Help from experienced Thien baffle users please..

Wow, I really thought you would have gotten a response by now. Per the Here’s the Plans post: ” – When all 3 spacer rods are installed, adjust the nuts so that the distance is equal, and the elbow barely touches the baffle” This is what I’ve done with my 5gal adaptation, and it works well for me.

However: There is a guy who built a shopvac tophat version, and when he dropped the baffle down to 39mm below the inlet, he noticed better fines separation. See reply #4

Sorry, this probably doesn’t help your quandary much.

-- _Never argue with an idiot. They'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience_

i believe the top surface of the baffle should be 1/2” below the bottom of the inlet (presumably the 6” opening in the side of the drum ring) to the drum ring. here’s my version of the baffle in the drum ring modification. i used a discarded frying pan as i was too lazy to fabricate a thien baffle plate. using a proper flat thien baffle, it should not be visible in this photo as the frying pan is. the 120 degree portion of the baffle forms a ramp that starts where the inlet opens into the drum ring.

also, check out the third pic in this thread and note the relationship of the baffle to the drum ring inlet (the opening in the drum ring where the hose from the blower is connected):

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f32/yes-works-25110/

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

There is a thread, Top Hat Design Guidelines, on the Thien site. It has good information and a PDF download of key/critical measurements.

-- Randy-- I may not be good...but I am slow!

There ya have it. I’ve been looking for that info forever. Post 18 seems to have what the OP was looking for (inlet should be 1 diameter from the baffle itself. 3” in this case.

thanks DIYaholic.

-- _Never argue with an idiot. They'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience_

Thanks to everyone who replied

It did take quite some time before I got an answer so I went ahead and mounted my baffle about 3/4” below the inlet.

Phil Thien suggested the baffle could come down lower – but was not sure what that would do in my specific case – so I may experiment further in the future

So far everything is working good – I plan on taking the filter off in a week or two after I get some substantial dust waste in the bag – then I can really see how much material is on the filter interior.

posting a pic of my finished baffle install

-- don't talk about it - be about it

cool. Do tell…

-- _Never argue with an idiot. They'll just drag you down to their level and beat you with experience_

kwit…....nice execution. the info contained in the top hat link only applies to your application in so far as the height of the drum inlet relative to the top of the baffle is concerned. i believe roswell is incorrect regarding the 3” as that dimension refers to the suction (to the DC/vacuum) fitting of a top hat design. the drum ring application of the baffle is not the same as a top hat as there is no suction side in the drum ring baffle applicaiton.

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

thanks toolie…

I have to say – I am intrigued by the inverted frying pan – I’ve seen the posts about inverted woks and such – I know JET sells something similar for their units.

Does the pan hug the side at all like the Thein baffle or are you just minimizing the blow-back of duct and chips into the upper bag/filter?

How is it working (woking?) for you so far?

-- don't talk about it - be about it

here’s the jet product:

https://parts.jettools.com/SearchResults.aspx?s=DC1100-47

when the “vortex cone” was first introduced, there were reports that jet either wouldn’t sell the components or wanted several hundred dollars for them. this generated a lot of negative feelings among jet DC owners. that may be what motivated the current retro fit offering.

the pan does not hug the sides of the drum ring like a thien baffle does. it sees to be working just fine. when large amounts of saw dust are introduced into the intake stream, like when i clean out the sawdust that accumulates within the cabinet perimeter, the sawdust leisurely spirals down into the collection bag as opposed to swirling into it with much more velocity.

here’s a few pics of the mounting of the pan and the canister filter before and after the modification.

canister filter before modification:

canister filter after modification:

-- there's a solution to every problem.......you just have to be willing to find it.

I think you should bring it as far down as possible and approximately 3.5” which would definitely help you out!!
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