Thien vs. the Super Dust Deputy


bleedinblue

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I have tried a Dust Deputy and a home-built vortex thing-a-ma-jig.

I run the Dust Deputy on my CNC machine cutting MDF, which generates nothing but really fine dust. A year ago I put a vacuum bag and HEPA filter on my shop vac after the Dust Deputy. I've dumped well over 200 gallons of dust from the Deputy and the vacuum bag is still not even half full. It's an amazing contraption and I regret not getting one sooner.

My home-built thing is crap and a waste of time.

-E

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I've used both a home made Thein Baffle and a regular dust deputy with a shop vac. I had to bang the filter out more often with the DD then the thein baffle but i personally don't think that the DD diameter is large enough for the vac i was using. Also the head loss was greater on the DD which reinforces the vac being too large. I should probably run 2 in parallel but i only have 1 35 gallon drum. I tihnk the other factors in sizing a cyclone style separator play more then the type. If sized the same a true cyclone would be better.

It would be interesting to see a cyclone with a thein baffle inside it to stop some of the updraft in the middle of the cyclone. wonder if that would work ......

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  • 2 weeks later...

I talked to the guy from East Caroga.  He claims his is more of a true cyclone and it separates more fine dust than the SDD.  I don't know if that's true, but he has answered emails very very quickly, a sign of great customer support.  I think I'll give it a shot.  It's taller so that'll make for a more challenging install/design, but I'm sure it can be done.

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4 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

I talked to the guy from East Caroga.  He claims his is more of a true cyclone and it separates more fine dust than the SDD.  I don't know if that's true, but he has answered emails very very quickly, a sign of great customer support.  I think I'll give it a shot.  It's taller so that'll make for a more challenging install/design, but I'm sure it can be done.

Post a review I'd add one to my HF DC to make it a portable cyclone. I'm not in the market now but could be in the future.

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12 hours ago, bleedinblue said:

I'm also considering a cyclone from that guy who makes them in steel, East Caroga Cyclones.

I'm curious how the SDD and this steel design compare with regard to sound. I wonder if the steel version sounds like banging the sides of a steel drum anytime something large gets pulled in?

-E

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7 hours ago, bushwacked said:

for those running SDD ... what container do you connect them to? Do you use the 18 Gal? ( I think is what the try to sell with it) Or have you modified something else to work with it?

I bought a 55-gallon fiber drum from mcmaster-carr - I think it was around $95 including shipping. 

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10 hours ago, bushwacked said:

for those running SDD ... what container do you connect them to? Do you use the 18 Gal? ( I think is what the try to sell with it) Or have you modified something else to work with it?

I use a 32 gal Brute trashcan. The lid doesn't seal perfectly, but a line if weatherstripping fixes that.

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I bought a 55-gallon fiber drum from mcmaster-carr - I think it was around $95 including shipping. 

Something like that? Just cut out a hole in the top?

65d9142699d59b6e9ea27cc7f9710d4a.png

I use a 32 gal Brute trashcan. The lid doesn't seal perfectly, but a line if weatherstripping fixes that.

Ya I think the 32 gal is a good size for filling up and still being able to lift and empty it without being a pain.

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My thoughts also.  I'll be ordering a 35 gallon blue drum with the handles when I'm ready for a second stage.

I've never seen one with handles .... that would be great!

So do you just cut out the top circle to mount the SDD to it and you are good to go?

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My grizzly cyclone has a 35 gallon drum under it, and i dont know if i would enjoy routinely lifting a 55 gallon drum of fine sawdust. Planer/jointer shavings are mostly air, but 35 gallons of sanding/table saw dust can weigh a ton. I think next shop will have an external cyclone with a dumpster under it. Emptying the bin is such a royal pain in the rump. 

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5 hours ago, bushwacked said:

So do you just cut out the top circle to mount the SDD to it and you are good to go?

You'll wan't a flange of some sort to attach a hose between the SDD and the drum, you need a strong support for the cyclone, and to be able to remove the drum easily. I used a short run of 5" flex hose, and I cannibalized a plastic blast gate, which you can pop apart into a pair of 5" flanges. One got screwed to the underside of the plywood mount for the SDD (just like Ty Moser/Monoloco) and the other got glued to the top of the drum/can lid.

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14 hours ago, bushwacked said:

I've never seen one with handles .... that would be great!

 

So do you just cut out the top circle to mount the SDD to it and you are good to go?

I Don't have the SSD, but the lid is quite strong, I think it may be adequate to support the SSD directly like that, though you could reinforce it further to be sure. It is stronger/thicker material than a regular bucket lid.

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22 hours ago, bushwacked said:

Something like that? Just cut out a hole in the top?

65d9142699d59b6e9ea27cc7f9710d4a.png

 

Ya I think the 32 gal is a good size for filling up and still being able to lift and empty it without being a pain.

Pretty much exactly that but they weren't on amazon when I bought. I cut the hole with jigsaw.

I use a bag with it.. kind of a pain and the bag usually rips. So I switched to no bag. It's really not that bad to lift and dump out.

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I got the cyclone.  It seems pretty solid.  I'm no welder but the welds seem a little sloppy.  Airtight and solid though, this isn't going on a 32 Ford, so who cares.  I'm beginning to think the 55 gallon drum is going to be too tall by the time I put the cyclone and DC motor on top of it.

IMAG0159.jpg

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