• Thanks for visiting The Penturners Forum today.

    There are many features and resources that currently you are unable to see or access, either because you're not yet registered, or if you're already registered, because you're not logged in.

    To gain full access to the forum, please log in or register now. Registration is completely free, it only takes a few seconds, and you can join our well established community of like-minded pen makers.

Thien separator...the build

Doug

Loquacious
Executive Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Posts
6,647
Location
In the wood shop
First Name
Take a guess
Thought I start a new thread to document building the separator.
This is my first go at building one & this is this afternoons progress so far, I took plenty of photos as this was what I found sadly lacking in a lot of the information I found when researching.

Working on the principle that I wanted an air tight container to minimise loss of suction I managed to get hold of an airfreight drum made for transporting batteries.

photo1_zpsb6edcdc0.jpg


I liked this drum as not only was it robust with a locking ring to hold the top secure but it also had a built in rubber gasket in the rim of the lid.

photo2_zps475ed60b.jpg


The first thing I did was to find the center of the lid for the connection to the extractor, this I did with dividers

photo3_zps0ed2f95b.jpg


With the center marked I drilled a 50mm hole, I also drilled a hole near the rim for the dust hose elbow, the fittings I'm using are 50mm mini gutter down pipe fittings.

photo4_zpsc316722a.jpg


photo5_zps8ab31152.jpg


With that done I turned my attention to the baffle, this is made from 14mm plywood, I started by cutting half way through the ply to outline a 14 inch disc the internal diameter of the drum.

photo1_zps13afeafc.jpg


I then measured round the circumference divided the measurement by 3 & marked this measurement on the edge of the circle, the router was then moved in 1 1/8 inch towards the center & an arc cut all the way through the ply 2/3rds around the circumference.

photo2_zpsdaf27e69.jpg
 

Doug

Loquacious
Executive Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Posts
6,647
Location
In the wood shop
First Name
Take a guess
The router was then moved back to its original position & the outer circumference cut all the way through. Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the finished shape but this is the baffle when bolted in, showing the finished shape :whistling:

photo_zps369b4652.jpg


The baffle was then placed in the drum held up with packing, the lid was placed on top & the holes for the bolts drilled.

photo3_zps52471699.jpg


The holes were filed roughly square & the underside cleaned up with the grinder.

photo4_zps57f37196.jpg


After which PTFE was wrapped around the bolt heads, these were secured to the lid with nuts,packers & locking washers & the baffle fitted temporarily.
Finally for today the 2 fittings were epoxied in position.

photo5_zps44e3bbb2.jpg


photo_zps627eebd9.jpg


I won't know until at least tomorrow if this will work :nooidea: I've made it so that the baffle height is adjustable, the drop slot length & width is as I've read on the internet but I would be most interested if anyone can foresee any problems I might have with what I've done so far.
 

turnaround360

Caracktycus Pots
Fellow
Joined
Mar 6, 2013
Posts
2,427
Location
Essex
First Name
Frank
I'm watching this one as I like the look of Doug does the baffle need an upright panel forming like a curved corridor between the lid and the ply ?.
 

Doug

Loquacious
Executive Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2013
Posts
6,647
Location
In the wood shop
First Name
Take a guess
I'm watching this one as I like the look of Doug

Is it my new avatar :funny:


does the baffle need an upright panel forming like a curved corridor between the lid and the ply ?.

I`ve not seen anything like that whilst looking into the Thien, that`s not to say it doesn`t, just something I`ve not seen :nooidea:
 

Jimjam66

Chief Battonager
Registered
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Posts
3,775
Location
Basingstoke, Hampshire
Doug, I think that looks good from what I've read. The elbow fitting is for the air returning to the extractor, right? And it's mounted centrally in the 120 degree section which extends all the way to the wall of the drum if the pictures don't lie? All good ...
 

Neil

Fellow
Joined
May 21, 2013
Posts
3,132
Location
Hitchin, Hertfordshire
First Name
Neil
The elbow fitting is for the air returning to the extractor, right? And it's mounted centrally in the 120 degree section which extends all the way to the wall of the drum if the pictures don't lie? All good ...
My read on it was that the elbow fitting is the crap air in, the extract is the central downpipe?
 

Penpal

Grand Master
Joined
May 26, 2013
Posts
25,340
Location
Canberra AUSTRALIA
First Name
Peter
Doug,

Like the man said in a movie once thats a knife (Paul Hogan) thats a drum mate bomb proof ( I would earth this) lots of friction in there later on.

Love the fittings, the router cutting,( I used a jig saw) agree 600% on the baffle height adjustment allowance for fine tuning though Thien himself argued the distances by viewing inside during operation.

Most gratefull for your sharing this venture look forward to the results. The forensic conclusion Im behind a top result. One consideration it will be like breaking into the bank of england when you empty etc but I like that as well it is so sturdy.

Kind regards Peter.:thumbs::thinks::rolling::bravo:
 
Warning! This thread has not had any replies for over a year. You are welcome to post a reply here, but it might be better to start a new thread (and maybe include a link to this one if you need to).
Top