Question on Oil vacuum pump.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I hooked up a vacuum system using a two stage vacuum pump from Harbor Freight. Everything was working well (drew 26 lbs. on the vacuum gage) till I turned around and saw I was engulfed in a fog. The air was filled with the oil mist from the pump. Is there a way of filtering the mist from the exhaust or do I have to vent the exhaust out a window. My shop is in the basement so I hope there is another solution.

[Gary Conklin]

You can use an inline fuel filter. Or make a homemade one with PVC and batting.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I tried an inline filter used when spraying finishes. The mist went through it with no filtering. I thought of a fuel filter, but wonder how long it would last before clogging with oil. I was hoping the paint sprayer filter would allow me to drain it off, but no effect. I guess some sort of batting would work. Thanks for the idea. Can't hurt to try it.

[Ryan Baker]

Yes, inline fuel filters, or a number of other types of filters, can be made to work. You can rig up something like a coffee can filled with steel wool. It's a bit of a pain to hook up to the pump if it is like mine. Larry Marley posted about the way he rigged his a little while ago. Watch out for the oil level and be sure to keep some oil supply around. It will pump that oil out really fast (especially under heavy vacuum), and the oil isn't readily available locally (at least for me). I upgraded to an oilless pump and will never go back.

[Bob Bergstrom]

I'm afraid I will go that way also. Lesson learned. I find the oder and a taste of oil in the air not friendly at all. I would much rather be smelling some nice fresh cherry shavings. Thanks for the help

[neil mackay]

Bob , Get back to the supplier under normal conditions you should not get any appreciable misting from the oil and or it may have been over filled to start with.

Quite often at the lower end of the market the oil supplied is not up to par and is often a low cost choice over what should have been used.

Failing not getting any real satisfaction try a more reliable vac manufacturer for info such as Gast Corp for oil info.