Since I have a basement shop, I am always working on better dust collection. I have two air filters and a fan sticking out the window, but I wanted something better for the shop vac. Eventually, I’d like to do an in-line system with PVC and a bunch of expensive Rockler products.
As usual, I did a basic 3D model to help guide the build.
I got a couple sheets of .5″ plywood and joined it with dowels. One trick I found is to put a piece of frog tape to mark the depth of the hole. The added beni is that it fans away the sawdust so you can see better.
To make a long story short, I put it all together and mounted some caster on the bottom. I got a cyclone collector, called the Dust Deputy, from Woodcraft in Lenexa, which came with 2 buckets and a bunch of adapters. Without pipe clamps, none of this would have been possible.
This was all well and fine, but the vacuum and collector were wobbling right off the stand. I installed some hooks and used up almost all of my assorted bag of bungee cords.
The power cord was another problem. I didn’t like it draped over the side and it was getting unmanageable. I like a well-coiled and orange power cord. If you ever meet me at the amateur carpenter conference, we can talk.
I put another holder on the other side to drape the hose coming off of the dust collector. The hose is more excited than I thought, so I might put a bracket lower on the outside vertical wall to hook it inwards.
You might notice the foot switch that I mounted near the bottom. I’ve had it for a while and only used it when I had the vacuum connected to the miter saw. Now that it is on the vac stand, it is indispensable. I just give it a kick and it starts the vacuum.
The slim profile of the vac stand makes it easy to maneuver through the narrow shop. I can say, without a doubt, that it is putting less dust in the air than vacuuming directly into the Craftsman. This is good for my lungs and the rest of the house.
My future plans are to install a power strip with a surge protector on the side so that I can use the stand as a mobile power station. Because there is so much space on the stand, it would be nice to have places for tools and shelves for appliances that I commonly use with the shop vac. Hey alright.
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