Building a Gas Powered Vacuum pg.2

• electric drill

• 5/32" drill for #8 sheet metal screws -- tor hose actapter

• 3/16" drill for holes in bucket lid

• 2 1/2" hole saw for ShopVac hose adapter

• standard and phillips screwdrivers

• utility knife with sharp (new) blade

PURCHASING

I. The leaf blower unit can be purchased at any 1-lomelite dealer. The model HB-180 will probably work as well but do not use the Bandit model because the bottom fan guard is molded into the lower housing of the Bandit model and thus cannot be adapted.

2. The Shop Vac hose/bucket adapter can he ordered through a ShopVac authorized service center. The ShopVac part number is catalog ~ 2 1 7200 1 6, Inlet fitting-Black Styrene. Call Shop Vac customer service to either order the part or find the nearest authorized service center. The number is 7 1 7-32 1 -7050. (Many thanx to Brian Benn for updating this info)

3. Everything else can be had at any well stocked hardware store.

Since plastic five gallon buckets and lids get brittle with age and exposure to sunlight, try to use newer ones if possible.

CONSTRUCTION

With the utility knife, cut a seven inch diameter round hole in the center of the bucket lid.

2. Remove the six screws and the fan guard from the blower.

3. Center the fan guard on the bottom side of the lid and mark the six holes. Then drill a 3/16 hole at each mark. Now push the lid onto each of 6 mounting posts on the bottom of the blower unit (the mounting post must extend through the lid from the top side of the lid). Position the fan guard over the six holes from the bottom of the lid. Start one screw through a guard screw hole, then through the plastic lid and then into one of the mounting posts. Next, do the same thing with a hole on the opposite side. The lid should now be aligned with all six holes and posts. Tighten the two screws. Install the remaining four screws and tighten them. Then install the other four screws. THE LID IS SELF SEALING IN THIS INSTALLATION. No sealants or tapes are necessary. If you have not pushed the mounting posts into the lid, you may get air leakage and thus decreased suction through the bucket.

4. Mark the edge (lip) of the lid so that you have six equal sections. With the utility knife, remove about two-third's (2/3's) of three alternating sections from the lip. You should have three full sections of lip left which alternate with the cut portions. On the cut sections of lip, do not cut all the way back to the lid top. By removing this material you will make it much easier to remove the lid and blower from the bucket!!! If you cut all the way back to the top, you may lose sealing between the lid and the bucket when the blower is running. (Editors Note: Red arrows in photo.)