Building a cyclone dust collector (part 3 of 3)

Thank you for watching!
Part 1, Building the Cyclone:
• Building a Cyclone (DI...
Part 2, Building the Blower:
• Building a Blower (DIY...
Website article with CAD model:
(Link coming soon. Or just email me for the CAD if you don't want to wait)
Thanks to Bill Pentz. His website provides useful info about dust collection:
billpentz.com/w...
I was also inspired by Marius Hornberger to do this build. Here are Playlists to his fantastic dust collector builds:
• Building a Small Dust ...
• Building a Big Dust Co...
Patreon:
/ jerschmidt

[@haroldchoate7497]

Jer, I don’t know where to start. I throughly enjoyed every part of this build. The things that really stand out are your ability to achieve excellent fits between components using readily available shop items, your use of guides and clamps is pure genius, the features are novel and effective and your narrative is outstanding. You are part of an elite group of craftsmen I watch on KZbin. I hope your life is satisfying and that you have a stable source of income so you’ll be able to continue to entertain and educate people like myself. God bless you,

[@DerekWalker55]

I was struggling to think of a good comment for this great video and then I spotted this one my Harold here, he said everything I wanted and more. Keep up your good work well done.

[@pappaflammyboi5799]

I'll join you on this comment. Couldn't have said it more clearly.

[@1959ticktock]

I second that emotion. Elite craftsman sum Jer's work up for me. Brilliant

[@mrklean0292]

I couldn't have said it better.

[@bridgetl.303]

Mad skills, man, mad skills!!!

[@orlando1a1]

In spite of your misgivings at the end of this video, I think it's clever, ingenious, and built with an attention to detail showcases the precision needed in the construction of the cyclone dust collector. Well done, Jer.

[@tcarney57]

It's more important that you built it and made it work (with legendary attention to detail and aesthetics) than that it works as well as the store-bought version. Any old fool (such as myself) can throw down a credit card. Only a few can build. BTW, I thought being burned-out on projects was only my personal pathology. I'm encouraged to know I'm not the only sufferer.

[@MichaelWVagg]

Relate to the project burn out pathology. Good to know I can put it down to that, rest up snd come at it again.

[@user-ic2sx9wl6g]

Эт точно сказано.

[@breakinn403]

I enjoyed every minute of the build. Your attention to detail is outstanding. The planning and craftmanship make it a work of art. Please continue to post your work.

[@VarionJimmy]

I totally agree with every word. 👍👍

[@Carnac311]

Your builds are legendary. I hope you're doing well mentally and keep bringing us more.

[@kendallbelletti5974]

Hey man don’t beat yourself up, it’s an awesome project and you proved that you could do it not to mention the fact that you learned a lot of new skills so mark it as a win!

Awesome as always 🍻 Hope you keep it up and stay positive. You have so much to offer, my friend.

[@TheGeekPub]

Even if it didn't even turn on.... its a thing of such beauty! Your craftsmanship is top notch.

[@siggyincr7447]

Looks really good. I especially like the way the dust bin latch mechanism turned out. I think you're absolutely right that the impeller needs to be larger. Higher CFM means increased air speeds, which should help with the efficiency of the cyclone I think. The faster the air is spinning in it, the more the dust will keep pulled to the outer edge.

[@GoogleAreDumb]

Agreed. The cyclone will need a certain amount of airflow to properly establish itself. I'd guess what's happening is the air is slow enough that the cyclone separates from the walls partway down the cone and starts flowing upwards before it gets to the opening at the bottom, which will lead to turbulence and some of the dust that's falling down the sides being pulled back in and up the centre. Higher CFM should both improve separation of the fines and also make sure the cyclone generated can actually fill the whole cone and dump out at the bin opening. That said, this is an awesome build Jer and I'll be watching to see what improvements get eventually made when you're over the burnout!

[@GoogleAreDumb]

Also, when you were testing you sucked up a few huge clumps of dust that went up the hose in one go. Those play havoc in cyclones and most of them typically blows right through. I wouldn't be surprised if 90% or more of the dust in your filter came from those big blobs, and in actual use the cyclone performance is much better as dust produced in actual operation is much more evenly distributed rather than coming in big chunks.

[@roderichmarschner2983]

Hey Jer, you've done a tremendous job with this and made one beautiful machine. Don't be too worried about the efficiency you've seen in just this video as there are a couple simple improvements you can make, and the filters do need to get somewhat loaded with a little dust to break them in. The fact that there was basically no dust at the bottom of your clean out tray is a good sign. As you mentioned, you can absolutely put a larger more powerful impeller on, and they are even relatively cheap if you just want it done. More draw might not seem like necessarily the way to increase efficiency, but it can tighten the spiral of dust in the main body and that will help. But the biggest thing is that there is an enormous efficiency loss is non laminar flow into the cyclone, so make sure that you have ~5' of pipe that smoothly transitions from your 8" main trunk to the square inlet. I am the foreman of a large scenic events shop, and we just built out the dust collection system. We had two massive improvements. The first was switching to a clearvue cyclone, and the second nearly as great an improvement in terms of efficiency, was re routing the pipes to have a long, clear, straight shot into the machine. Do that and I think you'll have a very satisfying result. But either way, I love your work man and am currently building your grinder (two actually).

[@Jer_Schmidt]

Thank you for the suggestions! I am designing the ducting with a ~5ft straight shot before the inlet. I knew that was a good idea but figured it wasn’t that big of deal. Thanks for the info.

[@rickcichon5065]

That sir was an amazing video. I'm a retired millwright and never had to do some of these things and if i did i had blueprints. This work takes a level of genius to do this without instructions or blueprints. It sounds like you almost have it. The inventor of WD 40 didn't get it right in 39 tries. Don't give up.

[@FearsomeWarrior]

I love that the grinder was a building block for the future. Your work is improved, both faster and easier, because of the grinder.

[@mattw7949]

As I built my first grinder I was constantly finding that a grinder would make this a lot easier.😁

[@acraig5075]

I'm sorry you're burnt out from the project, because I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the series. It looks great, if that's any consolation. Thanks for sharing!

[@thomashill1600]

I watch far, far too many hours of KZbin but there are probably only 3 builders where I get genuinely excited for a new video - Marius Hornberger, Pask Makes and you!!

[@Lierofox]

It's always a good day when there's a new Jer Schmidt upload. Like a ThisOldTony video, it's well worth the wait.

[@Sam-hl1oh]

You have such clever solutions to obstacles in this project. When I see your ideas this quick, it seems they come naturally to you. In reality, I'm sure you waste just as much time as me project planning and cleaning up!

[@Proxima256]

So excited to see more builds from you. There's a clarity to your design that I really admire.

[@StuffMadeHere]

Great build. If you ever have issues with the collection bag below the cyclone getting sucked inwards, there’s a neat trick to prevent it. You can run a tube from the blower to the collection bin such that it is suction from the tube will vacuum the bag to the inner surface of the bin. Then if you seal the top edge of the bag (by overlapping it over the top edge of the collection bin) it will get sucked flat against the collection bin. The tricky bit is that you have to tap off the blower at a point that will generate a higher static pressure than the cyclone is seeing. Though you can probably just look at a commercial one that does this and copy the location ;)

[@Trydntru]

You are one talented and inventive kid!

[@SharkyMoto]

the hoseclamp idea is just genius, gonna adapt and use that so often from now on :D

[@prlswabbie]

I wish I had half of your brain power. Would love to see you and Marius H. do a collab. Two of the smartest guys on the planet!

[@jdmec81]

Haha, the admission at the end reminds me of most of my projects. I still learned a lot of tricks from your clever mind like always, thanks for sharing! Hope you keep uploading more projects.

[@smu1129]

That's the most awesome and awesomly overbuilt dust collection system ever. I enjoyed every minute of watching you building it.

[@mikemichelizzi2023]

Those hose clamp modifications and the bin retention latches are strokes of genius. Thanks for sharing!

[@tomdahmer7596]

See Mr. Choate's comments. Ditto from me. Stunning work, brilliant innovation, honest evaluation. Nice job. I'll be surprised if a design-manufacture skunk-works doesn't make a job offer you cannot refuse. All the best.

[@Max_Marz]

so much detail, finesse and your priorities align highly with mine. I dont click sub very often but yes.

[@mayflowerlash11]

This video is best described as a master class in metal and timber fabrication. It is just brilliant.

[@T_L_D]

lol "where someone /else/ drilled into my table". awesome work, as always. keep it up.

[@AdrianvanWijk]

I totally appreciate the conclusion. No time was wasted, if it was easy everyone would be making cyclone dust extractors. The experiences and demo of skills is worth more than it weighs in gold.

[@Sabe-Stormrage]

As a Technician and Fabricator I can say you did a great job overall. For it's a great layout and compact enough to be functional. Indeed the impeller itself might be wrong size and profile for such a large system to function optimally but that's no reason to be discouraged. As for the noise levels, that can be somewhat reduced to an extent with some stick on rubber pads on the larger metal surfaces and the impeller casing or some spray on/brush on sound dampening rubber paint that can be found in most automotive or hardware stores. Looking forward to seeing what your next projects might be!!!

[@Jimunu]

I was worried when I saw your channel captured. Happy to see you didnt gave up.

[@JoaquimParis]

I just watched till the end. Those remarks are only acceptable because WE, your audience, KNOW that you're a perfeccionist and that to raise the bar is your lifestyle (which we appreciate so much. Makes no good of a channel to simple build stuff in a hurry and with no precision). What makes Clearvue miles behind your project are your videos. Period. Those are free classes on how to do stuff. I'm amazed.

[@PaschalisTsi]

Even if you are partly happy with the outcome, your solutions are ingenious and you are an inspiration source! Well done!!!

[@21blackwood]

man your welding is complete eye candy. I don't know how to weld, I want to and I don't want to. Watching you makes the decision harder. I appreciate all you work and effort is showing your skills. You have a gift.

[@hurtpiggypig]

you should learn to weld if you think you’d like it!!

[@akivaweil5066]

This was a fascinating series. Thank you for posting your project online. Cyclones don't work well when sucking up a lot of fine dust at once.

[@tomroeder7348]

My favorite times logging into KZbin? Is when I get notifications that Jer Schmidt and also when My Mechanics have a new video!

[@gnillut]

Thats the most honest take I have ever heard at the end of a project. Very rare. Normally from other creators, what they built is the best thing ever, and then 10 weeks later it has some how disappeared from the background of their videos... Great quality on the parts made, so I'm sure with the tweaks mentioned, performance will be good.

[@mitnoxin]

The skill to design and build this thing is amazing. Great to see.

[@chrisroode]

That is an awesome looking dust collector! No failures, just more experience!

[@lwoodt1]

I love the simple jig using the drill bit as the pivot point for grinding the radius.

[@johnbouttell5827]

Dear Jer, this cyclone is beautiful. Thank you for sharing the build. Best wishes, John

[@jooch_exe]

I haven't seen anyone this passionate about collecting dust. Highly enjoyable to watch!

[@royordway9157]

I agree. My dust collection system is a broom and dustpan.

[@brukernavnfettsjit]

"Lofting" the octagonal to rectangular duct was epic! never seen that stuff outside of CAD lol!.

[@britttullos8119]

Btw, I’d like to add to all of the accolades, and say that no matter what Jer is building, whether something uneventful and boring or something one of a kind, he makes it so interesting to watch because of the attention to detail, precision, ingenious and simple solutions to various problems that we may run into, hacks, beautiful engineering and design, he never fails to surprise me constantly. I have learned so much from just this 3 part series. The first thing I thought whenever I watched him work was “I could definitely hang out with this guy”

[@jimhendricks1235]

Your skills and attention to detail makes your videos

[@ahmedbadr6362]

I certainly enjoyed watching the series, learned a lot of neat little tricks. Thanks a lot for looking forward to more of your projects

[@bonaventuraescodaisole461]

Everything you make is amazing. Leonardo of the Americas.

[@wesleystace9962]

wow I will say one thing you really know how to weld those are very nice welds

[@JoaquimParis]

I've been admiring your work and skills since the begining, so long live your channel !! Keep posting!!!

[@StripeyType]

I really like the octagon design theme you're developing; I see that in the legs of your welding table as well. It's really good to see you doing fun things!

[@StripeyType]

Ooh, gosh, I guess not fun after all. I'm sorry - I commented before I got to the end.

[@jmoss1980]

Man that is some good engineering. If I ever get a shop I’m probably going to make one like this or very similar

[@craigsudman4556]

Yeah, but it is a work of art not just a tool. Great video Jer thumbs up.

[@wolfparty4234]

Great to see you still making videos of your projects 💪🏼

[@MarkRyanAB]

Hose clamp trick is brilliant!

[@Sludgepump]

ALWAYS worth watching your videos, Jer! I always walk away having learned something new and I always feel inspired to get out to my shop after. Really enjoyed this entire build.

[@royordway9157]

Jer, I really enjoyed all 3 of the videos on this project. The other series I remember weel was building the grinder and the improvements you made to it. I hope to see more of your videos. Thank you for doing them.

[@chriscarskaddan64]

You didn’t just make a dust collector, you made a work of art! You’re incredibly talented!

[@gilbreathca]

Great job on the DIY dust collector! Really! I worked in the industrial/commercial dust collector industry for a number of years as a designer and I greatly enjoyed this series. When you get to the point of monitoring the filters, you would be best served using a Dwyer Magnehelic Differential Pressure Gauge. They are analog large face gauges that show pressure differentials in two chambers (clean side and dirty side). Spec one to your needs and grab one from eBay or new if you roll like that. The large face is very easy to quickly glance at and see the state of your collector.

[@Jer_Schmidt]

Thanks!! And thanks for the gauge suggestion, that looks really great.

[@JockeSelin]

Love this build and your attention to details. I can completely sympathise with your frustration. Thanks for the video. 😊👍🏻

[@JJOKER721]

Astonishing ! Next project : a new earth axis. Number one !!!

[@n.m9917]

Its more then “ looks cool “ its genius, mind blowing. And Im sure your perfectionist skill will figure out a way that makes you happy with that project. Great job 👏

[@n.m9917]

And to be fair, the amount of dust you’ve tried to vacuum is massive, just try it with a regular wood work and I guarantee you will be happy 🥰

[@propylaeen]

Great for the series: Stuff money can’t buy. 🎉 wow, what a build.

[@raymond_rayder]

Personally, I think this whole project has been awesome.

[@TheHamPimp]

This was a great watch, and your bucket design is super clever...I just have a galvanized trash can, and it's an ordeal to empty. Nice job, even with what you're calling drawbacks.

[@coreycreehan8197]

watching you problem solve and figure out ways to accomplish your goals is truly wonderful. I hope you keep at it and find a project that you can love

[@BenTheMagnifice]

Dude. I have a clearvue, and this is an incredible project. Super well done. The clearvue also is incredibly loud, I haven't measured but could easily believe it to be in the high 80s or 90db. Your dust collection box and filter clean out are also way better. The clearvue also lets a decent amount of fine dust through to the filter, I regularly pull POUNDS of fine dust out of the poorly designed filter cleanout. Upsize that impellor, and try adding some sound deadening to decrease the volume, and you'll have a better dust collector than clearvue, easy.

[@thomastthai]

Jer, congrats on finishing a long-term project! Bill Pentz' decades-old work stood the test of time. Your detailed narration about the build is appreciated. $500 saved may not seem worth the effort and feeling burned out. However, the experience and learning you gained while inspiring or giving other builders ideas are priceless.

[@zyzzbrah7022]

Holy shit you are good at this. Thanks for the content! You can tell it's VERY well made. Hope your mental health is better. You deserve to be happy doing what you enjoy

[@ctpctp]

Jeremy, regardless of how you are feeling about it, and how well it is or isn't working, you are truly brilliant and an inspiration. Amazing build!!! Thank you.

[@edpopelas2844]

Long video but I can say your attention to detail is what kept me glued to the screen, those little hose clamp ideas, brilliant! Your welding is great, I personally appreciate seeing MIG, people on KZbin over use and under deliver on TIG. You probably already know Jody at Welding tips and tricks. He has an old video on distortion that was a game changer for me. In a nut shell think of lacing up your shoes when welding and this will help your distortion issues. Cheers and keep enjoying the journey!

[@j.j.seiler521]

I thoroughly enjoyed this series. You are a craftsman with incredible attention paid to details!!! Well done.

[@user-fs5fu1fd7t]

Hi Jer, very well done. cyclone. I'm glad because you have the right hands, you teach everyone with this, thank you again!!!!!!

[@hugobose2254]

Jer as other have said and so have you, It might not work as well as you hoped. BUT looks great and with a few tweaks that you might or might not do. It looks great

[@rix0r222]

You are an artist. The attention to detail and uncompromising quality is truly something to behold.

[@rix0r222]

And like a true artist you were super burnt out and not even pleased with your creation in the end lol

[@CraigsWorkshop]

I appreciate the review of the project at the end. I've done more than one project that has been a slog like that, and for little apparent benefit, but I wouldn't change a thing, because of all the lessons learned and experiences gained. I think that the whole dust collector is literally a work of art. Loved the steel transition especially. Thanks for sharing. Cheers, Craig

[@davidclauson5256]

Wow, what a build!!! So it could be better??? You can make it better!! The attention to the details and problem solving was amazing. Looking forward to seeing more videos from you . Thanks for sharing!!

[@keithviolette5870]

Outstanding build Jer! The tricks for making the sheet metal ducts were great. I second several of the other comments about the larger impeller that has tighter clearances to the housing will prevent blow-by. Alternately, instead of a larger impeller, you may be able to add a layer of rigid foam insulation inside the housing to take up the space. If the impeller rubs on the foam, it'll just wear away and turn to dust.

[@totterdell91]

Enjoyed it immensely. Definitely a bigger impeller 16" min with 3 phase motor and VFD to solve the current draw/soft start issues, convert from single to 3 phase & allow you to tune to requirement. When you re-do the impeller, go for 4mm backing plate, 3mm fins. Allow the fins to overhang the outer edge of the backing plate by 35mm, which saves a lot of rotating mass on the backing plate. Pay attention to rounding/easing the exposed edges of the fins because the edges are where a lot the turbulence/noise/inefficiency comes from. Great job... I learned a lot from watching.

[@tsttstst]

You are a very skilled craftsman

[@agentcovert]

Great content as usual..your hair barrettes are cute..

[@psyfusion]

Impressive build, love the ending, I definitely enjoyed watching it.

[@barthanes1]

Awesome build, congratulations on completing it. I'm sure you'll work out the kinks once you've had time to decompress. I've found that forgetting about a problem for a while always gives me the best ideas for a solution.

[@109joiner]

Brilliant work as always.

[@simplymakeit]

It does not matter that it is average in performance it is something you have built with grate attention to detail and obviously can be modified easily grate design very beautiful result congrats

[@tomim7187]

Totally enjoyed watching it. As Jimmy DIresta says, " You go to school on the first one." You got the basics soundly implemented, it just needs fine tuning but, yes, it looks awesome. Be proud, you earned it.

[@kylebouldin9543]

Best Saturday of the month!

[@thecorbies]

Hi Jeremy. Well, I for one definitely enjoyed watching it, and I never cease to be amazed at some of the tiny tricks you use to mark out / 'machine' / assemble etc., the various items. Some of which I will definitely use in my future projects. May also compliment you (as I have before), on your fantastic build explanations along the way, and the mix of real time, and speeded up/time lapse video which, I would say, just about perfect. Thanks for taking the (considerable amount of) time to share these projects with us. Regards Mark in the UK

[@rok4220]

You’re one of my favorite creators on KZbin. Your statement at the end enhanced my appreciation for you.

[@nathanweese3812]

Those hose clamp mods were really smart, thanks.

[@orvsr4me2]

Win or lose on the final performance, like Carnac said...Legendary. How does some massive custom manufacturer not have a waiting line for you to work for them? Thanks for all the time committed to building and filming/editing.

[@kmcwhq]

What I was thinking, he could command big bux in a prototype lab or research facility, or Spacex.

[@joewhitney4097]

Jerrid, Any engineer can tell you. Going from concept to final design is a long process. Your skills, your design concept, your thinking outside the box are incredible. Later when you make the changes or adjustments to your build remember, you now have a few ideas that you know later that you can catalog as they were ok but you made them better. Be proud of what you accomplished and continue learning and don't be afraid to try something new or different. That's how progress is made. Thanks for sharing.

[@mikehewitt6484]

Really enjoyed this video Jer. I think you’re a bit hard on yourself. You’ve created an amazing piece of kit, with some ingenious elements to it. Form over function every time. I’m sure the more you live with it the enhancements will improve its performance to your exacting standards. It does look really cool and beautifully created. 👍🏻

[@aserta]

Your age combined with your fab skill and ingenuity is nothing short of astonishing. The frame alone, is chef's kiss, the entire thing is a dream setup. There's nothing like this on the market. Nothing that even so much as kisses the feet of this machine. Awesome. Also, don't sweat the details. Rome wasn't built over night, and each rendition improves an item. The most important lesson i've learnt over the years is this. "GET THE ITEM DONE". There's no substitute for having the framework in place, when it comes to improvements. So even if it doesn't meet your expectations, you'll now be able to effect changes that are based on actual, touchable items, not just theoretic or thought experiments/math.

[@homemadetools]

Good work yet again. We shared this video (and parts 1 and 2) on our homemade tools forum this week 😎

[@pmelchman]

Jeremy, you are an inspiration to so many. I picked up a few tips today, BONUS😊

[@pascalmercey4515]

Magnifique, bravo👏 travail de grande qualité et merci pour le partage 🇨🇵

[@DillonNichols]

Each video in this series was better than the last. The bin latch mechanism was pure genius. I'm storing those ideas for the next time I need them. Thanks for documenting and sharing your build.

[@mojitomaker]

It’s been a pleasure to watch you build this, it’s quite an achievement. As you say, you tried lot’s of new techniques, and learnt new skills.

[@57hound]

Your design and fabrication skills, and attention to detail is on a whole ‘ other level. Super impressive!

[@robertturner4225]

i think i have warched all of your videos and am constantly impressed with you skill, craftsmanship, attention to detail and an eye for the aesthetic . good work. i have worked in research and developement on airship landing systems and hovercraft engineering. even after many hours of careful drafting it always comes down to an iterative process of testing and refining. even at lockheed martin! so top marks jereemy, keep up the good work old chap

[@lennyf1957]

I can almost feel your pain at the very end, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching every episode.