Dust Collector Modification w/pics

["C"]

I finally finished my DC modifications!!!

I'm still playing around with shop setup, so I wanted to stay portable. A Pentz Cyclone is on the list, but that's further down the road.

I began with the Steel City 1 1/2hp 65200 DC a couple years ago, because it was the only DC I could find that had a 6" inlet, 6" hose from the blower to the drum, 1 micron bag, large chip capacity, and ran on 120V. I started by tearing out the 4" reducing rig inside the blower, and the CFM went through the roof. I bought a 10' length of flex hose from LV and modified the ports on my tools to 6".

My DC worked great, but like all dust collectors, as the bag clogged the CFM dropped. I investigated seperators, but wanted to keep the small footprint and mobility. I decided to build a thein baffle within my collector.

Underneath the inlet on the drum is the baffle, made out of 3/4" ply. the openning is 1 1/8", 240 degree around the circumference. At the top of the drum, i built a lid with a 8" dia pipe that projects 1 1/2" below to further reduce the amount of dust going to the filter and to affix an adapter to mount the Craftex pleated cartridge filter. (The picture is of my first attempt with a 6 1/2" dia pipe and a 4" drop, but the CFM dropped too much, so I went to 8" with a 1 1/2" drop , as per Phil Tein's suggestions). The lid is 3/4" ply sandwiched between 2 pieces of 1 1/2" pine. I wrapped a bicycle tire inner tube around the bottom ring to seal it into the collector.

I attached some pics of my jointer and planer after dressing some cherry until the 6.3 Cu Ft (175 litres) bag was near full. For those with the Delta 50-760, that's 2 1/2 bags full. As you can see, very litle escapes, leaving the floor and machine fairly clean. THe jointer is a 6" pick up, and the planer is a 5"-6" adapter pickup.

This is not a cyclone, so some of the fine dust still goes into the filter. But, the filter pops off easily, I put it outside, turn the crank, pick it up and put it back on. I have no way of measuring actual CFM, but this setup far exceeds standard 4" models, and should work well enough until a Pentz Cyclone replaces it down the road.

C

[darius]

An ingenious idea!

I had the same DC and I remember yours was the only detailed, and enthusiastic review I could find at the time. I returned it after two days. I found it much too noisy and luckily the impeller was out of whack and the machine literally danced on the floor from vibrations. The vendor took it back. I settled for a 2HP Penn State with a canister filter for $10 less than the SC with the cloth filter.

You mentioned about your DC's 6" inlet capacity. Did you remove the reducer, which effectively didn't make that collector one with a real 6" inlet?

Oh, and some nice surfacing equipment in your shop.

["C"]

You mentioned about your DC's 6" inlet capacity. Did you remove the reducer, which effectively didn't make that collector one with a real 6" inlet?

Yes, I removed the side of the blower housing, removed the reducer ring, and reassembled the blower housing, so that I have 6" all the way through.

C

[iamroot]

Thanks for the post, Clint.

Great info and the pics really help. Awesome to see a clean jointer and planer after use

[matt in golden]

Here are some Pics of the seperator I made based a while back based on my understanding of what Clint did.

[Etienne Moreau]

Hello Clint

I actually have the same DC and want to do exactly the same thing... Could you give a little more explanation (measurements) on how to do this.

I have a basement shop and the more dust I collect the less there is in the house.

I would greatly appreciate it.

/Etienne
/Etienne

[Etienne Moreau]

Hah ha...

Stupid me I had missed the description of the lid. I have all the info needed... Off to BB in April

/E

[michaely]

Hah ha...

Stupid me I had missed the description of the lid. I have all the info needed... Off to BB in April

/E

Etienne

There is a whole website on the "Thien baffle separator"........http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm

J. Phil Thien is the originator of the idea..... check out, in particular, the discussion forum for lots of different installations that people have made using this design.

good luck

michael

[Etienne Moreau]

Etienne

There is a whole website on the "Thien baffle separator"........http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm

J. Phil Thien is the originator of the idea..... check out, in particular, the discussion forum for lots of different installations that people have made using this design.

good luck

michael

I know the site... It's just that Clint has exactly the same machine I have... And I like the top he made to fit the Craftex pleated filter.

I have read over the text a couple of time.. I will probably try to do it over the week end.

/E

[Ainsley]

I have a similar style of DC and am contemplating making a thien separator to place before the blower. This kind of makes the big chip bag a waste of space then though. Do you notice a major difference since you installed the baffle in your separator ring? I would think that it would cause far less turbulence in the chip bag.

["C"]

Yes, there is a lot less turbulence in the bag. Once the chips fall, they don't really spin around in the bag.

C

[Etienne Moreau]

WEll I decided to go against inserting the baffle inside the dust collector just for the hassle of removing the bag.

I went with a simple "Top hat design" mounted over a plastic Garbage can... This is surprisingly good.

You can actutally see it work here... Running without being connected to the filter

http://youtu.be/GU15CtSUm3Y (Sorry for the audio in the weird language but what can I do C'est la langue de maman :P).

[Rod Sheridan]

Very nice Etienne, thanks for the video.

I'm surprised Terry didn't bring an RL dust collector with him when he delivered your combination machine...............Regards, Rod.

[Etienne Moreau]

Hm I wish... But I would rather have a N4400 (Which is probably the next purchase) than a RL... With this setup I can keep on working and it's was not to expensive. I still need money for wood and other tools.

/Etienne

[pcottingham]

Can you tell me which model of craftex pleated filter you used? Was it a complicated mod, or bolt on?

["C"]

Can you tell me which model of craftex pleated filter you used? Was it a complicated mod, or bolt on?

I can't find it on their website now, but it is the canister for 2 and 3 hp units. The mod is explained in the original post, it was pretty quick and easy.

C

[stotto]

Clint,
Cool. I've been wanting to replace the bag on my Delta DC but can't find a supplier that makes a canister to fit. Now I know how to retrofit one.
Thanx for the post.
stan

[Ron Wessels]

I can't find it on their website now, but it is the canister for 2 and 3 hp units.

Is this the one?

["C"]

Is this the one?

No, not exactly. Mine is very similar, but the internal paddle handle is on top of mine. Other than that, they are the same. There was about an $80 premium on the one in your link over the one I bought.

C

[tex101]

Here's one from King
http://www.kingcanada.com/Accessories.htm?ID=21419