Using a leaf blower in the air cleaner

[Georg Zudoff]

Hello Gentlemans!Just a question - would like to know your opinion. I plan to build an air cleaner - here there are a lot of good examples. But the main question - where to find a squirrel cage. Here in Ukraine ours places for garbage (svalka) not such rich as in US. So it very hard to find such device as squirrel cage. But exist tools with English name - leaf blowers. The cheap models are priced near 30 USD and have power 0,6 kVt.So what will be your opinion regarding using such leaf blower as the heart of air cleaner.Georg

[Josh Bowman]

Hi Georg,
When you say "air cleaner" do you mean, pulling air across a filter to clean the general area air? I'm assuming you are not talking a dust collector. Noise will be one of the differences in a leaf blower as compared to a squirrel cage fan. Also the leaf blower will not move as much air, it's focus is on velocity not volume.
Different regions use different means to heat buildings, if your area use "central heating systems" then can you find someone that installs heating systems? If so, they may be able to give or sell you a used squirrel cage fan and motor. I picked up a couple that way.

[Dan Hintz]

Georg,

As Josh mentioned, a leaf blower motor will be loud as sin and you'll get tired of working in the shop quite quickly.

[Georg Zudoff]

Dan and Josh, Thank you for explanation enough clear that I'm pull away my first idea use a leaf blower in the air cleaner.Well, I'll try to find used squirrel cage.Georg

[Larry Edgerton]

Possibly an automotive fan? An electric with a stepdown transformer, or just a steel blade hooked to an old electric motor with a close tolerance shroud. That last part, a shroud with close tolerances is very important. I solved a cooling problem on a race truck just by building a shroud with a .5 inch less distance between the fan and the shroud.

I assume you are talking about an ambient air cleaner, not a dust collector? More filter area is important as well, slowing the air improves the performance of the filter.

Lets hear what you come up with........

Larry

[Bruce Seidner]

Dan and Josh, Thank you for explanation enough clear that I'm pull away my first idea use a leaf blower in the air cleaner.Well, I'll try to find used squirrel cage.Georg

If what you are aiming for is a whole room air cleaner then try to find someone who installs new air and heating systems for homes. They pull out very good and large whole house squirrel cage fans and usually scrap them for the metal. They can be had for cheap or for just taking it away for them.

Now if you mean a blower for a dust system there are plans for these but most people find broken commercial blowers and salvage the blower fan and rebuild an enclosure with a new motor. If I recall correctly Pentz has plans on his site. But there may not be plans there for the actual blower fan as I think about it. But I am convinced I have seen plans out there on the Internet. You could make a hopped up shop vac/dust system with leaf blower and an electric motor to cut down on the noise. I don't know the CFM of a leaf blower but it could perhaps be used to make a smaller mobile single machine dust collector. Best of luck.