Building a small Shop Vac Cyclone Dust Collector

In this video, I show you how I built my own dust collector out of an older shop vac.
I no longer support the Sketchup 3D file for this dust collector and it is no longer available for download.
www.justindepe...
Want to support my work? Check out my woodworking plans:
www.justindepe...
See the follow-up video where I discuss how well this cyclone is holding up 2 years after I built it:
• How is my Homemade Cyc...
Amazon link to parts used (Affiliate):
1/16 Polycarbonate: amzn.to/2xYyZTH
Shop Vac Filter: amzn.to/2xpMeA3
I was inspired by many other videos of shop vac dust collectors on KZbin. Below are some other great videos you should check out too.
Marius Hornberger:
• A small Cyclone Dust C...
TabLeft:
• BUILD: Bucket Vac Cycl...
Cosmas Bauer
• Building a small Dust ...

[@multibusa]

I’d say you’ve every right to be extremely pleased with your cyclone. I’m particularly impressed with your ingenuity and the ways in which you overcome not having certain shop equipment but still obtained impressive results. It just goes to prove that you don’t need a huge shop full of fancy expensive equipment to produce superb results. A true craftsman knows how to improvise. The end result looks very professional and is amongst the best shop made cyclones I’ve seen but made with far fewer tools. Truly inspirational. 👍

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Steve!

[@JustinShaedo]

5 years later, this is still the nicest!

[@gratefulRed69]

that is the sickest dust collector build I've seen YET !! Awesome!! It almost looks too pretty to USE it, lol !!

[@mountainviews5025]

Great comment my friend wow

[@josephrapcinski4717]

What an impressive job!! It is just what I need, however, I am not sure that I have the patience to do it myself. Thanks for such a well done and informative video ! Bob R

[@singhshobhini]

Do you mean slickest????

[@pietrocuria1536]

Ok ooo a ooo in ooiooooioooooooooooooo ilkr4 CV

[@NewTestamentDoc]

I love your adaptive and deductive skills. I get to "figure it out" with you. Nicely done. Very nicely done. Your sense of humor and video skills are readily apparent also. You have a great future ahead.

[@JustinDepew]

+Dave Ambroso thanks Dave! Very much appreciated.

[@Bafa]

"And now the moment everyone has been waiting for..." Yes. Yes we have. Super professional looking. Awesome job.

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@ElementalMaker]

Man! What an AWESOME build! This is the best DIY cyclone separator I've seen. Truly awesome.

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@chrisfleming7288]

Very nice! At first while I was watching, I kept thinking, "wow, this is a lot of work and hassle for a system you put together much more quickly". When you painted it, I said, "Wow! That thing is bad ASS!!". If we all wanted quick and easy, we wouldn't want to do woodworking in the first place! I'm a fan!

[@JustinDepew]

Chris Fleming thanks Chris! You nailed it!

[@alanrichardson7244]

Of all the homemade units I’ve seen made, yours is the most professional and most efficient. Congratulations.

[@jerryjohnson1463]

Wow! That has to be the best dust collector I've ever seen. Great job!

[@wa9kzy326]

Justin, did you say apartment workshop? That is an astoundingly good example of efficiency and organization. And it appears squeaky clean, as well. "Well done" doesn't come close to the kudos you deserve. I think you're ready for the big time. Best wishes for your future.

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks! The apartment workshop was a great experience, but now I have a garage workshop which is about twice as big.

[@CrimFerret]

I've seen several videos on building dust seperators here on youtube. There have been some really simple ones, some more complex ones, but this is by far the best looking and most polished looking one. Great job!

[@jefffrodermann5348]

wow, best dust cyclone I've ever seen. the clear polycarbonate was a great addition.

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Jeff!

[@OminousCamaroSS]

I really liked how that turned out... I was skeptical at first worrying about it sealing, but I was impressed in the end. It's so inspiring I think I might attempt to make one.

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@qbert008]

Brilliant! Great design, editing, a touch of humor and a few tricks for routing. Thanks for sharing.

[@JustinDepew]

clarence johnson thanks for watching Clarence!

[@68HC060]

This is the best dust collector design I've seen (and I've seen a lot on KZbin). You're doing so many things right, that I'd recommend the viewers to base their builds on this particular design. Personally, I'd combine with Marius Hornberger's blower. Keep up the good work @Justin Depew. :)

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@rayscrafield2106]

That is without a doubt the best video on dust cyclone construction that I have watched yet. And I have watched a ton of them. I look forward to watching whatever else you have done. Your parents should be very proud of you. Fantastic job.

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Ray!!

[@grampashorty8468]

Very professional, exceellent demo. You have the prettiest one out there. I hope you keep up your precision & never short cut.

[@RichardSeidel]

I watched a lot of other cyclone diy builds. This is the nicest. Elegant. Compact. Efficient. Congrats.

[@Billlupton]

just looked at this again, its still One of the best instruction video's on youtube, I really like your professionalism, your not afraid to taking everything apart and painting, when do you get time to do any worK?, well done young man,keep em coming ,

[@mountainviews5025]

Great comment my friend this young man is doing a great job

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@seannathan3854]

@@danceanddreams1 not just the build and details... even the antics too 😂 but seriously, its not marius idea. he just copied it from cosmasB also.

[@erikjohnson2889]

All I can say is this: anyone who can create such high-quality work IN AN APARTMENT gets my vote for whatever you're running for! I'm amazed and inspired. Thanks a lot from a new follower and fan.

[@anthonysolazzo6172]

Justin, your knowledge of fluid dynamics is astounding, and the job you did by improving on a known system making it much more efficient was great ! cudos

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@jamesdinnan4726]

@@danceanddreams1 Horatio Hornblower admits he took the idea from someone else. That's how ideas grow and industries improve. It's like music where one musician comes up with a cool lick and then another adds to it or modifies it and voila, more music!

[@crazy-eyewoodguy4489]

First let me say. Job well done!!!! I see so many people your age that will just hack something together and not care what it looks like, or make it look nice, but it doesn't function well. Bravo to you! You earned a subscribe from me. Thanks for taking the time to make the video.

[@JustinDepew]

+Hitechredneck much appreciated and thanks for watching!

[@acaluste86]

The pipe filing had me cracking up lol. Great work I love the videos. Makes me feel guilty for having a slightly bigger apartment space than yours but make a lot of excuses for procrastinating on projects.

[@JustinDepew]

+acaluste86 haha thanks. Get out there and make stuff!

[@billybike57]

Wowzer, all from an apartment shop, outstanding job Justin, your presentation was flawless and your attention to detail was out of this world!

[@joshbibler]

I've watched dozens of these "dust collector diy" videos... yours is one of my favorites. Looks great, thanks for sharing!

[@JustinDepew]

Josh Bibler thanks Josh that means a lot!

[@kinkjarfold3816]

Totally enjoyable video and very impressive. Most of us would've stopped before the painting, but what you did to finish your cyclone was superb.

[@JustinDepew]

+Kink Jarfold thanks, I'm really glad I painted it too, even though it was a pain!

[@malcolmoxley1274]

this must be the prettiest dust collector,it looks shop bought well done on such a great project, it makes mine look crappy thanks for that lol

[@terrigelbaum8066]

You have your shop in your apartment......I am stunned.....everything is so clean. You are remarkable.Clever lad.

[@davidpascoe3672]

Dude you should be happy ... The cyclone Shop-Vac you built out of nothing turned out pretty damn awesome...

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@perryjurgensjurgens3416]

Great work - being able to have a visual illustration of the cyclone working was awesome - I loved your humor - and most of all your creative gift.

[@lewthern]

Amazing effort. Had me dying during the filing scenes. Still LOLing at it. That is one helluva nice cyclone set up. Kudos to you!!

[@thymekiller]

I've seen them all, but YOURS is the BEST on utube. Period. Absolutely the best design and the best looking. Thanks for sharing this. Writing this in 2021

[@robnhannon]

Great video. That is a pretty complex project to do with no significant special hardware and in such a limited space. Can't wait to see what other projects you share.

[@imortaldeadead]

I liked how you walked us through your project, and doing it all in your small work shop. It shows you can still make fantastic looking stuff with out having a big show 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Fantastic job

[@JustinDepew]

theduck thanks for the encouraging words!

[@imortaldeadead]

Justin Depew your welcome, It's definitely something I'm going to incorporate into my dust collection. I've been running into to same problem you where with my set up

[@Smedleydog1]

I especially liked the filing demonstration.😆 Great job!

[@JustinDepew]

Smedleydog1 haha thanks!

[@Corbald]

Why, oh WHY, didn't you use the belt sander _right behind you_?!

[@sandrabullard8347]

Justin, was browsing through looking at woodworking projects and saw yours. A great idea and your work is so precise, functional, and beautiful. I gained a lot of insight into a number of things that will help me in my shop. Thanks for sharing!

[@timfuhrman1185]

Awesome job everything was done with great precision and looks like a factory unit best thing is that it works like a champ !!!! Great vid

[@timothyanderson2166]

When he was filing down his inlet pipe - I felt that. I don't have a jointer, so have been hand planing some 12 foot boards for a project passed couple days. This hit me in the feels.

[@perezm714]

Mom downstairs.. "Timmy, turn off that darn contraption!" Nice work dude!

[@mikeb7972]

What' I find fascinating is that this young man has an Awesome workshop set up in a spare room of his apartment. When he eventually gets a house with a garage or basement to work in he's going to be a force to be reckoned with. I appreciate your videos!

[@bobbyhunt100]

Well done Justin. That was an excellent build and a well constructed video. The project looked even more amazing after the paint-job. All the best from Australia.

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Robert!

[@richa7812]

Justin, you are inspiration to creative craftsmen. Surprising to see what can be created in your very small, neat "shop", with minimal tools. Keep those creative juices flowing.

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Rich!

[@karldavidson9767]

god bless you, that was very impressive, I thought that I had OCD but you make me look like a boyscout, keep up the great work

[@pauldebruyn5052]

Congrats from a 60 year veteran good workmanship and innovation looks great! I plan to make this attractive version and donate my store bought system. And it works well too! LOL

[@JustinDepew]

That's great! Would love to see it when you finish it.

[@ksp1278]

I could tell before reading the description which other you tubers had influenced this. I have to say though you did a great job and you made it your own. It looks great. well done.

[@JustinDepew]

ksp1278 much appreciated! I'm glad I didn't come off as a copy cat.

[@wallacemadewell3917]

Wonderful use of different material for a remarkable shop vac. Loved the out-takes. Wish more KZbinrs would show more of theirs.

[@kevinmatthew4605]

Awesome build looks so professional also just goes to show with some thought and effort put in you don't need a huge shop and tons of tools to do quality work great job and video On a side note it makes me wonder why manufacturers don't build vacuums like this it makes so much sense not to have the filter in the collection chamber where it plugs up and is so inefficient probably keeps the sales up on filters and vacuums lol

[@UriahGiles]

Yes, I wish the vacuum manufacturers would offer something like this for sale also... But I'm guessing that fear of losing money from a drop in the sales of new filters has a fair bit to do with why they don't. I would buy one of these in a heartbeat if that were possible.

[@axiomhi8549]

Really impressed by your video. As someone said earlier, you made it your own, and I appreciate that you take the extra time to beautify it as well. This is what woodworking is all about. Great job!

[@JustinDepew]

Axiom HI thanks for the great comment!

[@alexsamaniego4734]

just goes to show you dont need fancy tools to do a great job you improvise great job you gave all them fancy you tubers a run for their money

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@rezclickonlinereservation9677]

All I can say is WOW!!!!!!! Give this men a real shop and watch out!!! Thank you so much for taking the time!

[@mrpogueman]

you do great work, just stumbled upon your channel, you got yourself a sub! keep up the great content 😃 you remind me of a younger Matthias Wandel, which is high praise

[@JustinDepew]

Brandon Pogue thanks Brandon!

[@BradsWorkbench]

I’d say better, no whining on this channel 😂👍🏼

[@ZnenTitan]

Maybe a bit of a young Steve McQueen too.

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@larryb4122]

Hi Justin, Well Done! Not only am I impressed with how well your new cyclone system works, I never once heard you complain about the size of your shop. Making due with what we have to work with is " the battle". Keep up the good work!

[@michaeljacobs9613]

Simple, clear and well made. Good job! The best build i've seen of this style. Not your average " I punched holes in a Home Depot bucket and i guess it works... "

[@HoUsEoFcAtS78]

I used a Lowe's bucket. Guess that sets me apart. 😂😂😂

[@MondoRockable]

This is the slickest DIY cyclone I've ever seen. Congrats on the great construction particularly with your limited tools. Way to go Justin.

[@DodgyBrothersEngineering]

Nice job the only change I would have made is what I did with my Thien dust separator, and that is where you cut a piece out of the side of the black pipe for the outlet 8:55. Instead what I did with mine was have it draw the air in from the bottom. Where you used the black plastic pipe to suspend the baffle plate, I used some long coach bolts to suspend the baffle underneath. Drawing the air in from the bottom means the dirt has to work harder to get up into the shopvac.

[@nc3826]

This design doesn't have long coach bolts to interfere with the airflow and has added simplicty. And this design including with the same outlet location was tested, and it had an efficiency of 99.8%. How well does your design do when it was tested?

[@doughenson3221]

In a tiny fairly cramped place, you did one incredible job of making a very fine and effective dust collector! This inspires me to build this on a larger scale with my 1.5 HP unit and the vent it directly outside since it certainly appears no dust gets past your cyclone. Well done sir, very well done indeed. You should be quite proud of this!

[@djAnakin]

I liked the two file filing method.

[@einartrollkarl1962]

That is one sexy apparatus. I always knew it was possible to build the vac INTO the cyclone collector column so you aren't toting around two contraptions! You're the first I've seen to pull it off, and it is a freaking beautiful thing!

[@digimikek]

Well done; great concept and execution!

[@anahatsingh5499]

you have offically out smarted the engineers at rigid and craftsman good job and great content im going to build one !

[@detoxrum]

the filing was pretty funny.

[@computerspazzz]

I also never comment on videos, but I am super impressed by this. Very well done video along with an amazing project, I was glued to the video the whole time, and I believe once I start getting my workshop setup properly I'll build one just as you did. Great video! Thanks for sharing with the world!

[@codycarse]

I’ve always wondered why no one makes a shop vac like this.

[@danceanddreams1]

stolen the idea and the complete making details and materials from marius hornberger!

[@garybuddell6103]

All the superlatives have been used. Very nice work. I wish I had your skills and patience. Subscribed.

[@1977jmad]

Just subscribed. In the words of Howard Hughes-"this is the way of the future!"

[@thibni_]

Heya Justin. I was like... Facepalming myself throughout most of your video. I'm saying that, because of what follows. The end result? SPEACHLESS. It's aestetically pleasing and absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I can't say I'm going to be doing something quite like it, but WOOOW.

[@nobodyuknow2490]

15:00 I laughed harder at that than I should have -_-

[@johnmav8309]

Justin I like your work. Because it is a completely different and completely new approach to work for me. Two years ago I did a similar vacum cleaner, but I did not succeed because my vacum pulled the plexi glass together and everything failed. Then I thought I will assembling device like you, but I did not have many new solutions, money and then also nerves to work no longer. I learn a lot from you. Really thank you! I give you 10 stars from 10. Your work is excellent! You have a genius and very good inovative approach. And you are assembled very good video too and the angle of the cammera. I wish you all well and thank you for all the knowledge I received from you. By : )

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks for the encouragement John!

[@royalkiller2]

This video seems like it took a lot of inspiration from Marius hornberger. It's extremely similar. :P

[@moc5541]

He cites Hornberger. The baffle in Depew's version is not a Thien baffle as in Hornberger's.

[@fakiirification]

was just thinking that too. but i think the video has value as it shows its possible to use just about any shopvac as a parts source for a project like this. im thinking about using my old vac to make a cyclone head for a large trashcan that sits in the corner of my shop already.

[@williammorris671]

I myself dont think I would have the patience to build what you did but you are a genius. You have a bright future ahead of you. Your design is the most desirable build I've seen out there. Great job.

[@joeberryhill06]

Cool build but I hate to be your neighbors

[@alangardiner872]

He's probably glad your'e not!

[@Mowers11]

really great design and finishing. Love the red and black. Works so well. I like the form factor of your design rather than the side by side models all over KZbin.

[@JustinDepew]

Brian Mowers thanks Brian! Red and black is my new favorite combo!

[@stufoo1]

Inspired ??You pretty much copied Marius' video down to the T. even the outtakes were pretty similar. :)Great job none the less.

[@couchpotatoe244]

stufoo1 just watched the original video and I have to say, it was eerily similar.

[@erwinsteringa7660]

Copy paste done

[@alysongr]

including the outtakes

[@artothevid]

Was just about to comment on this, obviously not the first one to notice. You should've given credit where credit is due. 👎

[@martinvillarreal7187]

It's a pleasure to watch your videos and gather information. I marvel at your ingenuity and aplaud your attention to detail as well as your "on the spot" engineering. Thanks.

[@marcelrey9533]

THREE THUMBS UP! One for how simple and how well it works, two for how much effort you put into making it look really professional and three for the simple router table setup. Good job 👍🏼 👍🏼👍🏼

[@normski4ash]

Been toying with the idea of making a cyclone, so watched a few you tubes for ideas... Making yours, that is super cool... Thnx

[@chillworth]

You're a real good problem solver. Really enjoyed watching your idea come to life. Well done!

[@JustinDepew]

+officialsavage thanks for watching!

[@garylammers6381]

Justin, thank you again for the fabulous project and video. I have struggled with dust collection in my small basement shop for many years. My wife had coincidentally picked up a shop vac for me several years ago at a garage sale for about $5. You will see in final picture sent via email that your insights and design have been adapted to that vacuum and it works great. All the other cyclone-type vacuum implementations i had seen previously involved more appendages and space than i could accept. Thank you again for your time and for your innovative solution to dust!!! Gary Lammers

[@psargaco]

Fantastic design. I love being able to watch the cyclone effect which completely removes any doubts as to the effectiveness of the design. Well done!

[@hazlett1927]

This old man is greatly impressed. Thanks.

[@ianknobben7081]

That is EPIIIIIIIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........Best I have seen in YEARS...... Great video and please keep up the great work and keep posting.... def new subscriber here!!!!!!

[@thomasckuzia7129]

Hi Justin, I've watched a lot of videos on making a small shop vac dust collector and ,in my opinion,your video, and the collector itself, are the very best! You are a very smart,talented guy! Keep up what you're doing!!! Thanks for a great,informative video! Tom

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks for the encouraging words Thomas!

[@rjpeterson1]

The best DIY dust collector on KZbin!

[@petermetzger8589]

Dude, you absolutely rock!! I admire your patience and precision on the build. Looks awesome, and I will steal the idea. Thanks for sharing

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks Peter!

[@ExcalibursEdge]

Man you are the best! You prove that, in a little apartment, if you want it bad enough you'll make it work, and you have. Good job my friend!

[@JustinDepew]

+ExcalibursEdge thank you!

[@RobWhittlestone]

BRILLIANT Justin! I wish all cyclone collectors were transarent like yours! You can see immediately if it's working! Excellent attention to detail! The baffle works really well. I am thinking about making a cyclone collector too and quickly realized it needs a baffle to prevent 'a short circuit' in the airflow. All the best, & greetings from Switzerland, Rob

[@RIanDavis]

This is a master class in "making due with what you have". Outstanding creativity and problem solving!!

[@Garryck-1]

Why is it that Americans always say "making due with what you have" when the phrase is actually "making *do* with what you have"?

[@RIanDavis]

@@Garryck-1 Maybe the same reasons that people from outside America always say, "Why is that Americans always say..." as if there were 330,000,000 little clones running around all doing and saying the exact same thing? ;) BTW, an excerpt from writingexplained.org/make-do-or-make-due ... "What does make due mean? In Modern English, the variant make due is considered a spelling error. Interestingly enough, however, it was actually more common until roughly the 1940s, but, today, it is considered substandard." So, perhaps the real answer is that I'm an old fart, not an American (PS: My citizenship is Canadian, Irish and American)?

[@turboprop1]

I reckon this sort of construction is very difficult to do accurately & neatly. You've done an amazing job. Well done.

[@JustinDepew]

+turboprop1 thanks!

[@stormman8393]

You are the smartest guy on you tube.

[@michaeldflint]

Late to the party here but... A-maz-ing! I've been trying to figure out how to create a similar dust solution for my small shop and you just floored me with this one! I just hope I have the skill, precision and patience you have to pull it off - because what you created (and I'd like to re-create) is simply incredible.

[@vincekhoo870]

Well-engineered and designed Shop Vac Cyclone Dust Collector. Thanks for sharing.

[@timpedzinski230]

Not only functional but beautiful as well. Excellent job Justin! I like the fact that you can easily tell how full it is as well. I love when someones video gives me ideas that I can modify and use in my projects and this is effeminately one of those.

[@byerh]

Making more with less, extremely well thought out design with meticulous attention to detail. Nice videography as well. I'm very impressed. Inspirational indeed. Thank you for sharing.

[@JustinDepew]

+byerh thanks for the great comment!

[@budwoodman1716]

I was expecting you to construct a traditional 'Thien Baffle', however you used a separate design. The results are amazing and I am truly impressed. I may just construct one like you did, upping the scale to match the size of my Rigid shop vac. Might even change the color scheme to match my personal taste. Well done. I am now one of your subscribers and look forward to viewing more of your vids.

[@JustinDepew]

Bud Woodman thanks Bud! Good luck building your own!

[@rodurocher5941]

you know this is the first video of yours i've ever seen and you come off as the most unenthusiastic guy ever but my god you do fantastic work with the few tools you have available. Keep up the great work my dude! I can't wait to see what you come up with next! Would totally love to build something like that for my future shop!

[@JustinDepew]

Thanks for the comment! Enthusiasm is not my strong suit :)

[@savingface78]

That is the slickest slickest DIY cyclone on KZbin

[@psedach]

What makes it even cooler is how its transparent - so you can see how well it works/when the filter needs changing. Awesome

[@WiliamBennettwildarbennett]

Of All of the ideas for a VAC/ dust collection setup yours has got to one of the coolest ideas I've seen👍

[@KyleTracy]

I'm really glad you had good discipline with that impact driver. I kept flinching at the possitility of the polycarb cracking over an enthusiastic finger!

[@martinh3453]

That is just beautiful. Especially the see-through plastic... man... I have a shopvac and was looking to build a dust collector, but now I am certain, I am going to build THIS ONE!

[@JustinDepew]

Martin H good luck with your build!