# I think I've made a monster!



## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

Working in a small Shipyard, and mostly undertake GRP repairs ,dust extraction is important for my team that frequently work in confined spaces with sanders etc.

Up to now we have pumped the GRP dust out through roof vents but as this is not good practice I decided to make up a cyclone separator to Bill Pentz spec that will sit on a trolley that can be moved around the Yard by hand, fork lift or crane.
I have made a smaller version (just a cone with a drop box) that worked very well and expect/hope this new version will be an improvement.

Last week I started placing part together for final fitting etc. and..............IT'S HUGE!!!!! (Painting it yellow don't help)

This is going to raise a lot of eyebrows when completed. LOL


The first 'test' cyclone is in the foreground on a dustbin.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

awesome


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## Rogerdodge (Apr 24, 2014)

Looks like the rabbit catching machine in Wallace and Grommit and the Curse of the Were -Rabbit. Maybe that's where you got your idea from ......

Rog.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well you may have to warn the airport before you fire it up as it looks like it may disrupt the flight patterns of small planes lol


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

'Thor' the Devil dog, looks with satisfaction at his latest evil weapon...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Some of your co-workers may make a little fun now but I'll bet they thank you later.


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## Ed Bray (May 17, 2014)

Looks a fair bit bigger than the Cyclone Central 100mm one I built yesterday. If yours works as well as mine does then it will have been well worth all the effort.


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## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> 'Thor' the Devil dog, looks with satisfaction at his latest evil weapon...


With the 3 phase blower/extractor that's going on this thing 'Thor the devil dog' will need to keep well clear of the inlet. LOL

Ed
What size/hp motor are you running on your 100mm cyclone? 
I have a 1.5hp blower that may be used in a smaller cyclone set up.


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## Ed Bray (May 17, 2014)

straze said:


> With the 3 phase blower/extractor that's going on this thing 'Thor the devil dog' will need to keep well clear of the inlet. LOL
> 
> Ed
> What size/hp motor are you running on your 100mm cyclone?
> I have a 1.5hp blower that may be used in a smaller cyclone set up.


I have a SIP 01925 1.5hp extractor and the 100mm Cyclone is sat upon a 45 Gallon steel drum, it is important that you fit a pressure relief valve to the drop-box/drum in case the hose gets blocked as the vacuum will collapse the cyclone almost immediately. It is used on my larger machinery. 

I also have a smaller Dust Commander DLX on a separate 45 gallon plastic drum which a is powered by a Wet/Dry vacuum for my smaller power tools.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Size does matter....especially when extracting GRP dust.....

And, yellow makes it obvious that it is not where it should be.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

That should do it..


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## Hermansclork892 (Aug 9, 2014)

Omg...


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## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

Quick update on 'The Monster' (now known as 'Stavros' :sarcastic

Almost completed and has passed it's test runs.
I was a little disappointed to see a small amount of fine dust passing through the system but this will be acceptable for it's intended use.
A strange way of looking at it I know but the cyclone is removing 100% of large particles and 96% of fines.

In test a tin of dry talc filler powder was emptied into the system and 96% was recovered in the drop box. Shavings, rags, lumps of wood and just about everything that fits the intake has been separated out with no problems.

Here it is almost ready for action.


And a short video during testing. (left click photo)


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

The video looks like a clip out of a mad scientist movie. Awesome job.


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## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

JOAT said:


> The video looks like a clip out of a mad scientist movie. Awesome job.


Your not the first person to have pointed this out! LOL

Funny how many people, who have seen this beast in action, fail to understand how it can possibly work so well with no extra running costs to just using the extractor.
I hope my manager thinks this way when he sees it as well!


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Kevin,

Hope all the benches are bolted to the floor. Great job.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Looks good. It may be handling the fines better than you think. Some of them may be stuck to the inside surfaces.


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## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

Latest on the 'monster' 

Here it is all ready for action.........I couldn't possibly type the comments and expletives that have come from the lads at work when they first see the 'monster' in the flesh! LOL
All will be taken back when they see the amount of dust etc it will collect.

The trolley base is 5 foot long, for scale.


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## Rogerdodge (Apr 24, 2014)

Joking apart , I think you have done a great job with it , Kevin . When I think of the risks the old time shipwrights and boat builders ran , and the number who succumbed to lung / breathing problems in later life , it really brings it home how important machines like yours are. Well done.

Roger

(Retired Boatyard Manager , amongst many other things .)


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## timbertailor (Oct 4, 2009)

So, are you still dumping the fines back into the air or do you have plans for a filter cartridge installation for the exhaust?

To be honest, I think it would be under powered, based on all the information I have read. Bill Pentz, comes to mind. He does not recommend anything under 3HP for the blower.

My small shop DC used a 2HP blower.


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## straze (Mar 20, 2012)

timbertailor said:


> So, are you still dumping the fines back into the air or do you have plans for a filter cartridge installation for the exhaust?
> 
> To be honest, I think it would be under powered, based on all the information I have read. Bill Pentz, comes to mind. He does not recommend anything under 3HP for the blower.
> 
> My small shop DC used a 2HP blower.


This was made to Bill Pentz plans and a 5hp motor was recommended but all I had to use was the 4hp 3 phase blower seen in the pics. 
A filter will be bought for this in the near future but we will have to run it without for now.
I am looking into an in line drop box, or the likes, but for now a reduction of approx. 96% of material blown into the open air is a big step forward.


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## harmondreamer (Oct 20, 2015)

WOW! it looks cool!


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Outstanding job!


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Great job, but you need to get the filters on as soon as possible as all the harmful fines you can't see are being pumped right back into the breathing air. Check out the Wynn filters website, you can get a set of really good filters for around $130. and yo will be amazed at the amount of fines they collect.

Herb


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Great job and with the back light on the video perhaps Halloween had an influence. >


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

That is an awesome machine, Dr. Frankenstein!


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