Shop vac separator - dumb question

[os1kne]

Hello,

I'm about to start building a Thein separator for my shop vac to use w/ a 5 gallon bucket (I know a larger container would be better, but the bucket type is best for me right now.)  My question is - does the center port go to the vac or the tool?

(I purchased a bucket separator lid for Harbor Freight several years ago that wasn't very effective, so it sat around taking up space - working on modifying it with this plan http://www.evenfallstudios.com/woodworks/2008/06/27/building-the-5_gallon-thien-separator/)

Thanks.
Bill

[phil (admin)]

Center goes to the vac.

[os1kne]

Thanks.  I haven't finished mounting the baffle yet, however I did modify the "bucket separator lid" that I got from HF.  It's interesting that the lid comes with a 2.5" recess molded into the center of the lid - it was simple to cut out with a hole saw (w/o the center bit)and use the waste to plug one of the other holes with some caulk.  Anyway, I had to vac up some dust so I thought that I'd see what difference moving the vac port would make.  The lid went from being roughly 0% effective (no joke, tried it just prior to modifying) to 50+% effective - even without the baffle.  Anxious to see what a difference the baffle makes, but I need to set the project aside for a few days.

[os1kne]

I got my baffle / separator lid finished.  I did a little bit of unscientific testing with various shop cleaning - it appears that adding the Thien baffle to the separator lid made the little 5 gal. bucket separator at least 90% effective.  There were a lot of fines in the dust that I sucked up, so I'm sure that typical sawdust from the table saw, miter saw, etc. will be better.  Thanks to Phil for designing this and making it available.

It's amazing how little things can cause a project to mushroom.  About a week ago, a wheel from my shop vac broke off for the third time (crappy wheels mounted into molded plastic "outriggers".  After the last time that I fixed it with epoxy, I told myself that the next time a wheel broke off, I'd build a little cart for the shop vac and a bucket separator.  So I put together a quick cart with some plywood and casters from my scrap supply and made a short hose to go from the vac to the bucket.  The bucket separator lid that I purchased from HF several years ago was totally ineffective, so it was time to try out one of the Thien baffles that I've seen dozens of people raving about online.  They were right - this is a big improvement.

[RonS]

I will try and post some pictures of my Thien Seperator with shop Vac setup. Mine is a portable unit as you can see, but I use is as a central vac system with overhead drops and gates at all my tools and work bench. I am upgrading to a Delta 50-760 with a 5" main run and 4" drops. I'm designing the Thien separator now. Because of my head space I will be using a Wynn filter on the 760. 

The first picture shows my setup with the Thien 10 gal Separator setting on a small shelf on top of the SV. The shop piping goes off to
the left and up. This picture also shows my "Can Full" window to the upper left of the can label. I tried using a plastic bag inside the separator with a wire mesh support, but it was a PITA so I dropped that Idea. I just take the can to the trash and dump it (Outside).

No 2 shows the top of the separator with Phil's standard configuration (2008). This thing works great.

No 3 Shows the inside when it needs to be emptied.

No 4 shows The dust collection and my lost rag.

No 5 Shows The bottom side of the Thien Baffel

No 6 shows not much dust in the SV can.

No 7 shows The filter not bad at all.

No 8 shows my remote control setup, an outdoor 15 Amp christmas light remote controller ($4) works great, Ive been using this one since 2003 to control my shop vac. I used this for testing my 50-760 and it works, but I only used it about 10 on/off cycles.

I want to thank Phil for all the effort he's put in to making small shop dust collection a reality. This is the only way to go for shop vac and dust collector preseprators/filters

Ron

[bbain]

I like the remote idea, I'll have to do something similar with my shopvac setup.