Thread: Converting bag to filter cartridge

Pretty simple job for sheet metal shop to roll up a suitable flange, if you know someone with a jenny you could do it yourself.

According to a UK site, the HD12 uses a 370mm cartridge filter.

Cartridge Filter 0.5Micron for 370mm Diameter Drums CF1519

Timbercon has a 370mm cartridge so it may fit

https://www.timbecon.com.au/dust-ext...ter-cartridges

It's a fairly straightforward job to convert to pleated cartridge... well... when fitting one of the same diameter anyway. Remove the strap, swap the cartridge for the bag, replace the strap. Couldn't be simpler.

Is there any reason you want to go 500mm instead?

You'll want to make a funnel-shaped adapter, for starters, with a strip of rubber around the bottom for fixing to the existing DC. Funnel-shaped to both stop any dust building up on the top face and to give you physical access to the bottom strap.

You'd probably also want add some braces, so an accidental nudge wouldn't knock the filter awry during operation. (That's be... messy! )

So if you're thinking of going the 500mm because it's 'cheaper' or something, you want to factor in the hidden costs and headaches.

Still, I believe the 500mm would be technically better, giving increased air flow - mind you, I'm no expert on this - and if that's the reason, then go for it! (And don't forget to keep us appraised as to whether you think it worth the modification. )

Originally Posted by Lappa

According to a UK site, the HD12 uses a 370mm cartridge filter.

Cartridge Filter 0.5Micron for 370mm Diameter Drums CF1519

Timbercon has a 370mm cartridge so it may fit

https://www.timbecon.com.au/dust-ext...ter-cartridges

Great detective work - Sherwood also make a similar machine - the FM-200 but it is not listed as being compatible on the Timbecon website (only the FM-300 and FM-400). I have emailed them to ask.

That machine has a .75 HP motor. I would think very seriously before spending more money on it than you already have. IMO you'd just be throwing good money after bad and you would be much better off looking around for a good 2nd hand 2 HP machine and putting a cartridge filter on it.

Originally Posted by aldav

That machine has a .75 HP motor. I would think very seriously before spending more money on it than you already have. IMO you'd just be throwing good money after bad and you would be much better off looking around for a good 2nd hand 2 HP machine and putting a cartridge filter on it.

this.

i wouldn't commit any more money to that machine. find a 2nd 2HP dust collector and modify it as per the stick (6" inlet) you will get more performance out that then the full boar will ever provide

+1

1HP is useless enough, 0.75 HP you may as well just put your money straight in the bin and cut the middle man out

It depend what the OP is trying to do.

If it's to capture fine dust, then those small DCs are ineffective. If its to pick up chips they are marginally better than a shop vac.

To demonstrate whether its worth replacing the standard filter with a pleated filter (PF) on or not consider the following changes air flows

Those small DCs generate about 6" of WS pressure/vac which translates to a theoretical max flow of about 340 CFM through a 4" duct.
They cannot use 6" ducting as the impeller is not designed for and cannot be modified to take 6" ducting.

Adding a standard needle felt filter will drop the 340 CFM to ~280 CFM.
Replacing the needle felt filter with a PF will gain about 10% so bringing it back over 300 CFM.
Adding ducting, flex and even the slightest choked machines will drop it back below 300 CFM.
300 CFM would be are minimum for a DP, a power tool like a ROS, and maybe a small scroll saw but is insufficient for pretty much anything else.

The one significant improvement that PF will provide over a needle felt filter its that it will not clog as fast.

So overall, the gains in flow are not significant enough to warrant the expenditure.
Even the 2HP DCs in stock form have insufficient air flow for most machines.

Originally Posted by BobL

300 CFM would be are minimum for a .... power tool like a ROS

By the time you throttle a 4" hose down to the fitting on a ROS there is no way a 3/4 HP DE could compete with a vac. and I can't understand why anybody would be using a DE for that purpose.

You commence your post by saying the sufficiency of the OP's machine depends on what he is trying to do with it, but by the time we get to your final two sentences his proposed mod. is clearly not worth doing and even if he replaces it with an, infinitely superior, 2HP model that will not be suitable for most purposes. Talk about having a quid each way.

Originally Posted by aldav

By the time you throttle a 4" hose down to the fitting on a ROS there is no way a 3/4 HP DE could compete with a vac. and I can't understand why anybody would be using a DE for that purpose.

What most people don't understand is that for any power tool that has a fan in it like a sander, the air/dust flow through the sander is determined by the speed of the sander fan - all the vac/DC has to do is clear the fan output. Most sander fans have about a 50- 100 CFM output as that's all that will get through the holes in the sander. As long as the attached DC/Vac is capable of moving more air than the fan output that it will clear the fans dust output.

This does not apply to power tools that produce lot of chips chips eg router where the speed of the chips coming off the blade is too high for the small flows that any DC can counteract.

You commence your post by saying the sufficiency of the OP's machine depends on what he is trying to do with it, but by the time we get to your final two sentences his proposed mod. is clearly not worth doing and even if he replaces it with an, infinitely superior, 2HP model that will not be suitable for most purposes. Talk about having a quid each way.

If all the OP wants to pick up chips off the floor it would be about the same as a basic shop vac except he'd have a much larger collection bag.

Thank you everyone for the replies - I had picked up the dust extractor very cheaply ($99 new) originally and was looking at any improvements which would be compatible with a larger machine once I had the space and money to upgrade. I think the outcome is that it will struggle to push through the extra surface area and I should not invest any further money in it until I can afford a bigger machine!