My build

[Xray]

Have been using a shop vac with a separator for years, finally getting around to upgrade.
Am going with the HF model and a 20 gallon Brute. I am using the HF platform, not worth the time or expense to me to make a custom platform. I had to move the 3 support rods forward about 4 inches to make this work, even with that the separation from the impeller to the shroud is going to be inches, which is fine. The bag should sit properly on the platform, if not I'll just build a little extension.
As you can see, I mounted the motor pretty simply. Just a 3/4 chunk of plywood which sits on the edge of the cart braced up by a 2x4. Also put some screws through the bottom of the cart through the wood to prevent any skidding. Solid as a rock, I tried to tip it and it wouldn't budge. I have a tendency to overbuild and would have liked another brace on the other side, but that would have trapped the brute in somewhat, so I'll make do with 1.

I'm ready to get on with making the lid, will probably use .5 mdf which overlaps the rim about .25, then route out a grove for the lip pf the barrel. Either that or glue on a piece of .25 mdf that fits exactly into the barrel onto the .5 which slightly overlaps.
Anyways a couple quick questions.

I recall reading about guys cutting out the metal vanes in front of the impeller, do most of you guys do that ?
Is there an optimal distance between the lid & the baffle ? I was figuring just enough to allow room for the fittings, probably about 3.5".
Drop slot is about 1.5-2", correct ?

I am also planning on cutting out a 3x8" slot or so in the barrel and covering it with lexan so I can visually see when barrel is reaching capacity without having to take off the lid, will post pics when complete.
Am looking forward to the increased airflow, think I have just about everything I need and then some. Most dust in my garage comes from a CNC machine, mdf & corian dust is the worse. Have a Laguna 14-12 bandsaw on the way, so for sure I'll need some good suction for that.

[BernardNaish]

Sounds as though you might be thinking of an in-bin separator. If so I suggest you go the top hat route instead. The best build is retired2's here:

http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=563.msg3024#msg3024

If I have misread your thoughts then I appologise and no harm done.

If you go this route then use polycarbonate and not acrylic sheet as acrylic is too brittle, think PlexiGLASS.

[phil (admin)]

The ring of your DC can be used to build a top-hat, you just need to make a donut for the top of your garbage can, a lid for the ring, and suspend a baffle.  Using the ring of the DC saves a lot of construction steps/time/expense.

[Xray]

Have browsed through "retireds" excellent posts, I am aiming for something like this
http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=436.0
I have been using a separator for years with my shop vac, only new concept really is the baffle.

Plexiglas is acrylic, it is merely a name brand of acrylic [the original and most widely known] out of many. I am going to use lexan, which indeed is a polycarbonate.
[For the window I am making in the barrel, sure was not planning on making a top hat design]

I may have misunderstood a concept or something I don't know, I just want a simple separator with a baffle.

[AndyF]

I think Phil was referring to something like this:

http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=992.0

Andy

[Xray]

Interesting design, too elaborate for me though I'm trying to keep it simple.

So am I missing something/doing something wrong, you guys got me psyched out here a bit.

Making progress, I have all the parts all I have to do it cut the lid & baffle and I should be in business. Fired it up, amazing air flow and a bit louder than I thought it would be, glad it didn't pop any fuses.

[Xray]

Making progress, would have been operational today but ran into a snag, looks like I need some kind of reducer to go from the blower to the can.
I don't know if everything is up to snuff, everything is tight ,,, I think it will do good enough.

[retired2]

Xray,

I haven't paid too much attention to the evolution of the top inlet/outlet style separator simply because the "top hat" style met my needs better.  However, you have done something that I have never seen before and could cause a serious problem with waste bypass. 

You appear to have a 90 degree ell on your outlet pipe (inside the chamber) rather than a straight downward facing pipe.  That is going to pull air from the perimeter of the separator where the waste is heaviest.  The air in the center of the separator is cleanest and that is where you should be picking up the exhaust.

The other potential problem that exists is the inlet ell looks like it will be very close to the baffle.  I can't tell for sure because of the angle of the photo showing the threaded mounting rods.  In any case, you need to keep the inlet pipe above the baffle so the swirling waste stream does not get hung up behind the pipe.  Sawdust isn't much of a problem, but planer shavings are!

[Xray]

Thanks for the comments R, you are a guy that people listen to when you talk.

I thought about just what you are saying, the inlets I got were rockler and not much choice on the angle, though I guess I could modify it and cut the elbow off the output so its more straight down.
Also, the baffle is very close, right on the inlets in fact.

I patterned mine pretty much from pics here http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm and this http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=436.0, other than the inside elbow I look to be pretty close. I realize subtle differences could have undesirable affects, I'm rarin' to fire this thing up but I don't want to rush it.

Thanks again, I have browsed through some of your posts and you are a very creative guy.

[dabullseye]

http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm

this is the first one you should have read this

[retired2]

Thanks for the comments R, you are a guy that people listen to when you talk.

Taking what I say too seriously is probably the biggest mistake someone could make!

Phil has provided 90% of what we know about the Thein separator and what works best.  The rest of us are just screwing around with little tweaks - some work and some don't, and the ones that work only provide small incremental improvements.

While my build gets a lot of attention, it has the benefit of the learnings of a lot of people, and in spite of that if I were ever to re-do it, it would look very different.   Even some of the things I employed, like the bellmouth, I now believe could be modified to improve separation while not sacrificing much of the improved airflow it provides.

So, the experimentation and learning continues, and that is what provides the fun!

[JonWho?]

I think Phil was referring to something like the picture at the bottom. I couldn't find a link to a build now that I was actually looking for one. So I robbed the pic from Google. Something like this is simple to make since you're using parts you already have. It's just the top piece with a hole for the blower intake, baffle with threaded rod, & a base to sit on the can.

It also puts the 5" intake straight into the separator & you can use the 5" flex that came with your machine on the intake.

I'm not sure you're gonna be happy with the smaller hose & fittings you're using. I used the factory 5" flex when I was first playing around with my DC. Now I'm using 4" & there is a substantial difference in air flow between the 4" & 5".

[JonWho?]

Oops, here's the pic.

[Xray]

I wouldn't want a rig where I'd have to lug the motor off for emptying ... I'm gonna stick with what I got and see how it goes. Will almost certainly be an improvement over the shop vac.

I'm ready to roll, slow down now is caused by having to fabricate another dust boot bracket for my CNC machine that will accept the larger hose, it came stock with a 2.5" setup.
I'll give it a whirl with my new bandsaw, going to pick that up tomorrow and the collector should plug right in as is.

[JonWho?]

I think a lot of guys on here have become somewhat obsessed with getting every little bit possible out of their machine. At least I definitely know I have.

Most everyone on here is extremely helpful. I haven't seen any bad eggs at all.
And yes, That picture is a bad example for emptying.

Bottom line, As long as it does what you want & you're happy with it, nothing else matters..

Good luck & share your results!