A Small Shop Vac that doesn't scream

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Is there a small hand held shop vacuum (1 gallon) out there that doesn't scream. I've looked at the Festool Mini CT but it is still a little too large and significantly more than I want to spend. It would be for general use both in and outside my shop. Any recommendations?

-Jeff :)

[Ron Dunn]

I just bought a small Karcher vacuum (A2004) for cleaning up my sawdust. It is a lot quieter than the Shopvac and similar machines I've used in the past. Definitely not silent, but no high-pitched shrieking.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I have several shop vacs...all old and they all scream. It's not a big problem for the larger ones when cleaning the shop with earmuffs. But, the small 1 gallon vac goes everywhere, and often the hearing protection is left behind.

I had a nice little Makita vacuum, but the darn thing literally disintegrated into pieces. I still have the bags for it on my shop wall...why?...I do not know.

-Jeff :)

[Cary Falk]

I have a Ridigid and it doesn't scream.

[frank shic]

the larger ridgid vacs have scroll noise reduction which supposedly makes it on par with a fein or festool vac.

[Scott Rollins]

I recently built this box for my shop vac screamer. It really works. I used my recycled egg crate off my bed (which LOML replaced with a memory foam topper). The egg crate foam stopped the noise very well. I can barely hear my shop vac ruinning now. My Festool sander is much loader than the vac now. I can also sweep the floor or use my mortiser in peace.

[Eddie Darby]

Here is a link for a video that shows the Vac Box in operation.

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=29740

[Matt Meiser]

What about the smallest Fein? Its not cheap (about $240, which is $60 less than the CT Mini), but their vacs are pretty comparable to Festool's spec-wise. I came close to getting a Turbo II before I decided to buy a Festool sander too.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5804

[Robert Meyer]

What about the smallest Fein? Its not cheap (about $240, which is $60 less than the CT Mini), but their vacs are pretty comparable to Festool's spec-wise. I came close to getting a Turbo II before I decided to buy a Festool sander too.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5804
I have the smallest Fein dust collector and it works great. I use the paper filter bags and mainly use it after sweeping up shavings off the floor. It is quiet and easily follows you around without tipping over. My PC 6" sander hose fits into the inlet easily and the vac came with a floor, dust brush & crevice tool. Easy to carry around. Worth every cent.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Scott & Eddie...I have another smaller shop vac (I think 4 gallon) that is dedicated to my chop saw. It's a screamer too. I'm considering incorporating the vacuum inside the miter saw bench and will follow your suggestion.

Matt & Robert...the smallest Fein is still a bit big but I'm taking a second look at it.

thanks...Jeff :)

[Bill Huber]

I have the little Ridgid and it is not a screamer, it does have a muffler on it and that also helps.

It is not a 1 gal. but a 4 gal and has a lot of suck for its size.

http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/4-Gallon-Vac/EN/index.htm

[Matt Meiser]

I have the same little Ridgid Bill posted in my garage for vacuuming the cars and for use in the house. Unscientifically, I think it is significantly louder than my Festool or at least a higher-pitched loud. But its a nice little vac. One minor problem with it--it takes a special filter that you can only get at Home Depot. And when I needed a new one this past summer the closest Home Depot that had one in stock was 50 miles away. They took care of me though and sold me the filter out of a display model.

[Bill Huber]

I have the same little Ridgid Bill posted in my garage for vacuuming the cars and for use in the house. Unscientifically, I think it is significantly louder than my Festool or at least a higher-pitched loud. But its a nice little vac. One minor problem with it--it takes a special filter that you can only get at Home Depot. And when I needed a new one this past summer the closest Home Depot that had one in stock was 50 miles away. They took care of me though and sold me the filter out of a display model.

I have 2 filters, when one gets really bad I take it out and put the other one in and then hose the dirty one down and clean it up and then let it set and dry out tell the next time I need to a clean filter.