I know this sounds like a ball game score, but it's the results I got today. First let me say there is no way my DC can do what it does (according to the "experts"). It's a 1.0 HP Cincinnati Fan blower mounted on top of a "Wood Magazine Cyclone" My piping starts as 6" metal, with two 45's, then a 4" branch, also at a 45. Next is a PVC 45, 14 feet of PVC, another 45, then a 90. This drops down 5' to a blast gate, set at 90 to the drop. (It's a shared drop.) Then I have two 10' sections of flex, connected by an 8' piece of PVC. Next comes Thein baffle on top of 30 gallon trash can, which is connected to my 15" Delta planer with a 10' section of flex. System has NO trouble keeping up with planer, or jointer. Today I had to plane six pieces of 8" wide cypress down to 3/4. Prior to starting, I emptied cyclone dust bin. Even brushed it clean. After filling two 30 gallon cans with chips, my cyclone bin only contained some fine dust. Probably less than a cup total. Phil Thein Baffle ROCKS!
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ccasion1I had photos posted here a year or so ago. Google "Phil Thein", and my post "Another Vote for Phil Thein's Baffle" will pop up. That is the easiest/ quickest way to find it. Bruce
I've been toying with building one of these as well. My biggest question is how is the shop made lid sealed to the chosen container. Is the weight of the lid sufficient to seal it (maybe with weatherstripping or foam around the edges) or is there some mechanical way to do it?
Trav
Trav
The DC itself will suck the lid to the trashcan. In fact, I wasn't able to get the lid off with the DC running. I used weatherstripping to ensure a tight seal.
Based on KC7CN's design -> http://sites.google.com/site/baspluim2/buildingatrashcanseparator
The DC itself will suck the lid to the trashcan. In fact, I wasn't able to get the lid off with the DC running. I used weatherstripping to ensure a tight seal.
Based on KC7CN's design -> http://sites.google.com/site/baspluim2/buildingatrashcanseparator
Cool, so rather than resting on the lip of the top your "can" fits in the goove?
I just cut a circular piece of 1/2 inch plywood the circumference of the trashcan opening and then cut a rabbet for the thickness of the rim which is approximately 1/4 inch but this is based on the trash can I have. There was some tweaking and sanding to get it to fit but once it does it is a good tight fit. I will post some pictures of mine a little later because we are getting ready to run some errands.
Thanks Tony! I'll watch for them.
Here are a few of the pictures of my dust collector, particularly the one with the lid which shows the rabbet. The rest are posted in the gallery section if you want to see more of them.
Gotta be a nay sayer in the group. . . .
I hate to say this, but you guys are all looking at the wrong end of the stick! The goal of dust collection is to collect the most dust you can at the source- and that includes the .5 - 10 micron stuff that is hard to weigh, INVISIBLE to the naked eye, and the most hazardous to your health, so you don't breathe it!!
A 1 hp blower (with 9", 10" or 11" impeller?) with an absolutely incredible amount of overhead (baffle system, cyclone, 4" ducts, 20' of flex (yikes!), and likely some type of filter, is likely reducing the CFM at your machines to 200 CFM or less- far less than recommended to collect the fine dust. A 1 hp blower can barely provide the needed cfm when connected directly to a dust producing machine without all that stuff!
You might be separating out the dust that is collected- so what?- you are not collecting all that you can and need to at the source. My recommendation- get rid of the cyclone or baffle, most of the flex, and the filter, then discharge outside.
I hate to say this, but you guys are all looking at the wrong end of the stick! The goal of dust collection is to collect the most dust you can at the source- and that includes the .5 - 10 micron stuff that is hard to weigh, INVISIBLE to the naked eye, and the most hazardous to your health, so you don't breathe it!!
A 1 hp blower (with 9", 10" or 11" impeller?) with an absolutely incredible amount of overhead (baffle system, cyclone, 4" ducts, 20' of flex (yikes!), and likely some type of filter, is likely reducing the CFM at your machines to 200 CFM or less- far less than recommended to collect the fine dust. A 1 hp blower can barely provide the needed cfm when connected directly to a dust producing machine without all that stuff!
You might be separating out the dust that is collected- so what?- you are not collecting all that you can and need to at the source. My recommendation- get rid of the cyclone or baffle, most of the flex, and the filter, then discharge outside.
Alan,
I've got a 3hp DC. The long term plan is to build an external closet for the DC and run 6" duct from the DC into the shop.... unfortunately it's a LONG term plan. In the meantime I've got it in a central location hooked up with 4" flex. My thinking for the separator was that it would be used for the jointer and planer only to prevent frequent bag changing on the DC. More hassle than it's worth?
Travis
3 hp should work be fine, more than enough for a roll-around, but get rid of the 4" flex- go with 6".
Realize that all but the best cyclones and separators will pass dust into your filter bag. As the bag begins to clog (from the beginning) CFM begins to decrease and continues until you clean it. Unfortunately, most bag filters, filter best when clogged. Unless you have a quality bag filter good to .5 microns, immediately after you clean it you will be pumping dust back into the air where the dangerous stuff can stay airborne for over a half hour- giving you plenty of time to breathe it. If you doubt this, some night clean your filter, turn off your shop lights except for a flashlight aimed near the bag, then turn on the DC. You will be amazed at the amount of dust coming through the bag- and that is the particles you can see which are 40 microns and larger! That is why I recommend a cyclone or baffle separator to remove the big stuff and discharging everything else outside- you eliminate back pressure created by the filter, you have better CFM and collect more dust at the source, and you eliminate dust escaping from the bag into the shop.
I stated that my system wouldn't work, according to the "experts," but it does. It collected all the chips from my 15" planer. Because I use my 15" on the slab in front (outside) of my shop, I'm not worried about the .5 micron stuff. We all have different tolerances. As a kid I remember seeing my dad cut "Transite board" without any protection. He died from cancer ( at age 87), but not lung cancer, which according to the "experts he should have. This post was to show the effectiveness of the Phil Thein baffle to separate out the chips, nothing more.
You need to be careful making statements like you did. There was not enough info for the uninitiated to tell you were only talking about picking up chips, not collecting fine dust at the source. Maybe that is what the "experts" were trying to tell you when "they" said it wouldn't work. If you are working outside where the fine dust is blown away, or working inside with a good dust mask, and not trying to run a fixed duct system with a 1 hp blower, then what you have is just fine . . . for you. But folks need to know your frame of reference when you imply your system "works" If you are working outside, then why do you even need a cyclone AND a baffle system, and a filter since it serves no purpose? You really should check out Bill Pentz's website or Sandor Nagyzsalanczy's or Rick Peters' dust collection books.
Good to know, Thanks Alan.
How about a 1.5hp with one of those separators? If it's not gonna work well, collecting the fine dust as well as the chips, Then I have got a 55 gallon white/see through drum to get rid of.
Matthew
Just my 2 cents but I never intended for my dust collection set up to collect the fine dust that is generated, nor do I believe that it will collect the fine stuff. I use mine in conjunction with all the other equipment that is available, ie: dust masks, proper ventilation etc. I have just finished an air filtration system that should help with the fine particles so I believe that I am doing all that I can to reduce the amount of dust that I ingest.
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