Real value of the baffle?

[VentureRider]

So...I've read at least 50 different responses about the Thien Baffle, and everyone that has built one has been VERY HAPPY with it.

So here's my "observations" and insuing questions:

1)  The REAL value of Thien Baffle is to reduce/eliminate the amount of FINE dust particles being exhausted through the DC bag/filter. Agree?

2)  Those folks that have made a seperate standalone baffle (pre-filter) are mostly using 4" connections.  Are they doing so because their DC doesn;t have a 6" port?  It also appears that emptying the standalone baffle is "easier" than emptying the lower DC bag.  Agree?

So here's my decision tree for making a Thien baffle:

1)  I want to remove the amount of fine material being exhausted via the DC (or being trapped in the filter)...so I purchased a Wynn NANOFiber filter for the DC.
2)  I want to continue to use the 6" ductwork that exists
3)  I don't mind emptying the lower DC filter bag.  Here's where I get fuzzy...  If i build the Thien Baffle to incorporate into my DC, I still have to empty the lower bag...but it contains standard-size shavings as well as the extra-fine dust (that I'm trying to avoid).  But...I have that same issue if I build a standalone chip collector.

It seems that the biggest befit from the Thien baffle would be to incorporate it into the dsut collector itself.  Agree?

Thanks for your comments!

[dbhost]

Your thought process is pretty solid. The commonly used 4" duct is because there are those of us that just can't afford to go with 6", yet... The costs get pretty high pretty quickly, pipe, hose, fittings and DCs that can and do support 6" duct cost more... If you look at the finished separators and baffle setups, it scales to 6" ducting easily with no performance hits...

The reasoning for some of us to have a pre-separator instead of a baffle in the inlet ring as you describe are...

#1. Easier to empty a separate dust bin versus the lower bag.
#2. Larger capacity dust bins can be used, allowing the user to empty less frequently. (But honestly, who wants to lug a FULL 55 gallon drum of hardwood shavings out to wherever it has to go?).
#3. A pre separator keeps larger debris from coming in contact with the impeller, or the safety cross gizmo on the inlet. So things like nails and screws can't spark as they smash into an impeller causing a fire hazzard. VERY rare, but possible. More possible than say PVC pipe explosions... And things like planer shavings tend to get hung on the cross piece and block up a DC QUICK...

Having said that, a LOT of users chose to simply snip out the cross piece, and run with an inlet ring baffle, and that is great, that is how I set up at first, I switched to a pre separator and really like the way it works...