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How Does The Dust Deputy Work?

By 2015-01-25 00:00:00 29 comments

Standard wet/dry vacuums rely entirely on their small cartridge filters to clean the incoming air before recirculating it into the room. These filters can quickly become clogged with dust and debris, significantly reducing the vacuum's air suction performance. This is especially true for applications that create a large amount of fine dust such as wood sanding and drywall sanding.

In order to restore your vacuum's airflow you'll need to take the time to open up your vacuum and clean the filter, but how do you know when do it? And did you know that each time you clean it out, whether by tapping it out or washing it, you permanently damage the fine fiber construction and reduce the lifespan and performance of the filter? Eventually you'll have to clean it out again, or worse, have to replace it entirely!

The Dust Deputy solves this problem by stopping dust before it ever reaches the vacuum!


What is the Dust Deputy?

The Dust Deputy is cyclonic pre-separator designed for any make, size, or model wet/dry vacuum. Its patented design uses centrifugal force to literally spin dust and debris out of the air-stream, trapping it in a container below; NOT in your vacuum! The Dust Deputy will separate out up to 99.9% of nearly any type of dust and debris, with less than 1% making it into the vacuum – significantly extending the life of your vacuum and saving you countless time and money on expensive replacement filters and dust bags!

Injection molded from a translucent anti-static resin, the cyclone's simple and efficient design can be adapted for use in any shop. It also features tapered inlet and outlet (2" inner diameters), allowing for easy and secure fitting with a variety of different hose types and diameters.

The Dust Deputy cyclone is Made in the USA under strict Lean 6 Sigma guidelines, ensuring a higher quality product, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction.

What the Dust Deputy can do for you:

  • Increased Suction Power: Most wet/dry vacuums clog up rapidly but with over 99% of the waste getting trapped in the Dust Deputy's drum, the filters stay cleaner for longer and power drop-off is significantly less.
  • Longer Lifespan: With the reduced amount of dust loading onto the filter and with less cleanings needed you'll get longer filter life overall.
  • Easier Waste Disposal: Now you can easily empty your dust and debris from the bucket without ever having to open up your vacuum.

What Can I Use The Dust Deputy Cyclone For?

The Dust Deputy benefits anyone with a wet/dry vacuum, not just woodworkers! We have thousands of customers around the world using the Dust Deputy with nearly every type of material, including but not limited to:

    • Wood Chips and Shavings
    • Sanding Dust
    • Drywall Dust
    • Concrete Dust
    • Clay and Silica Dust
    • Granular Powders
    • Grass Clippings and Leaves
    • Bakery Dust and Flour
    • Cooled Ash and Soot
    • Stones and Gravel
    • Soil/Dirt
    • Pet/Animal Hair
    • Metal Scraps and Shavings
    • Grinding Dust and Debris
    • Agricultural Waste
    • Pharmaceutical Waste
    • Water
    • and Much, Much More!

Please Note: Plastic cyclones are not intended for use with hot coals, hot ash, or any explosive/flammable dusts or liquids.

Posted in: Dust Collection
#dust deputy , #how it works
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Comments
Tom 2019-03-24 17:17:59
What if any additional parts are needed for normal home basement workshop?
Oneida Air Systems 2019-03-24 17:17:59
Tom, You'll need your wet/dry vacuum, the cyclone separator, a dust bin, hose, hose clamps, and hardware to connect all the components together. Our Dust Deputy Deluxe kit includes all of this for your convenience and is a great place to start your shopping experience.
AJ 2019-03-24 17:17:59
Hi, Will it work with this shop vac with a 1 7/8 inch hose connect diameter? Thanks https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-4-Gal-6-0-Peak-HP-Wet-Dry-Vac-with-Detachable-Blower-WD4080/205224112
Oneida Air Systems 2020-09-04 13:48:03
We could not say for sure without knowing the exact dimensions (ID and OD) of your Rigid vac's hose cuff, but at 1-7/8" hose should fit. If that is the ID of the cuff, it will fit over the cyclone's inlet.
Michael Smith 2019-09-13 17:27:43
Just want to confirm something: This product includes the necessary adapter to work with the 2.5" vacuum hose found on Rigid shop vacs, correct? So that if I buy this, I will not have then hunt for fittings to hook it up to the Rigid shop vac, right?
Oneida Air Systems 2020-09-04 13:45:00
Our Dust Deputy Deluxe cyclones do not include any adapters in their kitting. However, the ports of the cyclone are tapered (ranging from 1.75" to 2" on the outer diameter) to help accommodate a wide range of vacuum hose sizes. Take care to measure the dimensions of your Rigid hose cuff. You may find that the hose advertised as "2.5 inch" is actually 2" on the inner diameter.
Sam Rogers 2020-02-08 22:48:38
I run a hybrid shop. The dust deputy works remarkably well with dust and chips, but the longer, thin shavings seem to get through to the vacuum. What am I doing wrong?
Oneida Air Systems 2020-09-04 03:03:37
Because the cyclone relies on centrifugal force and gravity to separate the dust from the air, materials that are lightweight and have a large surface area (such as the thin shavings you might make with a hand planer) can "hang" in the air as it spins through the cyclone. This can happen because they are very light or because they have generated a high amount of static charge causing them to cling to the cyclone. You may find success in taking extra steps to ground the cyclone - you can find instructions and suggestion on how to do this in the owner's manual for the product. You may also want to consider upgrading to a dedicated dust collector and Super Dust Deputy if the shavings you are talking about are being produce by a larger tool such as a lathe.
Kelly C Sinclair 2020-07-11 04:23:16
What size of container / drum can you use? Is there an upper limit?
Oneida Air Systems 2020-09-04 02:56:27
In practical terms, you can use any size and shape dust container that you wish, so long as it is sealed airtight and is strong to withstand the suction pressure of your vacuum. We have had customer use our standard 2" Dust Deputy cyclones with containers as large as 1,000 gallon rain barrels without issue.
Sue 2020-10-10 14:16:09
I often have tiny copper pieces, approx an eighth inch long everywhere. They are usually very thin (24 guage and under and very thin strips), sometimes as long as a quarter inch, although anything that big I can usually pick up by hand. It's really the smaller pieces and copper dust that I need to vacuum up. The metal is always room temp when I clean up. Will the wall mounted vacuum be able to take care of this mess? Sue
Oneida Air Systems 2020-10-12 14:32:52
If you're referring to our Dust Deputy Bagger system when you say "wall mounted vacuum", then yes it should work fine. Any lightweight material with a large surface area (like a strip of paper or foil) is going to be more difficult to separate from the airstream, but our cyclone will still prevent the vast majority of that material from being sucked up through your vacuum's filter.
Sue 2020-10-10 14:33:08
Looking back at previous comments, it appears that you take up to a year long to answer. That is horrible customer service! You claim that you will always be there for buyers to ask questions. If it takes you months to a year to answer them, what good is asking them at all? When a person asks a question, they need that answer when they ask it. 24-48 hours for a response would be reasonable. Your lack of true customer service tells me that you'll be nothing but a headache. You have lost a customer and potential referrals to the group of 100+ makers in the group that I belong to. I have to assume that you have no interest in those referrals. Maybe you believe your company is to big to need them?
GLEN S FACE 2020-11-29 19:46:28
In your recent advertisement in Family Handyman Magazine you mention "Now 20% more efficient with Neutral Vane Technology". I didn't see Neutral Vane technology mentioned on your website. What is it? My Dust Deputy Deluxe is about two years old. Do I have Neutral Vane Technology? Do I need it? Can I add it? Although my Deputy collects lots of sawdust, my Craftsman shopvac paper filter gets filled with very fine sawdust). What can I do to minimize the fine saw dust from coming through to the vac? Thank you Glen
Oneida Air Systems 2020-12-07 21:04:24
Hi Glen, we're happy to hear you caught our advert in Family Handyman! To answer your question, the neutral vane is a new feature we added to our Dust Deputy cyclone earlier in 2020, so your cyclone (from 2018) would not likely have it. The neutral vane helps reduce static pressure loss from turbulence as air enters the cyclone. This not only allows for the cyclone to work with less powerful vacuums or with longer lengths of hose, but it also helps improve the separation performance. You unfortunately cannot add it to your existing cyclone, but if you are satisfied with your existing cyclone performance then we do not think you need to upgrade necessarily.
Aaron Gatzke 2021-07-14 04:27:03
I saw the same thing in FWW. I am wondering if the neutral vane technology is in the SDD XL? Also, how would I know if I am purchasing new stock from one of your suppliers? Thank you, Aaron
Oneida Air Systems 2021-07-19 21:32:56
Aaron, the SDD XL cyclone does not have a neutral vane per se. Instead it makes use of an integrated air ramp that performs the same benefit of the neutral vane but in a manner that is more air efficient (at the cost of creating a taller unit). The air ramp not only prevents the spinning air from intersecting with the inbound airstream but it also conveys the dust downward faster.
Oneida Air Systems 2021-07-19 21:33:32
We have not made modifications to the Super Dust Deputy XL so you would be assuredly buying current stock regardless of where you purchased it. For other products we would recommend asking the store themselves. If the item is stocked on the shelf they can examine the product's box for the current model/date. If it's being drop shipped from the warehouse you would likely be getting new stock as the turn over is quite rapid.
Lisa DeMarco 2020-12-29 02:00:11
I bought the Oneida dust system. I have a dewalt sander. What hose is being used in the picture above from the dust deputy to the sander?
Oneida Air Systems 2020-12-29 15:56:41
The hose shown in the picture is our 2" x 10' Vacuum Hose, item #AXD400000, sold on our website at: oneida-air.com/2-inch-10-foot-wire-reinforced-vacuum-hose
david haugh 2020-12-30 20:10:32
Hi My cyclone on top of my festool is brilliant but its giving me trouble lately nothing seems blocked not even the white little air hose. it keeps sucking the bag up towards the cyclone head and drowning out the power of my vacuum. what could this be
Oneida Air Systems 2021-01-04 22:21:51
Hi David, if the bag is getting sucked up into the cyclone of your Ultimate Dust Deputy, then that means that the unit's bag retainer system isn't working properly. There's a few reasons why this could be happening, but they all boil down to there being a break in the seal between the bag and the walls of the dust bin (worn down gasket on the lid, the bag not being inserted properly, a broken air valve, etc.). We would recommend that you refer to the troubleshooting section of the product's owner's manual or contact our service team for more thorough advice on how to resolve this problem.
Bob Yandell 2021-01-17 21:56:44
Why two buckets.
Oneida Air Systems 2021-01-18 15:18:38
The second bucket in the Dust Deputy Deluxe Cyclone Kit is used to hold the main dust bucket when the kit is mounted onto your wet/dry vacuum. If you choose not to mount it to your vac you can instead use the second bucket to quickly swap between full and empty buckets.
Denise 2022-03-21 22:59:20
Can this be attached to our central vacuum so the Cyclone collects most of the debris before going into the central vacuum bucket?
Oneida Air Systems 2022-03-29 21:58:02
Yes! The Dust Deputy works great with central vac systems and really takes the hassle out of replacing those expensive proprietary filters over and over again. We would recommend our new 2.5 cyclone for more powerful central vac units to keep up with the high airflow performance of those systems.
Doug Lloyd 2022-03-22 16:29:15
Overall Oneida makes great products but there’s issues here and their like reliability issues with DC remotes, etc. Customer service can be dismal resolving certain issues. Unfortunately it’s symptomatic of the corporate mentality I. This day and age.
Louie Louie 2022-09-18 04:34:21
I'm trying to figure out the cleanest way to deal with the dust collected inside the 5 gallon bucket with the smallest dust deputy. Can I put water in the bucket, and that way just pour it out without it getting airborne again? Can I have two buckets and cut the bottom out of the top bucket that has the dust deputy mounted on it, and put water in the outer bucket. So that way I can slide the two part easily and pour out the water without having to remove the lid with the dust deputy attached? Thank you.
Oneida Air Systems 2023-01-16 20:29:12
Yes, using water in the bucket can work well to entrain particularly harmful dusts. We've had customers collecting clay/silica dust use this method to great effect. If you had a method for using plastic bags that would be even better as you could simply tie off the bag and avoid any dust clouds or added mess during disposal. Check out our Dust Deputy Bagger for this solution!
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