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Thread: Best replacement for old shop vac

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio, USA
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    3,441
    My father gave me his old shop vac, it was worthless in terms of suction so I pitched it. I purchased some huge thing from sears, and that thing sucks like crazy; I love it. Loud, but it just keeps working. Suck up dust, no problem. Suck up water, no problem.

    Love my old festool 26 model. Works like a champ, but when I have water backup I use the old Craftsman that I bought on sale years ago. Understand that I have more than one vacuum. If my sears dies, i will replace it with something that has a lot of suction and I can beat up and not worry about it. If my festool breaks, that is a different thing entirely. Might just get another festool or fein II, or similar.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    I only have one shop vac, a Festool CT26, I use it for everything, why would I want 2 vacuums and 2 sets of accessories and hoses?

    The dust is packed so tightly in the bags it is like lifting a block of concrete when it's time to change bags......Rod.
    The last sentence is the reason I don't use my CT22 for general cleanup...I prefer not to fill up the bags with dreck since even the knock-offs are not inexpensive. The little Ridgid vac can be emptied into the trash (no bags) and also used for the vehicles, etc.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jun 2019
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    Mid-Michigan
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan View Post
    I only have one shop vac, a Festool CT26, I use it for everything, why would I want 2 vacuums and 2 sets of accessories and hoses?
    In my case, I am remodeling my house and the shop vac is my only dust collection for in the garage (TS, CMS, router). It quickly got old carrying a half- or mostly-full vac up and down the stairs to the garage when I needed to use the saws, so I bought a second one.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    N CA
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    I was running on my Festool only after my old Fein quit, but when I looked at replacement cost on the FT I quickly decided that a Ridgid purchase was in order. I use it for all the rough work and keep the FT for my track saw and sanders. The Ridgid is loud. the only way I can quiet it down is to turn on the air compressor. The FT vac has been great for 10 or 12 years now.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
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    11,248
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    The last sentence is the reason I don't use my CT22 for general cleanup...I prefer not to fill up the bags with dreck since even the knock-offs are not inexpensive. The little Ridgid vac can be emptied into the trash (no bags) and also used for the vehicles, etc.
    That's why I would never use a vacuum without a bag Jim, no point trying to limit your exposure to the really dangerous fine dust and then expose yourself while emptying it.....Regards, Rod.

  6. #21
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    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by jack frederick View Post
    the ridgid is loud. The only way i can quiet it down is to turn on the air compressor.
    roflol!!!! :d :d
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    SoCal
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    No noise solution here, I wear hearing protection anyway ;-) Two Ridgid (so called) 6.5HP vacs. These are the models where the top comes off as a supposed yard blower. I put the tops on small Clean Stream filter boxes to reduce the footprint. I use Dust Deputy separators. The answer as to why two vacs is that they are stationary on either side of the shop with hose/reels to reach anywhere I need to go.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  8. #23
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Wenatchee. Wa
    Posts
    769
    I have both a Fein I and II The II is in a cabinet and dedicated to the miter saw. The I has a small dust deputy with a 3gal plastic bucket strapped to the top and I never have to change the bag. The I is my shop vac, does everything from floor cleaning and sanding and everything in-between. Plenty quiet and powerful enough and much less expensive than the Festool.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Exeter, CA
    Posts
    691
    From someone with very screwed up hearing, please take noise into consideration and either buy a relatively quiet vac or use hearing protection or both. I'm 73 and have had hearing aids for over 34 years, do the math. And every time I visit VA for another hearing test, I'm worse. They are at the limit for what they can do for me with hearing aids. Bottom line, don't lose your hearing!! Randy
    Randy Cox
    Lt Colonel, USAF (ret.)

  10. #25
    Oh the festool router and vac combination is awesome
    I routed out 3/8"x 3"x 36" channel in MDF in a client's kitchen
    cleanest routing of MDF in my life pretty much dustless

    Quote Originally Posted by Pete Taran View Post
    Steve,
    In the attached picture on the floor is all the shavings that the festool dust extractor didn't collect after making finger joints on a 12" wide pine box. 8 edges of the 4 boards worked (8 linear feet) and that is all it didn't collect using their router and the attachment that come with the router.

    Fair warning: If you buy their extractor you will be soon buying all their tools to go with it which is not an inexpensive proposition.

    Attachment 436371
    Carpe Lignum

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy D Jones View Post
    I see several recommendations for the Fein Turbo II.

    Is the Turbo I the same unit, just with less dust bin capacity? The specs seem the same otherwise.

    I don't need/want the bin capacity of the Turbo II.

    -- Andy - Arlington TX

    Careful now. Many (most) of these recs are for the older, "made in Germany" models that look like R2D2. Not the current Eastern European made box vacs. And , yes, the turbines are the same, only the capacity changes for the most part. There are some additional accessory changes and perhaps a feature added on the higher models too.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
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    1,592
    Originally Posted by Dave Sabo
    Fein is no longer made in Germany.

    Festool is a great vacuum, but ...and can't utilize the systainer system. Which is in a state of flux right now because they've changed generations and sizes.


    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    The current and past Systainers still stack and lock together. You just need to have the older ones on the bottom of the stack when mixed.

    In your haste, you HAVE MIS-QUOTED me ! I never said or inferred that they were incompatible !

    This is the accurate quote:
    A bit over priced in my view ( and I own 4) especially if you aren't mobile and can't utilize the systainer system.

    And I stand by the observation. Part of the added expense is wasted if you aren't going to take your CT mobile and use the systainer stacking features of their tops. many vacs suck, are quiet, have tool triggers, and are well built. Very few have the ability to lock systainers onto their tops.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Perth, Australia
    Posts
    9,469
    I have had a few, including the Fein, which was a good vac but a bit noisier than the Festool and, being round, was less convenient to store.

    I have had the Festool CT26E for about 5 years now. Nil issues to date (touch wood!). The quietest vac I have tried, and good suction and features. It is used with the equivalent of the Dust Deputy, this being a Dust Commander, which is anti-static ...



    Or, without the DC ...


    I use a variety of hoses for different routers and sanders. You will want anti-static hoses. Generally the Mirka hoses fit and are much cheaper than Festool.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Last edited by Derek Cohen; 07-09-2020 at 1:33 AM.

  14. #29
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    Mar 2003
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    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Sabo View Post
    In your haste, you HAVE MIS-QUOTED me ! I never said or inferred that they were incompatible !

    This is the accurate quote:



    And I stand by the observation. Part of the added expense is wasted if you aren't going to take your CT mobile and use the systainer stacking features of their tops. many vacs suck, are quiet, have tool triggers, and are well built. Very few have the ability to lock systainers onto their tops.
    While I was responding to what I exactly quoted from your post with a few words redacted as noted with the ellipses and it wasn't a hasty response, I apologize if I misunderstood your statement. I don't necessarily agree that CT full utilization isn't there if one isn't stacking...I never have something stacked on mine other than some abrasive discs. The compact form factor works really well in the shop even when the unit is stationary. But this is certainly a subjective thing.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jul 2015
    Location
    Broadview Heights, OH
    Posts
    711
    Derek,

    That is how I roll. I use a similar set up for collecting the chips on my cnc carving machine. The bag in the vacuum has virtually no dust in it. The model I use is attached, made by Oneida Air Systems. It is the same form factor as their standard systainer and even has the facility to equalize the pressure so you can line it with a bag for easy chip disposal, It's a great setup. I use mine with the 36mm hose which is a perfect fit on the cyclone and the dust shoe of my CNC. That 26 is dedicated to the CNC, I have another which rolls around for general shop cleanup. It's a fantastic vacuum.

    dustdeputy.jpg

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