Jet DC1200 Vortex Cone Retrofit

[Rob Miller]

I've read some posts from this and other forums indicating that Jet didn't sell cones to retrofit the older non-vortex style Jet dust collectors. I recently picked up one of these collectors. The DC1200 parts appear to be interchangeable and the vortex cone appears to be available through ereplacementparts.com (http://www.ereplacementparts.com/cone-p-936644.html). Has anybody done this retrofit? I don't see why you couldn't install the new cone on the old units.

[Phil Thien]

I've read some posts from this and other forums indicating that Jet didn't sell cones to retrofit the older non-vortex style Jet dust collectors. I recently picked up one of these collectors. The DC1200 parts appear to be interchangeable and the vortex cone appears to be available through ereplacementparts.com (http://www.ereplacementparts.com/cone-p-936644.html). Has anybody done this retrofit? I don't see why you couldn't install the new cone on the old units.

At some point Jet changed their policy and started charging a more reasonable amount of money for the cones. So there have been at least a few threads where people DID get the cones and add them to the ring.

Others have done woks.

Still others have made their own Thien Baffles.

Still others have made their own cones, and even added one aspect of the Thien Baffle (he calls it the brim):

http://ary.com/WoodWorking/Shop/Jet/

[Rob Miller]

At some point Jet changed their policy and started charging a more reasonable amount of money for the cones. So there have been at least a few threads where people DID get the cones and add them to the ring.

Others have done woks.

Still others have made their own Thien Baffles.

Still others have made their own cones, and even added one aspect of the Thien Baffle (he calls it the brim):

http://ary.com/WoodWorking/Shop/Jet/

This link does not load. I was looking at the Thien baffle earlier, though, and didn't quite understand how it relates to the Jet unit as it is basically installed on a garbage can cum chip collector lid. Simple enough to cut a circular baffle and hang it below the opening of the Jet housing but a conical form seems more efficient.

[Phil Thien]

This link does not load. I was looking at the Thien baffle earlier, though, and didn't quite understand how it relates to the Jet unit as it is basically installed on a garbage can cum chip collector lid. Simple enough to cut a circular baffle and hang it below the opening of the Jet housing but a conical form seems more efficient.

There were hundreds of people installing baffles in the rings of their DC's long before the Jet cone shipped.

The cone was one of the first shapes I tested, I purchased some giant funnels from McMaster (and someone else, I cannot remember). The problem is, there was a bigger hit on CFM (compared to the baffle) and separation suffers because of the continuous gap (too good of an air coupling above and below the baffle, so scrubbing is pretty severe).

[Rob Miller]

There were hundreds of people installing baffles in the rings of their DC's long before the Jet cone shipped.

The cone was one of the first shapes I tested, I purchased some giant funnels from McMaster (and someone else, I cannot remember). The problem is, there was a bigger hit on CFM (compared to the baffle) and separation suffers because of the continuous gap (too good of an air coupling above and below the baffle, so scrubbing is pretty severe).

So, this is the page I was looking at: http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm. How does this thing attach to the Jet DC? I am assuming the entire system you've devised simply inserts between the DC impeller and the tool? I've seen some references to the Dust Deputy being used in this manner. If so, does your system hold some benefit over the latter arrangement? Pardon my ignorance -- I'm new to the whole DC thing.

[Phil Thien]

So, this is the page I was looking at: http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm. How does this thing attach to the Jet DC? I am assuming the entire system you've devised simply inserts between the DC impeller and the tool? I've seen some references to the Dust Deputy being used in this manner. If so, does your system hold some benefit over the latter arrangement? Pardon my ignorance -- I'm new to the whole DC thing.

You don't install that hole thing in the ring of your DC, just the baffle part.

Fine Woodworking did a test and found the baffle had the lowest initial hit to CFM. It didn't provide the same degree of separation as the Dust Deputy, BUT, the system they used for testing was a Jet unit that had the weird lower bag retainer, which interferes with separation quite a bit.

[Randy Bonella]

I added a thin baffle to my 1100 but completely reworked my system. Got the Delta ring for free which had a 6" input port and converted that to the Thien baffle. Major reduction in flex connection from impeller to filters, essentially from 36" to 4", 6" main port from Thien baffle and 6" port on main trunks from system. Works exceptionally well. almost never have to empty the plastic bag. 98% of dust is in the garbage can. Can't tell you hard numbers on dust collection improvement but I can say that it is significantly better than what I had before.
Dust Collector 2013.jpg
Lots of options if you're willing to hack the systems a bit.

Randy...

[Jim Andrew]

Randy, that setup makes your dc almost into a cyclone, in fact maybe it is. Is the Thien baffle just a piece that directs the air into a circular pattern like the cyclones have?

[Randy Reitz]

Randy, that's almost the exact system I've been collecting parts to build for almost 2 years now. I'm still trying to envision a way to hold the first ring up when the garbage can needs to be emptied, and a way to bypass the filter and vent directly outside when I don't need the return air. Great minds may think alike, but you've actually gone ahead and built it.

[Randy Bonella]

Pretty close to a cyclone, Phil's method changes your system from a single stage to a 2 stage system as you can see in Phil Thien's web site. This connects between the impeller and your ducting. It works very similar to the cone but gets the debris out of the air stream before it gets to the filter. I found Phil's method before I heard about the other methods and also wanted to get as much out of my 1100 as I could so opted for a pretty drastic mod to the original system. My shop is pretty small and all my dust collection is on one side of the room.

The Delta ring was a perfect solution for making the Thien baffle. The nice part was that the Delta ring had everything at 6" already and didn't need to modify. I'm not the best at cutting circles in metal . I Reduced the air path friction points as much as possible and keep as much dust and debris from getting to the filter as possible. The Thein Baffle works exceptionally well with very little scouring of the dust in the Garbage can, unlike the garbage can lid solution that I had before this. I also like the fact that very little debris gets to the impeller and I don't get sticks and metal and or other stuff poking holes in the plastic bag which was not the case when just using the system as a single stage.

As for raising the baffle to empty the garbage can, I haven't really figured out a great way to do that yet. The connection between the baffle and the impeller housing is 6" flex, Tried to copy the method used on the laguna cyclone but I didn't leave any mounting points on the left side so that didn't work, Right now I stuff a couple of sticks under each side to lift it which for now works fine, particularly because I don't need to empty it all that often.

Filter bypass would be a bit more tricky but can certainly be done. I can envision making a 6" Wye with 2 blast gates built in it at the coupling point between the impeller and the filter. Might loose a little performance due to the air turbulence but might not be all that bad if you get creative. To minimize air turbulence the blast gates would need to be located near the split in the Wye and ideally at an angle to minimize the amount of dead space. on the unused side.

Good luck with your build and post pics on what you do. If I can find the pics I took when I made mine I'll post them.

Randy...

[Rob Miller]

I added a thin baffle to my 1100 but completely reworked my system. Got the Delta ring for free which had a 6" input port and converted that to the Thien baffle. Major reduction in flex connection from impeller to filters, essentially from 36" to 4", 6" main port from Thien baffle and 6" port on main trunks from system. Works exceptionally well. almost never have to empty the plastic bag. 98% of dust is in the garbage can. Can't tell you hard numbers on dust collection improvement but I can say that it is significantly better than what I had before.
Dust Collector 2013.jpg
Lots of options if you're willing to hack the systems a bit.

Randy...

That's a pretty slick arrangement! Now if I could find a free Delta ring... lol.

[Randy Bonella]

That's a pretty slick arrangement! Now if I could find a free Delta ring... lol.

Thanks! total dumb luck on my part getting it, and it sat in my shop for 2 years, almost got rid of it at one point, glad I didn't