Safety valve for 50mm dust collection/vacuum systems (SShop DC)

thingiverse

Hi, This safety valve is designed for my workshop dust collection system based on 50mm pipes, and it prevents accidental damage to the installation when you forget to open the inlet or clog your hose. ## What's its purpose? I've had more than one experience where I forgot to open the blast gate and turned on the vacuum, which ended in crushing my plastic barrel. While using small devices like an orbit sander, tiny holes sometimes weren't enough to prevent crushing my barrel due to insufficient airflow. The same thing happens when you clog your hose. To avoid these accidents, I've created this safety valve. ## How does it work? A moving piston inside the valve is held in place by a spring during normal operation of the dust collection system. When suction builds up above a certain threshold, the piston opens and allows air to flow. You can regulate when the valve should open by twisting the screw. ## Assembling the valve To assemble the valve, you'll need an M3/M4 long screw (about 25-30mm), two washers, and a nut. You may also want to use a spring from a pen, but it might be too soft; alternatively, you could try using a rubber band.  To assemble the valve, start by drilling a hole in the top of the shell; this is where you'll install one layer of diaphragm (because it was designed for "no support" printing). Next, bend one end of the spring into a hook and attach it to the piston. Find the proper length of the spring and connect it with the screw as shown in the picture. There's a tiny groove on the piston that you can use to install an o-ring seal; however, I don't use this feature. ## Installing the valve Simply place the valve on the least used inlet in your duct, and you're done! More parts of my workshop dust collection system (SShopDC) are available here: https://www.thingiverse.com/Saur0n/collections/sshopdc A quick presentation of the entire system can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4z4FXlIJgac