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DIY Build Article - for the Shop Hacks Dust Sheriff
-The Ultimate Cyclone Dust Collector-
Never Have to Clean Your Shop Vac filter Again.
The Dust Sheriff is the first and only cyclone separator on the market to incorporate an (optional) integrated filter inside of the cyclone. You will NEVER have to clean your vac filter again!
In this article, I'll show you...
1. Results of scientific tests proving the Dust Sheriff outperforms the most popular cyclone separators on the market by a wide margin in both terms of flow rate, separation efficiency , and cost.
2. How to build the Dust Sheriff yourself for less than $15.
The Dust Sheriff offers three advantages over the Dust Deputy and Dustopper cyclone dust collectors:
1. *The Dust Sheriff flows 30% to 45% more airflow
2. *The Dust Sheriff collects 5x to 15x more fine dust
3. The Dust Sheriff costs less than $15 to make (Simple version, without filter)
*Flow rate comparisons are with the integrated filter installed on the Dust Sheriff. Dust collection efficiency tests performed without the integrated filter installed.
1. Results of scientific tests proving the Dust Sheriff outperforms the most popular cyclone separators on the market by a wide margin in both terms of flow rate, separation efficiency , and cost.
2. How to build the Dust Sheriff yourself for less than $15.
The Dust Sheriff offers three advantages over the Dust Deputy and Dustopper cyclone dust collectors:
1. *The Dust Sheriff flows 30% to 45% more airflow
2. *The Dust Sheriff collects 5x to 15x more fine dust
3. The Dust Sheriff costs less than $15 to make (Simple version, without filter)
*Flow rate comparisons are with the integrated filter installed on the Dust Sheriff. Dust collection efficiency tests performed without the integrated filter installed.
You can build a Dust Sheriff based on the steps outlined at the end of this article.
Plans are available that include:
Plans are available that include:
- Detailed step-by-step instructions to walk you through every detail of the build process.
- 3D Figures and dimensioned drawings with the exact measurements I used to obtain this high performance level.
- Advanced fabrication tips
- The plans also include a exclusive add-on feature that will keep the filter cleaner even longer.
A hardware kit is also available
- Turn this into no-hassle build that you can have up and running in as little as one hour.
If you would like to know more about how cyclone separators work, check out the All About Cyclone Separators page.
All tests results shown in this article compare the Dust Sheriff to the two most popular shop vac cyclone separators on the market: The Oneida Dust Deputy and the Home Depot Dustopper. The Dustopper is a relatively new entry and is based on Phil Thien's design. The Dust Sheriff is also a derivative of Phil Thien's design.
Two versions of the Dust Sheriff are outlined in this article:
Both versions can be used with or without the internal filter.
All tests results shown in this article compare the Dust Sheriff to the two most popular shop vac cyclone separators on the market: The Oneida Dust Deputy and the Home Depot Dustopper. The Dustopper is a relatively new entry and is based on Phil Thien's design. The Dust Sheriff is also a derivative of Phil Thien's design.
Two versions of the Dust Sheriff are outlined in this article:
- The "Deluxe" version allows you to use a clear dust bin so you can see when you need to empty the bin.
- The "Simple" version is a bare bones version that costs less than $15 to make. There's a good chance you will have all of the materials on-hand already so it may not cost you anything at all.
Both versions can be used with or without the internal filter.
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Three major problems that the Dust Sheriff solves...
Problem #1: A clogged shop vac filter sucks life out of your already limited shop-time.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff will separate dust without clogging so you can spend more time making and less time cleaning.
No one likes to clean a shop vac filter. However, if you don't, the flow rate quickly drops to less than half, making it ineffective and frustrating to use. I ran a test to see how much the flow dropped. Starting with a clean filter I vacuumed a 10 lb mix of fine, medium, and course dust with my shop vac. This is the equivalent of several months of fine dust under normal conditions.
Problem #1: A clogged shop vac filter sucks life out of your already limited shop-time.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff will separate dust without clogging so you can spend more time making and less time cleaning.
No one likes to clean a shop vac filter. However, if you don't, the flow rate quickly drops to less than half, making it ineffective and frustrating to use. I ran a test to see how much the flow dropped. Starting with a clean filter I vacuumed a 10 lb mix of fine, medium, and course dust with my shop vac. This is the equivalent of several months of fine dust under normal conditions.
Without the Dust Sheriff, the shop vac flow rate dropped 41% after less than 2 minutes!
What if you NEVER had to clean your shop filter again? With the Dust Sheriff fitted with the VF3500 filter, the flow rate dropped less than 2% while vacuuming the same pile of dust. This means that when vacuuming fine dust with the Dust Sheriff your filter will last 20x longer between cleanings. In most cases you will NEVER have to clean your filter again if you use the Dust Sheriff.
All cyclone separators remove a significant percentage of dust, however, current cyclone separators pass 4% to 9% of all the very fine dust vacuumed. If you vacuum fine dust very often your filter will clog and the flow rate will continue to drop little by little even with a Dust Deputy or Dustopper. The drop is gradual so you may not notice but it happens slowly but surely.
I ran over 40 scientific tests comparing performance of the Dust Sheriff to the leading cyclone separators.
In summary:
The chart below shows how much better the Dust Sheriff performs (with and without the optional filter installed) compared to the Dust Deputy and the Dustopper.
I ran over 40 scientific tests comparing performance of the Dust Sheriff to the leading cyclone separators.
In summary:
- The Dust Deputy passes 5x more fine dust than the Dust Sheriff without the filter installed on the Dust Sheriff and over 50x more dust than the Dust Sheriff with the filter installed.
- The Dustopper passes almost 15x more fine dust than the Dust Sheriff without the filter installed on the Dust Sheriff.
The chart below shows how much better the Dust Sheriff performs (with and without the optional filter installed) compared to the Dust Deputy and the Dustopper.
The following graphic gives you an idea of the setup I used...
Problem #2: Cyclone Separators Reduce Shop Vac Airflow up to 45%!
See the chart below to see how much standard cyclone separators can choke the flow of your vac. Even with a dirty filter installed, the Dust Sheriff flows significantly more air than any other shop vac cyclone separator.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff allows up to a 29% higher airflow rate than the next best shop vac cyclone separator.
During tests using a 6.5 peak hp Ridgid WD18510 shop vac (do not buy this vac, it is just here to document what I used for the testing. A $100 shop vac will work just fine), the Dust Sheriff (even with a dirty filter) flowed 47% more air (CFM) than the Dustopper and 29% more than the Dust Deputy. More air flow means your vac is more effective and more enjoyable to use. You spend more time making, building and fixing and less time cleaning when you use a Dust Sheriff.
See the chart below to see how much standard cyclone separators can choke the flow of your vac. Even with a dirty filter installed, the Dust Sheriff flows significantly more air than any other shop vac cyclone separator.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff allows up to a 29% higher airflow rate than the next best shop vac cyclone separator.
During tests using a 6.5 peak hp Ridgid WD18510 shop vac (do not buy this vac, it is just here to document what I used for the testing. A $100 shop vac will work just fine), the Dust Sheriff (even with a dirty filter) flowed 47% more air (CFM) than the Dustopper and 29% more than the Dust Deputy. More air flow means your vac is more effective and more enjoyable to use. You spend more time making, building and fixing and less time cleaning when you use a Dust Sheriff.
Problem #3: Cyclone separators are not cheap.
A full Dust Deputy system costs $110. A Dustopper costs over $55 with the dust bin.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff can be made with items many of you already have lying around your shop. It costs less than $15 to make using all new parts.
Now that you know that the Dust Sheriff is worth your time to build, I'll show you how to make your own in as little as one hour...
A full Dust Deputy system costs $110. A Dustopper costs over $55 with the dust bin.
Solution: The Dust Sheriff can be made with items many of you already have lying around your shop. It costs less than $15 to make using all new parts.
Now that you know that the Dust Sheriff is worth your time to build, I'll show you how to make your own in as little as one hour...
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How to Build Your Own Dust Sheriff -
You can build your own Dust Sheriff Deluxe or Simple using the steps outlined below.
Dust Sheriff plans are available which include:
With the plans and the hardware kit you should be able to build the Simple version in less than an hour and the Deluxe version in less than 3 hours.
* Included in the Dust Sheriff hardware Kit
** Needed for the Deluxe model only
Minimum Tools Needed:
Build Instructions:
1. Cut the Cyclone Housing from the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. I suggest using a Home Depot bucket. Other buckets might work but I looked at the lids for Lowe's buckets and they will not work for the "Simple" version of this build. Other brands may or may not work for the "Simple" version. Any brand should work for the "Deluxe" version of this build.
2. Cut a 2 3/8" hole in the center of the bottom of the bucket. This is where the Outlet Pipe will mount.
You can build your own Dust Sheriff Deluxe or Simple using the steps outlined below.
Dust Sheriff plans are available which include:
- Very detailed step by step fabrication instructions for both the Simple and Deluxe versions
- Cross section assembly views
- Hyperlinked parts and tool lists
- Detailed dimensioned drawings.
With the plans and the hardware kit you should be able to build the Simple version in less than an hour and the Deluxe version in less than 3 hours.
* Included in the Dust Sheriff hardware Kit
** Needed for the Deluxe model only
Minimum Tools Needed:
- Utility knife
- Saw (to cut PVC pipe)
- Jigsaw or Bandsaw
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks (<---use these glue sticks to guarantee a strong bond)
- Sandpaper (60 or 80 grit)
- Heat gun or small oven that is not used for food
- ** Router and circle jig
- * Inlet Pipe
- Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring (optional for either build)
- * Outlet Pipe
- * Outlet Pipe plug
- * Filter plug (used only if optional filter is installed)
- * Baffle bolt
- * Baffle Nut
- Cyclone housing
- Dust Baffle Plate
- VF3500 Filter (optional)
- Dust bin ring
- Dust bin
Build Instructions:
1. Cut the Cyclone Housing from the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket. I suggest using a Home Depot bucket. Other buckets might work but I looked at the lids for Lowe's buckets and they will not work for the "Simple" version of this build. Other brands may or may not work for the "Simple" version. Any brand should work for the "Deluxe" version of this build.
2. Cut a 2 3/8" hole in the center of the bottom of the bucket. This is where the Outlet Pipe will mount.
3a. For the Simple version only, cut out the lid of a Home Depot bucket to create the Dust Bin Ring that the Cyclone Housing mounts to. You will need to trim the tabs of the lid as shown below to allow the Cyclone housing to seat flush with the lid. Also roughly cut out the center of the lid. You can trim it flush after the Cyclone Housing is glued in place.
Sand the lip of the Cyclone Housing and wire brush or sand the area around the Dust Bin Ring where the Cyclone Housing will mount. Clean the mating surfaces thoroughly with acetone then hot glue them in place as shown below. Cut the Dust Bin Lid about 1/8" inside of the inner wall of the Cyclone Housing. This will provide a lip to keep the Cyclone Housing from pulling through when high vacuum pressures are exerted. Run another bead of glue along this inside joint.
NOTE: different hot glue brands have DRASTICALLY different holding strengths. I highly recommend that you use the THESE hot glue sticks to ensure you get the same high performance bond that I did.
NOTE: different hot glue brands have DRASTICALLY different holding strengths. I highly recommend that you use the THESE hot glue sticks to ensure you get the same high performance bond that I did.
3b. For the Deluxe version only, cut the Dust Bin Ring (white ring shown in the photo below) out of a piece of 3/4" sheet stock. It requires rabbet cut on the top inside diameter to form a lip that the Cyclone Housing sits on. This will prevent the Cyclone Housing from being pulled into the dust bin when the vacuum hose is blocked. It needs to withstand a force of approximately 500 lbs.
You will also need to cut a groove on the bottom side that matches the rim of the Dust Bin that you plan to use. This is partially filled with silicone caulk or weather stripping to seal the Dust Bin Ring to the Dust Bin. I recommend using this Dust Bin. However, the Dust Sheriff will work equally well with a dust bin of any size. You MUST ensure that NO air leaks past the Dust Bin Ring or the dust will be sucked up through the Outlet Pipe which will decrease the dust collection efficiency.
Sand the outer lip of the Cyclone Housing where it mates with the Dust Bin Ring. Clean the mating surfaces with acetone then place place hot glue around the inside diameter of the rabbet cut. Slide the Cyclone housing in place from the top and apply a liberal amount of hot glue at the joint. Once the glue dries, cut away any extra hot glue that squeezed out of the rabbet joint.
NOTE: different hot glue brands have DRASTICALLY different holding strengths. I highly recommend that you use the THESE hot glue sticks to ensure you get the same high performance bond that I did.
You will also need to cut a groove on the bottom side that matches the rim of the Dust Bin that you plan to use. This is partially filled with silicone caulk or weather stripping to seal the Dust Bin Ring to the Dust Bin. I recommend using this Dust Bin. However, the Dust Sheriff will work equally well with a dust bin of any size. You MUST ensure that NO air leaks past the Dust Bin Ring or the dust will be sucked up through the Outlet Pipe which will decrease the dust collection efficiency.
Sand the outer lip of the Cyclone Housing where it mates with the Dust Bin Ring. Clean the mating surfaces with acetone then place place hot glue around the inside diameter of the rabbet cut. Slide the Cyclone housing in place from the top and apply a liberal amount of hot glue at the joint. Once the glue dries, cut away any extra hot glue that squeezed out of the rabbet joint.
NOTE: different hot glue brands have DRASTICALLY different holding strengths. I highly recommend that you use the THESE hot glue sticks to ensure you get the same high performance bond that I did.
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4. Next, fabricate the Inlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe from 2" SCH 40 PVC pipe as shown below. Note, I built the Simple version without using an Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring. The Dust Sheriff Inlet Pipe feels very secure with or without the Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring. I added it to the Deluxe build to see if it made much difference. Note: you will need to make the Inlet Pipe longer if you include the Inlet Pipe Stiffener Ring. The Outlet Pipe needs to be shorter than the filter so that the Filter Plug can compress the end of the filter to form a tight seal against the Cyclone Housing.
I formed the Inlet Pipe into a rectangular transition which directs the dust entering the Cyclone Housing closer to the outside wall. This step is not absolutely necessary but research papers that I reviewed noted that a transition to a 2:1 rectangular inlet produces the maximum dust separation efficiency. The hose connection ends of the Inlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe must be formed to fit your shop vac hose. The plans include detailed instructions and dimensioned drawings showing how to fabricate these parts to the optimum configuration. If you prefer to save time and make this a no hassle build, the Dust Sheriff hardware kit includes the Inlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe ready to attach. Warning: Do Not burn PVC pipe or heat it over 500 degrees F or can generate toxic fumes.
I formed the Inlet Pipe into a rectangular transition which directs the dust entering the Cyclone Housing closer to the outside wall. This step is not absolutely necessary but research papers that I reviewed noted that a transition to a 2:1 rectangular inlet produces the maximum dust separation efficiency. The hose connection ends of the Inlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe must be formed to fit your shop vac hose. The plans include detailed instructions and dimensioned drawings showing how to fabricate these parts to the optimum configuration. If you prefer to save time and make this a no hassle build, the Dust Sheriff hardware kit includes the Inlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe ready to attach. Warning: Do Not burn PVC pipe or heat it over 500 degrees F or can generate toxic fumes.
5. Cut the Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring out of 3/4" sheet material if you plan to use it.
6. Trace the circular shape of the Cyclone Housing onto the Inlet Pipe then cut that curved shape to fit using a jigsaw or a bandsaw.
6. Trace the circular shape of the Cyclone Housing onto the Inlet Pipe then cut that curved shape to fit using a jigsaw or a bandsaw.
7. Cut a half notch out of the Outlet Pipe as shown. This is where the air enters the outlet pipe and exits the Cyclone Housing.
8. Cut the Outlet Pipe Plug out of 3/4" sheet stock. Drill a 1/4" hole in the center of the Outlet Pipe Plug and glue the Baffle Bolt in place. Next, epoxy the Outlet Pipe Plug into the end of the Outlet Pipe. The Outlet Pipe, Outlet Pipe Plug, Baffle Bolt and Baffle Nut are all included in the Dust Sheriff Hardware Kit.
8. Cut the Outlet Pipe Plug out of 3/4" sheet stock. Drill a 1/4" hole in the center of the Outlet Pipe Plug and glue the Baffle Bolt in place. Next, epoxy the Outlet Pipe Plug into the end of the Outlet Pipe. The Outlet Pipe, Outlet Pipe Plug, Baffle Bolt and Baffle Nut are all included in the Dust Sheriff Hardware Kit.
7. Cut the Dust Baffle Plate as shown out of 1/4" sheet stock and drill a 1/4" hole through the center. The plans provide the exact shape used to obtain the performance characteristics noted earlier in this article. However, you can cut this into a simple circle if you like. I don't know how much that will change the performance characteristics, if at all. Leave enough of a gap between the wall of the Cyclone Housing and the Dust Baffle Plate to allow the largest object that you intend to vacuum up to pass through.
8. Hold the Inlet Pipe against the Cyclone Housing about 1/4" from the top and at about a 5 degree downward angle. Trace around the Inlet Pipe onto the housing. Trace an offset about 1/4" inside of that line and cut it out of the housing. Make sure you do not cut beyond the inside dimensions of your Inlet Pipe. Don't worry about getting the hole just right at this point. You will trim it flush after attaching the Inlet Pipe.
9. Sand all of the surfaces where the Inlet Pipe and Cyclone Housing will touch using 60 grit sandpaper. Clean those surfaces thoroughly with acetone after you sand them. Do NOT skip either of these steps or the inlet pipe may not adhere securely to the Cyclone Housing. Place a liberal bead of hot glue on the surface of the Inlet Pipe that will mate with the Cyclone Housing and press it to the Cyclone Housing, being careful to align it to the marked outline. Once the glue sets trim the hole flush on the inside then add an extra bead of hot glue to the outside perimeter. I was skeptical that hot glue would provide a secure bond but I've handled the prototypes very roughly and they have held up perfectly well. Hot glue provides a very secure bond as well as an airtight seal.
10. Fabricate a Filter Plug as shown below. This plug is used to compress the filter seal against the top of the Cyclone Housing when the Baffle Plate is screwed in place. The Filter Plug is included in the Dust Sheriff Hardware Kit.
9. Sand all of the surfaces where the Inlet Pipe and Cyclone Housing will touch using 60 grit sandpaper. Clean those surfaces thoroughly with acetone after you sand them. Do NOT skip either of these steps or the inlet pipe may not adhere securely to the Cyclone Housing. Place a liberal bead of hot glue on the surface of the Inlet Pipe that will mate with the Cyclone Housing and press it to the Cyclone Housing, being careful to align it to the marked outline. Once the glue sets trim the hole flush on the inside then add an extra bead of hot glue to the outside perimeter. I was skeptical that hot glue would provide a secure bond but I've handled the prototypes very roughly and they have held up perfectly well. Hot glue provides a very secure bond as well as an airtight seal.
10. Fabricate a Filter Plug as shown below. This plug is used to compress the filter seal against the top of the Cyclone Housing when the Baffle Plate is screwed in place. The Filter Plug is included in the Dust Sheriff Hardware Kit.
11. Dry fit the Outlet Pipe and make sure that it and all of the surfaces where the Outlet Pipe and Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring (if you use one) mate properly. Clean them thoroughly with acetone. Hot glue them in place making sure that the cut out of the Outlet Pipe is oriented as shown below. The orientation doesn't matter if you plan to always use the filter but if you plan to not use the filter, the Outlet Pipe opening should be oriented so that dust entering the cyclone through the Inlet Pipe can not get directly sucked in. The air enters the Inlet Pipe and circulates clockwise in the view shown below.
Add extra beads of glue around the Outlet Pipe and the Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring.
Add extra beads of glue around the Outlet Pipe and the Outlet Pipe Stiffener Ring.
12. If you plan to use the filter, install it followed by the Filter Plug, Dust Baffle Plate and Baffle Nut. The plans include a simple but very effective component that will allow your filter to last longer between cleanings. The system will perform well without it but it does provide some extra longevity.
If you don't plan to use the filter then simply attach the Dust Baffle Plate using the Baffle Nut and you are ready to go.
The Dust Sheriff Simple connects to the Dust Bin using the locking tabs on the Dust Bin Ring.
I keep my Dust Sheriff Deluxe stationary so I didn't include clamps to hold it to the Dust Bin. However, you can easily attach it simply by attaching screws or clips to the Dust Bin Ring and to the Dust Bin and use rubber bands or bungees to hold them together.
That concludes this build article. I hope you enjoyed this journey with me over the last month as I tested, developed, and retested systems until I came up with the simplest and most effective cyclone separator available.
All Shop Hacks products are designed to offer superior performance and/or lower cost than anything else available on the market. To see more products that will help you Build YOUR Space, visit the Shop Hacks Products Page now!
If you don't plan to use the filter then simply attach the Dust Baffle Plate using the Baffle Nut and you are ready to go.
The Dust Sheriff Simple connects to the Dust Bin using the locking tabs on the Dust Bin Ring.
I keep my Dust Sheriff Deluxe stationary so I didn't include clamps to hold it to the Dust Bin. However, you can easily attach it simply by attaching screws or clips to the Dust Bin Ring and to the Dust Bin and use rubber bands or bungees to hold them together.
That concludes this build article. I hope you enjoyed this journey with me over the last month as I tested, developed, and retested systems until I came up with the simplest and most effective cyclone separator available.
All Shop Hacks products are designed to offer superior performance and/or lower cost than anything else available on the market. To see more products that will help you Build YOUR Space, visit the Shop Hacks Products Page now!
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