Shop vac recommendations

[Dave Bonde]

I am looking for a shop vac to clean up around the house during my construction project (sheet rock dust and saw dust) . I have a shop vac brand but every time I use it, it throws more dust into the air than it collects. So I am looking for a better setup. I am looking at a Fein but am looking for suggestions? Dave

[Prashun Patel]

The problem is yr filter. Get a better filter, or use a drywall collection bag.

Also, there are a number of manufacturers of mini-cyclone preseparators that work well at keeping most of the clogging dust and debris out of yr shopvac. The challenge with those is that you have to find a way to rig them so they're convenient to move around.

I have a Clearvue Minicyclone and I love it.

[Dave Bonde]

Thanks Shawn I will try a better filter. Dave

[William M Johnson]

I have a Ridgid and like it pretty well, as a matter of fact it is my only dust collection system. I have done two things

1. They (BORG) sell 3 grades of filters the "best" is the HEPA. I use these when I cannot do #2

2. I bought extension hoses and route the exhaust outside.

#2 is better but not always available.

Bill

[Chip Lindley]

Dave, keep your Shop-Vac and get the more expensive HEPA pleated filter and the collection bags designed for drywall dust. I have the Shop-Vac 16gal. stainless commercial model and it performs very well with no dust issues!

[Paul Demetropoulos]

I have a Ridgid and like it pretty well, as a matter of fact it is my only dust collection system. I have done two things

1. They (BORG) sell 3 grades of filters the "best" is the HEPA. I use these when I cannot do #2

2. I bought extension hoses and route the exhaust outside.

#2 is better but not always available.
Bill

I use ExLax when I have that problem, never thought of using a shop vac, but I guess with the extension hoses it would get the job done. I can see why you would want to exhaust outside though.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

I use ExLax when I have that problem, never thought of using a shop vac, but I guess with the extension hoses it would get the job done. I can see why you would want to exhaust outside though.


Too funny!!!! :D

[George Morris]

Dave I purchased a dust deputy from Onida for my shop vac. Works great! check out there site. George

[David Hostetler]

Depends on the vac you have, but most Shop Vac brand vacs will accept a filter bag, sort of pre filter. I would add the filter bag, AND a HEPA filter to your existing shop vac and keep using it.

[Rick Moyer]

I use ExLax when I have that problem, never thought of using a shop vac, but I guess with the extension hoses it would get the job done. I can see why you would want to exhaust outside though.


That one made me laugh out loud! Thanks, Paul.

[Brad Shipton]

Another vote for a Hepa on the Shop Vac. I also find if I clean out the vac container that reduces the vac exhaust prob:)

[Frank Trinkle]

+1 on the Ridgid Vac.

I had a ShopVac from Lowes, and it was virtually worthless. I bought the Ridgid and it does the job... in spades.

(I use it for my machines that have 2 1/2" DC ports... and my Grizzly DC for the big 4" ones)

[Keith Outten]

I second the Dust Deputy route, they work really well with your existing shop vac and you won't need to change filters. The dust won't make it to your shop vac canister.
.

[jerry nazard]

Rigid vac + Clearvue Minicyclone

[Keith Outten]

Dave,

If you really want the best vac money can buy I recommend the Oneida Dust Cobra. It's not inexpensive but the good stuff rarely is, the performance is worthy of a whole house vac. I bought a Dust Cobra specifically to vacuum my ShopBot CNC Router table. The chips and dust left behind after routing sheet goods has to be removed before another sheet can be placed on the table and I wanted a vac that would do the job real quick so I could keep my router running.

The nice thing about vacs that incorporate cyclones is the consistent performance. Since the effluent doesn't reach the filters the cyclone style vacs don't lose suction like a standard canister vac. I bought the Dust Deputy and hooked it to me 6hp ShopVac, it worked great in that performance was consistent but I still wanted more power than the ShopVac could deliver. I ordered the Dust Cobra and it has knock your socks off performance. I can vacuum my 4 by 8 router table in under 60 seconds and nothing is left behind. The Dust Cobra is what all vacuums should be when they grow up!

In the sign shop at CNU I have a ShopBot almost identical to the one in my shop. Because of budget restraints a Dust Cobra is out of the question so I use a $49.00 shopvac to clean the table between sheets. It takes a very long time to get the table clean enough to load the next sheet. Often small particles that I miss will cause the sheet to not be in contact with the table and I end up with details that aren't consistent in the door signs I machine. It breaks my heart to throw Corian plaques in the garbage can when each sheet costs $260.00 plus I lose the machining time.

The moral of the story is that sometimes the good stuff saves you money.......
.

[Randal Stevenson]

Dave,


The nice thing about vacs that incorporate cyclones is the consistent performance. Since the effluent doesn't reach the filters the cyclone style vacs don't lose suction like a standard canister vac. I bought the Dust Deputy and hooked it to me 6hp ShopVac, it worked great in that performance was consistent but I still wanted more power than the ShopVac could deliver. I ordered the Dust Cobra and it has knock your socks off performance. I can vacuum my 4 by 8 router table in under 60 seconds and nothing is left behind. The Dust Cobra is what all vacuums should be when they grow up!

In the sign shop at CNU I have a ShopBot almost identical to the one in my shop. Because of budget restraints a Dust Cobra is out of the question so I use a $49.00 shopvac to clean the table between sheets. It takes a very long time to get the table clean enough to load the next sheet. Often small particles that I miss will cause the sheet to not be in contact with the table and I end up with details that aren't consistent in the door signs I machine. It breaks my heart to throw Corian plaques in the garbage can when each sheet costs $260.00 plus I lose the machining time.

The moral of the story is that sometimes the good stuff saves you money.......
.

One thing isn't clear in this. Did you use the Dust Deputy, at the school shop or not? If not, have you ever taken it in to see the difference (and show the budget boys)?
Thanks

[george wilson]

I like my Fein because it is QUIET,and sucks just as hard as those phony 6.5 HP rated vacs. I also like the fact that you can use the 2 1/2" Sears flexible hose in its port. I only use the smaller-but very long Fein hose with power tool dust extraction. Lastly,the feature that turns the vac. on and off when you use a connected power tool is extremely handy.

The bucket shaped bag that comes with it works well,though you can also remove the big bag and mount a smaller,finer filter.

[Tom Adger]

The best filter made is not going to do you any good if it is continuously clogging up. Listen to the earlier posts about the cylcones. I have the clearvue mini, and it collects almost everything before it gets to your shopvac filter. I am sure that the Oneida dust deputy does exactly the same thing. Its the best $120+$15 shipping I have spent in a long, long time.

[Keith Outten]

One thing isn't clear in this. Did you use the Dust Deputy, at the school shop or not? If not, have you ever taken it in to see the difference (and show the budget boys)?
Thanks

Randal,

I bought the Dust Deputy for my workshop at home. It was the first cyclone I had ever seen much less used and I was really impressed that you could vacuum for hours without having to stop to clean the filter.

The situation in the CNU sign shop is that the State has cut our budget this year and more cuts are planned for the next two years. Zero dollars is what I have to work with, I can get material for signs but there are no funds for equipment :( Yesterday I sanded 75 Corian door signs with one sanding disk on an old PC ROS that is worn so bad the bearings are screaming. Ya gotta be innovative in these tough economic times.
.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have a Craftsman shop vac, and replaced the paper filter that it came with with a Clean Stream filter. It is a Gore-Tex filter, which makes it very durable, and it is easily washable. It is a 1 micron HEPA filter as well.

Doc

[george wilson]

I got tired of cleaning my Goretex filter,and now I leave the big felted cloth filter bag that comes with the Fein vac. on the vac.,and put the small 1 micron filter on also.That way,the bag catches just about everything,and what small amount gets through is caught by the 1 micron. It hasn't yet gotten clogged again for many months.

[Don Abele]

I just posted this in another thread that was asking about using a DC for sheet rock dust. Since you specifically mentioned using it for sheet rock and saw dust, I just cut and pasted it:

"When we finished our entire basement last year, I bought the Porter Cable 7812. It was designed to be coupled with the rotary sanding head they make, so it's perfect for drywall dust. It uses a HEPA-grade bag (which acts as the first filter) as well as a standard exhaust filter. Absolutely NO dust makes it back into the air.

I installed over 125 sheets of drywall and used 6 buckets of mud to do the entire basement. All the sanding dust went into ONE 10-gallon filter bag. Worked like a charm. Never saw a decrease in suction or performance.

As a side benefit (and another reason I purchased the 7812), it has a built-in power-on outlet. So when the tool comes on, the vac does (then stays running for 10 secs or so to clear the line after you turn the tool off). When it came time to trim the basement out, I hooked it up to my miter saw and it, again, performed superbly. It caught about 80% of the dust thrown off the blade.

It's much quieter and lighter than my Ridigid shop vac and is now my initial go-to vac."

Be well,

Doc

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/misc/progress.gif

[Mike Wilkins]

If it has not been suggested yet, try one of the Porter Cable vacs. I have the 7812 10 gallon model. The nice feature is that you can plug a tool into the vac and it will start when the tool starts. No dust. These vacs were designed to hook up to a powered drywall sander, so they will catch the fine stuff.