Dust Collector Made From a Leaf Vacuum

Welcome to the DIY Dust Collector Instructable!

My shop needed a dust collector, but I didn't want to shell out $300+ for a commercial one. Luckily, I had an old leaf vacuum that I wasn't using anymore, so I built my own dust collector! My shop is small and my saws move around, so I also made the dust collector mobile.

Many of the products in this project are being reused: the leaf vacuum, bucket and lid, trash can and lid, funnel, old table, and some of the hardware. The lumber, filter bag, casters, 4" take-off collar, and hardware cost me about $60.

Tools:

Hearing protection (earmuffs or earplugs)

Safety glasses

Cut-resistant gloves

Saw (ideal: table saw, miter saw, circular saw, and jigsaw/ minimum: jigsaw and hand saw)

Utility knife

Snips

Drill with drill bits (minimum 3/16" up to 1/2")

Permanent marker

Pencil

Adjustable wrench

3D printer (optional)

Heat gun or space heater (optional)

Wood clamps (optional)

Sandpaper and files (optional)

Woodworking compass (optional)

Router (optional)

Materials:

Tip: Some of these items (especially the leaf vacuum) can be found on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist

Leaf Vacuum with metal impeller

Dust filter bag

18" worm drive clamp (or longer)

5-gallon bucket (preferably semi-clear or clear) with lid

4" duct collar

10" funnel

20-gallon trash can (or larger) with lid

Lumber Tip: ask an employee at your local home improvement store if they have a discount lumber pile. They may have defects, but they are usually heavily discounted.

Old table or 2' x 2' plywood

1' x 1' plywood

2" x 2" x 8' board (or longer)

2" x 4" x 6' board (or longer)

Casters (hardware included), quantity: 4

#10-24 x 1/2" screws, quantity: 13

#10-24 lock nut, quantity: 13

#6 x 1/2" screws, quantity: 4

1/2"-13 x 1/2" bolts (or any large-diameter bolt, 1/2" long), quantity: 2

1/2"-13 nuts (or any large-diameter--must match bolt, above), quantity: 2

#10 x 1" screws (or longer), quantity: 8

3" (or longer) screws, quantity: 12

Washers to go with the 3" screws, above, quantity: 4

3/8"-16 x 1-1/2" bolts (or any large-diameter bolt, 1-1/2" long), quantity: 3

3/8"-16 nuts (or any large-diameter--must match bolt, above), quantity: 3

3/8" x 1-1/2" washers (or any large-diameter--must match bolt, above), quantity: 6

J-B Weld PlasticWeld

Power cord

20-gallon trash bags

4" starting collar

HVAC foil tape, preferably butyl, NOT household duct tape

Sealant

Sticker letters

Thread locker (optional)

Supplies:

Paper bowls

Popsicle sticks

Disposable gloves (optional)

The first video shows the dust collector in action, and the second video shows how it disassembles for emptying.

• Always wear safety glasses and hearing protection when cutting, sanding, or using an impact driver.
• Wear cut-resistant gloves when working with metal ducting.
• Wear hearing protection when running the dust collector.

It's important to seal the main chamber of the dust collector and use a dust collector filter bag for the output. These bags have pore sizes that are 5 microns or smaller, keeping the most harmful particles from reaching your lungs. Here is an article published by the EPA describing the health effects of breathing particulate matter.

FineWoodworking.com has a great article and graphic explaining how cyclone dust collectors work. In my design, the middle, bucket chamber is where the inlet pulls dust in. Larger pieces fall down into the garbage can and particulate is pulled up through the leaf vacuum and into the filter bag.

This dust collector requires you to make two custom parts that will need to be 3d printed (files attached here). If you don't have access to a 3d printer, there are many services online that can print parts for you. I'd also suggest checking online and seeing if your local university has any 3d-printing services.

You will need two nut mounts and one 4-in duct collar bucket mount.

The next step is to build the base, the upright support, and attach the garbage can.

1. If you are using an old table for the base, start by cutting the legs off with a circular saw, jig saw, or hand saw. Otherwise, start with a 2'x2' piece of plywood.
2. Attach a caster to each corner on the bottom of the base with the included hardware and a drill (see 2nd and 3rd images). Tip: To prevent cracking the wood, predrill the holes for the screws with a drill bit slightly smaller than the diameter of the screws (the same tip goes for the rest of the instructable when screwing into wood).
3. Build the upright support with a 2"x4"x6' board. Follow the included technical drawing for dimensions (see 1st, 4th, and 5th images).
4. Cut a 48" piece, a 5" piece, a 4.75" piece, and a 12" piece from the 2"x4"x8' board.
5. Cut mirrored 45-degree angles on the two ends of the 12" piece (see 1st image).
6. Attach the 48" piece to the base with two 3" (or longer screws). You will be drilling the screws through the bottom of the base and up into the 48" piece.
7. Attach the 12" piece to the base and upright with two screws for each.
8. Attach the two smaller pieces to the upright with two screws for each. Tip: If you have them available, clamps make this step much easier (see 6th and 7th images).
9. Mix up a small amount of J-B Weld Plasticweld in a disposable bowl and spread a very small amount on one face of each of the 12"-13 nuts with a popsicle stick. Be careful not to get any into the threads of the nut. I recommend wearing disposable gloves when working with Plasticweld.
10. Insert the glued faces of the nuts into the Nut Mount 3d prints (see 8th image). Check again to make sure there isn't any glue in the threads.
11. Attach the nut mounts to the ends of the small boards on the upright with four #10 x 1" screws. Don't overtighten or the 3d print could crack. The sides with the nut visible should face the boards. The 3d prints should be centered on the ends of the boards. (see 9th and 10th images).
12. Drill three holes in the bottom of the trash can with a 3/8" drill bit. Space the holes evenly (see 11th image).
13. Place the trash can on top of the base (see 12th image).
14. Using a permanent marker, mark the holes on the base.
15. Place the trash can aside and drill out the three marked holes on the base with the same 3/8" drill bit.
16. Place the trash can back on the base and line up the holes.
17. Place a washer on a 3/8"'-16 x 1-1/2" bolt and pass it through one of the holes inside the trash can, and secure the bolt on the bottom of the base with a washer and 3/8" nut. Tighten with a wrench. Repeat twice for the other two holes. Tip: adding thread locker to the bolts before attaching the nuts will prevent them from vibrating free over time.

In this step, you will be adding four boards to the underside of the bucket lid to hold the bag in place when the leaf vacuum is on.

1. Cut the 2"x2"x6' board into four pieces, each 22.5" long.
2. Optional step: sand the edges and bottom of each board to prevent tearing bags (see 1st image).
3. Using a 1/16" drill bit, drill four holes in the bucket lid. The holes should be approximately 2.5" from the edge of the bucket (see 2nd image).
4. Drill four holes into one end of each 2"x2"x22.5" board with the same 1/16" bit.
5. Place washers on four 3" (or longer) screws.
6. Attach the bucket lid to the four boards with the screws. Screw through the holes in the top of the lid and into the holes in the ends of the boards (see 3rd image).

Now we build the chamber where all the magic happens. This is where the larger pieces will be separated from the dust.

Tip: preheating plastic (bucket and funnel) with a heat gun or space heater will soften the plastic and prevent cracks.

1. Remove the handle from the bucket. Tip: use snips to cut the plastic piece around the metal handle (see 1st image).
2. Using a jigsaw or snips, cut out the bottom of the bucket. Drill a starting hole with a 1/2" drill bit. (see 2nd and 3rd images)
3. Make eight equally-spaced marks along the bottom of the bucket, approximately 1/4" up (see 4th image).
4. Drill holes at the marks with a 3/16" drill bit. Deburr the holes with a utility knife. (see 5th image).
5. Place the top of the funnel just inside the bottom of the bucket and trace the holes with a permanent marker on the top edge of the funnel, approximately 1/2" down (see 6th image).
6. Drill holes at the marks on the funnel with the same 3/16" drill bit. Deburr with a utility knife.
7. Optional step: using sandpaper or a file, roughen the outside surface of the top of the funnel and the inside surface of the bottom of the bucket (see 6th image). Wipe them with damp cloths to remove dust.
8. Mix up a small amount of J-B Weld Plasticweld and spread it along the outside surface of the top of the funnel.
9. Quickly place the funnel back into the bottom of the bucket and line up the drilled holes on both surfaces.
10. From the inside of the bucket insert eight #10-24 x 1/2" screws through the funnel and bucket.
11. On the outside of the bucket, attach nuts to all eight screws and tighten with an adjustable wrench (see 7th image). Tip: adding thread locker to the screws before attaching the nuts will prevent them from vibrating free over time.
12. Place the 4" starting collar on the funnel and mark around the perimeter with a permanent marker (see 8th and 9th images).
13. Cut the funnel along the line with a jigsaw or snips.
14. Insert the 4" starting collar through the bucket and into the cut hole in the funnel (see 10th image).
15. Bend the tabs until they form to the shape of the funnel (see 10th image).
16. Pull the starting collar back out.
17. Mix up a small amount of J-B Weld Plasticweld and spread it on the sides of the tabs that will be contacting the funnel (see 11th image).
18. Put the starting collar back into the funnel. Make sure all the tabs are making good contact with the inside of the funnel.
19. Using HVAC foil tape, tape the tabs to the funnel. Tip: butyl adhesive foil tapes adhere much better to plastic surfaces. (see 12th image)
20. Place the 4in Duct Collar 3d print about 2/3 of the way up the bucket and trace all five small holes with a permanent marker (see 13th image).
21. Move the 3d print out of the way and drill holes at the marks with the same 3/16" drill bit. Deburr with a utility knife.
22. Pace the 3d print back on the bucket, line up the holes, and place three #10-24 x 1/2" screws into three of the holes (see 13th image).
23. With the screws holding the 3d print in place, trace the large center hole in the 3d print with a permanent marker.
24. Remove the screws and 3d print. Cut the large hole out of the bucket with a jig saw or snips. Drill a starting hole with a 1/2" drill bit. (see 14th image).
25. Optional step: using sandpaper or a file, roughen the outside surface of the bucket where the 3d print will be contacting. Roughen the curved surface of the 3d print that will be contacting the bucket. (see 15th image)
26. Mix up a small amount of J-B Weld Plasticweld and spread it on the part of the bucket where you sanded.
27. Place the 3d print back on the bucket.
28. From the inside of the bucket, insert five #10-24 x 1/2" screws into the holes through the bucket and 3d print (see 16th image).
29. Attach nuts to the screws coming out of the 3d print and tighten with an adjustable wrench (see 17th image). Don't overtighten or the 3d print could crack. Tip: adding thread locker to the screws before attaching the nuts will prevent them from vibrating free over time.
30. With any remaining Plasticweld, spread it on the circular surface of the 3d print.
31. Place the 4" duct collar on the circular surface of the 3d print, aligning the four holes.
32. Attach the duct collar with four #6 x 1/2" screws. Don't overtighten or the 3d print could crack. (see 18th and 19th images)
33. Using a sealant, seal the outside seams where the bucket meets the funnel, where the funnel meets the starting collar, where the 3d print meets the bucket, and where the duct collar meets the 3d print. After 24 hours, add a second layer of sealant to all seams.

1. Put a trash bag into the trash can.
2. Place the lid on the trash can.
3. Place the separating chamber on the trash can lid and align it with the support pieces on the upright support (see 1st image).
4. Trace the 4" starting collar on the trash can lid with a permanent marker.
5. Set the separating chamber aside and cut out the tracing on the lid with a jigsaw or snips. Drill a starting hole with a 1/2" drill bit.
6. Place the separating chamber back on the lid, inserting the 4" starting collar into the cut hole until it bottoms out (see 2nd image).
7. Using a permanent marker, trace holes on the inside of the bucket where the two Nut Mount 3d prints are (trace the center holes of the nuts). (see 1st and 3rd images)
8. Drill two holes where the marks are with a 1/2" drill bit. Deburr the holes with a utility knife. (see 3rd image)
9. Place the separating chamber back onto the trash can lid (see 2nd image).
10. Secure the separating chamber to the upright support through the drilled holes with two 1/2"-13 x 1/2" bolts (see 4th image). Hand-tighten the bolts.

1. Place the bucket lid onto the center of a 1'x1' piece the plywood and trace a line along the edge of the bucket (see 1st image).
2. While the bucket lid is still on the plywood, trace a second line approximately 1" out from the edge of the bucket (see 2nd image).
3. Cut along the outside tracing with a jigsaw (see 3rd image).
4. Optional Step: Using a router, route out approximately half the thickness of the plywood within the boundary of the inside tracing (see 3rd image).
5. Detach the large black tube from the leaf vacuum.
6. Mark a line 12" down the length of the tube (see 4th and 5th images).
7. Cut the tube at the 12" line (see 6th image).
8. Place the cut end of the tube on the center of the bucket lid and trace with a permanent marker. Optional alternative: if you have a woodworking compass, draw a 4-5/8" diameter circle in the center of the bucket lid (this is specifically for the Toro Ultra Blower Vac). (see 7th image)
9. Cut along the tracing with a jigsaw or snips. Drill a starting hole with a 1/2" drill bit. Discard the center piece. (see 8th and 9th images)
10. Place the bucket lid onto the center of the plywood and trace the center hole onto the plywood with a permanent marker (see 10th and 11th images).
11. Cut along the tracing with a jigsaw. Drill a starting hole with a 1/2" drill bit. Discard the center piece. (see 12th image)
12. Place the bucket lid back onto the bucket.
13. Place the plywood piece (routed side down) onto the bucket lid.
14. Insert the leaf vacuum into the holes on the plywood and lid until it bottoms out.

1. Open an 18" (or longer) worm drive clamp to its maximum diameter with a drill and flathead or Philips bit (depending on the specific clamp).
2. Slide the open clamp over the opening of the dust filter bag (see 1st and 2nd images).
3. Slide the opening of the dust filter bag onto the exhaust port of the leaf vacuum.
4. Using the drill again, close the worm drive clamp onto the exhaust port of the leaf vacuum. Ensure the dust filter bag is between the clamp and the exhaust port. Ensure the clamp is tight to prevent leaks. (see 3rd image)

At a minimum, you will need a 4" dust collector hose to use your new dust collector. I suggest this kit, which comes with two hoses, various connections, and multiple hose clamps.

1. Slide a hose clamp over the end of one of the hoses.
2. Slide the end of the hose over the 4" duct collar on the separating chamber.
3. Tighten the hose clamp with a drill and Phillips bit until it's snug (see image).

Keep an eye out for my future Instructables on accessories to use with the dust collector!

Come up with a name for your dust collector and label it with sticker letters to give it some life.

Attach the power cord, fire it up, and enjoy!