I built something like this about 15 years ago for a small shop I had at the time. Space was a premium. I made mine double duty. It was a dust collector and also a cooler for my compressed air. The contraption was mounted over the air compressor with the fan pointing down. The box had a plywood bottom with a hole in it for the fan. The sides and top were simple squares made of 2x2's rather than plywood. The bottom was 22" square and the 2x2 squares were set in about 3/4" from the edge. Everything was just screwed together with drywall screws. I just used some packing tape, filter to filter, to hold the filters in place. When the fan is running the vacuum created sucks the filters to the frame anyway so no real need to get fancy with the holders. The compressed air cooler was 50 feet of 1/2" soft copper wrapped into a coil and suspended inside the box from the top. Short hoses connected it to compressor and the water separator/filter. The air being pulled through the filters cooled the copper coils so water in the compressed air would condense and run down into the water separator. The air then blew down over the air compressor to help cool it as well.
I'm also a content creator so I always understand the hardship. Therefore, I will always support creative and valuable content for the community and wish you more success
Loved your honesty and audibles! I can se where we tend to do things in a similar fashion. Sometimes my ideas are only in my head and changed as I go along. I have to do one these for my basement!!
I’m glad you appreciate the honest (haphazard) style I film in 😂 not a lot of takes here. For your basement I think it’d be great! Only modification I’d make is to just rebate the edges to join rather than dado like I did. You can make it more streamlined and much lighter if you take off those few inches I left around the perimeter.
Thanks for sharing. A good build that needs to be done in mine. Quick thought. Take the wire cover off the fan and turn 180 so the Lasko emblem is upright. If it bothers you. Keep up the great work. Subscribed!
Speed control would be nice for the times you apply finishes. So as not to disturb dust in the shop. I use the remotes that are sold at HD to control the on/off of Christmas lights. Great job.
Very true Kevin, I’ve actually come to the point with my shop that when finishing is occurring, I turn off all fans. I have clean air coming out of the filter but by the time the air makes it’s way around, it picked some up 😂 I know this slows curing sometimes but man I have a ton of ambient dust that always seems to get in my finish 😂 I guess that the price of living on a hazelnut farm 😂
Great project!! Tip: A sliding beam compass is easy to make from a few scraps of 3/4" pine or hardwood for large circle layouts. Cut the beams to the preferred length at 3/4"th x 1 1/2"w x your preferred length. Can make several beams different lengths for a range of diameters. The sliding pencil and center point holders can be made from small blocks of wood 1"w x 2" h x 3/4"th with one side of the 3/4" thickness relieved 1/8" from the bottom up 1 1/2" to create a ledge for the blocks to slide along the beam. Drill a close-fitting hole for the pencil (wrap with thin tape for a snug fit) thru one block, 5/16" in from the outer edge, centered on the 1"width. Next, drill a close hole, 1/2"dp for the center pin in the other block located on the center of the bottom (5/8" width) leg. and glue in a sharpened finish nail/brad with the head clipped off. A small, 2" 'c' clamp for ea. block is used to hold them to the beam.
I was wondering how to make a diy filter so I keep searching stuff like this and youtube recommend this video I can now figure out how to make one like this thank!
I designed and built something similar except: I mounted the fan on top, there's a slide on the bottom for a 20x20, and around the sides are four 14x20 filters. Works great.
Love the video, love the effort and passion. I do wonder, how heavy is that thing, and I'd rather the filters slide into the interior of the casing, removing the need for those external brackets and improving the aesthetics.
Thanks! I appreciate your kind comment! This design is pretty heavy. It was all I could do to hold it while on a ladder, getting the chain hooked up. I certainly have some ideas to improve the aesthetics and I like the idea of the filters being internal 🤔 may need to noodle on how to do that.
Nice vid. For those who want to be as safe as possible but also have somewhat limited funds this looks like a great option. Two things.. 1) you mentioned the shop temp was like low forties when you were making this. Can you feel the cold air circulating now as well when it’s running? 2) wonder if this would be just as effective on a rolling cart making accessing the filters easier and making it possible to direct above mentioned air. I don I don’t have heat in my work area either. Subbed. Thanks
Great questions! 1) absolutely. I actually use this to help circulate warm air when my wood stove is on. 2) I imagine it’d be slightly less effective because on the floor there are more objects in the way, blocking airflow. The roller idea is very nice for access though and if your shop is open enough, it may not be as impeded as I’m thinking. Sorry you don’t have heat! Hopefully you live in a warmer climate than I do or have it well insulated 😅 Glad to have you around! Welcome to the community!
Great video! I'd like to shrink the box a bit. What are your thoughts on airflow if I use 12x20 filters on the sides and bottom (and 20x20 on the back). Would reduce volume by at least 33%.
I’d recommend shrinking it as well, if it just doing a rabbet instead of a full dado. You could get darn close to 20x20. Regarding the shrink you’re talking about, I don’t see it being a massive issue, but I haven’t run any tests. I will note that within a month of using this my filters were already clogged enough to radically restrict airflow. Pulled them off and blew them out with an air compressor and it worked better. If anything, you’ll just need to do that more often.
You'll have about 68% of the filter area to work with (rough calculation because of the pleats) which will increase your time to clear by at least 30%... which still isn't too shabby. I'm thinking about a 4-sided filter, mounting flush to the ceiling (no top filter) and using 14x25 filters. That's 70% of the surface area of 5 20x20 filters, or similar to your surface area but not far displaced from the ceiling.
Great video! I just purchased the plans for this from Shop Hacks and came to realize, there weren't any videos on how to build it! So I did a quick search on YT and found you. I am a new subscriber and am looking forward to digging in to some of your videos. As a follow up, how are you liking the filter? Is it reducing that fine dust that is constantly wanting to settle on everything in the shop? Also, how long do you run it for? TIA
Hey John! Great to have you around! I’m glad you found the video helpful. I love this filter! Still get settling dust but much less of it. And I generally run it whenever I’m in the shop and turn it on when I leave. Don’t have a timer or anything on it and like the airflow while I’m in the shop. As a note, I have to clean my filters out probably every 3 months. I just use my air compressor to blow them out but that is more often than the guy/gal at shop hacks had to. And then if I was to build this again, I wouldn’t do the dados everywhere. Make the corners flush with each other so it’s a little more compact.
@@NorthwestCraftsman thanks for the feedback! Have you seen the actual plans from ShopHacks? The sides have tabs so they actually kind of interlock with each other. That’s why I was hoping to find a video of someone actually building the plans. But glad I found your channel anyway - great stuff!
Useful video. Having trouble identifying how you the cable clamp link you provided would work for 3/4" plywood, I believe the bolts for the cable clamp are not long enough, and in the video you show an Everbilt clamp, not the amazon link you provide. Would definitely appreciate seeing which Everbilt clamps you used!
Yea, sometimes I replace the links so I don’t have so many different sources for parts. Here is what I believe I used but honestly I’d go to your local home store and just measure them to make sure they’ll fit. Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing. www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-Zinc-Plated-Clamp-Set-4-Pack-43094/205883026
That seems like a good rule of thumb. I chronically undersize my pilot holes which causes this. To your other question, yea! I use it regularly and it helps a ton. I’ve noticed that I need to blow out the fillers every few months but that’s a worthwhile trade off for me.
Great question. I still get tear out but also don’t do a ton of finished plywood work. When I have, I’ve used my tracksaw which does marvels for tear out or I blue tape the back side of the plywood which is better than nothing but not perfect. Where I get the worst tear out is on warped panels that leave the back fully unsupported during the cut. So generally I try to avoid those panels (I.e. get higher quality panels)
After adding weatherstripping set the filter against it and measure how proud it is from the cabinet, face rip a block that thickness and sister it to the edge of the filter and add a pivot/twist block to that to pin the filter to the cabinet. (All scrap) You don't need a screwdriver to change the filter. A quick twist and out
How big of a necessity are the dado cuts? Is it mainly for the support or to seal the edges so no air gets in through cracks? Basically is it important enough for me to go buy dado blades if I don’t have any?
A woodworker would use strips or sticks to build a frame vks a hole in plywood to not waste material. They also make 5” deep nerve filters with the service area of all those 1” filter, that you can literally tape to a box fan and get the same thing. Cheap merv 1 on intake and merv 14+ on output.
That’s certainly another way to do it! At the time I did this, the plywood was much cheaper and I saved all the cutouts to use elsewhere. If I were to do it again, I’d do it like you suggested. Mostly to keep it lighter. I tried the box fan for a while but it doesn’t have the static pressure needed to effectively pull air through a filter. It does some, but not nearly enough. If you get a chance, you should check out ShopHacks write up on this build (I based this off their results). They put a ton of good work into it.
I’m debating building something like this and other similar designs. What do u think. I feel that the power of the fan sucks up tons and tons of dust and filters it but simultaneously creates sooo much wind that puts just as much if not more fine dust around the shop into the air the whole time that it’s running so the net effect is not so positive…
Technically you're right but as time passes the amount of dust captured should offset the amount created. May have to let fan run while shop is closed for a few days
Just wondering but do you think putting cheaper filters on the outside of the merv13 filters would make thr merv13 last a lot longer? It would filter out the larger particles so the expensive merv13 wouldnt clog quickly. Wonder if that would notably affect the fan performance
Great question. Having a pre-filter like that should help but I’m not sure how much of a functional difference it’d make. I still take mine down every few weeks and blow them out with the air compressor. I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt though.
Depends on what you're trying to filter. Most people don't need to go to the level of HEPA. If you're really concerned about fine-particle dust use a filter rated to remove PM2.5 particulate, which will still have a shorter lifespan than less restrictive filters but will get the really fine stuff that can cause lung problems (PM2.5 is the criterion used for pollution measurements, a 2.5 micron, or smaller, particle that can cause lung damage).
Great question. In the “blow air out” configuration, like mine, you’ll have better air circulation in your shop and your fan will stay cleaner. In the “blow air in” configuration, the filters act as a big diffuser so it doesn’t circulate as well as well as your fan being the first component to touch the dirty air. That being said, I don’t have any quantitative data to prove one is better than the other.
Honestly with that much extra wood I wood just mount it directly to the rafters. By a quick glance you would get like 4 to 6 inches higher and it would be even more strength.
Good work man, I almost built one of these.. supposed to have more air flow than all the commercial options on the market, how heavy did that thing end up being?
Thanks! It wasn’t nearly as heavy as heavy as I anticipated. Probably 20-30lbs. I could have shaved probably 5 off that with all the extra wood I used. It’s been about a month since I built it and the filters are already filthy. It’s amazing how much it’s pulled out.
Nice! My favorite part is when you said "My dust collector is the biggest producer of dust in my shop" 🤣 toss that nasty bag and get a HEPA filter on there! you may need a loan from the bank though.
You can, the issue you’ll run into is replacement air. If you’re fine pulling in outside air, absolutely. Just give yourself one of those passive dryer vents pointing into your shop. If you condition the air in your shop (hotter or colder) then getting a filter and dumping back into your shop is the best bet.
I've build the same as you have with Merv-13 filters. But strange enough, after the box was finished, the ventiltor is sucking up air at the front of the ventilator instead of blowing it out..., The ventilator blows it out from the outer ring of the ventilator. I've tried with ducktape to close the outer edge of the ventilator, but it's still sucking up air from the front.... It's also sucking up air through the filters, but not all... So I'm now planning to put also a filter at the front of the ventilator. Any thoughts about this issue??
That sure is an odd issue! I have had one that may be similar when my filters were too clogged to it blocked airflow and my fan "threw" the air out the edges of the fan rather than forward. Cleaned my filters and it fixed that problem but I don't think that's what you're dealing with. Do you have any photos of your setup that you could email me? A picture is worth 1000 words in a situation like this.
@@NorthwestCraftsman I'll make some pictures this evening, and email them. But, maybe you've answered my issue already. Here in Europe it's difficult to find Merv 13 filters in a panel. But I did find Merv-13 filter on a roll! So I made my own frames/panels for the filters, and made the box. I think that this filter I bought is the problem. It's just to blocked... Still strange, because the maze of the cloth is Merv-13. So I do hope, there is another problem.
@@NorthwestCraftsman Yes, when I bought the fan, I plugged it in, and it was blowing like crazy! But now in the box with filters it sucks up air from the front...It blows air out at the edges of the Fan. Just above the blades. I've already contacted the seller of the Merv 13 filters, to see if the filters I bought block the airflow.
@@lauriebrennan1195 here is a video that I made a little while ago that goes over my primary dust collection system. It is not exactly specific to each one of my tools, but might spark a couple of ideas for you. Feel free to comment back if you have specific questions, I am also getting ready to redo my entire shop, so I have been thinking about this a lot lately too. 4in, PVC Dust Collection Upgrade | Much Better! czcams.com/video/pHl5nf__5VI/video.html
😂 no worries at all. Shop is about 5300cuft and I haven’t measured the CFM rating on the fan but from the box it’s rated at 3650CFM. Likely an over estimate but should cycle the shop well. I can say in person it definitely creates a circular current in the shop. Won’t likely reach all the corners but it’s much better than it was and I already cleaned the filters out once. Holy cow we’re they caked already 😂
Great build. The problem is to maximize dust filtering you should only use one, or two filters max. With that much filter surface getting enough suction to effectively catch the dust is unlikely. It is like trying to drink a soda through a garden hose rather than a straw. With only one filter the air movement from the fan would be the same, however the suction through the filter is greater and would capture more dust.
Thanks! I'd definitely make a few changes to it if I were to do it again. Mostly making it a little more streamlined and "right sized" instead of oversized like it is now. Regarding the filters, is the assumption that a higher air velocity through the filters will more effectively entrain the dust? My understanding was that the same volume of air will flow through the box but at lower resistance because of more filters. Same amount of dust being caught, just easier on the fan (maximizing flow rate), and spreading the dust between all the filters. Truly curious. Thanks!
That is also a good idea 😂 I’m trying to remember why I didn’t and can’t think of the reason. It may have been because it would have required me to disassemble the fan.
Awesome! I blow my filters out every month or so but otherwise no maintenance. I would streamline it a little more by designing it to just fit the filters though, it’s pretty bulky.
I was watching your video sir next time try putting a nail in your center tie a string to the nail in a loop at the end so that your pencil will fit in it and spin freely and make your circle like that
That’s a great idea. My concern was getting the exact length that I needed with the loops. However, I certainly could’ve gotten more creative with my knots 😂
You don’t really need the wood. It just adds size, weight, complexity and cost to the build. The filters alone will have enough structural integrity if just glue 5 of them together
@@NorthwestCraftsman I was thinking you could have one permanent, fixed panel for the fan supporting the mounting hardware. Then 5 filter panels glued together for the other sides of the cube. If you want to be able to detach them for cleaning you might need to get a bit creative. Perhaps 3M velcro tape or some type of brackets
Don’t wrap it. Loop the string and Tie a knot for both ends to make a fixed loop then as you go around, the string will just spin around the nail and sharpie.
Great question and very much so! It’s absolutely cut down on my airborne dust. Only adjustment I’d make is to slim it out more. None of the extras around the edges and make it just big enough for the fans and filters.
Nope. Get a canister filter and mount a fan of the same diameter on top. Do you want it to be mobile put casters on the bottom. Enclosures are totally unnecessary
@NorthwestCraftsman not my idea, but it WORKS. You have a platform, get the idea out there! Cool to see people who grind and adapt and take an idea forward and then share it. Best filtration system ever. Love mine~! Made my little 250 sq ft garage so much more livable and creative
This is interesting but for the one issue - your are pumping air around you shop which is unfiltered and the dust which is filtered ends up on the outside of your system... solution is to reverse the fan and make it suck air into a filter box. This way the filtered dust is contained and you only have to remove and clean, or ultimately replace, the filters when required. Other than this the whole set-up is great.
Not sure I understand. The air is filtered coming into the box and then clean air blows out the fan side. My thoughts on doing it this way were: 1. It provides more directed airflow on the exit which induces more circular airflow through my shop (I’ve actually felt this), entraining more dust. If the filters were the exit, it’d “muffle” the exiting air. 2. The fan only interacts with clean air which keeps it operating more efficiently I haven’t run into any issues with the dust being on the outside of the system, with the filters, it’s pretty well stuck on their until I take them outside and blow them out. Interesting idea though, make me wonder if in a larger shop you could do a two tan system to get the benefits of the directed airflow while more fully containing the dust 🤔
@@NorthwestCraftsman I guess there are positives in both methods. My inclination is to capture the dust INSIDE the enclosure, but I can see the value of doing so outside - e.g you could actually simply vacuum the dust away to clean the filters, which would be more difficult if the dust is on the inside. My main issue with having the air being pumped outwards is only instinctive, and it is due to the idea of a strong wind blowing any dust around as opposed to sucking it into a filtered box. I am no technician but it seems more logical to me to suck the air in and then dissipate it out after filtration, BUT in a more dispersed manner thereby causing less likelihood of undisturbed settled dust from becoming airborne. It means that your system is simply used in reverse but as to the end-result advantages of this... I am not sure.
@selianboy8508 so what you're saying is to reverse the fan and basically inflate the box with dust laden air? Not sure how effective that would be as the filters collect dust. The backpressure against the fan would limit airflow. Just my 2 cents...
@@MrDmorgan52 it is actually pretty much how most dust collection works. There is no backpressure as the filtration system should be cleaned anyway. All vacuums work in this way for example albeit in a more 'direct' fashion. They collect the dust vacuumed up inside the container and not on the outside. But there are benefits both ways around when all said and done.
Less talking and more building. You spend WAY to much time explaining all the little details. I couldn't watch after the dado explanation. Found someone else's video, 5 minutes, voice over, the guy had filter you and running.
Sorry my balance of explanation and building wasn’t quite right for you. It’s pretty hard to hit that balance for everyone because even on this video, I’ve gotten comments thanking me for the time that I spent going through the dado stack. However, I am glad you were able to find a video you were looking for!
WAY too many commercials. Are you trying to make a million dollars off of this video? I can’t finish watching it. Nice concept though. Better than most I’ve seen.
Oh my word I’m sorry, I don’t actually get much control over that. CZcams places the ad’s, I only have control over: - Whether I want ad’s or not - What type of ad’s to place (Banner at the bottom, shippable ads, or unskippable) I generally opt for the skippable ads for exactly the reason you described. Thanks for the compliment! Can’t take full credit, Shop Hacks really put the concept together, I just made it work for my space. If you have seen their read up, highly recommended.
I built something like this about 15 years ago for a small shop I had at the time. Space was a premium. I made mine double duty. It was a dust collector and also a cooler for my compressed air. The contraption was mounted over the air compressor with the fan pointing down. The box had a plywood bottom with a hole in it for the fan. The sides and top were simple squares made of 2x2's rather than plywood. The bottom was 22" square and the 2x2 squares were set in about 3/4" from the edge. Everything was just screwed together with drywall screws. I just used some packing tape, filter to filter, to hold the filters in place. When the fan is running the vacuum created sucks the filters to the frame anyway so no real need to get fancy with the holders.
The compressed air cooler was 50 feet of 1/2" soft copper wrapped into a coil and suspended inside the box from the top. Short hoses connected it to compressor and the water separator/filter. The air being pulled through the filters cooled the copper coils so water in the compressed air would condense and run down into the water separator. The air then blew down over the air compressor to help cool it as well.
That's a genius idea! When a get a larger air compressor I may consider that.
Wow this is an incredibly well thought out design!
I'm also a content creator so I always understand the hardship. Therefore, I will always support creative and valuable content for the community and wish you more success
The Corsi-Rosenthal box filters are amazing. They're better than anything you can buy, under $1k!
Well done!!!
Thanks! I totally agree. It’s been amazing
Loved your honesty and audibles! I can se where we tend to do things in a similar fashion. Sometimes my ideas are only
in my head and changed as I go along. I have to do one these for my basement!!
I’m glad you appreciate the honest (haphazard) style I film in 😂 not a lot of takes here. For your basement I think it’d be great! Only modification I’d make is to just rebate the edges to join rather than dado like I did. You can make it more streamlined and much lighter if you take off those few inches I left around the perimeter.
Thanks for sharing. A good build that needs to be done in mine. Quick thought. Take the wire cover off the fan and turn 180 so the Lasko emblem is upright. If it bothers you. Keep up the great work. Subscribed!
Explaining how the dato stack works was really good. Nobody does that. Thanks
Glad I could help! It’s always a balance on how deep to go at each step.
Speed control would be nice for the times you apply finishes. So as not to disturb dust in the shop. I use the remotes that are sold at HD to control the on/off of Christmas lights. Great job.
Very true Kevin, I’ve actually come to the point with my shop that when finishing is occurring, I turn off all fans. I have clean air coming out of the filter but by the time the air makes it’s way around, it picked some up 😂 I know this slows curing sometimes but man I have a ton of ambient dust that always seems to get in my finish 😂 I guess that the price of living on a hazelnut farm 😂
Great video❤
I’m making one of these for sure … thanks for sharing!
Glad you liked it! It’s been an awesome addition to the shop!
Great project!! Tip: A sliding beam compass is easy to make from a few scraps of 3/4" pine or hardwood for large circle layouts. Cut the beams to the preferred length at 3/4"th x 1 1/2"w x your preferred length. Can make several beams different lengths for a range of diameters. The sliding pencil and center point holders can be made from small blocks of wood 1"w x 2" h x 3/4"th with one side of the 3/4" thickness relieved 1/8" from the bottom up 1 1/2" to create a ledge for the blocks to slide along the beam. Drill a close-fitting hole for the pencil (wrap with thin tape for a snug fit) thru one block, 5/16" in from the outer edge, centered on the 1"width. Next, drill a close hole, 1/2"dp for the center pin in the other block located on the center of the bottom (5/8" width) leg. and glue in a sharpened finish nail/brad with the head clipped off. A small, 2" 'c' clamp for ea. block is used to hold them to the beam.
That’s a great idea! I’ll have to try that next time. Also, very well described.
I was wondering how to make a diy filter so I keep searching stuff like this and youtube recommend this video I can now figure out how to make one like this thank!
Awesome! Glad you found it helpful! I also recommend the Shop Hacks article on this type of build, it was an exhaustive review!
I like how you kept it real on the size… that thing was big 🤣 nice video man
Oh it’s gigantic 😂 glad you enjoyed the video!
you have so much space! . with a bit of work that place could be awesome!
I’m very blessed to have the shop I do! Working to slowly improve it over time 😊
And there she blows (c)
You've made my day - thank you!
😂 glad I could help!
Great project!
Thanks!
I designed and built something similar except: I mounted the fan on top, there's a slide on the bottom for a 20x20, and around the sides are four 14x20 filters. Works great.
Interesting! Do you blow into the box or out with the fan?
Love the video, love the effort and passion. I do wonder, how heavy is that thing, and I'd rather the filters slide into the interior of the casing, removing the need for those external brackets and improving the aesthetics.
Thanks! I appreciate your kind comment! This design is pretty heavy. It was all I could do to hold it while on a ladder, getting the chain hooked up. I certainly have some ideas to improve the aesthetics and I like the idea of the filters being internal 🤔 may need to noodle on how to do that.
Nice vid. For those who want to be as safe as possible but also have somewhat limited funds this looks like a great option.
Two things..
1) you mentioned the shop temp was like low forties when you were making this. Can you feel the cold air circulating now as well when it’s running?
2) wonder if this would be just as effective on a rolling cart making accessing the filters easier and making it possible to direct above mentioned air. I don
I don’t have heat in my work area either.
Subbed.
Thanks
Great questions!
1) absolutely. I actually use this to help circulate warm air when my wood stove is on.
2) I imagine it’d be slightly less effective because on the floor there are more objects in the way, blocking airflow. The roller idea is very nice for access though and if your shop is open enough, it may not be as impeded as I’m thinking.
Sorry you don’t have heat! Hopefully you live in a warmer climate than I do or have it well insulated 😅
Glad to have you around! Welcome to the community!
Great video! I'd like to shrink the box a bit. What are your thoughts on airflow if I use 12x20 filters on the sides and bottom (and 20x20 on the back). Would reduce volume by at least 33%.
I’d recommend shrinking it as well, if it just doing a rabbet instead of a full dado. You could get darn close to 20x20.
Regarding the shrink you’re talking about, I don’t see it being a massive issue, but I haven’t run any tests. I will note that within a month of using this my filters were already clogged enough to radically restrict airflow. Pulled them off and blew them out with an air compressor and it worked better. If anything, you’ll just need to do that more often.
You'll have about 68% of the filter area to work with (rough calculation because of the pleats) which will increase your time to clear by at least 30%... which still isn't too shabby.
I'm thinking about a 4-sided filter, mounting flush to the ceiling (no top filter) and using 14x25 filters. That's 70% of the surface area of 5 20x20 filters, or similar to your surface area but not far displaced from the ceiling.
Great video! I just purchased the plans for this from Shop Hacks and came to realize, there weren't any videos on how to build it! So I did a quick search on YT and found you. I am a new subscriber and am looking forward to digging in to some of your videos.
As a follow up, how are you liking the filter? Is it reducing that fine dust that is constantly wanting to settle on everything in the shop? Also, how long do you run it for? TIA
Hey John! Great to have you around! I’m glad you found the video helpful.
I love this filter! Still get settling dust but much less of it. And I generally run it whenever I’m in the shop and turn it on when I leave. Don’t have a timer or anything on it and like the airflow while I’m in the shop.
As a note, I have to clean my filters out probably every 3 months. I just use my air compressor to blow them out but that is more often than the guy/gal at shop hacks had to. And then if I was to build this again, I wouldn’t do the dados everywhere. Make the corners flush with each other so it’s a little more compact.
@@NorthwestCraftsman thanks for the feedback! Have you seen the actual plans from ShopHacks? The sides have tabs so they actually kind of interlock with each other. That’s why I was hoping to find a video of someone actually building the plans. But glad I found your channel anyway - great stuff!
I bought the build plans and then modified them to fit my needs more. So they became more like “guidelines”
nice!!!
Useful video. Having trouble identifying how you the cable clamp link you provided would work for 3/4" plywood, I believe the bolts for the cable clamp are not long enough, and in the video you show an Everbilt clamp, not the amazon link you provide. Would definitely appreciate seeing which Everbilt clamps you used!
Yea, sometimes I replace the links so I don’t have so many different sources for parts. Here is what I believe I used but honestly I’d go to your local home store and just measure them to make sure they’ll fit.
Your friend has shared a link to a Home Depot product they think you would be interested in seeing.
www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-4-in-Zinc-Plated-Clamp-Set-4-Pack-43094/205883026
Drill a pilot hole for the big hooks. Makes life a lot easier. I usually use a drill 1/2 the size of the hook threads.
That seems like a good rule of thumb. I chronically undersize my pilot holes which causes this.
To your other question, yea! I use it regularly and it helps a ton. I’ve noticed that I need to blow out the fillers every few months but that’s a worthwhile trade off for me.
@@NorthwestCraftsman I may have missed it--what is the rating on the filters you used?
@@shop99erMerv 13
Thanks for the video. How are you cutting plywood on the table saw without having to do score cuts to avoid tear out?
Great question. I still get tear out but also don’t do a ton of finished plywood work. When I have, I’ve used my tracksaw which does marvels for tear out or I blue tape the back side of the plywood which is better than nothing but not perfect. Where I get the worst tear out is on warped panels that leave the back fully unsupported during the cut. So generally I try to avoid those panels (I.e. get higher quality panels)
After adding weatherstripping set the filter against it and measure how proud it is from the cabinet, face rip a block that thickness and sister it to the edge of the filter and add a pivot/twist block to that to pin the filter to the cabinet. (All scrap) You don't need a screwdriver to change the filter. A quick twist and out
That’s a great idea! I want to get better about making fixtures like this.
Offset clips…thanks for the tip!👍
Glad you found it helpful!
@@NorthwestCraftsman where can i found them
@@davidfeldman7315
Here are the 1/8in clips I used
amzn.to/3W7xNcR
And here are the 1in clips I used
amzn.to/4cDMPOr
All is ok BUT. The music is VERY loud.
Yes, I’m sorry, totally messed up my mixing on this one and CZcams doesn’t let me go back and change the sound.
How big of a necessity are the dado cuts? Is it mainly for the support or to seal the edges so no air gets in through cracks? Basically is it important enough for me to go buy dado blades if I don’t have any?
Not needed at all. Just helps with alignment. If you do it all out of 3/4, I may do pocket screws
A woodworker would use strips or sticks to build a frame vks a hole in plywood to not waste material. They also make 5” deep nerve filters with the service area of all those 1” filter, that you can literally tape to a box fan and get the same thing. Cheap merv 1 on intake and merv 14+ on output.
That’s certainly another way to do it! At the time I did this, the plywood was much cheaper and I saved all the cutouts to use elsewhere. If I were to do it again, I’d do it like you suggested. Mostly to keep it lighter.
I tried the box fan for a while but it doesn’t have the static pressure needed to effectively pull air through a filter. It does some, but not nearly enough.
If you get a chance, you should check out ShopHacks write up on this build (I based this off their results). They put a ton of good work into it.
@@NorthwestCraftsman you got that plywood cheaper than a 2x4?
Nope, but it wasn’t the wildly expensive you see now.
I’m debating building something like this and other similar designs. What do u think. I feel that the power of the fan sucks up tons and tons of dust and filters it but simultaneously creates sooo much wind that puts just as much if not more fine dust around the shop into the air the whole time that it’s running so the net effect is not so positive…
My experience has been nothing but positive with this in my shop. I think it’s 100% worth building one.
@@NorthwestCraftsman thanks!
Technically you're right but as time passes the amount of dust captured should offset the amount created. May have to let fan run while shop is closed for a few days
@@MrDmorgan52 hmm good point
J'ever think of a piece of stable stiff material to make your circle layout?
Yea 😂 someone else pointed that out. Next time!
Just wondering but do you think putting cheaper filters on the outside of the merv13 filters would make thr merv13 last a lot longer? It would filter out the larger particles so the expensive merv13 wouldnt clog quickly. Wonder if that would notably affect the fan performance
Great question. Having a pre-filter like that should help but I’m not sure how much of a functional difference it’d make. I still take mine down every few weeks and blow them out with the air compressor. I’m sure it wouldn’t hurt though.
What are the disadvantages of using HEPA filters? The short lifespan and price of MERV 8-13 filters is quite chilling.
Great question. Biggest downsides are shorter life (like you mentioned) and more restricted airflow (read as, less effective)
Depends on what you're trying to filter. Most people don't need to go to the level of HEPA. If you're really concerned about fine-particle dust use a filter rated to remove PM2.5 particulate, which will still have a shorter lifespan than less restrictive filters but will get the really fine stuff that can cause lung problems (PM2.5 is the criterion used for pollution measurements, a 2.5 micron, or smaller, particle that can cause lung damage).
What is the difference between blowing the air into the filters or sucking the air through? I have seen both builds.
Great question. In the “blow air out” configuration, like mine, you’ll have better air circulation in your shop and your fan will stay cleaner. In the “blow air in” configuration, the filters act as a big diffuser so it doesn’t circulate as well as well as your fan being the first component to touch the dirty air. That being said, I don’t have any quantitative data to prove one is better than the other.
Pilot hole, what would Carlos say?
I always pre-drill for eye hooks, eye bolts and lag bolts. I use a bit that is a little smaller than the root of the screw threads.
Yea, I definitely went too small on these.
What do you think about making it from plastic?
Totally could if you have the means for working with plastic. I’m assuming you’re thinking of plastic sheeting?
Does that dust collector work at all with those long duct runs?
Sure does! Works way better than the shop vac I had. I’ll increase the horse power at some point but for now my 1HP works well 😊
Honestly with that much extra wood I wood just mount it directly to the rafters. By a quick glance you would get like 4 to 6 inches higher and it would be even more strength.
You are absolutely correct! If I was to do this over again, I would slim it down by quite a large margin
Good work man, I almost built one of these.. supposed to have more air flow than all the commercial options on the market, how heavy did that thing end up being?
Thanks! It wasn’t nearly as heavy as heavy as I anticipated. Probably 20-30lbs. I could have shaved probably 5 off that with all the extra wood I used. It’s been about a month since I built it and the filters are already filthy. It’s amazing how much it’s pulled out.
Nice! My favorite part is when you said "My dust collector is the biggest producer of dust in my shop" 🤣 toss that nasty bag and get a HEPA filter on there! you may need a loan from the bank though.
Yea 😂 it’s the cost that’s held me back. That and I’d like a two stage system so I don’t just immediately clog the filter.
Can you pipe your dust catcher outside?
You can, the issue you’ll run into is replacement air. If you’re fine pulling in outside air, absolutely. Just give yourself one of those passive dryer vents pointing into your shop. If you condition the air in your shop (hotter or colder) then getting a filter and dumping back into your shop is the best bet.
I built one like this my fan over heated and stopped running very hot.
I've build the same as you have with Merv-13 filters. But strange enough, after the box was finished, the ventiltor is sucking up air at the front of the ventilator instead of blowing it out..., The ventilator blows it out from the outer ring of the ventilator. I've tried with ducktape to close the outer edge of the ventilator, but it's still sucking up air from the front.... It's also sucking up air through the filters, but not all... So I'm now planning to put also a filter at the front of the ventilator. Any thoughts about this issue??
That sure is an odd issue! I have had one that may be similar when my filters were too clogged to it blocked airflow and my fan "threw" the air out the edges of the fan rather than forward. Cleaned my filters and it fixed that problem but I don't think that's what you're dealing with. Do you have any photos of your setup that you could email me? A picture is worth 1000 words in a situation like this.
@@NorthwestCraftsman I'll make some pictures this evening, and email them. But, maybe you've answered my issue already. Here in Europe it's difficult to find Merv 13 filters in a panel. But I did find Merv-13 filter on a roll! So I made my own frames/panels for the filters, and made the box. I think that this filter I bought is the problem. It's just to blocked... Still strange, because the maze of the cloth is Merv-13. So I do hope, there is another problem.
Interesting! That could be the case. Does it run smoothly with no filter cloth in place?
@@NorthwestCraftsman Yes, when I bought the fan, I plugged it in, and it was blowing like crazy! But now in the box with filters it sucks up air from the front...It blows air out at the edges of the Fan. Just above the blades. I've already contacted the seller of the Merv 13 filters, to see if the filters I bought block the airflow.
Hey Michael! I got your email but when I replied I got a "full inbox error"
Could have used the front grille and set it on the plywood as a guide for your circle
😂 sure could have! That’s a great idea.
@NorthwestCraftsman I did it for my version I made, I used the 3" filters though
Get a Wynn canister filter for your DC and you will be amazed!
Oh I plan on it! I want to upgrade this system to a 2 stage collector with a filter on the outlet.
After stopping, does the dust fall back from the lower filter?
Great question! And in my experience with the filter, no, it all stays trapped in the pleats until I remove the filter and blow it out
Thanks!@@NorthwestCraftsman
Like it, but, think you need a cheap pre filter going into the fan.... to protect the fan motor......
The fan only pulls clean air through it so it should never see dust. If I reversed the fan, I 100% agree.
@NorthwestCraftsman do you have a video on your dust collection system to some of your tools? I'm just setting up mine and looking for info.
@@lauriebrennan1195 here is a video that I made a little while ago that goes over my primary dust collection system. It is not exactly specific to each one of my tools, but might spark a couple of ideas for you. Feel free to comment back if you have specific questions, I am also getting ready to redo my entire shop, so I have been thinking about this a lot lately too.
4in, PVC Dust Collection Upgrade | Much Better!
czcams.com/video/pHl5nf__5VI/video.html
How many cubic feet is your shop, and how many cfm’s does the fan pull? Will your filtration unit draw air from all areas of your shop?
I forgot to say “Great video “.
😂 no worries at all. Shop is about 5300cuft and I haven’t measured the CFM rating on the fan but from the box it’s rated at 3650CFM. Likely an over estimate but should cycle the shop well. I can say in person it definitely creates a circular current in the shop. Won’t likely reach all the corners but it’s much better than it was and I already cleaned the filters out once. Holy cow we’re they caked already 😂
Would pre filters help? This project is on my bucket list, great job, great video!
Thanks! Pre-filters would help but I’m not sure they’re necessary 😊 and do it sooner rather than later, my air quality is so much better.
@@NorthwestCraftsmanprobably picking up dust that has just been floating around?
Put a loop at the screw
Are you talking about putting a loop in the chain to go around the eye hooks?
Great build. The problem is to maximize dust filtering you should only use one, or two filters max. With that much filter surface getting enough suction to effectively catch the dust is unlikely. It is like trying to drink a soda through a garden hose rather than a straw. With only one filter the air movement from the fan would be the same, however the suction through the filter is greater and would capture more dust.
Thanks! I'd definitely make a few changes to it if I were to do it again. Mostly making it a little more streamlined and "right sized" instead of oversized like it is now.
Regarding the filters, is the assumption that a higher air velocity through the filters will more effectively entrain the dust? My understanding was that the same volume of air will flow through the box but at lower resistance because of more filters. Same amount of dust being caught, just easier on the fan (maximizing flow rate), and spreading the dust between all the filters. Truly curious. Thanks!
More filters (more surface area) will actually increase airflow. You may be thinking of stacking filters (pre-filtering)
Or trace around the circular part
That is also a good idea 😂 I’m trying to remember why I didn’t and can’t think of the reason. It may have been because it would have required me to disassemble the fan.
Got an update?
Why didn't you attach the fan from the outside of the box?
Great question! I did it this way so that if it decided to fall out, it’d fall into the box rather than onto the ground.
How has it held up?
Awesome! I blow my filters out every month or so but otherwise no maintenance. I would streamline it a little more by designing it to just fit the filters though, it’s pretty bulky.
or get a exhaust ceiling fan instead of electric fan?
That would work as well, that’d be a beefy system!
12:45
I was watching your video sir next time try putting a nail in your center tie a string to the nail in a loop at the end so that your pencil will fit in it and spin freely and make your circle like that
That’s a great idea. My concern was getting the exact length that I needed with the loops. However, I certainly could’ve gotten more creative with my knots 😂
Paint stick and 2 holes
Mmmm, great idea!
31:38
You don’t really need the wood. It just adds size, weight, complexity and cost to the build. The filters alone will have enough structural integrity if just glue 5 of them together
Interesting idea! Only issues I see are holding the weight of the fan and cleaning out the filters. Unless you treat the filters as one time use.
@@NorthwestCraftsman I was thinking you could have one permanent, fixed panel for the fan supporting the mounting hardware. Then 5 filter panels glued together for the other sides of the cube. If you want to be able to detach them for cleaning you might need to get a bit creative. Perhaps 3M velcro tape or some type of brackets
Huh! Yea, that is an interesting idea 🤔
How is this unit doing now?
Great! I clean the filters out every few months but love how well it circulates air.
@@NorthwestCraftsman
Cool I’m gonna do the same one man I like your set up only mines going to be slimmer
lol
Merry Christmas
Please do 😂 that’s absolutely one thing I’d change 😂
Don’t wrap it. Loop the string and Tie a knot for both ends to make a fixed loop then as you go around, the string will just spin around the nail and sharpie.
Yea, the issue I had with that, thinking back, is getting exactly the right length while tying knots. Thinking about it more, there are ways 😂
@@NorthwestCraftsman taut line hitch should work or something similar
Building a simple circle cutting jig is time well spent.
@@dougprentice1363 After this video I bought one and it is definitely worth the money haha
Should have made a jig dude
l see you put your filters in sdrawkcab backwards 🍻
Did I? The flow direction shows into the filter box
WRONG
So, a year later... Still happy with this setup?
Great question and very much so! It’s absolutely cut down on my airborne dust. Only adjustment I’d make is to slim it out more. None of the extras around the edges and make it just big enough for the fans and filters.
Nice project but too much waffle
Thanks! I’m confused what you mean by waffle though? 😂
Nope. Get a canister filter and mount a fan of the same diameter on top. Do you want it to be mobile put casters on the bottom. Enclosures are totally unnecessary
Huh! Thats a great idea! Hadn’t even thought about that one.
@NorthwestCraftsman not my idea, but it WORKS. You have a platform, get the idea out there! Cool to see people who grind and adapt and take an idea forward and then share it. Best filtration system ever. Love mine~! Made my little 250 sq ft garage so much more livable and creative
This is interesting but for the one issue - your are pumping air around you shop which is unfiltered and the dust which is filtered ends up on the outside of your system... solution is to reverse the fan and make it suck air into a filter box. This way the filtered dust is contained and you only have to remove and clean, or ultimately replace, the filters when required. Other than this the whole set-up is great.
Not sure I understand. The air is filtered coming into the box and then clean air blows out the fan side. My thoughts on doing it this way were:
1. It provides more directed airflow on the exit which induces more circular airflow through my shop (I’ve actually felt this), entraining more dust. If the filters were the exit, it’d “muffle” the exiting air.
2. The fan only interacts with clean air which keeps it operating more efficiently
I haven’t run into any issues with the dust being on the outside of the system, with the filters, it’s pretty well stuck on their until I take them outside and blow them out.
Interesting idea though, make me wonder if in a larger shop you could do a two tan system to get the benefits of the directed airflow while more fully containing the dust 🤔
@@NorthwestCraftsman I guess there are positives in both methods. My inclination is to capture the dust INSIDE the enclosure, but I can see the value of doing so outside - e.g you could actually simply vacuum the dust away to clean the filters, which would be more difficult if the dust is on the inside.
My main issue with having the air being pumped outwards is only instinctive, and it is due to the idea of a strong wind blowing any dust around as opposed to sucking it into a filtered box.
I am no technician but it seems more logical to me to suck the air in and then dissipate it out after filtration, BUT in a more dispersed manner thereby causing less likelihood of undisturbed settled dust from becoming airborne.
It means that your system is simply used in reverse but as to the end-result advantages of this... I am not sure.
Yea, I totally see your point. Pros and cons to both.
Thanks for the detailed discussion!
@selianboy8508 so what you're saying is to reverse the fan and basically inflate the box with dust laden air? Not sure how effective that would be as the filters collect dust. The backpressure against the fan would limit airflow. Just my 2 cents...
@@MrDmorgan52 it is actually pretty much how most dust collection works. There is no backpressure as the filtration system should be cleaned anyway. All vacuums work in this way for example albeit in a more 'direct' fashion. They collect the dust vacuumed up inside the container and not on the outside.
But there are benefits both ways around when all said and done.
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Faithfulness without rest.
I’ve never heard that translation of it before, which one is that?
@@NorthwestCraftsman The faithfulness without rest is my interpretation of that verse. But the version itself is King James.
Good video, but blew my ears off.
I’m so sorry 😅 the audio mixing was messed up and I can’t adjust it after the fact on CZcams
please no guitar intro, the finger sliding noise makes my teeth hurt
Thanks for letting me know!
Less talking and more building.
You spend WAY to much time explaining all the little details.
I couldn't watch after the dado explanation.
Found someone else's video, 5 minutes, voice over, the guy had filter you and running.
Sorry my balance of explanation and building wasn’t quite right for you. It’s pretty hard to hit that balance for everyone because even on this video, I’ve gotten comments thanking me for the time that I spent going through the dado stack. However, I am glad you were able to find a video you were looking for!
next video, fix divider
Yea, my divider was actually fine, what was wrong was I tried using it as a compass 😂 wrong tool for the job 😂
WAY too many commercials. Are you trying to make a million dollars off of this video? I can’t finish watching it.
Nice concept though. Better than most I’ve seen.
Oh my word I’m sorry, I don’t actually get much control over that. CZcams places the ad’s, I only have control over:
- Whether I want ad’s or not
- What type of ad’s to place (Banner at the bottom, shippable ads, or unskippable)
I generally opt for the skippable ads for exactly the reason you described.
Thanks for the compliment! Can’t take full credit, Shop Hacks really put the concept together, I just made it work for my space. If you have seen their read up, highly recommended.