Looking for shop vac advice

[Zachary Hoyt]

We have had a 16 gallon Craftsman vac for about 15 years and it has done a good job, however the motor is starting to arc and sometimes not run at full speed so I think it is time to think about a new one. I also have a dust collector in the shop, so this vac gets used for general shop cleaning and is hooked up to the spindle sander dust port sometimes.

It also gets used weekly to vacuum the building we live in, which is a converted barn with a concrete floor. We don't have a household vacuum, this one does everything. The only down side to the large vacuum is that it is a bit awkward to carry up and down stairs because of how big it is. It is used only very occasionally for wet jobs, so having the large volume is not critical, but from what I have seen it seems that bigger vacuums have more powerful motors, though of course all of the ratings are wildly inflated. Our Craftman says 6.5 HP in large letters, which is clearly absurd, but seems to be the norm.

I have been looking around online and it seems like Ridgid vacs are pretty well regarded so I have been thinking about a 16 gallon, or maybe a 12 that would be easier to move around. I know I don't want a Shop Vac brand machine unless they have changed as we had 2 that were here when we moved in that had really lousy filters and thus poor suction at best. Are there other brands I should think about? How much difference in actual suction should I expect between a Ridgid vac that is rated 6.5 HP vs one rated 5 HP? I have found the removable motor/leaf blower function on the Craftsman handy on occasion but I am not attached to it. I'd like to get something under $200. I will be very grateful for any suggestions.

Zach

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Zach

I would not get hung up about the power rating - I very much doubt that the 5 hp and 6.5 hp ratings are accurate. My Festool vacuum cleaner is about 1.6 hp (1200 watt). Sounds like advertising. Other than that I cannot help with your local machines. I did have use the inexpensive machines until about 10 years ago, when I bought a Fein. It was an excellent machine, and far more powerful and quieter than the cheapies. I finally managed to blow it up (my fault), and now have the Festool. I like it even better, and have forgotten the price three years down the line.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Dick Mahany]

I've had the 16 gallon Ridgid for about 6 yrs. It is much quieter than the shop vac that it replaced, but still considerably louder than a Festool (which I also use for dust extraction) or similar unit. It has plenty of suction power as the pic below shows. I use it regularly to clean the shop, or connect it to my portable table saw or router cabinet and am super pleased with how it handles those tasks. I always use bags and have the optional HEPA filter on mine. I have also removed the bag and filter and used it to drain and clean a garden pond on a number of occasions where it worked very well.

It is a little on the bulky side due to its size, but the handle and wheels do make it able to traverse stairs without having to lift it. Based on your intended uses, this unit would work well.
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[Dan Friedrichs]

If you're looking to spend >$500, there are lots of options to consider.

For ~$100 the Ridgid 12/14/16 gal one is the clear winner. Quiet, powerful, lifetime warranty. Buy an aftermarket CleanStream Pro HEPA filter.

[John K Jordan]

We have had a 16 gallon Craftsman vac for about 15 years and it has done a good job, however the motor is starting to arc and sometimes not run at full speed so I think it is time to think about a new one...

Does it have brushes that can be replaced? Worn brushes can make a motor arc and lose power. If brushes are not offered for your model a motor shop may have a substitute that will work. I've sometimes carved on brushes to make them fit when I couldn't get replacements.

As for going up and down stairs, I bought an industrial backpack vacuum cleaner. Wasn't exactly cheap but oh such a joy to use. I think it has a 40' cord too. I only carry one of the shop vacs up stairs when I have to.

JKJ

[Jerry Olexa]

Good timing in this thread..In market for new shop vac..Understand FEIN is the top of the class (possibly FESTOOL also)..How do they compare to a regular RIDGID etc? Thanks

[Nick Decker]

I had one of the Ridgid models that claimed to be quiet. While it was quieter than a Shop Vac, it was still loud, to me. Returned it and bought one of the newer generation Feins which is, in fact, what I'd call quiet. Also has a lot more suck. I've had it for going on two years and couldn't be happier with it.

Mine sits on a shelf and works with a Dust Deputy, so I can't speak to its mobility. Also, I've never used the built-in auto-start feature, mine is controlled with a cheap remote.

[Van Huskey]

Good timing in this thread..In market for new shop vac..Understand FEIN is the top of the class (possibly FESTOOL also)..How do they compare to a regular RIDGID etc? Thanks

I wouldn't consider the newer Fein vacs at the top end anymore since they were redesigned. Some of the traits of better vacs are whole unit HEPA certification, tool controlled auto on/off, variable suction, they tend to be much quieter and the quality of hoses and accessories tend to be better. The cost of vacuums/dust extractors varies so much you kinda have to pick a rough budget and get recommendations from there.

For someone that simply wants a "shop vac" and doesn't need/want the features of the expensive "dust extractors" get thee to HD and pick out the big orange screamer that looks best to you.

[Dan Friedrichs]

The Ridgid ones with "Scroll Noise Reduction" (whatever that means) are surprisingly quiet. You could have a conversation with it on.

For anyone curious about how suction compares:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?267326-Comparing-shop-vac-and-dust-extractor-performance-(data-included)&highlight=

[Jerome Stanek]

I run 2 Fein vacs at a time and together you can have a conversation

[michael langman]

I was researching ridged vacs and came across a 5 or 6 hp vac with a smaller tank for the debris. A lot of contractors liked it for it's portability..

[Jim Becker]

For a general shop vac, Ridgid is a good value and easy to obtain. But please, please, please forget about the supposed "horsepower" ratings which are bogus. Buy the "size" machine you want/need for the job(s) you intend to us it for. I have a small one that I use for general shop cleanup and for extraction from my OSS. I find no need for anything larger, honestly.

[lowell holmes]

I lost my 5 gallon shop vac in the Harvey Flood. I replaced it with a 3 gallon shop vac from Lowes.

I am happy with it.

[Jerry Olexa]

thanks Van...Good advice

[Kevin McCluney]

I've never had a "dust extractor" so I can't help you there. I've had three Shop Vacs - all died with smoke involved. I had a Hoover I bought sometime in the 90's to replace the second Shop Vac. It sounds like a small jet engine and requires hearing protection. It started to sound like a bushing was going and I bought the third Shop Vac. The Hoover recovered (with a little maintenance) and outlived the replacement. I also bought a Craftsman in 2012 that's used only with dust collection for power tools (miter saw, sanders, etc.). I bought a Ridgid 3 years ago (to replace the Hoover, which had started sounding bad again, but immediately recovered once I had its replacement - I gave the Hoover to my son). The Ridgid is very quiet (no hearing protection needed) and has impressive suction. I like that it has both the pleated filter and bag.

[Jim Dwight]

. I look at amp draw, hot hp rating. I think the biggest draw 12 amps. I think my biggest draws 10 amps. They are universal motors so they only draw this a maximum loading which should rarely happen.

I have two Rigids, one for use out of the shop and one for use in the shop. The one for the shop has a dust deputy on it to minimize filter cleaning. I use a 20 foot 2.5 inch rigid hose on the bigger machines and a 5M Bosch hose for the smaller ones. I have an auto on switch on it and the pieces are mounted to a cart. You may not need anything this elaborate, or you might.

[Brian W Evans]

I have two Ridgid screamers and they have worked very well for close to 15 years. If you don't mind the noise, you can't beat them for the price. Mine look basically like the one below, albeit with different colors:

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The one pictured is about $85. Throw in a good filter or two and a long hose and you're still under budget.

The only thing I would watch out for with this machine is that you get one with a hose with couplings that allow rotation (as opposed to getting all twisted up). One of mine doesn't have this and it bothers me.

[Frank Pratt]

They are universal motors so they only draw this a maximum loading which should rarely happen.

With a vacuum, that depends on how clean you keep the filter. The vac will be at max load with a clean filter & a short hose. The sound it makes is a good indicator of the load; the higher the pitch, the lower the load. When you plug the hose & the motor is screaming, it's just loafing.

[Dan Friedrichs]

A few people have mentioned the Ridgid "screamers", but it's worth checking out the newer, quieter, models. They are not "screamers" like shop vacs of 15 years ago, by any stretch.

[Cary Falk]

I bought a 12 gal. Ridgid on a Black Friday sale for $25 years ago. Best $25 I ever spent. It is still kicking. You are about a week late. I think they were going for $39 now.

[Zachary Hoyt]

Thank you all for your help. I took the motor apart on our old shopvac and blew it out with compressed air, and it was surprising how much dust and debris there was in there. It seems to be running better now, but I don't expect it will last forever and I will keep your advice in mind for when it does need to be replaced. The idea of a quieter vac is certainly appealing and is something I'll keep in mind when the time comes.
Zach

[Pat McCormick]

I bought a Shop Fox 1-1/2 hp dust collector. I disassembled the blower assembly and hung it upside down from an I-beam running down the center of my garage shop. I ran a 5-inch line along the beam and into an Oneida dust deputy that I connected directly to the fan inlet on the hanging blower assembly. The blower output goes to the bags which are mounted to the wall between garage doors. The dust deputy drops its stuff into a 50 gallon drum on a cart. I used plywood some foam rubber & spray contact cement to make a quick seal on the drum. I am really happy with how this thing works. Unless I’m so lazy I let the drum fill till it clogs the dust deputy, nothing goes into the bags other than some of the finest dust. I’m using 2 1-micron felt bags which I occasionally beat like rugs. The dust all goes into the drumb. I put quick clamps on the lid and used a short piece of 6 inch flex to connect to the dust deputy. When it’s full I just unclamped the lid and let it hang while I roll the dust away.

I can’t believe Oneida doesn’t make a kit for this. I have 4 4-inch take-offs with aluminum no-clog blast gates and I got a remote for the motor. I got several 4-inch and smaller hoses and fittings to permit jamming a standard Festool vac hose into any port. The whole thing works far better than I hoped. Tons of suction. Low operating hassle. No rolling mule in the way. I even used the 3 support brackets from the original machine by hanging them from the overhead joists. They work perfectly for bungee cording hoses wherever I need. The original collector came on a rolling base which the 50 gallon drum sits on now.

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Sorry the photo is sideways, but you get the idea.

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(Nice photo. I rotated it for you. JKJ)