Essex Air Cleaner

30essex
30essex Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Many thanks to those who offered such good advise on how to build an air cleaner for my 1930 Essex. Today I built my version. I purchased a can of hot chili, this being the only cans available in the 4" x 4" size (the mild chili cans were dented). I also purchased a short piece of 1.75 exhaust pipe. Using these materials and some sheet metal,I cut and welded my version using the air cleaner from my 1926 Chev Touring as a model. I decided to make it so it can be taken apart in case it doesn't kick out the dirt centrifugally like it's supposed to. I can then put in some filter material. I plan to test the device with a vacuum cleaner tomorrow when the paint is dry. Here are some pictures.

1930essexsupersixsedan.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4187



1930essexsupersixsedan.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4189



1930essexsupersixsedan.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4188

Comments

  • 30essex
    30essex Senior Contributor
    I tested the air cleaner I made and also the 1926 Chev air cleaner and believe it or not they do work quite effectively. I connected each of them in turn to my dust collector hose. I put a cloth upstream in the hose so I could see how much got by and fed in some sawdust. I was surprised to see the sawdust trickling out of the hole at the bottom of the air cleaner. Almost all the particles were trapped and very little showed up in the cloth. I also tried some cement mix. Only the very fine cement dust got by.



    Looking again at the construction of these air cleaners I realize they work just like a cyclone dust collector. The air is spun around like a small tornado and then forced to make a 180 degree turn. The dirt hits the back of the can, drops down, and leaves the air cleaner by way of the small slit in the bottom. I guess the old-time engineers were pretty smart after all. They designed a filter that never needs cleaning or replacement. They didn’t worry about the really fine dust, I guess.



    The Chili wasn’t bad either. I had it for lunch.



    1930essexsupersixsedan.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4191



    1930essexsupersixsedan.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=4192
  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor
    Amazing! I had never thought of actually testing mine to see if it worked. the only give-away on your model is the ridged can - the originals were plain sided, but yours is probably stronger. Perhaps if you wanted to make it look more original you could make one out of a paint tin. Best wishes,

    Geoff.
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