Cyclone arrived. Dented. How bad is this?

[Patrick Irish]

Really excited my cyclone separator came. It’s the eBay one and feels pretty stout. I spun it around and noticed a dent. Check out the pics. How bad is that? Think a plunger can fix it? I can’t get my hand in there from the top but maybe from the bottom. Think this will effect the function much if at all? I contacted the seller to see what they suggest.

https://i.ibb.co/YZfjLbt/BA6-A2-ED9-CCF5-4-DF4-A9-AA-D23-FA4-D05-CAD.jpg (https://ibb.co/0tYJGQf)
https://i.ibb.co/nsKHfjs/4-B0-AA067-A8-DA-420-B-9577-A737-F39-FF37-C.jpg (https://ibb.co/27pDPd7)
https://i.ibb.co/vVxGYBd/B21-BE777-1-F13-45-CF-A986-8-EC418182-C1-D.jpg (https://ibb.co/wBNXsLQ)
https://i.ibb.co/xH11Vqd/C33-E61-CC-AD81-4-A10-9-DA2-2967-BBED1-F50.jpg (https://ibb.co/pyffCj5)
free image hosting (https://imgbb.com/)

[ed vitanovec]

I think you can pop that out.

[Paul F Franklin]

Strong magnet might work to pop it out....

[Frank Pratt]

If you can't get it round again, it will affect performance. Should be able to pop it out though.

[Phil Mueller]

If you have trouble popping it out yourself, I’ll bet an autobody place could do it in about a second.

[Patrick Irish]

Ha! Used a griptite magnetic feather board and popped right out. Sweet! Thanks for the idea guys.

[George Yetka]

just reach your arm in and pop it. Just watch sharp edges

[Mike Kreinhop]

If the walls flex that easy, how will this cyclone retain its shape and not collapse in on itself while in operation?

[Frank Pratt]

If the walls flex that easy, how will this cyclone retain its shape and not collapse in on itself while in operation?

That's a valid point. If it was pristine & round it should hold, but with the imperfections left by the old dent, it may not. It looks like kind of a flimsy homemade thing.

[Jim Andrew]

A cyclone is pressurized by the blower.

[Thomas Canfield]

A cyclone is pressurized by the blower.

WRONG. That is one of the most negative pressure area just ahead of the blower. The dust comes in the side and drops out by centrifugal action and "clean" air is drawn up the center to the blower. Dust bin below cyclone is under vacuum.

[Curt Harms]

WRONG. That is one of the most negative pressure area just ahead of the blower. The dust comes in the side and drops out by centrifugal action and "clean" air is drawn up the center to the blower. Dust bin below cyclone is under vacuum.
There are positive pressure cyclones as well. I think this is not one though. I remember from Bill Pentz' site that push thru cyclones can use somewhat smaller blowers than pull through but the blower has to deal with debris unlike the pull through. Here's a bit from an industrial manufacturer:

https://www.agetmfg.com/news-events/which-type-of-cyclone-system-is-right-for-you/

[Jim Becker]

...push thru cyclones can use somewhat smaller blowers than pull through but the blower has to deal with debris unlike the pull through.

This is actually something important...push through should never be equipped with a floor sweep for this reason. Metal picked up could strike a spark in the blower. Pull through separators, however, remove the debris before they get to the fan.

[Randy Heinemann]

I'd send it back in exchange for a new one. Whoever sold it to you should stand behind it. I would never accept that. Not sure how performance is affected but my guess is that it will affect it negatively in some way.

[James Brown]

I have that same cyclone, I do believe, and it's plenty sturdy enough for the Grizzly 1029 2hp I'm using. For whatever that's worth ...

[Thomas Canfield]

There are positive pressure cyclones as well. I think this is not one though. I remember from Bill Pentz' site that push thru cyclones can use somewhat smaller blowers than pull through but the blower has to deal with debris unlike the pull through. Here's a bit from an industrial manufacturer:

https://www.agetmfg.com/news-events/which-type-of-cyclone-system-is-right-for-you/

Not wanting to go to far with this, but the primary benefit of a cyclone is to knock out the solids ahead of a blower eliminating the wear on the blower blades and possibility of large items causing actual damage to the blades. My past refining experience had the use of cyclones at temperatures up to 1300F removing catalyst fines from the fluid gas to prevent erosion ahead of the cooler, pipe, etc . In my workshop, I want the wood chips and other larger items removed ahead of the blower providing the vacuum.