I built a thein type primary collector. I would search around on the internet for options, but you also might want to start here: I used Penn State and they had a hard, taller one micron filter that fit the ring of the Harbor Hi Corky. As you know from my Workshop page I own a Harbor Freight 2HP dust collector that is fitted with a .5 micron Wynn Environmental washable filter, which in over 10 years has never needed to be washed due to my Thien cyclone. 
I feel it greatly increased the amount of air movement, pretty close to a Shop-Vac. If you keep the duct runs short, run hard pipe to as close to the tool as possible, this machine should work well in a small shop. It was good to find a use for that empty 55 gallon plastic drum I had sitting behind the shed. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. I placed mine on an outside wall to my shop and rant the intake inside my shop, hooked to a Dust Deputy. More expensive, but the paddle, plus a few jolts to get the cleaned out sawdust into the bag, seems like a better setup than the Wynn. I was able to pick up the pipe used, so for cost reasons, I can understand if you'd go plastic. I usually smack the bag with a stick when the unit is powering down. I was thinking about doing an internal Thien baffle in my HF 2HP DC. I linked the Wynn clips.
With PVC piping around my shop at/near each station. If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails. So you've only done a baffle on the bottom half? I am looking to save space, so instead of staying with my 55 gallon Thien separator, I am going to go with a Thein baffle in the separator ring of the dust collector. #1. Boy I hate cleaning that filter! When I bought the Oneida cyclone I talked to them about it and they verified this was good. This is what I use on the outlet of my 600cfm wen dust collector pulling through an oneida super dust deputy on a 30 gal barrel. I should have gotten one of these before starting my current project, lots of sweeping and vacuuming. Sadly this turned out to be problematic as the first box of Ferrules I bought, advertised for 3/8" air hose do not actually fit 3/8" air hose, at least not 3/8" rubber air hose that has a measured O.D. Hi, Bryan. I bought this same unit about 3 years ago. And run the puller pressure screw in, making adjustments to your puller to be sure you get a succesful pull all the way until the impeller comes off. Very happy with my set-up. I made a Thein Top Hat out of some MDF and plywood and a 30 gal. I can now start the DC system from every tool to which it's connected. The instructions were vague, incomplete, and often just plain incorrect. My overhead hose reel, which I will have go to back in this blog itself to see how long ago I installed it, but probably at least 8, but maybe as much as 10 years ago. I started my 30+ year career as a tech writer by re-writing instructions and specifications written in "Japlish." They discontinue models frequently and do not offer replacement parts. It appears that every time you want to blow out the filter you will have to remove the baffle to remove the filter.. Like I say I haven't read much about that baffle, but I would suggest, if you don't already know the answers, wait until you get the filter before building the baffle to see how they will work together. The HF dust collector has likely changed multiple times since this review, but fundamentally it is the same machine. It worked great. I did upgrade it to a pleated cartridge filter for better dust control. Would a dust unit help remove this, or would it just get gummed up (the lacquer dust is pretty dry, but still slightly tacky)? I don't know about you but I like my children roasted to a nice maple color. I ordered the Wynn filter. Instead of a bag, replace it with a Wynn 35A nano canister filter. I'll share my experience installing it after it gets here. I have run it with a large leaf bag inside the bottom bag to facilitate easy emptying and that has worked well for me. This actually filters the dangerous dust, AND provides superior airflow. Otherwize the Wynn filter will not fasten down. Harbor Freight 2HP Dust Collector, Model 97869 $199.00, **Coupons and discounts are frequently available for all Harbor Freight tools, and shipping is a flat rate $6.99, Tags: dust collection, Dust Collector, Inexpensive Dust Collector, Shop Vacuum, Vacuum. We do NOT want the impeller to start moving while our hands are in there! I really don't know how it compares, I wasn't interested in using PVC at all and never shopped it. The two biggest improvements to my system (which was just cloth bags top and bottom) were: So can we see some pics of the bag holder you're using? As the motor was powering down I would slap the bag with both hands and you could see the dust falling into the lower bag, that cleans the 5 micron filter. It works very well and makes a HUGE difference. I am finding a LOT of contradictory information out there, I know the OE impeller equipped HF DC just won't support 6" duct, but some folks say impeller swapped will, and some say it won't. I'm looking to get a canister filter for my HF dust collector. But it is more than adequate for small shop dust collection. Even the cloth bag needs a little cleaning from time to time. 5 dust collector piping? I bought a HF dust collector about 5 years ago as an inexpensive alternative and it worked fairly well, I retrofitted with a cyclone and a pleated filter, worked better yet. I must say though, if you already have a Harbor Freight 2HP dust collector, GET THIS IMPELLER AND DO THE SWAP! I do plan, however, to add a cyclonic separator to keep the chips from clogging the 5-micron filter and plastic bag. (My dust collector cyclone and blower is installed inside my shop because the shop is heated and cooled) it took me several weeks to build enough enclosure around the cyclone to quiet it enough to be able to stand it. Thank you all for your input. Well the suction / CFM of this thing has always lacked a bit. Anyone here done one yet? Unlike most Harbor Freight dust collector upgrades, I am not going to use a separate cyclone or seprator, but instead use a Thien cyclone separator in the separtor ring of the cust collector. Please contact Harbor Freight with your question. In fact their heavy duty steel cyclone has 5" in and 6" out, which they said is ideal. There are 2 that I know of, one from Rikon that has been next to impossible to get, and when available costs almost as much as the dust collector, and one from Wen, the 3403-22 Turbofan. But beside that confusion, their site lists both of those as being 1550cfm? Negative Pressure how any ideas on boosting performance? You can't buy it or rush it, you need to earn it, slowly, over time. Welcome to my tale of setting up and working in my regular guys workshop. http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=145.0. Why wouldn't that work on the HF? I can attest to the good overall airflow as when I first set it up, it crumpled the trashcan like a soda can, I wound up having to reinforce the trashcan (after pounding it back into shape) with angle iron. 4) Last year, I added a HF. Paul Should have it within a week. After the baffle, it was once every 12 to 18 months, I'd guess. I propped the base on sleepers to attach the casters. Install filter per MFG instructions, or at the very least, using bungee cords, strap that sucker down. I mean, the one with the bigger motor should win right? So, like many, I have the 2HP Harbor Freight Dust collector, upgraded to a Wynn 35A filter.
Fitted it with a 0.5 micron HEPA canister from Wynn. Even on the bottom side it is going to make it real difficult to anchor the filter if they are still anchored as mine is, you need to have access to the bottom to tighten the anchor hooks. The Ask an Expert section is currently for members of our online community. what size PVC did you run? I'm very happy with the performance of the HF unit. Even if you could find one that would fit I wouldn't do it. I placed mine in a magnetic bowl while working to keep them from wandering off. Paul-WWGOA. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If you take the bag off, you and your lungs will be coated in fine sawdust, even if you're standing upwind. I used air tool oil as it was right where I was working. This will upgrade the inlet flange to 6" allowing connection of course to a 6" ducting system. That said, I doubt that the fine dust or dry sawdust that I create would slow down enough to create a clog even if I used 12 pipe! I am sure HD/Lowes would be good enough sources for your 6" pipes and fittings or would you need a lot of those? With a side flip, making a shorter Thien trash can separator. Using a 5mm allen wrench, loosen and remove the retaining screw turning clockwise. CFM ratings from many vendors are based on theoretical numbers, or measured right at the inlet. Someone here did a tutorial on using a wok for the baffle. 3) A Jet 1-1/2 hp with a canister on top. It may be best to avoid the manual, which gives incorrect information throughout the assembly. It work, too. Happy Woodworking! A $13 wireless controller and 2 $7 remote controls. The difference was night and day better than the bag. Interesting. While it didnt catch all the sawdust I believe that is due to the Ryobi saw design rather than a lack of suction. I was wonder how I would connect my 5 basic machines and one connection for my portable tools? Keep the trust washer with the screw in the orientation it came off. So are the specs exaggerated? Have they upgraded the motor since this article was written? If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the special offer below: Is it cheaper than 6 pvc? For all interested my latest HF ad shows the 2hp DC for $199.99. Donaldson P181099 Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNIPIGA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_VQ3MXY4J4VN4B1S9N3MM. I came across a version from Harbor Freight at a fraction of the cost as the closest competitor; less than $200** including shipping, so I decided to go for it. Set up a cyclonic separator of some sort. Using a Dylos and sanding MDF panels they tested 8 Units 5 bag and 3 canister DCs. My last few years of dust collection experience and research tell me that reference is not correct.
Its performed very well. I scoured the internet, home stores and woodworking shops for a full sized collector with at least a 2HP motor with 650 CFM suction and a 5-micron bag. It was pretty amazing the stuff the engineers left out when describing procedures. If this is marketed as a 2hp unit with 1500+cfms and is insufficient for a whole shop, how can one compare it with other more expensive units? In short, Ive had a little experience with dust collectors. I 'm just a retired at-home woodworker, like most of us, but do several furniture making project a year, so the DC and filter get plenty of use. https://amzn.to/3DMrJfs You may want to use Wynn's floating gear latches to secure the filter, or possibly come up with your own rig. https://go.wwgoa.com/C15794. This page was generated at 08:20 PM. I bought the HF DC as well. Please submit links to how-to pages and videos, pictures of beautiful and amazing pieces you made for us to admire, or help you finish. Hopefully you will get something out of your time here! I have one with 70 pvc and a lot of blastgates running a whole shop. The thing works great. Coat the inside of the bore and keyway of the new impeller with a light oil. Keep it on either for now. It will increase the suction and is better for your health. It works very effectively even on high producers like the 5HP drum sander. I finally got fed up with the leaks in my existing air hose jumpers such as from the compressor to the manifold just prior to the regulator, dryer, filter, oil separator assembly. With the baffle it should hardly move down there, so I've been told. I see how Jason in his video has his filter attached. The Rikon P60-200-22 impeller seems to be the recommended replacement, but it appears to no longer be available. https://wenproducts.com/products/340530916dc&_ss=r, I am using a Hydrofarm AC6F 6" flange that will need to be drilled to match the Harbor Freight mounting holes. When I finally realized that wood dust was overtaking my home work shop and was becoming a health hazard I got serious and researched dust control and dust hazards. Once a month, maybe every 6 weeks, I'll remove the top and use my shop vac to suck the dust off the Wynn filter material after I have blown the majority of it off with compressed air from the outside and the dust settles inside the unit. You are using an out of date browser. While both the diagram and instructions informed me to use hex-head bolts and nuts for this task, there werent enough included in the shipment. When we were installing my 5 hp clearview I wanted to test out the blower before I installed it 10 high. At the time I researched it, the wisdom was that 5" was sufficient for flow assuming it's hard pipe with gradual bends and no hard elbows. Btw, given the collector happens to be on an outside area, the exhaust hose simply blows free I dont have it running into the filter bags. If you say its quiet, its quiet. I have this unit hooked to my table saw and the other hose to my router and it does a good job for me and Im very happy that I purchased it. For the money, I dont think I could beat it. Madeline The winner was the Jet 5M bag followed by the General International canister. You NEED a gasket there! Not sure where you'd add another one to the mix. I have 3 other small unites dedicated to machines but have considered selling them and getting another HF unit and running 2 hoses to 2 machines or running a pipe along the wall to connect all the other machines to. Rotate the motor shaft such that the keyway, and retaining key are pointed directly up. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. https://amzn.to/3nFicRJ. Shop vacuums are a great way to start collecting dust and chips out in the garage or basement, but a full sized dust collector offers much more suction as well as greater capacity for chips on tools like the planer and jointer.
I feel it greatly increased the amount of air movement, pretty close to a Shop-Vac. If you keep the duct runs short, run hard pipe to as close to the tool as possible, this machine should work well in a small shop. It was good to find a use for that empty 55 gallon plastic drum I had sitting behind the shed. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. I placed mine on an outside wall to my shop and rant the intake inside my shop, hooked to a Dust Deputy. More expensive, but the paddle, plus a few jolts to get the cleaned out sawdust into the bag, seems like a better setup than the Wynn. I was able to pick up the pipe used, so for cost reasons, I can understand if you'd go plastic. I usually smack the bag with a stick when the unit is powering down. I was thinking about doing an internal Thien baffle in my HF 2HP DC. I linked the Wynn clips. With PVC piping around my shop at/near each station. If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails. So you've only done a baffle on the bottom half? I am looking to save space, so instead of staying with my 55 gallon Thien separator, I am going to go with a Thein baffle in the separator ring of the dust collector. #1. Boy I hate cleaning that filter! When I bought the Oneida cyclone I talked to them about it and they verified this was good. This is what I use on the outlet of my 600cfm wen dust collector pulling through an oneida super dust deputy on a 30 gal barrel. I should have gotten one of these before starting my current project, lots of sweeping and vacuuming. Sadly this turned out to be problematic as the first box of Ferrules I bought, advertised for 3/8" air hose do not actually fit 3/8" air hose, at least not 3/8" rubber air hose that has a measured O.D. Hi, Bryan. I bought this same unit about 3 years ago. And run the puller pressure screw in, making adjustments to your puller to be sure you get a succesful pull all the way until the impeller comes off. Very happy with my set-up. I made a Thein Top Hat out of some MDF and plywood and a 30 gal. I can now start the DC system from every tool to which it's connected. The instructions were vague, incomplete, and often just plain incorrect. My overhead hose reel, which I will have go to back in this blog itself to see how long ago I installed it, but probably at least 8, but maybe as much as 10 years ago. I started my 30+ year career as a tech writer by re-writing instructions and specifications written in "Japlish." They discontinue models frequently and do not offer replacement parts. It appears that every time you want to blow out the filter you will have to remove the baffle to remove the filter.. Like I say I haven't read much about that baffle, but I would suggest, if you don't already know the answers, wait until you get the filter before building the baffle to see how they will work together. The HF dust collector has likely changed multiple times since this review, but fundamentally it is the same machine. It worked great. I did upgrade it to a pleated cartridge filter for better dust control. Would a dust unit help remove this, or would it just get gummed up (the lacquer dust is pretty dry, but still slightly tacky)? I don't know about you but I like my children roasted to a nice maple color. I ordered the Wynn filter. Instead of a bag, replace it with a Wynn 35A nano canister filter. I'll share my experience installing it after it gets here. I have run it with a large leaf bag inside the bottom bag to facilitate easy emptying and that has worked well for me. This actually filters the dangerous dust, AND provides superior airflow. Otherwize the Wynn filter will not fasten down. Harbor Freight 2HP Dust Collector, Model 97869 $199.00, **Coupons and discounts are frequently available for all Harbor Freight tools, and shipping is a flat rate $6.99, Tags: dust collection, Dust Collector, Inexpensive Dust Collector, Shop Vacuum, Vacuum. We do NOT want the impeller to start moving while our hands are in there! I really don't know how it compares, I wasn't interested in using PVC at all and never shopped it. The two biggest improvements to my system (which was just cloth bags top and bottom) were: So can we see some pics of the bag holder you're using? As the motor was powering down I would slap the bag with both hands and you could see the dust falling into the lower bag, that cleans the 5 micron filter. It works very well and makes a HUGE difference. I am finding a LOT of contradictory information out there, I know the OE impeller equipped HF DC just won't support 6" duct, but some folks say impeller swapped will, and some say it won't. I'm looking to get a canister filter for my HF dust collector. But it is more than adequate for small shop dust collection. Even the cloth bag needs a little cleaning from time to time. 5 dust collector piping? I bought a HF dust collector about 5 years ago as an inexpensive alternative and it worked fairly well, I retrofitted with a cyclone and a pleated filter, worked better yet. I must say though, if you already have a Harbor Freight 2HP dust collector, GET THIS IMPELLER AND DO THE SWAP! I do plan, however, to add a cyclonic separator to keep the chips from clogging the 5-micron filter and plastic bag. (My dust collector cyclone and blower is installed inside my shop because the shop is heated and cooled) it took me several weeks to build enough enclosure around the cyclone to quiet it enough to be able to stand it. Thank you all for your input. Well the suction / CFM of this thing has always lacked a bit. Anyone here done one yet? Unlike most Harbor Freight dust collector upgrades, I am not going to use a separate cyclone or seprator, but instead use a Thien cyclone separator in the separtor ring of the cust collector. Please contact Harbor Freight with your question. In fact their heavy duty steel cyclone has 5" in and 6" out, which they said is ideal. There are 2 that I know of, one from Rikon that has been next to impossible to get, and when available costs almost as much as the dust collector, and one from Wen, the 3403-22 Turbofan. But beside that confusion, their site lists both of those as being 1550cfm? Negative Pressure how any ideas on boosting performance? You can't buy it or rush it, you need to earn it, slowly, over time. Welcome to my tale of setting up and working in my regular guys workshop. http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?topic=145.0. Why wouldn't that work on the HF? I can attest to the good overall airflow as when I first set it up, it crumpled the trashcan like a soda can, I wound up having to reinforce the trashcan (after pounding it back into shape) with angle iron. 4) Last year, I added a HF. Paul Should have it within a week. After the baffle, it was once every 12 to 18 months, I'd guess. I propped the base on sleepers to attach the casters. Install filter per MFG instructions, or at the very least, using bungee cords, strap that sucker down. I mean, the one with the bigger motor should win right? So, like many, I have the 2HP Harbor Freight Dust collector, upgraded to a Wynn 35A filter.
Fitted it with a 0.5 micron HEPA canister from Wynn. Even on the bottom side it is going to make it real difficult to anchor the filter if they are still anchored as mine is, you need to have access to the bottom to tighten the anchor hooks. The Ask an Expert section is currently for members of our online community. what size PVC did you run? I'm very happy with the performance of the HF unit. Even if you could find one that would fit I wouldn't do it. I placed mine in a magnetic bowl while working to keep them from wandering off. Paul-WWGOA. I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If you take the bag off, you and your lungs will be coated in fine sawdust, even if you're standing upwind. I used air tool oil as it was right where I was working. This will upgrade the inlet flange to 6" allowing connection of course to a 6" ducting system. That said, I doubt that the fine dust or dry sawdust that I create would slow down enough to create a clog even if I used 12 pipe! I am sure HD/Lowes would be good enough sources for your 6" pipes and fittings or would you need a lot of those? With a side flip, making a shorter Thien trash can separator. Using a 5mm allen wrench, loosen and remove the retaining screw turning clockwise. CFM ratings from many vendors are based on theoretical numbers, or measured right at the inlet. Someone here did a tutorial on using a wok for the baffle. 3) A Jet 1-1/2 hp with a canister on top. It may be best to avoid the manual, which gives incorrect information throughout the assembly. It work, too. Happy Woodworking! A $13 wireless controller and 2 $7 remote controls. The difference was night and day better than the bag. Interesting. While it didnt catch all the sawdust I believe that is due to the Ryobi saw design rather than a lack of suction. I was wonder how I would connect my 5 basic machines and one connection for my portable tools? Keep the trust washer with the screw in the orientation it came off. So are the specs exaggerated? Have they upgraded the motor since this article was written? If you are interested in becoming a member, please click on the special offer below: Is it cheaper than 6 pvc? For all interested my latest HF ad shows the 2hp DC for $199.99. Donaldson P181099 Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KNIPIGA/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_VQ3MXY4J4VN4B1S9N3MM. I came across a version from Harbor Freight at a fraction of the cost as the closest competitor; less than $200** including shipping, so I decided to go for it. Set up a cyclonic separator of some sort. Using a Dylos and sanding MDF panels they tested 8 Units 5 bag and 3 canister DCs. My last few years of dust collection experience and research tell me that reference is not correct.
Its performed very well. I scoured the internet, home stores and woodworking shops for a full sized collector with at least a 2HP motor with 650 CFM suction and a 5-micron bag. It was pretty amazing the stuff the engineers left out when describing procedures. If this is marketed as a 2hp unit with 1500+cfms and is insufficient for a whole shop, how can one compare it with other more expensive units? In short, Ive had a little experience with dust collectors. I 'm just a retired at-home woodworker, like most of us, but do several furniture making project a year, so the DC and filter get plenty of use. https://amzn.to/3DMrJfs You may want to use Wynn's floating gear latches to secure the filter, or possibly come up with your own rig. https://go.wwgoa.com/C15794. This page was generated at 08:20 PM. I bought the HF DC as well. Please submit links to how-to pages and videos, pictures of beautiful and amazing pieces you made for us to admire, or help you finish. Hopefully you will get something out of your time here! I have one with 70 pvc and a lot of blastgates running a whole shop. The thing works great. Coat the inside of the bore and keyway of the new impeller with a light oil. Keep it on either for now. It will increase the suction and is better for your health. It works very effectively even on high producers like the 5HP drum sander. I finally got fed up with the leaks in my existing air hose jumpers such as from the compressor to the manifold just prior to the regulator, dryer, filter, oil separator assembly. With the baffle it should hardly move down there, so I've been told. I see how Jason in his video has his filter attached. The Rikon P60-200-22 impeller seems to be the recommended replacement, but it appears to no longer be available. https://wenproducts.com/products/340530916dc&_ss=r, I am using a Hydrofarm AC6F 6" flange that will need to be drilled to match the Harbor Freight mounting holes. When I finally realized that wood dust was overtaking my home work shop and was becoming a health hazard I got serious and researched dust control and dust hazards. Once a month, maybe every 6 weeks, I'll remove the top and use my shop vac to suck the dust off the Wynn filter material after I have blown the majority of it off with compressed air from the outside and the dust settles inside the unit. You are using an out of date browser. While both the diagram and instructions informed me to use hex-head bolts and nuts for this task, there werent enough included in the shipment. When we were installing my 5 hp clearview I wanted to test out the blower before I installed it 10 high. At the time I researched it, the wisdom was that 5" was sufficient for flow assuming it's hard pipe with gradual bends and no hard elbows. Btw, given the collector happens to be on an outside area, the exhaust hose simply blows free I dont have it running into the filter bags. If you say its quiet, its quiet. I have this unit hooked to my table saw and the other hose to my router and it does a good job for me and Im very happy that I purchased it. For the money, I dont think I could beat it. Madeline The winner was the Jet 5M bag followed by the General International canister. You NEED a gasket there! Not sure where you'd add another one to the mix. I have 3 other small unites dedicated to machines but have considered selling them and getting another HF unit and running 2 hoses to 2 machines or running a pipe along the wall to connect all the other machines to. Rotate the motor shaft such that the keyway, and retaining key are pointed directly up. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. https://amzn.to/3nFicRJ. Shop vacuums are a great way to start collecting dust and chips out in the garage or basement, but a full sized dust collector offers much more suction as well as greater capacity for chips on tools like the planer and jointer.