Hi B-timers! We’re warming up to do an article on shop-vacs, and would like to know what everyone thinks about their current vac, or the vac of your dreams. What’s better? What’s worse? Which one will take the chrome off a trailer hitch? Thanks!!!
Chuck Bickford, senior editor, FHB
Replies
I have an old noisy black canaster (don't know the name off hand) that sits in the corner collecting dust ever since I purchased the QUIET Fein vacuum. Filter is great and large. Dons't clog as quicjk with drywall dust like the old style ones. Filter is not fun to clean but that is justified with the lack of dust exhauste, quality of cleanup and lack of NOISE.
Cannister(I have the med. sized one) is a little small for just cleanup on jobsites. Even though it is easier to through in the back seat of the truck.
Auto on/off is great too when using sanders plugged into it
It works great with their sander and the hose end fits the T75 saw from Festool
Did I say QUIET already?
I have four...
2 Shop Vacs, noisy but indestructible and cheap.
1 PC... tool triggered, very nice overall, well built earned, it's keep many times over.
Just got a Fein... and it is. So quiet it's hard to believe it isn't plugged up, good power, well built with sealed switches and a great filter. I almost hate to get it dirty. Pricey but a Rolex among Timexs.
Paul B
Thanks for weighing in. Do you all use the vacs primarily for saw dust, or drywall dust too?
Chuck
Fein again. Any vac that will switch on a tool up to 18 amps and handle the load is great. Quieter than any vac I've used. Well dust sealed switches. Optional dust bags for containment of fine dust, re sheet rock sanding. Blowby is virtually non-existant. Yes it is not cheap, but I'm worth it.
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
For general use, the silver shop vac - use the bag filters - the cheaper units work fine, but the wheels are better on the big (metal) silver one.
Hey Brian - Do you know the make those silver vacs? I think it's interesting too that Fein is so popular; I used to work in a boatyard and we had one hooked up to R.O. sanders (for removing bottom paint), but that was the first time I had seen one.
Chuck
Shop Vac - "contractors model" Lowes has them - we love the bags and the wheels
My old 6hp craftsman may never die, but the wheels fell off long ago, and the switch is toast. But I still use it to clean up wet stuff.
We have smaller ridgids and shop vacs too, but the big silver does the main cleanup.
Treat every person you meet like you will know them the rest of your life - you just might!
I had a craftsman and upgraded to a goretex filter, and boy could it suck, but the filter perpetually clogged. I then picked up a rigid vac ( 14 gallon pro vac) that took disposable bag filters. and wow. what a difference! It has a lifetime warranty, sucks quite vigorously and it so much easier to throw out a bag then tapping the filter and making a massive mess. Liked it so much that I got the 4 gallon pro vac too, the only stinker of the pair is that the 4 gallon has a bizarre tube diameter, and so you have to buy all new accessories as well.
My 4 gal ridgid uses regular 2 1/2" hose. I comes with a 1 3/4" I think but the hole is for a 2 1/2". Try it and see if it works.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
Yup... I feel like a dumbass.... never thought to look at it and I have detached/attached the hose dozens of times! sometimes the solution is staring you in the face...
Thanks!
Jeff
Hey, us Jersey guys have to stick together. Where you from? I'm in southern Bergen county.
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
Westfield, Union county...
today has been one of those days.... couldnt figure out why my hammerdrill wasnt mowing through concrete with its usual gusto... after the third hole I realized it was in reverse.... DUH!!
I know where that is. I'm in south hackensack. Not to far from the meadows. I've done similar things. I'm sure we all have but some won't admit it. Jeremy
Headstrong, I'll take on anyone!
Ah! Monday... Thanks to everyone for your input so far. We haven't settled on a focus area yet, but it seems to me like the mid-sized (10-12 gal.) higher end vacs should be the target of the tool test, and we can use the rest of the article to talk about things like the DW cordless, accessories, etc. Please let me know what you think, and if I forget to say it later, have a restful Thanksgiving.
Chuck
As far as a review, in general, is concerned, I'd like to see a few things covered in the article. Included in my concerns are:
- How easy is it to tip it?
- Cord storage?
- Can I use it outside, in the rain?
- How does it compare to the cheapest "Wal-Mart" vac I can get?
- Can it survuve - and capture- drywall dust?
I would like to see at least a side bar discussing HEPA whether the HEPA-rated vacs really deliver as promised, longevity of filters, cost comparisons of the various HEPA options... The old lungs just don't have the resilience they used to!
Along the same lines - how much stays in the vac vs. blowing through.
I just heard about a Bosch vac that has a self cleaning filter...I hope that makes it into the test.
http://www.boschtools.com/tools/tools-category.htm?H=175974
I haven't found a shop vac yet that can keep its suction. I want to ask the Dyson man to make one that doesn't require the filter.
I knew you were in New Jersey, but I didn't realize you were so close to me. I'm in Scotch Plains. I do a lot of work in Westfield. Some of my best customers are there. You know the type: particular, able to afford good taste and living in older homes in constant need of attention.
Anyway, howdy neighbor!
-Don
I have one of those houses too, but the extra extra small model.... (1/10th of an acre including detached garage). I have been here for about 7 years now and love it. I can walk to work, the train, and there is good folks here!
There seems to be a bunch of us in the Union/Somerset/Middlesex county area.
Maybe we could get together for breakfast or lunch some Sat.? Sort of a mini-fest?
I like the idea. A "Jersey mini-fest" or maybe a "Jersey break-fest".
Do we post a new thread in the Breaktime Fests folder?
I guess someone needs to volunteer to spearhead this thing. I don't think of myself as much of a spearheader. Shep, how about you?
-Don
Watch and learn, grasshopper.
BTW, I'm working in Scotch Plains for 2-3 days the beginning of the week, on Newark Ave., off Hetfield
As one of the midrange DIYres here, I'm pretty happy with my five year old shop vac (qsp, I think.) It sucks. It isn't too loud, and it takes bags. Using both a drywall bag and a HEPA filter, I can vacuum drywall or concrete with almost no dust, and get a decent time between cleanings out of the HEPA filter.
Oh, and Chuck: You don't have a profile. Some people might want to know when "the man" is listening.
Sorry all, I'm new at this stuff. I threw some things in the profile, but let me know if you need more. If i'm really being clueless, I'll get Fink to straighten me out tomorrow.
A newbie here, but my Ridgid 16 gallon has gotten quite the workout lately cleaning up drywall dust, sawdust & general renovation mess. It is loud but had no problem picking up broken pieces of tack strips. pieces of scrap trim & small pieces of carpet pad. I got a little careless & accidentally sucked the curtains right off the rod too :-)
I started renting the PC drywall sander a few years ago, Chuck. So when I decdied to purchase a decent shop vac, I looked at the Fein and the PC. I bought the PC because at some point I'll buy the sander and they are built to be used together and it was cheaper than the Fein.
Have to say, I'm a little disappointed. It works great for drywall sanding, no question. But there aren't any bumper hitches looking over their shoulders, that's for sure. Now the switch has gone goofey, too. So we have to have something plugged in to the outlet to make the thing stay running.
Maybe I'm being over critical, but I paid...somewhere north of 200 bones for that thing. I'll be looking at WAP and Fein next time, maybe Festool. Those WAPs, now THERE'S a chrome sucking device if ever there was - 600 skins though.
I use the Shop-Vac 6.5gal QSP. My second one of that brand and size.
Problem is that they've re-styled the model (for looks I guess) but in the process of restyling, the vac has lost some utility: the canister is much wider, the handle not as tough, and the lid is kept on by only 2 toggles where the older model had 3. These 2 toggles (new model) do not hold the vac together as tighly as the 3 toggle model did. There was no practical reason for the size change - both models use the same filters.
Other problems: the cord does not stay clipped to itself after being wrapped the way it does on the older model. There are fewer accessories in the box.
Obviously redesigned by MBA bean counters. When this one goes, I'll turn to another brand.
Looking forward to your review. Please make sure to test the machines in a real world environment, including riding in the back of a work truck or van.
I have several Shop Vacs, from the small to the tall, but this is the vac that is with me every day:
View Image
http://www.ridgid.com/Tools/WD4550-Pro-Pack/index.htm
The Ridgid Pro Pack 4.5 Gallon
This thing is great in support of my cabinet installation/trim carpentry operations. It's easy to pack, not too loud, picks up great, parts are securely contained in the case, loving it so far.
_______________________________________________________________
If you are what you eat, I'm fast, cheap and easy.
Edited 11/16/2006 11:25 pm by Heck
Edited 11/16/2006 11:26 pm by Heck
I'm seconding this one - I picked this up while working around my stairway. Very very powerful, and the attachments are stored inside so you don't leave a trail of nozzles behind you every where you go. Can sit and stand on it too, if you are carefull.
My other one is a Craftsman that I put a HEPA filter on - I use it for drywall dust - as well as any demolition cleanup. With the aftermarket HEPA filter I know I can just tap it clean, the other one I'll have to make a trip to the store when it clogs up.Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
Also a CRX fanatic!
Really? That good huh?
I've got a full size Ridgid that I've been quite happy with for large scale cleanup....but the little yellow "Stinger" I bought for cabinet/trim work sucks.....well, actually maybe it doesn't suck...which is why it sucks.
I've been eyeballin' that little Pro-Pac everytime I pass it at the HD. Kept talking myself out of it.
FREE SPONGE BOB,SANCHO PANTS!
Seems like there are several choices now for a smaller vac, some of them cordless.
I think Ridgid has a winner with this one._______________________________________________________________
If you are what you eat, I'm fast, cheap and easy.
I have an older version of that Rigid vac. At the time it was sold at a garge vac. It not have on board storage, but a wall bracket and a 2nd hose which was 20 ft long.Most small vacs have small motors.This one has a "5 hp" motor. While not really 5 hp it sucks like large units that have "5 hp" motors.Shop Vac also makes one in this general size. I think that it is a lowes exclusive.Actually looking there site they make 3 version of it. One for Lowes, one for Costco, and one for general retailhttp://www.shopvac.com/vacs/list.asp?hdnSource=index&Browse=1gal Catalog Number: 930-04-11
Catalog Number: 587-04-00
Catalog Number: 587-04-95It does not have only board storage, but it does take a bag. Which is handy for DW dust. Rather than have to try and clean the filter in the Rigid.
Edited 11/17/2006 2:09 pm by BillHartmann
I second that!!
Also the filter is a darn good one.Got my new issue today, it appears the esteemed J. Fink likes it too. (:-) Good review.
Edited 11/17/2006 6:30 pm ET by rasconc
Edited 11/18/2006 12:14 am ET by rasconc
I had a Fein for several years and liked it a lot until I killed it with drywall dust. Now I have the Festool and I must say it blows the Fein away (pun intended.)
It's even quieter than the Fein when the variable speed is set on low. The Fein is top-heavy and tipped over a lot in the back of my truck and when dragging it around the shop. The Festool is much more stable and easier to carry since it's not so tall.
The Festool hose is pretty small, but since I use it for tool dust extraction that's a plus. Hooked up to the Festool sander the hose gets in the way less than my old Fein/PC combination. The cord and hose storage is better on the Festool. And the dust extraction is awesome.
Yesterday I had to sand door jambs in place in a customer's house. Hauling the rig into the house is easy - the cord and hose stay put during transport and the sander "systainer" locks onto the vac, so I carry everything I need in one trip and in one hand even. After sanding paint off two doorjambs there was hardly a single speck of dust that escaped. While my old Fein/PC combo captured maybe 85% of the dust, the Festool captures more like 95%-99%.
So for my purposes I think it's the greatest. For sucking up planer shavings, chunks of drywall and rusty nails I'd look for something else.
Fein with the HEPA setup. I have a very low tolerance for the dust any more. Quiet, powerful, dust-free, tool-activated.
The Bosch connection works on my Bosch ROS and 1/4 sheet; the PC hose for the biscuit jointer and old Rockwell belt sander. Dust pickup on the ROS and especially the belt sander are outstanding.
Chuck, as a painting contractor my main 8 gallon Ridgid sees mostly drywall dust. The high efficiency washable filter works great and has saved me mega $$$ over my 6 Shop Vacs that preceeded it. Plus it never loses suction even during those times where we are sucking up piles of joint compound.
My other vacuum is the small Ridgid Pro Pac. This is exclusively for preparing wood for clear finishes. The size is perfect to sit on stairtreads and its size makes it very easy transport.
I never used the silver Shop Vac but one of my carpenter friends has it and loves it. My Shop Vacs all died in the middle of a job and when I took them to a vacuum cleaner repair place was informed a new motor would be double the cost of the vac itself.
May all your vacuums suck,
Jon
Russian saying
I have the Shop Vac 850-01 Industrial with the 6 gal. steel tank.
They also make a 10 gal version, but I chose the smaller size for easier portability. Its pretty quiet and seems to have plenty of power. One reason I went with the Shop Vac is the filter bags are available at most of the BB stores. One for sheetrock dust and the regular ones that are a little cheaper.
It came with 4 plastic wheels and I thought it was a little too tippy, so I took them off and mounted it on the base of a rolling mechanics stool, which has 5 small rubber swivel wheels with ball bearings. I also attached two metal handles near the top of the tank to make it easier to carry.
It cost about $150 and I have used it for 3 years now. I would never buy another vac that didnt have the dustbags available. By using the dust bags all the time, I have never had to clean the or replace the filter, and I use it for drywall dust all the time. My only complaint is the cheap wheels it came with.
You would think they could add an extra wheel or two on a $150 Industrial Shop Vac. How much more would that add to the cost?
Edited 11/18/2006 8:31 am ET by wood4rd
I have two Feins, one big, one small and I am very pleased with them. Only two complaints: the hose and tools are non-standard, so you have to buy replacements from Fein, and the manual is awful -- poorly translated, I'm guessing, so I'm never sure what filter I should be using. (BTW, BTers - what filter should I use for DW dust??)
What sold me on the Fein was running it in the store and seeing how quiet it was. I used to have a horrifically noisy ShopVac.
Away from the shop, I use my leaf vac! Sent this in to FWW a couple of years ago after they reviewed shop vacs .. editor thought it was a little too crass for their refined crowd, but honest it really sucks. I use my portable planner on jobs allot, and it's about the only thing that will keep up with the shavings. My vac will blow into a cloth bag (small jobs) or through a 4" flex hose with a mesh cloth that fits over a garbage can. The vac slides onto the chip colector perfectly, and I use a cable tie to hold the trigger power switch on. Posted a pic in knots a couple of years ago, if you are interested I could dig it up again.
In my indoor shop I have a Laguna cannister suction shop vac. Instead of blowing the dust into the cannister the filters are mounted in a negative pressure cabnet. In this way nothing but air passes over the impellar blades. Quiet and very powerful, keeps sucking up my tapemeasure!
"Away from the shop, I use my leaf vac!"That's good to hear,I have been wondering if they would work on a portable tablesaw as a dust collector, sounds like it should.
Yes I would like to see the picture
I have the dewalt planer with built in blower and use the optional hose and filter on a garbage can kit, but i use a garbage bag and a collar I made to hold the bag and filter together, no can to empty, just tie the bag closed and toss.
I think the "best" vac depends...
The Sears plastic shop vac has been with me for over 10 years - screams like a banshee, but gets the nod for general cleanup chores. Mud, water, drywall dust, wood chips, dead bugs, spider webs, metal shavings, doesn't matter. It's cheap & virtually indestructable. I usually end up cleaning it out when the paper ribbon filter becomes clogged - first step is to remove it and shake it out inside a plastic bag. Then, the contents go into the bag. Not real "HEPA-efficient", but I've only had to replace the filter twice. No better "suck for the money" IMO...
I've had a Fein for about 6 years - fantastic when paired with an orbital sander. Only use mine for this - a 5" PC and a 6" Bosch. Great for sanding, but I wouldn't destroy it for any other dirty chores. Only dislike about it is the switched tool receptacle doesn't hold plugs real securely. It's easy to pull the cord out of the socket when you're climbing around cabinetry...
A 2hp Woodsucker tackles all the direct-collect chores from all stationary machinery. Used to have a roll-around delta 4" DC. Once I got the dedicated shop setup, I upgraded and have 6" S&D PVC with blast gates running all over the place (yes, all runs are wrapped with grounding wire). Works pretty well, although a few of the runs are long. I wouldn't use a shop vac for wood chip collection - doesn't move the necessary volumes of air...
A JDS filter handles general air cleaning. Again, the shop vac isn't real efficient at removing dust from the air (it probably kicks up more than it filters out), but with additional layers of cleaning help out tremendously. Really dusty stuff and I just use the disposable masks...
Again, it's pretty tough to top the old plastic Sears - just stock up on earplugs...
Really? The plugs pull out too easily on your Fein?
Mine has the opposite problem. I've really got to get a firm grip on the tool cord to pull it loose from the switched receptacle.
But that's a problem I can easily live with.
I have an old crapsman. Noisey as heck but still kickin' Just last weekend I had to take it apart to lub the bearings. Far too much plaster dust from drywall and water from opening and closing pools have gone through the bearings.
The best advice I would have is to stay away from the type that use bags as filters. They are expensive and washing the bags is some what difficult. (clothes pegs don't hold very well to wet paper filters :-)
The cartridge type can be cleaned with a compressor and blow gun. For extra protection to the bearings with plaster dust use a portion of a bag and elastic around the cartridge.
The black monster I use was purchased for 40 dollars at a farm auction. A Goretex filter and attachments from Sears make this Sears vac do things that add to my brownie points. When she left the water run in the dog room sink it realy did hold 16 gallons of water. I've used it to pull dry wall dust off osb, does excellent. Wouldn't be without an extra Goretex filter or two, wash it, let dry, throught it in, your good to go.
I carry a small vacuum in the truck, for the clean-up of small messes. Here is my experience so far:
-Started with a small, maybe 5 gal., Genie. Actually did a bang-up job .... ONCE. Drywall dust killed it dead. Oh, it continued to run, and it screamed like a banshee, but it's performance was terrible. Nor were HEPA liners / filters available.
-Replaced Genie with comparable 5 gal. "Shop-Vac" brand. Worked well, but was a bit unbalanced; prone to tipping. HEPA bags, and a HEPA filter, were readily available. The bags made emptying the Vac a much neater chore.
-Girlfriend actually wore the Shop-Vac out, vacuuming the house. You could hear thing flying around inside as it spun up to speed. The replacement Shop-Vac has been completely re-designed, sitting lower and with some place to store the cord. Nevertheless, it remains at home, because...
- I got the DeWalt 2 gal. vac, one that can use either house power, or run off your drill battery.
This vac is small enough to be much more likely to get used, yet large enough to be useful. The hose is considerably more 'rubbery' than the usual vacuum hose. The filter it comes with, while not a HEPA filter, is intended for use with drywall dust.
Suction is surprisingly good. I have had no problems pulling 'mice' through pipes, or cleaning up messes,
Performance with battery power is severely limited; before long, suction is lacking. Performance when plugged in is much better. It does NOT charge the battery when plugged in.
Finally, while not usually thought of as a 'shop vac,' I know a drywall guy who uses the plain-Jane hand-held "Dirt Devil" for pulling drywall dust from carpet. The beater brush makes all the difference! The optional paper bags are needed to capture the fine dust, though.
I'll second the Dewalt DC500 2 gal.
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It has become my constant companion when I start working inside a house approaching a finished state. It makes it so easy to clean up after myself when cordless with a battery. Seems to handle drywall dust reasonably well. When plugged in I have used it as a dust collector for small sanders and my drywall router.
Sure I have a big 16 gal. Ridgid but it has been staying home lately. If I get in to demo or framing againg It will come out and play. IMHO the article should have a sidebar talking about the utilty of a smaller, possibly cordless, vaccum and describing the available options.
I've got that dewalt vacuum and I finally gave up on it. Almost no suction with a battery, and even plugged in it was almost worthless. I got one of the rigid pro packs and happier than a clam, big vacuum suction in a small vacuum size. All the accessories storing on board is another big bonus in my over crowded truck. I also use bags which make emptying it much better. The only worry I have about it is that the doors for the accessory areas seem kind of flimsy.
One big plus with both the dewalt and the rigid are the good hoses, much better than the hoses on some of the older vacs.
I got one of those DWs and thought the same thing. I took it back. There is a newer one out that looks like it may be better to be fair. The one I had was a year or so ago.
Hi Chuck,
If you want to endear yourself to readers, please run a sidebar listing sources of hard-to-find vacuum and dust collection fittings and accessories that obviate the need for duct tape and Rube Goldberg-style improvisation.
In addition, please consider posting reader and Breaktimer tips that make using a shop vac or dust collection system easier (e.g.: attaching a 4" ABS toilet flange to a power tool or cabinet as a connection point for a 4" dust collection hose).
I agree wholeheartedly with the poster who suggested real-world testing to see how well the units being tested stand up to the rigors of everyday use and transport. IMHO, these kinds of tests should also include street prices for replaceable items like filters, dust bags, hoses, casters, and switches.
Thanks for asking us prior to publication!
-Jazzdogg-
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
Edited 11/17/2006 11:21 pm by jazzdogg
Could you also test this? http://store.oneida-air.com/item.asp?cID=1&scID=90&PID=749
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Edited 11/18/2006 12:36 am ET by ELoewen
I've a friend with a similar system that sits on a generic metal trash can and collects planer shavings. Saves him a bundle of time emptying his dust collection bag - which is a much messier proposition.
I don't have a full dust collection system, but have switched to bags in the shopvac. The bags are a big improvement over the pleated filter, but small cut offs that fall into the table saw kept puncturing the bag prematurely. I ended up making a separator from a five gallon bucket - two holes in the lid with a pipe in each and an extra hose. The pipe leading to the shopvac has a 90 degree pvc elbow to keep air spinning in the bucket and long slivers of wood out. It's saved me a bunch of bags, but I have to keep a brick in the bottom or it tips over. For stationary tool use it's not a big deal. For sweeping up the floor the extra length of hose is nice, but I often unhook it instead of drag it around.
I have a Shop Vac QSP. It's awkward to carry around, but it doesn't tip over. I don't like that wrapping the cord around the top blocks off the air intake, I have to unwind the whole cord for even a quick small job and it gets in the way or tangled. There seems to be no convenient way to carry both the vac and hose in one trip.
Here is a tip. I tried to extend the reach of the vac hose by adding a sump pump discharge hose ( 1.5"x 20' long).
DO NOT do that with out ear protection. I mean it sounded the turbines winding up on a really mad jet...I don't know what frequency it got to or the amt of Dbs...but it was torture.
Use a SMOOTH inside hose if ya get the notion.
Lesson over.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
Did you ever see a toy called the "Bloogle"? It was a piece of hose sort of like a cross between smurf conduit and the sump pump hose. You swung it over your head and could play music by adjusting your speed. My kids loved it. With the right funnel probably would have made a great beer bong.
I have seen Craig Ferguson on TV nuttin up with one, but never knew what it was called..yeah, thats the sound. LOL
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
I have irriatable Vowel syndrome.
NateWThat cyclone is suppose to seperate be fine dust before it hits the shop vac filter thereby extending run time between filter cleaning.
So the question is, does it really work? and how well?
I have a drywall sander setup like that. It has the bucket and a sanding head, put some water in bucket and it works pretty darn well. The input hose is smaller diameter than the output IIRC.
I'd suggest breaking down your report into categories; ie: shop use models, portable jobsite models, power tool dust control, etc.
I just bought a Fein TurboI as part of a package with Multimaster XL kit (great value at $499 from woodcraft.com). Hose is 16'long but end is 1 3/8" OD while commonly available reducers are made for standard 1 1/4" OD fittings. I e-mailed Fein customer service and they told me that they make a reducer that fits the dust port on my Makita 5" orbital sander; guy asked for my address and the thing showed up in the mail two days later - no charge. Now that's customer service!
One odd omission, though. Fein seems to think it unnecessary to provide on-board supports for winding up the 12' line cord and the 16' hose. The kit also includes extension tubes and various heads and other accessories, but not the tote basket to carry them on board.
As a handyman, I carry the small Ridgid vac with no wheels - humungus suction and a HEPA filter so it will suck up anything from wood chips to drywall debris (and possibly the HO's cat, if I'm not careful) with no problem. It's also just the right size in wet mode to suck the water out of a toilet bowl before uninstalling it.
BruceT
Edited 11/19/2006 3:59 am ET by BruceT999
Chuck -
I have three vacs in my home shop; a large 1.5HP sawdust collector that is used with the stationary equipment, and two ShopVacs I got from Lowes. I also use a Rigid shop vac at my job shop.
The Rigid vac ("4HP" model) has poor suction and is the noisiest of all the vacuums. It does not have a bag so the filter requires frequent unclogging (well before the canister is full). The hose also does not lock into the canister, so when it gets pulled around the shop, the %^&$%#$! hose often pops off. I hate this vacuum!
My "big" 6.5HP 23 gal Shop Vac worked great, but just died. I've checked it out, and some electric component just failed. The bearings were also sounding like they were shot (perhaps from occasional wet vac use and from being cheap, unsealed bearings). I will most likely replace this vacuum with a similar model, although I'm bothered that it didn't even last a year. This model had wheels that also seemed too flimsy, as one caster fell out.
My small 4.5 HP (12 gal) Shop Vac works well, but the difference in suction from the larger (now deceased) Shop Vac is very noticeable. Still, it works well, especially with a filter bag. I just finished re-rocking a 16x25 play room in my house, and with a vacuum sander and this vacuum, there was zero drywall dust mess.
Both Shop vacs are quieter (until the bearings on the big one went), have hose locks, and can be used with fileter bags. I always use the bags unless I have to use the bag as a wet vac.
The dust collector is a Woodtek machine and works OK, but it may be out of scope for your question. It's quiet and can handle the chips from my 13" planar.
I bought a Fein Mini-Turbo when our house was built 2 yrs. ago. The tradesmen loved it and we now use it as our house vac. (hardwood & Marmoleum floors).
I just purchased a Rigid suitcase style vac from Homies - cost around $100. It is the best vac I have ever owned. It has a auto style filter inside and a foam after filter on the exhaust and there is zero dust emitted even when sucking drywall dust. I simply blow the filter out with the exhaust side of the vac and reinstall when it gets dirty. It has a 15' cord and snap hose connections so you can easily pull it around by the hose - good unit
I guess I need to say that I'm a DIYer first of all...
I have the 16 gallon Ridgid that I've used to remove water from the basement, from water filled post-holes in the ground, as a dust collector for the table saw, jointer and bandsaw, a leaf collector, and (very happily) as a drywall sander, as well as the usual home renovation cleanup. Most recently it's helped clean up the dusty mess left over from a DIY blown-in cellulose installation at my house.
I've considered buying another to dedicate as a dust collector for the shop, since they're going for $27 at Home Depot this holiday season.
I also have a Dewalt cordless that serves it's purpose very well as a "small job" wet/dry vac that I don't have to drag around the house, up the stairs, etc. Though my old in the tooth 14.4v batteries only give me a few minutes of good suction. Well worth the $99 IMO.
PJ
Hurry up and write this article. My 12 year old Genie is dying a slow agonizing death and I need a replacement.John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
I like my new Fein Turbo I which came with a holiday package with the Fein Multi Master. It's smaller than my porter cable and powerful. I thin k they go for about $220.
I would vote for the Festool Shop Vacs.
I've had a Festool CT22 for a year now and I love using it. I recently had to sand down all the painted doorframes and wainscot paneling in a home to bare wood. As the house was inhabited during the work, normally I would put up plastic partitions in each room I worked in until finished. But with my Festool vacuum hooked up to my sanders I just went from room to room, doing what I had to do. In the dining room, where the bulk of the sanding was done, there was a large glass table. I didn't cover it, and when we were done there wasn't even a film of dust on the table. I also didn't need dust masks. Having not used comparable vacuums I can't say how they compare, but I'm in love with mine. It paid for itself on that one job!
I also use it connected to my chopsaw and tablesaw when doing work in homes when I can't set up outside (condos and rainy days) I get repeat business, just because clients don't have to clean their entire house after I'm done.
Fein,Fein,Fein,....
Interesting to read your comments. I have two and dislike both intensely -- one large one, red in color (too lazy to go out and check the brand). It is a tossup whether it is more work to keep it sucking or just sweep thoroughly and then use a house vacuum for the rest (not counting water, of course). The other is a small Geni (sp?), probaby 2 gal. It does not suck all that well at best, but it has one of the most annoyng design flaws ever. The vacuum tube connects to a solid pipe that runs into the cavity of the machine. This pipe has an elbow in it. If you get into anything stringy or chunky, the elbow blocks up and you have to disassemble the machine and stick something into the pipe to clear the elbow.
I've had both Craftsman and Shop-Vac, but by far the best one is the Milwaukee #8912. I'm surprised no one has mentioned this one yet. It's absolutely a commercial-grade vacuum. I think it may not have quite the suction power of some of the Craftsman's, I haven't found that I needed any more. Compared to the Craftsman/Shop-Vacs, it's pretty quiet, will last forever, has terrific-quality hoses and attachments, and if you use the paper bags, it will eat drywall dust all day without clogging and without emitting any of it. It's big, heavy and expensive, but since I got it, my Shop-Vac is seldom used anymore.
The filter can make a lot of difference in the usuability of the vac. Check out CleanStream filters made of Goretex:
http://www.cleanstream.com/filters_.html
They are reusable and easy to clean, and they don't get clogged as easily with fine dust. Just shake them off and hose them down. A little pricey but worth every penny compared to dealing with clogged paper filters.
Billy
The Fein filter is slow to plug up. I like that. It's quiet. I like the long flexible hose. It rolls good.
I have it set up with a "remote controlled outlet" (with a bulb plugged in for a "load") and I have tried to convince some people it's "voice activated".
It was a great day when the big Daton vac died.
I have two: a Craftsman and a Festool
The Craftsman: noisy as Hell, sucks like a champ, blows a lot of dust out the exhaust pipe, picks up large stuff (shavings from plans, etc.), won't pick up small steel objects (screws, nails), hose falls out of intake way too often.
The Festool: reltively quiet, less suction than Craftsman, doesn't blow as much dust out the exhaust pipe, chokes on large items (plane shavings, etc.) because the hose is a small diameter, won't pick up small steel objects (see above), much nicer tool to use, has the auto-start feature for use with sanding (or other) machines which is REAL nice, two or three times the Craftsman price, hose is easy to melt on steam radiator valves for example (DAMHIKT), but hose stays in the machine's intake real well.
Bob Chapman
So when is the article coming out? I need a new vac soon and want a shove in the right direction.....leaning toward Fein but considering Ridgid.
John
J.R. Lazaro Builders, Inc.
Indianapolis, In.
Hi John -
Assuming all goes well, the article is slated for the June/July issue, No. 188 if you're counting. Send me a prompt in a couple of weeks and I'll try to give you a preview...
Chuck
I've got ? 6 assorted sears and rigid 16 gal 12 gal 8 gal 6 gal and the early rigid square one. But here is some good news.
I'm not sure if the new square rigid has the adapter at the vac for the 2.5 " hose but the one I have does so it can use all the old style attachments.
But I also have one set up at my house with a good pool type hose 1.5" which is kinda standard. So I just checked and if you unscrew the rigid nice flex hose and it screws directly to the pool style hose. So that will get me 35'.
After this weekend I had to paint a doctors office and up 3 floors (commercial building) with all the good ies and man I'm liking the small unit alot more all the time. And it has good power/suction. And it's not that screaming lawsuit waiting to class action.