thien design dust separator

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bluedawg76

New User
Sam
so i completed my first dust separator today using the Thien Baffle design I'd seen others make. I'm using my shop vac to power it and was amazed at how strong the vacuum is i.e. strong enough to begin crushing the 30 gal metal trash can. Has anyone needed to reinforce the can or is there just the initial "crushing effect" at the weak spots with no further "damage"?

I'm wondering if I were to put in a y-splitter and blast gates, will I have enough power to run 2 10' vacuum lines for each side of my garage. Although the suction at the end of the single 10' hose is not as powerful as directly from the shop vac, I think (hope) it will be sufficient for my current setup.

Also, do I need to ground this system -shop vac to metal trash can to power tool vis-a vis plastic hoses and connectors?

Sam
 

Joe Scharle

New User
Joe
This happened when a hose connection separated and the newly released hose end attached itself to the floor. Before I could get to the vac switch, this can collapsed. This pic shows the can as it relaxed somewhat while I went to get the camera. The lid stayed on due to the strenght of the rim!

dust_can_001.JPG

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bluedawg76

New User
Sam
whoa! that's some serious vacuum power you have! I tested mine by blocking the intake and could watch the sides start to collapse, but I don't think I have quite that power!
 

ehpoole

Administrator
Ethan
Shop Vacs generate much more static pressure than a typical one- or two-stage dust collector, though at a much lower air volume. Even so, my 2HP cyclone was able to generate just enough vacuum pressure to collapse a heavy-duty plastic 33-gal trash can that I use as my dust bin.

I reinforced my trashcan with 1/8"x3/4" aluminum extrusion, which I bent into a hoop, rivetted the two ends together to create the hoop, then rivetted the hoop to the trashcan. To calculate the length of extrusion you'll need to create the hoop, measure the diameter of your can at the point you wish to place the hoop (realize that you will actually force it in place slightly below the point at which you measure), calculate the circumferance (diameter x 3.14159), then add a few inches to allow for the overlap where you will rivet the two ends together to create the hoop. Once you have a hoop, shove it into place a bit below where you took the measurement so that it is under compression. Then drill 1/8" holes through the hoop and trashcan and rivet it in place with aluminum or steel rivets. Install two or 3 hoops in your metal trashcan and it should have enough reinforcement to prevent collapse.

An example of my reinforced trashcan (Note: my can only had a single weak spot that needed reinforcement, the aluminum hoop is located in the lower portion a few inches above the sawdust. The other aluminum 'band' is just foil tape, which serves to ground the dust bin by way of a rivet through a crimp connector to a short piece of wire, to which the alligator clip seen is attached.):
091130_DustBin_03.JPG
 

bluedawg76

New User
Sam
thanks for laying it out so clearly! I was thinking of something along those lines. Clearly, from Joe's photo, it only takes a second or 2 of strong vacuum to do some damage.

Sam
 
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