CV06 Central Vac Idea

Backhertz

New member
Although I have enough woodworking tools to easily fill up a small workshop, my interest in dust collection began with a central vacuum system for my home. I've looked at many systems and believe they are far overpriced for what they do.

So I began thinking about building my own. It will basically have 3 sections: top, middle, bottom. The top will contain my vacuum motor, the motor exhaust, and control electronics. The middle section will contain the vacuum motor filter, a CV06 with the input sticking outside. The lower section will have the dirt canister.

I've seen pics where guys have mounted shop vacs atop a small cyclone. They look like some one put a shop vac on top of a cyclone.... I'd rather just mount a vacuum motor on top of the cyclone in a similar fashion like the CV06's bigger brothers have motors on top.


I built a small mini-cyclone using Bill P's plans. I bought a new powerful Lamb 117507 central vac motor off of Ebay for next to nothing. Here are the specs:

117507 is also a 3-stage, 7.2 inch, 110-120 volt Lamb Ametek 117507 motor. Height 8.5", Bolt Height 2.5", Waterlift 134.1", CFM 94.0, AirWatts 406, Amps 12.5.

It is very powerful. My idea is to mount the motor inside a 14" canister. I'll simply put a divider inside the canister. This divider will provide a surface for mounting my motor above it and a filter below it to protect the motor.

Then below this section, I'll have my home made mini-cyclone or a CV06. The CV06 is a far better made product than my first attempt in using sheet metal. Ideally, I'd like the canister to be also made of PETG plastic.

So before I proceed further, I thought I'd present this though to you guys.
 

dwdrury

New member
Custom Vac

Custom Vac

Tony,

I don't see any obvious problem with your plan, so long as you get the plumbing right, give the motor sufficient air to breath and cool, and successfully seal whatever you use for a catch basin underneath whichever cyclone you choose to use.

Depending on where you are, you may have reasonably easy access to PETG sheet. I found a regional distributor, Piedmont Plastic, who carry it, although the nearest store is in West Columbia, SC, about two or three hours away. Matt and Ed tell me it can be easily "welded" with acetone though I haven't tried it yet. Did try bending some, and it does bend easily cold. A bit more IML than steel sheet, more akin to similar thickness AL sheet or bar stock if you go for a sharp angle. I haven't measured the springback yet, though it wasn't difficult to form a 90.

As a data point, the Fein Turbo II I'm using as a power source for my CV06 specs at 90" water lift and 116 CFM. So a bit less suction and a bit more airflow than the combo you're using. And I'm very pleased with the setup.

Whichever route you go, either home made or one of Matt & Ed's, hope you can see your way clear to posting photos of your invention in the gallery.

The only other tidbit I have to offer is I'm also very pleased with the performance of the CleanStream filters. I have a pair I rotate with the Fein, and also managed to make a decent vac out of a little, 10 gal. Genie we use for mucking out the vehicles. Noisy little cuss, but managed to get the scream down to tolerable levels via one of those little mufflers Ridgid / Home Depot sell, shoved into the outlet port. The Fein, as a comparison, is whisper quiet. Fein claims 57.8 dB at 3.5 ft and I have no reason to doubt it.

Regards,

DWD
 
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