Does Thien baffle work on 3 hp DC?

[david brum]

Hi all

I have an idea that I'd like to try out, but thought I'd better ask some advice first. I currently have a Jet 1100 1.5hp DC with a Thien baffle (the ring inside the DC) and Wynn poly filter. I have it run straight to my cabinet saw with 6" PVC, with a few branches for flexible pipe going to jointer, bandsaw, planer, etc.

The current airflow is OK, but I can't help feeling that more would be better. I also wouldn't mind longer pipe and a few elbows going to other machines.

There are often older 3 hp, double bag DCs on CL for pretty cheap. I'm wondering if one could be configured to work with a single bag and possibly a double stacked filter? I would like to keep the unit as close as possible to the size of the current 1.5 unit.

I'm also wondering if increased airflow would somehow defeat the Thien baffle. I sure don't want to go back to cleaning my filter every time I empty the bag.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[Steve Bigelow]

David,

If you read the Thien forums, I believe several people have adapted the baffle to work with 6" pipes. While I can't recall specifically, I believe that some were 3hp and bigger collectors.

[David Hostetler]

With a double bagger you have 2 choices. Choice #1. Make 2 baffles, and install them on EACH inlet ring.
Choice #2, make a Thien based pre-separator. Either way you go, you will most likely need 2 cartridge filters. You already have one it sounds like...

If I were wanting to go with a double bagger, I would just upsize my pre separators inlet and outlet ports. Considering doing that with my single bagger 2HP DC anyway... I have seen enough to convince me 6" is doable with these...

Every elbow you put in that system is going to reduce your effectiveness, so keep your lines as straight as you can...

[david brum]

Thanks guys. I don't know why I couldn't find them before, but I found several posts showing 3 hp systems. It sounds like I could cobble most of my existing hardware onto a bigger DC, then get a second Wynn filter.

Since space is really at a premium in my shop, I was wondering about modifying a two bagger into something like this:
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/DCSUPER35C.html

I was envisioning two filters stacked atop one another. Seem feasible?

[Tom Welch]

David, I have a 3 hp grizzly, that I installed a thien baffle in each seperator ring also 2 wynn filters, and plastic bags for dust collection. I have in hooked up to my shop (20 x 20 2 car garage) with 6"pvc running to all my machines. It works like a champ. Plenty of suck to run 2 machines at once with no problem.

[David Hostetler]

David,

If you are going to go through the effort to cobble together a single bagger out of a 2 bagger, why not just build it out to a full on cyclone?

[david brum]

Hi David

I've thought about the full cyclone idea but I just don't have the time or space to do it right now. The 3 HP mod seems comparatively easy for big gain.

The other issue is that I really need my pipe to enter the cyclone at floor level. A cyclone would require a major shop redesign which my schedule doesn't currently permit.

I see your point though. I'll probably just stick with an unmodified double bag DC. I have a line on one for around $100.

Thanks!