# Separator success



## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

Built my separator from a large cardboard barrel. $3.00 from the Habitat for humanity Re-store. After several weeks of intermittent use with lathe clean up table and band saw use I had almost 20 inches of dust and shavings in the barrel and about 1 1/2" of dust in the bag.
I have fixed runs to the router table and drum sander. One run shares the BS's, jointer, planer with quick release. The other is to the floor sweep and lathe.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Nice idea using the cardboard barrel. Your baffle design is different. What if any reason did you put the exhaust hose off to the side?


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

The picture of the baffle is with it sitting upside down on the table saw while I was emptying the barrel. Both the intake and output are on the lid. I should re take the picture of the baffle but it is similar to most posted here of the Thein variety. 
One plywood disc reinforces the lid the lower one is the diameter of the barrel with about 2/3 of the circle cut back just under 2" .


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Those other Thein baffle threads your talking about all have the exhaust (going to DC in the middle with the intake close to the outer edge so that it creates a cyclonic spin which is what makes the baffle more effective. Yours must work at least partially but it is probably not as efficient as it could be. I'm thinking that you are getting more dust into the bag because the exhaust fitting is in the path of the spinning debris.

I'm not trying to be critical I was wondering why yours was different as in the fittings are both on the outer edges.


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

Well the fittings are elbows so I will now turn one so It is oriented in the center more and try it again.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Let me know how it goes but I don't think it will work the same as a straight pipe in the middle. Hey if it's working and your happy with it then keep it as is. If you want to see if it works better the other way it can't be hard or expensive to make a new lid.

Good luck either way. like I said if it works and your happy leave it as is. I was just wondering why it was different or if you noticed that it was.


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

I have emptied the barrel 3 times now and still have only about 4-5 inches of the fine dust in the bag. 
I did turn the elbow of the one fitting so it is in the center. I couldnt tell much difference. For $3.00 I almost want to get a second barrel and cut a window I can cover with plexiglass just to watch the action and see how the position of the inlet/ outlet affects it


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

Good stuff. I made a seperator for mine and haven't looked back. It's awesome. Great work.


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## del schisler (Nov 5, 2009)

Kenbo said:


> Good stuff. I made a seperator for mine and haven't looked back. It's awesome. Great work.


I have one that i got from i belive woodworker's supply and it doesn't have the plate on the botton. It has the streight pipe in the center and the elbo on the outside. Do you thank it would work better with the plate. I been wondering ?? Didn't want to hyjack but this seen like the time to ask ? what you think del


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

I think so. I built it with the plate based on advice I read here. I think it helps stuff getting sucked back up especially as it gets fuller


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