Shop vac recommendations

[Chuck in E. TN]

 My recycled house type upright vacuum bit the dust today. The armature is burnt and the brushes are about gone. I need some recommendations for a replacement for the shop. Mostly metal work so needs to be powerful enough to suck up swarf, but not get it into the workings.
I intend to build a cyclone type separator to put inline with the vac to help prevent metal dust getting into the motor . What is the minimum power required? Will 3 HP be enough?
On a budget of course! I have a collection of tools and hoses saved from various other vacuums so I can adapt down to 1 1/2” accessories. I'm looking at 3 hp ShopVac model from Wally World. Around $60.
What are your favorites? Anyone build a simple cyclone separator?
 Chuck

 

[Country Bubba]

Chuck,
Your shop vac sounds good by me. As to simple cheap plans for what is purported to be an excellent dust collector/separator and therefore should work with heavier materials also, do a google for:
Thien Cyclone Separator lid

This is simply constructed and from some of the videos I've seen seems to work very well also.

 

[Chuck in E. TN]

Thanks for the link, Art. I'll study that design, and maybe adapt it to a 5 gal. plastic bucket.
Chuck

[andyf]

Another DIY cyclone on Mr Ishimura's site. Cancel any offers to translate from the Japanese;  it's in English.
http://homepage3.nifty.com/amigos/57_cyclone_dust_collector/cyclone_dust_collector-e.htm

Andy