Shop vac help

Ridgid 

Rigid

Re: Shop vac help

John K Jordan

Festool.

Just kidding, I think Ridgid is nice these days.

JKJ

I like the Fein

Dick Coers

Can't remember when I bought it, easily 15 years ago. Quieter than many, not close to the price of Festool. Depends on if you want auto switching.

Re: I like the Fein

Barry Irby

I lost my mind and bought a Festool to go with the other Festool tools I own. Nice vac but before I got it I was using an Auto Switch I got at WoodCraft for my Ridgid. I now think the Ridgid was just as good at about 20% of the price. The auto switch is really nice and cost $45. I think. Now that I have the experience, I would stick with the Ridgid. Somewhat nosier, but I can't hear anyway.

Re: Shop vac help

Philip Duffy

Thanks, all of you and your good comments! Ridgid, it is. P.

Re: I like the Fein

John McGaw

I'll second the Fein. I think mine is a Turbo III but I'm too lazy to walk down to the shop right now to verify. I've had it for at least 15 years now and it has been flawless and the auto-switch function can be very useful. Filtering with the disposable paper bag and HEPA filter is near perfect. My previous vac, name now forgotten, was loud enough that hearing protection was mandatory even if I was just vacuuming the bench; it emitted he sort of screech that could cause bleeding from the ears.

One more thought.....

Barry Irby

Buy the drywall bags to use with it. At $7 or $8 each I was too cheap for a long time and thought they were over priced. Worth every penny if you are collecting fine sanding dust. Be careful, they are kind of tinder, don't tear them. I tore one and taped it up and it was fine.

Re: One more thought.....

Larry

Vacmaster VJH1211PF 0201

Is said to be Quiet and powerful.

Roll over image to zoom in

Roll over image to zoom in

Vacmaster VJH1211PF 0201

Is said to be Quiet and powerful.

Vacmaster VJH1211PF 0201

Regardless of brand

Steve jenkins

Consider adding an Oneida dust deputy. It’s basically a plastic mini-cyclone that snaps onto a plastic 5gallon bucket that comes with it. Separation is about as close to 100% as you can get.

I have one to sell

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

If interested email. Indeed they work but my central vac rendered it obsolete. Without it duct from my band saw coated the filter and reduced sucking power fairly quickly.

+1 Fein

Re: I have one to sell

TomD

You need a better filter when that happens, mine have elaborately folded gore-tex pleated filters that keep the pressure low enough, plus they are hepa quality.

I always use dust extraction for bansaws, etc... Shop vacs handle all kinds of things dust gear won't. Things that are toxic, or wet.

My favourite is the Shopvac QSP system, but I don't think they make it any more. It was quiet as a household machine, and strong also. Have they replaced it with anything since? The small one I use for certain kinds of small jobs and toxics is really really quiet. It makes a huge difference.

As with all vacs, a lot of the issue is with the accessories, hoses, and brushes. I keep my eyes open for older domestics, and take parts to upgrade tubes and brushes on my shopvacs. I have a large Rigid that is a great vac, but the accessories are pretty bush league. Sort of thing where they topple the machine because they aren't limp enough, and lack smoothly operating joints/swivels. A lot of the new Dyson type nonsense seems like clever engineering to distract one from the fact that the brushes are bush league, even when they are doing interesting things with the suckage.