Cyclone Dust Collector on a 30 Litre Barrel for MDF Dust
The short version
A DIYer fits a cyclone separator kit to a 30 litre open top barrel in a couple of hours, so MDF dust collects in the barrel instead of the shop vacuum. He cuts a hole with a jigsaw, seals the lid with sealant, joins a 6 m hose with tape, and adds a decking base to stop the barrel tipping. After testing, the vacuum held no dust, and he discusses the risk of the barrel collapsing.
Full written account
Over a couple of hours, Charlie DIYte built a cyclonic dust extractor from a 30 litre open top barrel and a cyclone kit, after thick clouds of MDF dust blew out of his improvised workshop during the first week of a wardrobe build.
Why a cyclone
The cyclone separates MDF dust, sawdust, building dust and soot from what is vacuumed and puts it in the barrel rather than the vacuum cleaner. He already had a cheap shop vac with a 30 litre capacity, but its vacuum bags did not fit the inlet tube properly, so he ran it bagless with an upgraded HEPA filter.
Building it
Three things were bought: the cyclone, the barrel and a 6 m vacuum hose, which was the most expensive item. The barrel cost 20 quid. The lid hole was marked in Sharpie around a glass that matched the circumference, a small hole was drilled as a starting point, and a jigsaw cut it out. The rough edges were sanded.
The retaining bolt holes were marked and drilled with a 5.5 mm bit. The kit had no rubber gasket, so an old, slightly stiff tube of Sikaflex EBT+ adhesive sealant sealed the join, and the nuts and bolts were tightened with an adjustable spanner.
The kit came with adapters and jubilee clips, but matching them was hit and miss. Layers of cloth tape sealed the hose to the cyclone adapter, and duct tape prepared the adapter for the vacuum hose.
A base for the barrel
Once the hoses were connected the barrel was unstable. A stand was cut from leftover hot tub decking: two 500 mm pieces, each with two cuts down the centre, notches chiselled out, then glued together and screwed. Self-drilling screws with rubber washers fixed it to the barrel, keeping the seal airtight.
Results
After a couple of hours of cutting with a new plunge saw, with an extra modification suggested by a viewer, there was no dust inside the vacuum. The barrel held an estimated 70 to 100 ml depth of MDF dust, along with an unidentified object that had been sucked up.
Collapse concerns
Viewers had warned that this type of barrel can collapse under the vacuum's suction. Covering the end of the tube with a hand, to simulate a blockage or full barrel, only compressed the lid slightly on his 1400 watt Titan vacuum. At least one person reported the same Oipps barrel collapsing, and the usual fix is a wooden hoop inside the barrel. The description later notes the barrel has since collapsed and recommends a different one.
Questions this video answers
What does the cyclone do?
It separates MDF dust, sawdust, building dust and soot from the airflow and drops it into the barrel rather than the vacuum cleaner.
How was the barrel made airtight?
The kit had no rubber gasket, so Sikaflex EBT+ adhesive sealant was used under the cyclone, which was bolted down with the supplied nuts and bolts.
Why did the barrel need a base?
With the hoses connected it was unstable, so a stand was made from two 500 mm pieces of leftover decking and screwed on.
Did the barrel collapse under suction?
Not in the test. Blocking the tube with a hand only compressed the lid slightly, but others reported collapse with the same barrel. A wooden hoop inside the barrel is the fix people suggest.
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