How high to mount

[reprosser]

I have a 14 ft ceiling, and was planning to mount the cyclone as high as possible so I don't have duct running uphill, then across the shop for the drops. Is there a benefit to, say, mounting the cyclone at 8 ft and running the duct uphill to the ceiling? Maybe as the dust is coming in, there is a benefit to running downhill into the cyclone?

I know I want the duct running high across the shop to be out of the way, but not sure about the section from the cyclone to the ceiling.

[ChuckSaunder]

I doubt that there is any benifit once you have the 10 diameters upstream of the cyclone. Having the cyclone high allows more room underneath for bin handling, but that is probably met by 10' for a 55gal drum.

[reprosser]

I doubt that there is any benifit once you have the 10 diameters upstream of the cyclone.

Is that no benefit from being high (over 10 ft), or no benefit from dust running downhill into the cyclone?:confused:

[Crafted]

Mine is 13' high off the ground. High and out of the way! I have super long runs and there is plenty of suction at the end of the longest run. I would say if you have the room put it up there so for moving material around and whatnot you don't have to worry about dodging pipes with it.

[ChuckSaunder]

Is that no benefit from being high (over 10 ft), or no benefit from dust running downhill into the cyclone?:confused:

My feeling is that there is no benefit, but at the same time there is no harm either. The dust that is running downhill used power to pull it up to the top so that is a wash. high or low depends more on the convenience of having it high or low based on other shop usage factors.

[Don01]

My feeling is that there is no benefit, but at the same time there is no harm either. The dust that is running downhill used power to pull it up to the top so that is a wash. high or low depends more on the convenience of having it high or low based on other shop usage factors.

What! It doesn't siphon???

Sorry I just had to.

Don

[ChuckSaunder]

All woodworking tools siphon. They siphon from wallet to workshop.

[Steve P]

I use a 55 gallon drum for collection with caster wheels mounted underneath, making it 40" high. The top of the motor ended up about 9" from the ceiling with the standard 6" long flex hoze. The inlet is about 32" from the ceiling, so I still need a transition to get the pipes up to the ceiling.

Putting the cyclone all the way to the top of a 14' ceiling does not add many advantages over 9' or 10' height. It adds a lot more heavy lifting and it makes a sound closet much taller (adding more surface area for sound to escape).

I vote to build your dust bin and let the cyclone end up where it naturally wants to at between 8-10' high. Build a sound closet and have 4' of storage space above it.

Steve

[Crafted]

I have the same kind of idea as Steve. 55 gallon car wash soap drum on castors. Only difference is I have about 5' of flex between the bottom of the cyclone to the top of the custom lid i had to make. It actually works well for swapping bins as I just lift the lid and place it onto the new then roll the empty one over in place. I was planning on building a rack to put the lid on while I swapped out bins but was pleased to realize I didn't need to once I had the bins on wheels and the length of flex gave me so much mobility.

I didn't build a sound closet but do have 25' of 8" insulated flex in 's' type curves as my muffler before it hits the cleanout bin and filters. Quiet enough for me. I wear my ear muffs anyway and I found that much flex has kept the sound down so its not deafening.

[Jim O'Dell]

The only advantage I can see for mounting it as high as possible would be that it would require slightly less pipe, and pipe, even PVC, adds resistance.
That said, the difference would be so small you'd never notice. The added expense of a taller closet, if you are building one, and the hassle of getting the motor up that high, unless you have a powered lift available, would offset any advantages is a heartbeat.
How about if you compromise and put your ceiling at 12', and send me the extra 2' of headroom??? I'd love to be at almost 10'. :D Jim.

[NickLazz]

The only advantage I can see for mounting it as high as possible would be that it would require slightly less pipe, and pipe, even PVC, adds resistance.
That said, the difference would be so small you'd never notice. The added expense of a taller closet, if you are building one, and the hassle of getting the motor up that high, unless you have a powered lift available, would offset any advantages is a heartbeat.
How about if you compromise and put your ceiling at 12', and send me the extra 2' of headroom??? I'd love to be at almost 10'. :D Jim.

I have 13'-6" ceilings and mounted my cyclone as high as I could. I carried the motor up the ladder...it was a little tough but I would recomend getting a buddy to help next time. Anyway, I'm glad I did as it is out of the way, which was an advantage to me. Plus, my shop is separated by a partition wall with DC on one side and workshop on the other. Pipe enters at the ceiling height.
My pictures are posted in the album.

[reprosser]

Finally, I have started installation.

I have the cyclone mounted about 12 ft high. I have put up the studs for closing off the "noise room". The intake pipe comes thru the wall as shown, but I need to transition up to run the pipe on top of the ceiling joists (@ 14 ft).

Suggestions on the best way to get the intake to the main runs on top of the joists? (yellow circle to indicate how far up I need to go - not where pipe needs to turn)

If I continue the input pipe at the same rise, I will get above the joists about in the center of the shop (40 x 70), where I can turn and run the length of the shop. Any issue with a ~20ft input length? I know less bends is usually better.


http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b205/reprosser/WaterTankRd/cyclone.jpg

[Kennyd]

Just make the turns with 45* fittings to get up that high-they are more forgiving than 90*'s

[McRabbet]

Rick,

I'd add a 45 as it enters the wall at the intake and then use two 45's and an 18-inch section between them to make the turn down you shop. Then add wyes as needed for your drops (the wye can be angled to run in the plane of your ceiling before a dual 45 elbow drop to your machines).

BTW, I hope to be headed back to Hendersonville next week.

[reprosser]

If I put a 45 at the wall, that only leave about 3 ft to the cyclone. I thought the input needed at least 5 ft to reduce turbulence?

[McRabbet]

You're right -- it would be better to have the extra straight run there -- the combination of three 45's should allow you to rotate the combination of bends (much like the gores on a metal sweep elbow) to achieve a straight run down the length of the shop.