Have a question and some concern

[meika123]

I know many of you have purchased the Clear Vue cyclone. Ed advocates mounting the motor and impeller on a frame attached to the wall. How many of you have actually done this? I just purchased a motor and 16" impeller from Ed.

Now, for my concern: If I were to mount my motor and impeller to the top of my blower housing, and not mount it to the wall as Ed's instructions show, will I be OK, or should I reinforce the top mount? It will be mounted on 3/4" plywood. I could add a plate of 1/8" or 1/4" aluminum to the top of the housing and attach the motor directly to that. HUH!

Any and all advise appreciated, as I am getting ready to complete my cyclone. Thanks all around.

[PurpleThumb]

Originally Posted by meika123

I know many of you have purchased the Clear Vue cyclone. Ed advocates mounting the motor and impeller on a frame attached to the wall. How many of you have actually done this? I just purchased a motor and 16" impeller from Ed.

Now, for my concern: If I were to mount my motor and impeller to the top of my blower housing, and not mount it to the wall as Ed's instructions show, will I be OK, or should I reinforce the top mount? It will be mounted on 3/4" plywood. I could add a plate of 1/8" or 1/4" aluminum to the top of the housing and attach the motor directly to that. HUH!

Any and all advise appreciated, as I am getting ready to complete my cyclone. Thanks all around.

I would not go away from the Manufacturers recomendations. Having said that, you might call Ed and ask about what you want to do. I mounted mine exactly like he suggests and when I first turned that 5 HP monster on I was concerned for my wall. I think it might have taken off if it hadn't been attached.

[Jim Murphy]

Originally Posted by meika123

I know many of you have purchased the Clear Vue cyclone. Ed advocates mounting the motor and impeller on a frame attached to the wall. How many of you have actually done this? I just purchased a motor and 16" impeller from Ed.

First, let me applaud you on your decision to purchase the impeller from Ed. Candidly, there were those of us concerned with your health if you attempted to hang a homemade impeller on that (five) horse of a motor. Not that we doubted for a moment your ability to.... well, we did doubt. If the truth hurts, we're sorry.

Second, to actually answer the question, I hung it on the frame attached to the wall, per recommendation.

Originally Posted by meika123

Now, for my concern: If I were to mount my motor and impeller to the top of my blower housing, and not mount it to the wall as Ed's instructions show, will I be OK, or should I reinforce the top mount? It will be mounted on 3/4" plywood. I could add a plate of 1/8" or 1/4" aluminum to the top of the housing and attach the motor directly to that. HUH! .

The purpose of mounting the motor/impeller assembly from the wall mount is that it allows the cyclone to hang from that assembly. Although others have built racks/stands from metal and/or wood to support the cyclone structure, I feel that the racks take up room and make access to the dust bin more difficult.

How did you intend to support the beast? Floor based rack? Ceiling hung support? Apparently you prefer not to wall mount the unit. I vote for the wall mount.

Originally Posted by meika123

Any and all advise appreciated, as I am getting ready to complete my cyclone. Thanks all around.

If you haven't done so, take a look at the photo galleries on Ed's website. Lots of ingenious ideas, and those boys have wired 'em up and fired 'em up, so if the concept failed, they can assert with authority. As a corollary, if they are pleased with the mounting system, you probably would be also.

Keep us posted, and take good care of my precious ASTM D-2729.

[McRabbet]

David,

I recommend that you spend some time browsing the Photo Gallery on the ClearVue Cyclones website to see how other owners have mounted their units. The majority do mount theirs on a wall bracket like Ed Morgano recommends in their installation manual, but several have built closets or stands for their units. Jameel Abraham has a good series in his Album although he wall mounts his unit. In another, it appears the owners have used a dimensioned lumber frame that is free-standing. This Album by Doug uses a free-standing mount as well. Somewhere, I saw a version that was ceiling mounted.

With the weight of the Leeson motor and blower unit, you must mount the unit from these upper parts -- transferring the weight to an enclosing frame is fine, but the cyclone, even your metal one -- cannot support all of the weight by itself. I plan to mount mine on a concrete block wall using a larger, steel reinforced wall bracket.

[McRabbet]

David,

It isn't clear from your photo how the cyclone is attached to your stand, but it will be quite top heavy with the blower and motor atop the cyclone. I would recommend you extend framing up to the level of the base of the blower housing and add a platform made of 3/4 plywood with some angle iron reinforcing to support the nearly 100 lbs you'll have up top. If you want a really nice solution, Lowe's carries structural channel (called "unistrut" by most folks, but sold under various brand names) that would do a great job. It adds lots of flexibility and adjustment in frames like this. You'll find it in the electrical aisle with their PVC and EMT conduit.

[meika123]

Thanks Rob, and all of you for your input and concerns. I am enclosing a pic of what I am doing.
I am building a closet attached to my shop to house this "Beast". So, theoretically, I could attach to a wall if I have to, but I didn't want to do that-for whatever reason.

[meika123]

Originally Posted by McRabbet

David,

It isn't clear from your photo how the cyclone is attached to your stand, but it will be quite top heavy with the blower and motor atop the cyclone. I would recommend you extend framing up to the level of the base of the blower housing and add a platform made of 3/4 plywood with some angle iron reinforcing to support the nearly 100 lbs you'll have up top.

I have a 3/4" plywood top made to fit the contour of the cyclone body. It shows in the post I made to B4man, but the site won't let me post the pic again here.

[McRabbet]

If you want to have pictures that can be used more than once, then you need to set up a Photo Gallery, which is very easy. Then you can include pics in your posts anytime you want. Attached photos have very limited use (I could not expand yours for a closer look).

The Plywood Top needs to be secured laterally to the frame, which needs to be extended as well. The forces you are dealing with are not just vertical -- the single points of attachment at the top of the cone on each side may carry that weight, but will not hold against forces generated front and back at the top or bottom of the full assembly. You can only do that by extending the frame up to the plane of the top of the cyclone and bracing it there, too.

[meika123]

Gotcha Rob,
What I'll do is extend the 2 x 4 frame to rest under the mounting location for the blower, plus the support I have at the top of the cone, then brace the stand to the wall. I think I'll be ok then, whaddayasay!

[McRabbet]

B R A V O !