Dust Deputy... anyone here have one?

[minhster]

For those that don't know what i'm taking about, this is a Dust Duputy...

LINK: http://dustdeputy.com

Description: The Dust Deputy is an extremely efficient, cyclonic pre-separator for vacuums. Trap dust in the barrel and NOT in your shop vacuum. The Dust Deputy will filter 99% of sanding dust, with only 1% going into the vacuum. Extend the life of your shop vacuum and your filters!



I don't do much woodwork, i'm a metal guy myself, but this does seem to have some benefits. Most shopvac replacement filters are around $30-$40 and the DIY kit is only $60 or $100 for the full kit (with buckets, mounts, hose) which to me seams worth it since it's the same cost of 2-3 filters and will more or less last you a lifetime and will work on ANY vacuum if you do decide to upgrade at a later time. The other thing is that I HATE having to flip my shop vac over to dump out, the shape of standard shop vac aren't exactly ergonomic. Dumping out a 5 gallon bucket just seems a whole lot easier.

Does anyone have one? What are you opinion about them? Are they worth it?

 

[minhster]

I'm pretty sure that someone is thinking right now... "uhmm... that's a good idea, I should just build one myself".

Here's a link to a homemade unit if anyone is interested...

http://woodworkingtrip.blogspot.com/2009/07/homemade-vacuum-cyclone-test.html

 

[rieferman]

It's easier to build a Thien Baffle. Google it and you'll find lots of plans. I built one last week for my full size dust collector out of scraps I had laying around the shop. This weekend, I'm building smaller versions for 5 gallon buckets to service my shop vacs. They separate very efficiently and aren't as bulky as cyclone setups - plus, since they can be built out of scrap and about $10 in parts, it's cheap as can be.

In my case, my shop cart holds the vac and the separator underneath so I can be mobile around the shop without hassle.

edit: actually, last page of my build thread has pics of my full sized version. see signature for link

 

[boiler7904]

I bought the Dust Deputy last fall. Used it while building a closet organizer and router table. I'm very happy with its collection and how little dust actually gets to the vac and filter - especially when cutting MDF. My biggest problem with it is that it's top heavy and will tip over easily with the slightest hose movement until the bucket is about 2/3 full. I'm planning to fix that by mounting my vac and Dust Deputy to a single cart.

 

[tncatadjuster]

Just ordered one, exactly what I needed.

THANKS

 

[JamieK]

Any ideas how it would work with drywall dust? I have to stop and knock the dust off the shop vac filter every 5 minutes when doing drywall work.

 

[mad57]

Ok i dont get it no water in the bottom? how does just a funnel shape keep 99% of the material in the bottom of the bucket? you guys that have this see a diffrence? any pics of the inside of this funnel thks.

 

[boiler7904]

Any ideas how it would work with drywall dust? I have to stop and knock the dust off the shop vac filter every 5 minutes when doing drywall work.

I would think it would do fairly well. MDF dust is about the same consistency and I get almost none passing through to my vac's filter but then again I use a bag in the vac too.

Ok i dont get it no water in the bottom? how does just a funnel shape keep 99% of the material in the bottom of the bucket? you guys that have this see a diffrence? any pics of the inside of this funnel thks.

You're correct - no water in the bottom of the unit. What you see in the OP's pic basically what you get. The inside of the funnel is empty - no baffles or anything to direct airflow except for the hose inlet and outlet locations.

 

[nissan_crawler]

I did one with just a short tube going through the bucket lid, and a long tube going to the bottom of the bucket, and filled the bucket 1/3 full of water. Hook the vacuum to the short one, and the hose you're using to the long one. Worked great for sheetrock dust, it let me use a hepa filter on the shopvac, and would go for an hour without plugging it.

 

[rieferman]

I'm sure there's a more scientific explanation, but here's the basics as they were paraphrased to me:

Basically, the air with dust and debris enters the cyclone/baffle (for baffle, see my post above) as the air takes a quick trip around the perimiter of the cyclinder, gravity drops out all the heavy stuff (i.e. everything except the lightest/smallest/nearly-microscopic stuff basically) into the bucket, and just the smallest stuff then continues the voyage with the rest of the air and hits the filter in the shop vac.

This is the same principly used in Dyson and Hoover and Dirt Devil cyclone vacuum cleaners in your home. Same principle used in woodworking dust collection and in industrial dust collection. The goal is simply to pull as much debris out before the filter gets hit.

Again, the baffle that I mention is very effective and easy to build, so if you can cut a couple circles with a jig saw and can get your hands on an empty 5 gal bucket and a few pvc pieces, you can build one in about an hour. But the cyclones you can buy ready-made work great too.

edit: I wouldn't personally use this for drywall dust as the dust is so fine not all will settle as nicely as dirt/woodchips do. you may still have filter clogging, so I'd recommend a water filter setup for drywall dust. But I'm just guessing and haven't tested that application.

 

[ddawg16]

Looks like exactly what I need......

FYI....the reason the cyclon action works is because the vacuum 'supply' is perpendicular to the air flow.....as the stuff enters it has quite a bit of velocity so only but the lightest stuff does not make that sudden 'right hand turn'....since the bucket is sealed....there is no air flow from below...so nothing to pull the stuff up....the funnel slows down the particles and gravity does the rest.

 

[scooby074]

DD works well.

But, it makes your shopvac much more unwieldy with a way larger footprint.

I also wonder about the strength where the flange of the cyclone bolts to the top of the bucket.

So far i haven broken mine, but if i was starting from scratch and didnt have a shopvac, id look strongly at the Bosch or the Attix vacs that have a reversing feature to self clean the filters. not to mention theyre way quieter.

Ill likely end up with either a attix or a bosch when my shopvac dies.

 

[Kev442]

It's easier to build a Thien Baffle. Google it and you'll find lots of plans. I built one last week for my full size dust collector out of scraps I had laying around the shop. This weekend, I'm building smaller versions for 5 gallon buckets to service my shop vacs. They separate very efficiently and aren't as bulky as cyclone setups - plus, since they can be built out of scrap and about $10 in parts, it's cheap as can be.

In my case, my shop cart holds the vac and the separator underneath so I can be mobile around the shop without hassle.

edit: actually, last page of my build thread has pics of my full sized version. see signature for link

A Thien Baffle is exactly what I need. Thanks rieferman!

 

[tncatadjuster]

Works as described. A+ It is capturing at least 70% of the concrete dust.

I zip tied the bail of a metal bucket to the handle of the vac. It rests on top of the blower and rides nicely. Pull dust bucket and the metal bucket swings up and out of the way for the vac to come off. It still rolls around perfectly.