I keep forgetting to post pics of my version of the Thien filter DC mods. This is based upon the Penn state DC2000B 2HP dust collector and documents my attempts to make things a bit more efficient.
In it's from-the-factory form, the motor/impeller housing sits on the bottom of a mobile base with the intake coming from the side, and the exhaust aiming straight up. For the typical permanent installation where the piping follows the ceiling/walls, this presents several inefficiences: the piping must take a 90 degree bend to get into the impeller (via a dual 4" port), and the exhaust must follow a second 90 degree bend (via a 5" flex hose) to get to the dust separation hose. Dust "separation" is accomplished via a truncated cone (hole in the middle) housed in a metal vortex ring... attached to the top of the ring is a 0.5 micron dust bag, and a collection bag is attached to the bottom. Workable, but it could be so much better.
DC2000B.jpg
So, let's start with the unnecessary bends in the airflow. I built a platform from 2x4s and 1/4" plywood that raises the motor/impeller housing to be level with the metal ring the filter and bag are connected to. This removes the bend in the flex house, as well as shortens the air path through a less-than-smooth duct. At the same time, rotating the housing on it's side faces the intake up, removing yet another 90 degree turn.
Platform.jpg
To avoid having the motor/impeller housing sit far off of the mobile base, the port on the ring needs to be on the other side. I didn't want to block the old port and recreate a new one on the opposite side, so I compromised... I flipped the entire ring over. This lowers the collection bag several inches, but in practice it's not a big deal.
Inside_Ring.jpg
The new problem is the vortex cone... now it's upside down (pointing upwards). I was going to cut it out completely and insert a Thien filter, but better sense prevailed. If I blocked the center portion (seen here done with a piece of plastic sheet... later replaced with a piece of fiberboard when the pressure differential ripped it open the first time I turned it on), I could cut the cone in the same way a Thien filter would be cut. A bracket was added to the side to give the cone some stability.
Ring_Top_Down.jpg
The dust bag was replaced with a Wynn Environmental Nano filter. In it's normal configuration, the filter would be held to the vortex cone via three turnbuckles. With the upside down cone, however, and the fact that the outside of the cone is now cut out (the filter diameter is smaller than the cone), that setup no longer works. A new platform was created using a spare piece of 1/4" plywood. The four angle brackets seen around the side of the ring are what hold the plywood on.
Filter_Ring.jpg
Four holes were cut in the metal ring of the filter itself to hold it to the plywood platform.
Filter_Mounting_Holes.jpg
In practice, it works quite well, and I've been happy with the performance so far, particularly for the price. I had plenty of plywood and 2x4s, so the cost pretty much came from the Nano filter and the angle brackets. The dual-port adaptor originally on the unit was removed to bring in a straight line to the 5" intake (I intend to widen it a bit at some point), and it was repurposed as a dual port for the bandsaw (one 4" line goes under the table, the other 4" line hangs above the table to catch everything that doesn't go down).
Enjoy!
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Originally Posted by Kurt Cady
