. Previously we had the slender, green plastic, on wheels trash cans with a separate lid.

My trash can separator is connected to a Jet dust collector via a 4" hose, uses the Woodcraft lid and a standard galvanized trash can. The inside of the Woodcraft lid uses a 90° elbow to create a cyclone effect. The separator action works very well but is not perfect for the purist. 

As the galvanized trash can filled with wood chips, it became a PITA to dump it into a large, contractor size trash bag. The solution was to put a trash bag into the galvanized can. Obviously the laws of physics do cause some problems with this project. The solution was quite simple.

Enter the round green plastic trash can from above. The bottom of this trash can was cut off as was part of the top. The objective is to put the green can inside the galvanized can as a sleeve. I added handles to the inside of the round green can. The handles are just wood with rounded edges.

The round green can is placed into the trash bag. The trash can is just barely in the trash bag. The minimal amount of trash bag is pulled over the top of the round green can. The trash bag and can are placed into the galvanized can. As the trash bag and can are placed into the galvanized can, the green can is flexed slightly to allow all the air to escape from between the galvanized can and trash bag.

When the separator is about 3/4 full the green can is lifted out of the trash bag and the trash bag is lifted out of the galvanized can. 

The trick to this whole process is that the trash bag is not outside the galvanized can. 

(C) richflynn 2013

Pictures to be added later as the separator needs to be emptied today or tomorrow.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

*I Was Wrong, But . . . . .*

The separator didn't need to be emptied but here are the pictures anyway.

(c) richflynn 2013

The first picture is how the separator is during normal operation.
The second picture is of the elbow inside the lid.
The third picture is of the sleeve and plastic bag with the separated dust.
The fourth picture is the sleeve removed from the trash bag.
The fifth picture is the sleeve and trash bag back in the separator.

Finally, the (c) is to make this post Serge proof.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

*I Was Wrong, But . . . . .*

I don't know why........


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## Larryh86GT (Feb 13, 2013)

That can in a can with the bag is a great idea and simple too. And I see how your lid was constructed which is what I needed. Thanks. :thumbsup:


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## BigJoe16 (Feb 20, 2012)

That's a great idea! I just made my own separator. I have a porter cable 1hp DC. It had pretty good suction before but now it's not so good. It lost alot. I was wondering if that is normal or if I made it wrong. There's not air leaks in the can or hoses.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Rich, thanks for the pictures and the explanation. My Woodcraft unit came with two elbows, I put them both on the inside pointing in opposite directions. My experiments suggested more chips and dust stayed in the can in that configuration. I operated in the single elbow mode for one cycle when I failed to realize that one of them got buried in the dust and left the building with the trash. Now they are both glued on. I also really like your addition of elbows on the top to minimize kink of the hoses. Gotta buy a couple more elbows. And a trash can. I do at least have the bags.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks for posting this. I have been trying to think of someway to do this. I have emptied my can an umpteen number of times, and I have gotten pretty good at it, but this would be ALOT easier to do. I will try to find something to insert into my collector can as well.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

BigJoe16 said:


> That's a great idea! I just made my own separator. I have a porter cable 1hp DC. It had pretty good suction before but now it's not so good. It lost alot. I was wondering if that is normal or if I made it wrong. There's not air leaks in the can or hoses.


Two things come two mind. Yes it is kind of common with smaller collectors but likely a design flaw as well.

Without hijacking this thread we would need to go over quite a few things to know for sure. I'm guessing it's just separator with no baffle incorporated into the design. This design allows for more turbulent air which slows the air speed down.

It could also be any number of different things and or a combination of some of them.

I would suggest you browse the Dust Collection category looking for Thien Baffle design mostly. You could also start a new thread about your problem but if you do please describe your system in detail and have plenty of pictures incase you mise explaining something we may be able to see it.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Rich nice idea and thanks for posting it.


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## lumber jock (Apr 11, 2009)

rrich said:


> This may seem a bit obtuse but bear with me.
> 
> Rainbow Trash went from picking up and dumping the trash cans to an automated truck system. We now have those square cans (75 gallon size) with hinged lids. One can each for garbage, green waste and recycle waste. Previously we had the slender, green plastic, on wheels trash cans with a separate lid.
> 
> ...


I was thinking of buying that trash can cyclone lid from Woodcraft. How do you like it?


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

lumber jock said:


> I was thinking of buying that trash can cyclone lid from Woodcraft. How do you like it?


Thirty bucks and it works. Is the Woodcraft trash can lid perfect? Of course not but it works very well. In my dust collector bottom bag all I can see is wood flour. I didn't do any complex analysis but running my fingers through the flour I don't find any wood chips. 

Just a word of caution. Get the galvanized trash can first. Due to the automated trash collection trucks these days, the trash cans are going to be an endangered species soon.


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## Sawdustguy (Dec 30, 2008)

rrich said:


> The separator didn't need to be emptied but here are the pictures anyway.
> 
> (c) richflynn 2013
> 
> ...


What did you do to the plastic sleeve to keep it from being sucked in? I see what looks like some wood blocks and something else at the bottom.

Thanks

George


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## Masterjer (Nov 6, 2012)

Beautiful concept. Thanks for sharing!


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