# Made a window on my DC collector bin



## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Well, I was milling my stock down for my daughters drawers, and I heard some clattering going on from my DC. I usually never hear this, so I investigated to find out my Thein separator bin was FULL.  :thumbdown:









I didn’t realize how fast this would fill up when milling my own stock. I just emptied this last month. Well, I emptied it, and decided that I needed to install some sort of window on the bin to keep this from happening in the future. 

I cut a small piece of plexiglass, and traced out the pattern on my garbage can.










I then made marks ¾” in from that outline, and cut and bent over the metal, and flattened it out.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Then I attached the plexiglass with some screws, predrilling the plexi to make sure not to crack it. A little “clear” caulk to seal it up, and I was ready to go. The caulk will dry clear, it is white when it first comes out.



















I hope this will alleviate any problems in the future. I was thinking that the static would attract some dust, but when actual dust is filled up to that point, I think I will be able to tell. I will let you know how it works.


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

You have been busy! Great idea. Looks good.


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## jstange2 (Dec 5, 2010)

Cool idea! I may steal it!


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## Bob Willing (Jul 4, 2008)

Good idea but this is my approach.
One good indicator that you trash can is full or getting full is that chips will start to accumulate in front of the planner. I use as a rule of thumb if I am planning boards two passes each side of 8” boards by 8’ will fill a 32 gal can and time to empty. I take off in one pass no more than ½ a turn on the height adjustment on my Dewalt 734 planner. 95% of what I plane is red oak

By the way be carfull when you empty the trash can those screws will do a number on your hand!.


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

I've been thinking of doing this myself.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

Bob Willing said:


> Good idea but this is my approach.
> One good indicator that you trash can is full or getting full is that chips will start to accumulate in front of the planner. I use as a rule of thumb if I am planning boards two passes each side of 8” boards by 8’ will fill a 32 gal can and time to empty. I take off in one pass no more than ½ a turn on the height adjustment on my Dewalt 734 planner. 95% of what I plane is red oak
> 
> By the way be carfull when you empty the trash can those screws will do a number on your hand!.


I hear you there Bob. After I took the picture, I took my angle grinder to those screws, but forgot to snap the pic after I ground them off.

I will be real interested to see how fast this fills up after I mill my own stock now. I used to use premilled stock before, or plywood.

Now, I'm trying to think of a way that I can put a liner inside the barrel, so that I can have a bag in there, and still see thru the sightglass. Time will tell if I figure it out.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

I think the only way for the liner idea to work with the sight-window would be to use clear (or clear-ish) garbage bags. I know..."Thank you, Captain Obvious!" :laughing: Good job on the window; simple and effective are always the best way to go.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

*This was a great idea!*

Well, I gotta say, I think my window works. I have been milling alot of wood recently, and wondering how full my garbage can was getting. When I walked out to my shop this morning, this is what I saw:










Now I feel alot better. Thought you guys might want to know.


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## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

I bought a package of so-called "see-through & biodegradable" garbage bags. So flimsy that I took them back to the store and told them not to ever order any more = junk.

Can liner? Don't. As you try to lift the bag out of the can, the sheer weight/mass of it will form a gas tight seal and you will not be able to pull it out. The only way to get those out is to lay the entire can on its side. There will be an air space along the top.

We had to have gel-loaded fire blankets in our labs. In the storage can, you could never get the sack out with a 15lb jellied blanket in it. The only safe way to maintain those was to lay all of them on their sides.


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## Ninefingers (Nov 19, 2012)

...to alleviate the vacuum at the bottom keeping the bag down, perhaps a small diameter pvc pipe attached to the side of the can running top to bottom would work?

Dave


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

Great idea with the window in your trash can! I thought it would coat itself with dust and be opaque.

Here's an idea that may help with your bag plan: The Oneida Ultimate dust Deputy (a regular DD with a square box under it) can be used with bags. They connect small diameter plastic tubing to the vacuum inlet and route it by way of a valve to a hollow handle. Inside the handle is a foam filter. You can see the setup on this picture as white tubing and a blue valve: 









I think the idea is to use the vacuum tubing connection to keep the bag down so it doesn't suck up into the Dust Deputy. It would also break a vacuum that would keep you from removing the bag. The filter is for two reasons: to keep the bag from getting sucked into the tube and to keep the tube from drawing in dirt if you aren't using a bag (isn't hat what the valve is for? Don't know).

As far as clear bags - you're on you're own! :smile:

Bill


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## ChipperOfWood (Oct 18, 2012)

thegrgyle said:


> Well, I was milling my stock down for my daughters drawers, and I heard some clattering going on from my DC. I usually never hear this, so I investigated to find out my Thein separator bin was FULL.  :thumbdown:
> 
> View attachment 67114
> 
> ...


I had exactly the same thing happen to me about a month ago. I was thinking about doing the same thing you did. How did you cut the hole in your can?

Charlie


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## SawRdust (Jun 11, 2013)

I have been wanting to do the same to my collection can. Thanks for the pictures. Looks like it works well.


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

ChipperOfWood said:


> I had exactly the same thing happen to me about a month ago. I was thinking about doing the same thing you did. How did you cut the hole in your can?
> 
> Charlie


Charlie,

I cut the hole in the can with a regular pair of tin snips... I drilled a hole first, stuck my tinsnips into that hole, and then cut an elongated "X".... I then bent back the metal, and flattened it down to make the opening, that I then covered with the plexiglass.

If you guys end up with something similar, please post pics here... would love to see it.

Fabian


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## ChipperOfWood (Oct 18, 2012)

thegrgyle said:


> Charlie,
> 
> I cut the hole in the can with a regular pair of tin snips... I drilled a hole first, stuck my tinsnips into that hole, and then cut an elongated "X".... I then bent back the metal, and flattened it down to make the opening, that I then covered with the plexiglass.
> 
> ...


Thanks Fabian. I had to pull my can out yesterday for something else and low and behold it was almost full....again. Before I put it back I am heading for the hardware to get a piece of plex. Thanks for the pictures.

Charlie


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## Toller (Dec 30, 2007)

Robson Valley said:


> Can liner? Don't. As you try to lift the bag out of the can, the sheer weight/mass of it will form a gas tight seal and you will not be able to pull it out. The only way to get those out is to lay the entire can on its side. There will be an air space along the top.


The Grizzly cyclone is designed for liners and it works pretty well. Much more pleasant than having to dump the bin out.


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## daviddoria (Dec 18, 2007)

@thegrgyle Do you think it would work to epoxy the corners/edges of the plexiglass to the trashcan and then seal it with caulk to eliminate the problem of the sharp screws all together?


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## ChipperOfWood (Oct 18, 2012)

daviddoria said:


> @thegrgyle Do you think it would work to epoxy the corners/edges of the plexiglass to the trashcan and then seal it with caulk to eliminate the problem of the sharp screws all together?


I did the same. Put a plex window in my trash can. So far the screws have not been a problem and I have emptied the can three times. I just don't put my fingers in there.  But some day I may end up eating these words. Along with some bloody saw dust. :laughing:


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