Dust Collector With Prefilter ?

[Doug Walls]

I'm in the beginning stages of planning/building & setting up a dust collector in my garage.
My plan is to build a Thien Baffle style at first & then probably upgrade later on to a cyclone.
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Being I'm planning ahead for a regular cyclone later on, I'll be mounting the blower section as high as possible in my garage to give me the most room I can get underneath the blower.

I watched this old video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6kBkrE_4us and it shows a different way of converting a dust collector into a Thien style system.

I will have a cartage style filter after the blower, But the video above gives me the idea of possibly making some type of pre-filter box in the extra space I have planned for a cyclone later on.

Just curious if anyone has added some type of pre-filter after the separator, But before the blower?

Doug

[Lane Hardy]

John made that video back in 2013, I bet if you asked him what would he would do different it would probably be plenty.
i think that investing in a cyclone you will be ahead of the game in stead of the thien baffle style not knocking Phil.
I built a system with a Baldor 2 hp motor with a 12 inch impeller and a Wynn environmental filter to filter the exhaust.
and a Supper Dust Deputy Cyclone (5 inch system) I am happy with what I have, however if I had it to do over again I would seriously consider a designed and engineered system with even better efficiency with a 6 inch duct system. Yes 6 inches adds to cost in ducting and blast gates but I think it is worth it in the end especially if this where you will plant your self for many years. You can see what I made if you search my name on the forum.
i will say the best thing I added was the bin sensor. I made that from parts less than $30.00.
i have built an automated blast gate system that I will incorporate very soon that uses an Arduino Micro Controller when a tool starts up that blast gate opens and the other close.
Good luck let us know how it turns out.
I will your idea of building it tall for the future Cyclone is a good idea!

[Frank Pratt]

Why would you want a filter between the separator & blower? That adds complexity to the system with no benefit. The separate has already removed the large chunks that you don't want going through the blower.

[Doug Walls]

Why would you want a filter between the separator & blower? That adds complexity to the system with no benefit.
Probably because I like complexity & doing things differently. :eek:

All kidding aside, I was just wondering if it would help any with the finer dust that would end up in the output filter.

Doug

[Doug Walls]

I think that investing in a cyclone you will be ahead of the game in stead of the thien baffle style not knocking Phil.

Yeah I agree with you on that!
Unfortunately my current budget is in the "Use What You Have" mode & I already have most of the materials on-hand for the Thien Baffle.


I built a system with a Baldor 2 hp motor with a 12 inch impeller and a Wynn environmental filter to filter the exhaust.

If I had it to do over again I would seriously consider a designed and engineered system with even better efficiency with a 6 inch duct system.

Do you think your current system with a Baldor 2 hp motor with a 12 inch impeller would work ok with 6" ducts?

From what I've read 5" ducting is the "Sweet-Spot" for a 2hp blower with a 12" impeller, Which is what I have.
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The blower section came from a Cincinnati 2hp. 3ph. dust collector model# 200S like this one.
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your idea of building it tall for the future Cyclone is a good idea!

Here's a picture of what it may eventually look like with a cyclone.
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Doug

[Doug Walls]

adds complexity to the system
As for adding complexity to the system, I'm already doing that with my exhaust filter set-up.

I picked up several surplus canister filters awhile ago from a machinery surplus store.
The filters were never used & sat in cardboard boxes for several years.
They were made for a commercial dust collector that used multiple canister filters & the air-flow direction was designed to flow from the out-side to the in-side.
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Of course this is opposite of what is usually used for regular style dust collectors, But I got 4 of them for $100 so I figured I could come up with something :D
I gave 1 to a friend which levees me 3 to work with. One for the prototype set-up, If everything works ok I'll have two back-up filters.

I've been known for doing things "Backwards" so I figured I would start with building a cabinet for the filter first. With only a two car garage space is also a issue for me, So I started in a corner where I originally had my air compressor.
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My plans are to locate the air compressor next to the filter cabinet & then have the dust collector next to the compressor.

I'm still working on this filter cabinet set-up, But here's what I have so-far.
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My next challenge is trying to figure out some type of bottom drawer set-up that can collect any excess dust from the cabinet?

Doug

[Tony Latham]

I had a Thein baffle that worked well with my (little) Rockler Dust Right. It was a major improvement in my single-garage shop and caught 95% or more.

But adding another filter is going to decrease your suction. Probably significantly. And it'll be one more filter to clean.

T

[Doug Walls]

I had a Thein baffle that worked well with my (little) Rockler Dust Right. It was a major improvement in my single-garage shop and caught 95% or more.

That would be great if I can get 95% out of a Thien Baffle!

Doug

[Doug Walls]

John made that video back in 2013, I bet if you asked him what would he would do different it would probably be plenty.
I didn't try to get in touch with John, But I ran across this other video he made that may explain why not much more was posted on his old set-up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=99&v=u6TOOYlfITo

Doug

[Doug Walls]

I've decided to try and build a regular cyclone instead of going with the "Thien Baffle" Here's a link to a new thread I started https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?277136-DIY-Cyclone-Separator

Doug

[Brice Rogers]

That would be great if I can get 95% out of a Thien Baffle!

Doug

I realize that another thread has been started by Doug, but thought that I would opine on this thread. I built a Thien baffle for my 2 HP Harbor Fright Dust collector. Unless I overload the baffle with a huge "gulp" of dust and chips I don't see anything leaving the dust collector. I vent outside (because of my warm climate) and under normal operating loads, I never see anything blowing out the exhaust. Also, the stuff that I collect in the 35 gallon galvanized trash can consists of everything from coarse pieces, a few pieces of sand paper and also a lot of "fines". So I suspect that I am getting at least 95% collection. Because I exhaust outside, it doesn't really matter if I'm collecting 95% or 99%. In the last year I've dumped perhaps 150 gallons of collections but don't see anything piling up outside by my exhaust.

[Doug Walls]

I built a Thien baffle for my 2 HP Harbor Fright Dust collector. Unless I overload the baffle with a huge "gulp" of dust and chips I don't see anything leaving the dust collector.


I suspect that I am getting at least 95% collection.

Thanks for the info. Brice!

It's good to know that a Thien Baffle will work that good.

Even though I've decided to build a regular cyclone for my main dust collection system, I also have a 16gal. Ridgid shop-vac that I'm thinking of adding a Thien Baffle to.

Doug