J. Phil Thien's Projects

Fantastic batch of data and thoughts - great summary. I am going to print it out and stick it in my 'Dust Collector' folder.

For future testing, I would recommend/suggest that monitoring motor current would be a handy piece of data to have.  Gives you a good indication of motor loading - I suspect your impeller change bumped up the horsepower required by quite a bit.

Nice work and thanks for the summary of your efforts.

Bob Groh, Blue Springs, Missouri

I would certainly like to do some performance measurement on my as-yet undone upgrade on my Shopsmith DC-3300.  Measuring motor current is no problemo. But I would love to measure airflow in a reasonably accurate and consistent fashion using inexpensive instruments. Rockler just put out a video showing measurements being taken on the new Laguna CFlux1 (the video is on YouTube):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFJnGHEMicI

(put a link in but don't know if it will stay put - if not, just go to YouTube and for Laguna CFLUX1)
which shows the gentleman measuring flow and velocity using a probe (hotwire anemometer??) in  a long tube connected to the intake.  That looks very do-able IF there is a low cost air speed meter available.

So any ideas, suggestions, etc??  Thanks

Bob Groh

I am still pondering and planning.  I will probably just take my best shot at building the most efficient separator that I can by gleaning all the 'best practice' from all the postings. Combine that with short runs and I might have some reasonable flow and, equally important, reasonable dust collection. Right now, I am using an old 6 gal ShopVac with a Dust Deputy (which I will keep for shop cleanup and general work) which sort of works - certainly the combo of a Thien style separator and the my little SS DC-3300 will be an improvement. It's fun just using the old grey material (I am a retired electronics engineer with a strong mechanical and analytic bent).

Thanks for the reply.  I did go into your 'build' posting and found the data you referred to.  Does indicate a chunk of loss.  Ouch.  On a positive note, it also indicates that I would need to have a very careful build to minimize losses.  Not too surprising overall - a cyclone can/does have a bit of a loss.  And in a system like I am going to use, I just have so bloody little to work with. But, hey, there is my challenge!  Again thanks and I'll keep digging away at the design.

Realize this is a bit of a loaded question but does anyone have an idea of how much loss I should expect in a 'typical' Thien separator?  Thinking of a design for a dust collector rather than a shop vac (i.e. low pressure).

Bob Groh, Blue Springs, Missouri

The 330 CFM flow rating does include an output filter - the standard one being a 30 micron bag.  Yeah, I know not very good in today's world. And, yes, this is a portable unit - at least in my shop it will be - it is basically designed to be used with 2-1/2" lines.  So I will roll it around to the various machines

The DC-3300 has a SP of 6 to 7 inches so you do have to watch line losses, etc. There is, on the SS site, a video that covers designing the piping system for a typical system and they delve into the line size, the trade offs, the need for a solid 4000 FPM for good chip collection.  Theoretically that works out to a 4" diameter hose but that is pushing it!  A pair of 2-1/2" hoses is more reasonable and that is, indeed, what the DC-3300 is normally setup with.

Thanks for the suggestion about the Brute can.

Bob Groh, Blue Springs, Missouri

Present dust control for my small woodworking shop is a ShopVac with a Olympic Dust Deputy front end.  Works nicely but need a bit more capacity for 6" planner, lathe, etc. I was just given a used Shopsmith DC-3300 (doing some cleanup and rebuilding on it presently) and I definitely want some pre-filtering on it. The DC-3300 is a small machine - 330 CFM, 1/2 HP but does have good impeller design, is quiet and will run for long periods of time.  And it was a gift!  And free!!

After much looking and reading, I am planning on Thien design for a prefilter for my little DC-3300. Outline so far includes a 2H top hat design, 4" inlet and outlet, round to rectangular inlet converter, outlet air straightener, 3 vane deswirler and a top hat baffle on bottom. Not sure what to use for dust collection barrel or no specific ideas (yet) for materials, etc.  Any and all comments would be welcome.

I have been a woodworker forever.  Not a good woodworker, you understand, but a woodworker who enjoys the job.  I am a retired electronics engineer who just enjoys building stuff - radios, computers, wood working projects, wood turning, model railroading, .... and the list goes on and on. Right now I am digging into dust collection (again!!).  I have been using a shopvac/Oneida Dust Deputy combination (on a homemade stand) for a couple of years - it is great for cleaning up the shop and ok for connecting up to the power tools I have (e.g. Shopsmith saw, a lathe, a Craftsman 6" jointer) but not really adequate for the power tools.  So my son-in-law, Steve, gifted me with a used Shopsmith DC-3300 single stage dust collector which I am rehabbing at the moment. It is small  (330 CFM, 6 to 7" SP) but also low HP so fits in well with my small shop (and the cost was great!!). But I would really like something in the front end for better dust collection and to catch large harmful objects before they break my fan blade. So very very interested in the Thien Trash Can collector.