Question on building the Thien Cyclone...

[gjat]

I'm considering building a Thien Cyclone Baffle, but have a few questions.

-I want to use it for my shop vac because when I sand, the fine clogs the filter in 15 minutes. Does the cyclone action seperate the very fine to keep the filter cleaner?

-Has anyone tried to put a second horizontal baffle between the inlet and suction to improve separation? Would increasing the distance of the two baffles improve separation efficiency?
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[dbhost]

I'm considering building a Thien Cyclone Baffle, but have a few questions.

-I want to use it for my shop vac because when I sand, the fine clogs the filter in 15 minutes. Does the cyclone action seperate the very fine to keep the filter cleaner?

Yes, it separates MOST of the fines, not all. It takes about 3 - 4 cleanings of my dust bin (20 gallon trash can) before I need to wash my HEPA filter.

-Has anyone tried to put a second horizontal baffle between the inlet and suction to improve separation? Would increasing the distance of the two baffles improve separation efficiency?
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That just sounds like a bad idea. The concept behind this is to keep the air moving around the outside of the can, in a circular motion, until the debris and fines drop out of the air stream.

It DOES help to have your center tube, suction side that is, extend into the separator a little bit. Mine is in 1".

[cgallery]

+1 dbhost's post.

If you don't generate too much dust, you can just add a bag to your vac. The only reason I made my separator in the first place is that I use my shop vac for all my dust collection. The bags were getting spendy, especially when I ran my jointer/planer.

[gjat]

I generate alot of dust. I've put a bag over the shop vac filter because the dust clogged the pleats so badly. I want to make one for my 4" DC and my shop vac. I was hoping to use the same one, just have adapters for the different hoses.

[dbhost]

I generate alot of dust. I've put a bag over the shop vac filter because the dust clogged the pleats so badly. I want to make one for my 4" DC and my shop vac. I was hoping to use the same one, just have adapters for the different hoses.

Now THERE is a good thought...

[jackellis]

I haven't tried this though perhaps I should.

How about putting a nylon (or whatever they're made with these days) stocking over the filter. It's a trick I believe the Army used in Iraq to protect air filters on the gas turbine engines in M1A1 tanks from fine desert dust. Might be cheaper than bags.

[Bill in Buena Park]

I haven't tried this though perhaps I should.

How about putting a nylon (or whatever they're made with these days) stocking over the filter. It's a trick I believe the Army used in Iraq to protect air filters on the gas turbine engines in M1A1 tanks from fine desert dust. Might be cheaper than bags.

Jack, I've tried this, and it keeps out the large particles, but not the fines. I still have this setup on my 9g shopvac.

Right now, I'm running a general purpose (including drywall dust) bag in my 16g shop vac, with a hepa filter, and its working ok. I'm thinking the bag and the hepa cut down a bit on airflow, but very few fines are making it to the hepa.

I'm speculating on using a two-hepa (stacked) approach to double my current intake footprint to reduce airflow resistance, but haven't tried this yet.