Replies

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 18, 1999 02:05pm | #1

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   I've been curious about that blue one that has been in the back of the Tool Crib catalog the last few months. Somebody mentioned it the other day, but I can't remember what was said. Love-Less brand--- has anybody tried this one? How loud is it?

2. 
   Greg_Beeckman | Mar 19, 1999 03:02am | #2

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   If you like the Shop Vac, wouldn't it be easiest to just attach a grounding wire from the canister to to the motor rather than find another vac?

1. 
   Aaron_Johnson | Mar 19, 1999 05:33am | #3

   *I thought about this as well just before I took the shop-vac back to the store. Thought maybe a length of chain attached to the cannister and then attached to the motor and wired to ground would work. Rented the Porter Cable vac that goes with the power drywall sander system the other day just to try it out. It in fact had a piece of copper strip attached to the plastic cannister that contacted a copper strip on the motor housing that appeared to be grounded. Mostly though I was wondering if anyone had any good experiences with any other vacs that would save me the trouble of having to modify the shop-vac.

1. 
   Jonathan_Gerlach | Mar 19, 1999 11:18am | #4

   *Aaron; I chuckled when I read your post - it could have been written by me about 2 weeks ago. I bought the QSP contractors vacuum, and the first job I used it for was to clean up sheetrock dust. I received some rather hefty static electricity shocks and was all set to take it apart and return it to the store. I decided, though, that I would just put up with the shocks and live to tell about it. But I later found that I don't seem to receive the shocks vacuuming up anything else, so I really like the vacuum now. I still may try to ground the cannister somehow though, it can't be all that difficult...

3. 
   Guest_ | Mar 19, 1999 04:11pm | #5

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   Aaron,

   I liked the PC vac so much that I bought two. There pretty quiet, as far as vac's go. The changing of the bag is a little challenging but you get the hang of it. The feature I like is the auto on and off setting, when you start your tool the vac goes on and shuts off about 7 sec after you shut off your tool.

   Joseph Fusco

   View Image

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 02:52am | #6

   *Though rather pricy, the Wap vacs are hard to beat. I have the "Drywaller" model which also has the tool auto-start feature. It just doesn't clog on drywall dust, but just in case, it has a feature that allows you to scrape-down the filter without opening it up. One unexpected bonus was that it's amazingly quiet; you almost can't hear it over the nozzle's air noise. So far the only thing I would change is the fact that it shuts off immediately with the tool. It would be nice if it ran for a few seconds longer, as I believe the PC does.

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   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 03:26am | #7

   *A low-cost alternative to HEPA-type filters is to run another long hose from the air outlet on the vaccuum to the outdoors. Keeps all the dust out of the air, even if some slips through the bag. Sometimes we run 2 vacs pulling air out through a window to keep negative pressure in a dust enclosure during demolition work, we can rip out lath & plaster in an occupied house without a speck of dust getting past the plastic. I bought a $20 attachment for sanding drywall, and it works! Shop Vacs are noisy as hell, someone told me HD has a muffler you stick in the outlet, I have no idea if it works.

1. 
   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 05:41am | #8

   *I have a simple solution on to the static problem on the shop vac metal canisters. I had mine for about three years before I got smart. One day, the shop vac and a 3' piece of armaflex happened to be sharing the same piece of real estate in the garage. Now the handle looks like a run of refer tubing wrapped tight with electrical tape, get the picture? No more shocks, but I still flinch on reflex when I grab the handle.I fashioned a muffler years ago out of a small cardboard box and a pvc elbow. I just put some baffles inside and duct taped the whole thing to my shop vac exhaust. It cut the noise by a good bit but did rob some power. I bet the one at depot works.Tom

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   Guest_ | Mar 20, 1999 07:42am | #10

   *I have a wap...so quiet, that you almost don't know it's on.J

4. 
   Aaron_Johnson | Mar 20, 1999 07:42am | #9

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   We are currently in the market for a new vacumm for the purpose of cleaning up sawdust in the shop and cleaning up after drywall finishing and sanding. Until now we've been using a 2.5hp genie and a 5hp genie. The problem is they are both extremely noisy and they do not filter drywall dust adequately. The filters cake up and have to be cleaned every five minutes which requires removing the top of the vac and shaking the filter to clean. We currently have on order a vacumm with a HEPA filter on it for the purpose of cleaning up in homes that may have lead paint in them. However, we plan to use this only for such situations due to the cost. I tried a new shop-vac contractor vac with stainless cannister, dolly wheels and handle and 6hp quiet motor for 129.00. However, while cleaning up after a drywall sanding the stainless cannister would build so much static electricity a blue spark would arc from the handle. For some reason the cannister is not grounded but is rather insulated from the motor due to the plastic housing. What is a good general purpose vac with large dolly wheels, at least 6hp motor, flexible hose and the capability to filter at least 99% of dust?