How To Filter A Trash Can

A 2 stage grit collector is essential in a workshop! It separates larger chips from the finer grit then the filter AND your lungs stay clean!

sawdust in trash can separator with cyclone lid

Do y'all rely on a shop vac to proceed your workshop clean? Stop! A shop vac simply moves the big wood chips out of the way, but doesn't do much to control the finer particles you really need to be worried about.

Already take a dust collector, but detest changing out the pocketbook? Add together a whirlwind separator that traps the heavy sawdust in a trash can that's like shooting fish in a barrel to dump out! Only the fine dust makes its way up to the filter, so it works ameliorate and longer.

Today, I'll show you lot how I turned my single-stage, 5 micron Harbor Freight grit collector into a souped up two stage dust collector with ½ a micron filtration!

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Why Install a ii-Phase Dust Collector?

The standard filter bag that comes with Harbor Freight dust collector doesn't trap the fine particles that are most dangerous to your lungs. This 0.5 micron filter upgrade has four times the surface area and is able to grab fifty-fifty that pesky MDF dust that seems to coat everything. The standard filter bag just spews that stuff back into the air!

Not only that, merely the increased surface area of the new filter ways style more suction. More than suction = more than wood chips and grit moving out of your way!

pleated dust collection filter with mesh covering

Merely that ultra-sparse filter is ultra-delicate. Poke a pigsty in it, and yous've created a release valve for all that dust to come flying out! E'er suck up a stray screw with your store vac? You definitely don't want one rattling around in your expensive filter. You need a way to sort out the shrapnel from the fluff!

Luckily, a 2-stage grit collector volition accept care of that, and it'south unproblematic to brand. Just a trash tin with a special lid volition exercise! The lid creates a whirlwind effect, causing the heavier pieces autumn into the trash can. The lighter stuff moves on to the dust collector, where the finest particles are trapped in the filter. The rest falls into the collector purse.

Now that you know why, I'll show yous how to make a 2 stage dust collector for your ain workshop!

Materials Required for Dust Collector Organization

Harbor Freight two hp grit collector
Wynn filter cartridge
Trash can cyclone lid
Large metallic trash tin
4" dust collection hose
4" hose clamps

How to Brand a 2 Phase Dust Collector

Assemble the single stage dust collector

Commencement by assembling the Harbor Freight dust collector according to the directions. It'southward fairly straightforward to put together, although y'all'll desire to figure out which screws get where before you start (enquire me how I know!)

Harbor Freight single stage dust collector with upgraded filter

The Wynn filter comes with these little clips to attach it to the dust collector. But set the filter in the center and hook them into place.

clips that hold the Wynn filter to the Harbor Freight dust collector

With the upgraded filter in place, you accept a perfectly good single-stage grit collector. Wood chips and sawdust goes in through the 4" hose, spin around through the filter, and the heavy stuff falls into the purse below.

Add the trash can separator

Have you noticed how much sawdust your table saw generates? Don't fifty-fifty get me started on the planer! The standard collection bag volition be full in no fourth dimension, and replacing information technology isn't exactly fun. Past adding a separator to this setup, removing the sawdust is as simple as dumping out a trash tin!

Instead of going straight into the filter, debris takes a spin in the trash can start. Merely the lightest textile and fine dust movement on to the second stage. This sawdust roller coaster keeps the filter flowing longer and prevents damage to the fine mesh.

Connect the hose that comes out of the dust collector to the side of the separator without the bend on the inside of the lid. The side with the bend is attached to the hose that goes out to your tools.

trash can sawdust separator with hand lifting lid to reveal sawdust inside

When sawdust is sucked into the separator, it gets swirled around the top of the trash tin. The heavy stuff falls down, then only the lightest, fine dust goes up into the filter.

Brand certain to keep the level of sawdust in the trash can lower than halfway full, or you'll beginning to meet larger chips make its way upward to the purse above. There needs to be plenty of room for air to circulate within the tin can.

Claw the dust collector up to diverse tools

Well-nigh tools take either a 4" or ii ½" dust port. The grit collector has a four" opening, so you may need to step down the diameter in social club to connect various tools. Go along in mind that this will reduce suction, then keep the larger size whenever possible.

This photo gives you lot a much better view of how everything is arranged in my workshop and then that's it'due south close to the dust collector. I'm actually happy with this set upwardly! You can get plans for the miter saw station, router table, planer stand, table saw stand and t track tabular array so you can build your own.

garage workshop with tools and dust collector in the corner

The miter saw and router table both have grit collection hoses that are hidden behind the miter saw station. Miter saw dust drove is particularly catchy, merely a dust hood tin aid comprise the mess.

miter saw dust collection hose behind stand

The table saw hose plugs in to a port on the side of the stand like a gas station nozzle, then you don't have to fiddle with hose clamps.

DIY table saw stand with dust collection hose

Each hose has a nail gate at this 3 way Y junction, so the suction but goes to the tool that's currently in use. At the meridian is a single hose that leads to the trash tin can separator. The blue bracket but holds the end of the expandable hose and so it'southward easier to catch.

3 way junction for dust collection hoses and blast gates

While I practise lose some suction with this set up, it's been a total game changer in my small workshop! It's easy to switch between tools, which means the dust collector actually gets used when I demand it!

Consider a wall mount grit collector to save infinite

UPDATE: I've switched out my giant machine for a smaller wall mount dust collector to save space in my tiny workshop! It works just every bit well every bit the version I talk about above, merely in a much smaller footprint. You can even upgrade the bag to the same type of canister filter as the bigger version!

wall mount dust collector with 5 micron filter bag

Dust collectors may seem similar overkill in a small workshop that usually relies on a shop vac, but it's crucial for containing that unsafe dust! I've noticed a huge divergence after a long mean solar day of woodworking, both in the cleanliness of the shop and the feeling in my lungs!

Cheque out these other workshop projects!