J. Phil Thien's Projects

Well I had some time tonight so I added my "air straighteners" and we will see how they work.  They are only 3" long.  I made them short since I wondered if I added another set off set from the first if it would make any difference.  I wondered this because Steamngn commented in another post about using two honeycomb baffles that were offset from one another.  Any thoughts on this?

These baffles are placed in a 5" pipe.  I am waiting for some 6" flexible hose.  When it comes in I will be able to increase the exhaust side of the Top Hat to 6".

When it ran I didn't really notice any difference in the sound.  It certainly makes noise the is much more tolerable than my old shopvac, but it does have a higher pitch than I like.  I am wondering if this is more of a result the type and size of hose that I am using.

Steamngn,
So if this were placed in a Top Hat, it would be inverted?  If so, wouldn't the fines be likely to settle in inverted bellmouth area?

How would one use this on the exhaust side of the impeller, in relation to a pleated filter?

I don't have an easily accessible source for the honeycomb that you mentions, but the custodians where I work had some of the plastic tubes that Retired2 used.  So I picked up 6 of them for future incorporation into my system.

This is really intriguing stuff.  Its almost more fun than working with wood!  LOL!

Interesting! I wonder how much research they put into their design?

Steamngn,

I think I get what you are saying, 4"ish into Top Hat, then 6" straight up from Top Hat into the blower impeller (which is mounted sideways), which then exhausts straight into filter housing.  However, since I am using the original bag housing it is causing the air to rotate before it is going into the filter, which if I understand you, is not desired.  So to remedy that issue, would adding a set of 4" to 6" "fins" made into a waffle like pattern on to of the cyclone housing be advantageous?  These would be similar to Retired2's air straighteners that he added to his Top Hat's outlet tube.

Sthutch

Quote from: RobHannon on April 23, 2018, 01:28:54 PM
I dont think the intention of that ring is to act as a seperator/cyclone so much as to be an easy way to mount the filter ont he exhuast side without having to fabricate anything. Many of the cartridge filters for dust collectors are sized to attach to those rings so it is pretty simple just to leave that part. You certainly do not need to do it that way. I have mine with an elbow coming off the exhaust straight into the filter.

I agree with Rob, as I kept my ring simply to mount the filter.  Since height wasn't an issue, I kept it on top while utilizing the "separation/cyclone" within the ring to, hopefully, remove some of the fines that got by my Top Hat.

Sthutch 

It's been a few days, but my system is working well. I now have it in its permanent position. Still have a couple of minor tweeks to go.  I used it with my 16x32 drum sander and it worked much better than I thought and hoped it would.  I think that my old shop vac will last a lot longer know, lol!

Once again, thanks to all who commented and offered suggestions.!

Sthutch

Quote from: dabullseye on April 18, 2018, 06:55:08 AM
i see you have a rod inside the chamber that supports the drop slot baffle.if you are going to hook this up to a planer or jointer Id keep an eye on that rod and make sure it don't catch shavings and start a birds nest.i don't know what you used for the baffle but most people use 1/4" hardboard and don't use a support. if your rod is a threaded rod i would cover it with a piece of pvc or something that is really smooth and debur the cut edges.

Thanks for the tip!  I will keep an eye on it.  I used 1/4" hardboard with a whiteboard coating because it was really smooth.  Underneath, I reinforced it with a piece of 3/8" OSB scrap that I had. 

By the way, where is a good place to post a video too?

Here are some pictures.  I have quite a bit of work ahead of me, gotta get the blower locate directly above the Top Hat, but I just had to play with it some. ;D

Well, the Top Hat build is done! I have it temporarily routed to my dust collector with a couple of tight turns, but it works fantastic.  It is better than I imagined. I will post some pics and, hopefully a video later on.

Thank you Retired2 and Phil!

Update on build:  Based on Retired2's advice, I spent the last few days going through past posts and low and behold I found my answer.  I came across RonS's post AND his PDFs plans for making a 5" round transition to a rectangle.

I have a roll of 24" wide flashing, so I printed out the plans and followed the directions. It came out pretty good. Now that the transition issue is addressed, I can get back to the top hat.

Retired2,

Thanks for the advice!  In the past I have tried to shape round ducting, not much success, and it looks crappy.   I will use a 5" inlet.   I got my bases and rings rouged in tonight.  I plan removing the insides tomorrow and, hopefully, get it together. 

Thanks for the tip on locator pins, it made the job so much easier!

Sthutch

Thanks for the replies!  Just so I am clear,  a 5" inlet is more desirable, while keeping the 6" outlet?

After looking the HVAC transitions at the local hardware this morning, I didn't like what I saw either. 

After I explained what I was trying to accomplish he proposed taking length of 6" round a squeezing it into an oblong shape.  That seemed too simple, but would it really cause any reduction in performance?  The area is still the same.  If it would work for 6", wouldn't 5" benefit from this as well?  By doing so, that would really keep the air to the outside of the separator.

Phil's thread on using an inline separator does come to mine.  It seems to me that if air is slower on the outside of a tube, being round keeps the faster moving air centered.  How would this be effected by an oblong shaped tube?  Slower (and thicker)  air at the top and bottom, while the taller sides have "thinner" slow air?  Just a thought. 

My knowledge of air movement an ducting come for what I have learned in the last week.  So if I make an obvious error, I am sorry, LoL.

Thanks,
Sthutch

Hello to all!  What a great resource this is!  I have spent the last couple of days reading through the various posts and preparing to construct my Top Hat based on Retired2 design.  I am very grateful for all the hard work all of you have put in on these designs.  I will be putting this "upstream" on my 2hp DC.  I already have a Wynn filter, the DC doesn't come until Friday.   I have tried the search function, but I can't seem to put the correct search terms in to get the results I wanted.My problem is I can't seem to find answer to my last remaining questions.

1. I am planning on having a 6" inlet and outlet, but I am concerned that it is too wide for a 20" trash can. With an inlet that wide, will the 6" outlet pick up the smaller particles, or will they be going so fast that the suction won't pick them out the the incoming stream?

2. Will the above problem be made worse by adding a bellmouth to the outlet?

3. The area of 6" inlet is 28.27sq in.".  Would it work if I used a transition to a 3.24" x 10" (32.4sq in.).  Home Depot carriers this, but it seems like it is to short.  Also, this would raise my Top Hat by 2".

   https://www.homedepot.com/p/Broan-3-1-4-in-x-10-in-Rectangular-to-6-in-Round-Galvanized-Steel-Duct-Transition-411/202913013?MERCH=REC-_-rv_homepage_rr-_-NA-_-202913013-_-N

or this one, 4"x8" to 6" round

   https://www.amazon.com/Master-Flow-Register-Box-Flange/dp/B00FK8TMD8/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1522716799&sr=1-4-fkmr1&keywords=4%22x8%22+to+6%22+round+duct+transition

Any and all advice is welcome.
I would also like to express my appreciation to Phil and Retired2 for all the work they have done on this project!

Sthutch

Greetings to everyone.  I am a moderately skilled hobbyist.  I found this site in my search to solve my dust collector problems.  My old shop vac just isn't getting it done!  I have been looking for its replacement and this site seems to have lots of great advice and ideas. 

Thanks!