Cyclone pre-filter for shop vac

[DIYSwede]

A fleamarket find for under two bucks and some scrap pieces started this fast, tiny project:
An air-tight metallic coffee can (110 mm dia x 180 mm tall) with an old, free, discarded and eviscerated 3-phase,
400 V 63 Amp CEE plug (original at left pic, top right) makes a "Cyclone Pre-filter" thru a 15 min DIY session:



Turn a 85-ish mm hole in the plastic lid, drill 4 bolt holes holes and fit between the plug top and bottom
(that already has been relieved from the brass connectors and their holder).

Drill/ grind/ butcher a tangential hole near the can's rim, that'll just fit a left-over, chopped-off bike saddle post with Epoxy,
attach a dishwasher emptying tube (always "a good keep"),
and a piece of plastic conduit for a nozzle to get into all these tight spots.

Stab the nozzle of your household vac tube into the top, as the former cable grommet will give a squeeze fit.
Use at desired noise & speed of your vac, and empty by just snapping the lid aside.
You could also drop a magnet at the bottom for collecting tiny magnetic chips/ grinding dust, and stuff some coarse filter
(as I put som stringy, long Al swarf) in the red exhaust tube (center left).
This pre-filter takes also care of the really hot stuff: swarf and grinding dust, so your shop vac's dust bag won't catch fire.

Having just said that - the usual disclaimer applies: Be safe, do your own risk assessment and consequence analysis beforehand.
-Don't come whining to me if you found out (and survived) that sucking up paint thinner or gasoline wasn't such a good idea.

Small to store, easy to use and clean, and above all: -DIRT CHEAP! (Bad pun intended)

Tip: Remember to save the fine free machining brass pins from the plug for future lathe projects.

[tonyfoale]

........attach a dishwasher emptying tube (always "a good keep"),
.
.
Tip: Remember to save the fine free machining brass pins from the plug for future lathe projects.

I like your style, I too save those sorts of things. I throw very little away.

[DIYer]

Thanks DIYSwede! We've added your Shop Vac Pre Filter to our Cleaning category,
as well as to your builder page: DIYSwede's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

Shop Vac Pre Filter by DIYSwede

tags: shop-vac, filter