Cyclone Dust Separator - CheapAssTech

Video Tutorial

Why You Need This

If you use a shop vac for woodworking, you know the pain: filters clog in minutes, suction drops to nothing, and you're buying $20 filters constantly. A cyclone separator solves this by spinning the dust into a bucket BEFORE it hits your vacuum.

The Benefits:

95%+ dust collection - Almost nothing reaches your filter anymore
Constant suction - No more loss of power as dust builds up
Save on filters - Filters last 20x longer, pays for itself fast
Easy disposal - Empty a bucket instead of fighting a full vacuum tank
Works with any vacuum - Shop vacs, dust collectors, even home vacuums
Increases vacuum life - Motor doesn't work as hard

Materials Needed

Item	Approx. Cost	Buy
Dust Deputy cyclone lid	$30	Amazon
5 gallon bucket with lid	$5	Harbor Freight

Note: You can build your own cyclone from scratch using PVC for ~$15 total, but the Dust Deputy lid is so cheap and works so well, it's worth it for most people. See video for DIY cyclone build.

Tools Required:

Hole saw or jigsaw (if making your own lid)
That's it!

Build Instructions

Get Your Bucket

Any 5 gallon bucket works - Home Depot, paint stores, or free from restaurants/bakeries. Make sure you have a matching lid.

Install the Cyclone Lid

If using Dust Deputy or similar pre-made lid, just replace your bucket's regular lid with it. That's literally it. If building from scratch, cut holes in lid for inlet/outlet pipes at specific angles (see video).

Connect to Tool

Tool hose → cyclone inlet port. Sawdust gets sucked in, spins around, heavy particles drop into bucket.

Connect to Vacuum

Cyclone outlet port → shop vac hose. Only fine dust makes it through to vacuum, 95% stays in bucket.

Empty When Full

When bucket fills up (takes forever compared to vacuum), just pop off lid and dump sawdust. Way easier than emptying a shop vac.

💡 Pro Tips

Ground the bucket - Static builds up. Wrap copper wire around bucket and ground it to prevent shocks and dust sticking
Clear bucket - Use a clear plastic bucket so you can see when it's getting full
Casters underneath - Mount bucket on a wheeled base for easy moving around the shop
Hose adapter kit - Buy a $10 adapter kit to fit different hose sizes. Most tools use different diameter hoses
Multiple buckets - If you separate wood species, use different colored bucket lids to keep sawdust separated
Fine dust still matters - The 5% that gets through is the dangerous stuff (small particles). Still use a good filter or respirator

How It Works

Cyclone separators use centrifugal force - same principle as a tornado. Air enters tangentially (at an angle), creating a spinning vortex. Heavy particles get thrown to the outside wall by centrifugal force and fall into the bucket. Clean air exits through the center tube to your vacuum.

Physics is cool. And it saves you money on filters.

← Browse More Cheap Tech Projects