Northridge Mod-E / Dust Collection

It's that harbor freight blower. I bought it a couple yrs ago during a black Friday sale. I was going to incorporate more of the system it comes with but I wanted a cyclone separator. I found the cyclone seperator on Ebay. It was cheap compared to the dust deputy versions. The 55gal drum I got from my local hardware store for 12$. I ordered the 4" aluminum gates off of Amazon for 12$ apiece. Then the rest of the ducting I got from Menards.


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Update. I took the hood out. It didn't work out how I imagined. And the dryer hose I am using is terrible. Other than that it's working great. Does anyone know of any type of 4" hose that I can use to connect the machine to main line pipe?
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
I’ve bought those in the past, I developed Tinnitus, after ears of drumming, Firearms & knife making , unless there is a 100% reduction ... which is nearly impossible... I work for about 2 hr at a stretch, with foamy plugs.
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Oh I mean ear pro, like ear protection, not any particular brand.
personally I use custom fitted inner ears and over the ear muffs, I'm a firearms instructor though, so I am sensitive about my hearing...
 
A.McPherson said:
Oh I mean ear pro, like ear protection, not any particular brand.
personally I use custom fitted inner ears and over the ear muffs, I'm a firearms instructor though, so I am sensitive about my hearing...
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Back in the 80’s I to instruct in pistol craft as well, Some 3 gun events, I mostly taught ladies that had restraining orders against wacky, wacko, Ex, hubbies/boyfriends, etc, we know how well those restraining orders work!:rolleyes:.... Protect your hearing all you can! This is for ALL of US!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:
 
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I decided to scrap putting the blower in the plastic housing. I just mounted it in the shop. I put in a larger spark catcher. I used the 6" ducts reduced down to 4". I order some high dollar flex hose.
I burned through it in 15 seconds. So I decided I am just gonna use duct on the rest of the system. 20190906_185324-604x805.jpg 20190906_203529-604x805.jpg
 
Overall a good setup.

The only suggestion for those wishing to do something like this is to run the ducting BEHIND the bench legs so it is just UNDER the bench, not out in front of it. That way you can face the ports and gates any direction needed to connect to a dust port.

Another good idea is to put a 2.5" port and gate on the duct near the dust collector for a vacuum hose to clean up the bench and floor. A 20 foot hose is nice in the shop. It can also be used to hook up to portable equipment and the other benches with tools like the portaband, bandsaws, drum sanders, drill presses, buffers, etc.
 
Brian Stucker said:
I decided to scrap putting the blower in the plastic housing. I just mounted it in the shop. I put in a larger spark catcher. I used the 6" ducts reduced down to 4". I order some high dollar flex hose.
I burned through it in 15 seconds. So I decided I am just gonna use duct on the rest of the system. View attachment 1192296 View attachment 1192297
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I would add at least two smaller fire extinguishers around your shop where they can quickly be manned in your shop. Looks great! :thumbsup:
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Overall a good setup.

The only suggestion for those wishing to do something like this is to run the ducting BEHIND the bench legs so it is just UNDER the bench, not out in front of it. That way you can face the ports and gates any direction needed to connect to a dust port.

Another good idea is to put a 2.5" port and gate on the duct near the dust collector for a vacuum hose to clean up the bench and floor. A 20 foot hose is nice in the shop. It can also be used to hook up to portable equipment and the other benches with tools like the portaband, bandsaws, drum sanders, drill presses, buffers, etc.
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Thanks. Stacy. I built a dust collection system for my buffers. I used 2" PVC pipe. I took a heat gun and formed the PVC to fit my shop-vac hose. I might end up moving the duct to underneath my workbench . I'm going to plumb some more 2" PVC for a cleanup hose. That's a good idea. And PVC pipe is cheap. 20190907_110232-604x805.jpg 20190907_110247-604x805.jpg 20190907_110237-604x805.jpg 20190907_110232-604x805.jpg
 

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Here is how the shop vac hose hooks up to the buffers. I also bought a mini cyclone. I am going to try to find a 2.5 gallon metal bucket and build a cart for it all. 20190907_122238-604x805.jpg 20190907_122230-604x805.jpg
 
I will caution you that your square backed and close quarters enclosed buffer cabinet is a real hazard if a blade gets away from you. It will send the blade back to the wheel and straight at you in 1/100th of a second. Angling the back down at 45° helps a bit. A larger enclosure with a "catch" wall on the back works even better. The back should have a piece of hardware cloth stretched about 2" in front of the wall. This absorbs the energy of the thrown blade.

I honestly wouldn't buff in that cabinet unless wearing a chain mail bib.
 
What Stacy said.

That literally will be like a knife pin ball machine and your will be one of the bumpers when the knife takes off.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
I will caution you that your square backed and close quarters enclosed buffer cabinet is a real hazard if a blade gets away from you. It will send the blade back to the wheel and straight at you in 1/100th of a second. Angling the back down at 45° helps a bit. A larger enclosure with a "catch" wall on the back works even better. The back should have a piece of hardware cloth stretched about 2" in front of the wall. This absorbs the energy of the thrown blade.

I honestly wouldn't buff in that cabinet unless wearing a chain mail bib.
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I don't use a buffer on my blades. I just use the buffer for handle fittings. I did think about that. I've never had a buffer sling a blade but I have had them sling handle fittings. But I was thinking the cabinet would catch the fitting.
 
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Yes, it will catch the fitting … ricochet off the back and bottom …. hit the wheel … and come at you at 100MPH. People have been killed with similar setups.

Also, the sides/ends of the cabinet are far too close to the wheels. If you were only buffing rings and small objects, it wouldn't be a big deal, but knives and bigger metal things are a different animal.

You can build and use whatever you want, but I would ask you to seriously re-think that buffer cabinet.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Yes, it will catch the fitting … ricochet off the back and bottom …. hit the wheel … and come at you at 100MPH. People have been killed with similar setups.

Also, the sides/ends of the cabinet are far too close to the wheels. If you were only buffing rings and small objects, it wouldn't be a big deal, but knives and bigger metal things are a different animal.

You can build and use whatever you want, but I would ask you to seriously re-think that buffer cabinet.
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I can take off the cabinet off easy. Better to sling it across the shop than back at you. I was just trying to come up with some kind of dust control for the buffers.
 
Keep the dust ports. They will suck the dust down and remove some /most of it. I am glad you will remove the cabinet. What many people do is make a 3" wide semicircle of 16 gauge sheet metal and mount it about 6" behind the wheel. It only attaches at the bottom to the countertop. This deflects the dust down into the dust port at the base of the curve. If a knife or object is thrown into the deflector, it gives with the force and does not send the blade back.
 
I took off the buffing hood. I dont know what I was thinking with that. I built a test run spark bong. Works great. I ordered20190920_232632-756x1008.jpg a couple of metal 5 gallon buckets. I'm gonna redo it with a metal bucket.20190920_232704-756x1008.jpg 20190920_232644-756x1008.jpg I ordered some Chinese 9w Led lights off Ebay. I've got a hanging light on each machine. Still a bit to do. I scored an 8' piece of granite. I cut it into 3 pieces. I put one on my old grinding bench.20190920_231350-756x1008.jpg
 
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