# Shop Vac Suggestions



## ddickey (Oct 1, 2017)

My Bissell vacuum cleaner just aint cutting it in the shop anymore. The hoses have become brittle and I cracked one today. 
I need some suggestions for a shop vac. At this point I'm only vacuuming chips off of my machines and some off the floor. Eventually I'd like to rig up something for my grinder to suck in the dust. Being quite is of importance for me as well.
Thanks.


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## Dave Paine (Oct 1, 2017)

The brands which I think are the quietest based on having heard them run are Fein and Festool.

I have a Fein Turbo III (model 9-77-25), which I would recommend if only they still made this.  It seems Fein now only sell one smaller machine.   I will be sad if my unit stops working.

My local friend has a Festool.

Edit.  I must have had my Fein for at least 14 or 15 years.  It is still going strong, and one of the few shop vacs which can be used without hearing protection.


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## mikey (Oct 1, 2017)

I use a Mastercraft vac hooked to a Oneida Dust Deputy. Fairly quiet and has HEPA filtered bags. Suction is good and not much debris gets to the filter so I don't change bags but every 5 years or so.


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## 4GSR (Oct 1, 2017)

I have one of those cheap bucket vacs that I picked up at I believe Lowes several years back.  I use it for sucking up mill chips to sucking the lime deposits out of the hot water heater when the elements blow.  It hasn't let me down yet.  Wish it had a little bit longer hose!  We also have a large Rigidit  vaccumn cleaner we use around the house.  I try to keep it out of the shop area. Its going on 15 years old!


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## Holescreek (Oct 1, 2017)

Don't buy "shopvac" brand vacuum cleaners. I have 3 of those trash cans in the shop now.  They literally become rolling trash cans because the motors burn out very quickly and get pitched.  I've been using a Home Depot Rigid brand 5HP vacuum in the shop every day for more than 8 years to clean the chips and metal off the mills and lathes.  The hose is starting to get heavy due to all the oil and sludge packed inside it.  I don't worry about "quiet" since it only runs when I clean up.  Shop vacs do not have enough CFM for grinding use, none of them.  You need at least 650 CFM for your safety and there are better solutions than a cheap vaccum cleaner.


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## markba633csi (Oct 1, 2017)

The Craftsman 12004 gets good reviews on several sites, and the Rigid brand also.  I'm shopping for a new one too.  I read both of those are made by Emerson. 
Mark S.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 2, 2017)

I am not so sure that a large air flow, bright grinding sparks, oil and oil mist, and plastic hoses make a good mix.  If it ever catches fire you might have a major fireball in a few seconds.  Please be careful and think about what you are doing...


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## Z2V (Oct 2, 2017)

ddickey,
Is this the Bissell that you have? I really like mine but have only had it 6-8 months.


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## Jonathans (Oct 2, 2017)

Holescreek said:


> Don't buy "shopvac" brand vacuum cleaners. I have 3 of those trash cans in the shop now.  They literally become rolling trash cans because the motors burn out very quickly and get pitched.  I've been using a Home Depot Rigid brand 5HP vacuum in the shop every day for more than 8 years to clean the chips and metal off the mills and lathes.  The hose is starting to get heavy due to all the oil and sludge packed inside it.  I don't worry about "quiet" since it only runs when I clean up.  Shop vacs do not have enough CFM for grinding use, none of them.  You need at least 650 CFM for your safety and there are better solutions than a cheap vaccum cleaner.


Ditto


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## ddickey (Oct 2, 2017)

Z2V said:


> ddickey,
> Is this the Bissell that you have? I really like mine but have only had it 6-8 months.


I wish. more like this. I had an extra so used it. Worked pretty good too.
https://offerup.com/item/detail/58261236/


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## rzbill (Oct 2, 2017)

Well I can't complain about the Sears 16gal that I just threw away. 35 years of service. I bought another one.
Only significant point is that the hoses are blow molded now, on most makes.  I hate them.  Too stiff.  When the wire wound cloth hose on the old Sears finally wore out, I found a very flexible hose (not blow molded) from one of the DIY stores.  I think it is a Rigid brand hose but I'm not sure. It cost a pretty penny but it is  nice and flexy.

No I have not used it for a running grinder. The points made earlier about grinding dust are valid in my opinion.


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## tq60 (Oct 2, 2017)

For a grinder a vacuum is not really needed as there is a natural air and particle flow.

Simply building a catch tray with a pathway for the waste to naturally flow works.

A chunk of dryer vent bent to correct shape at the top to fit under wheen and rest and straight down towards a coffee can on the floor. 


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk


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## markba633csi (Oct 3, 2017)

I found that old pool hose makes a pretty good replacement vacuum hose, and it's flexible.  Creative use of duct tape required. 
Mark S.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 3, 2017)

markba633csi said:


> I found that old pool hose makes a pretty good replacement vacuum hose, and it's flexible.  Creative use of duct tape required.
> Mark S.


What size is the pool hose, Mark?  I need some vacuum hose to fit my 2.5" I.D. Ridgid and Craftsman 5.5 HP(claimed) 16gal vacs, and also some reasonably priced attachments.


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## ACHiPo (Oct 3, 2017)

mikey said:


> I use a Mastercraft vac hooked to a Oneida Dust Deputy. Fairly quiet and has HEPA filtered bags. Suction is good and not much debris gets to the filter so I don't change bags but every 5 years or so.


Mike,
I'd never heard of Mastercraft vacs so I googled 'em.  Holy cow--and I thought Festool was expensive!
e


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## mikey (Oct 3, 2017)

ACHiPo said:


> Mike,
> I'd never heard of Mastercraft vacs so I googled 'em.  Holy cow--and I thought Festool was expensive!
> e



Yeah, they're a bit on the expensive side but this one has been going for 20 years and is just as strong as it was when new. Plus its pretty quiet for a vac and it doesn't throw a lot of dust into the air so I like it. The Dust Deputy causes chips to swirl and cool so I think the risk of fire is low and very little gets to the vac anymore - good stuff.


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## Tozguy (Oct 3, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> I am not so sure that a large air flow, bright grinding sparks, oil and oil mist, and plastic hoses make a good mix.  If it ever catches fire you might have a major fireball in a few seconds.  Please be careful and think about what you are doing...



First I agree with vacuuming chips off the lathe as well as dust from the grinder. The latter is especially good for your health. However, I use two separate vac machines. A small wet shop vac is dedicated to collecting oily chips. A second but larger shop vac, set up for dry material, is used for the grinder. The hook up to the grinder uses an extra length of hose to allow more time for the sparks to extinguish before hitting the filter.
No fires or melted plastic in the few years since going this route.


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## Bob Korves (Oct 3, 2017)

I think the real concern is fire starting in the hose, not fire starting in the canister or the filter.  The hot sparks of a grinder become cold quickly.  Some of them will stick to the inside of the hose due to oil or coolant residue.  The hose is usually plastic.  So. hot sparks, grinding dust, oil, plastic, and a strong supply of air are all present.  To me that is a recipe for a dangerous fire hazard, a blow torch even, though I have not heard of any such fires occurring.  I think a metal hose for the first few feet, then perhaps a fireproof cyclone separator with water in the bottom, would be a good start for reducing danger.   I think the vac itself is pretty much immune to fire unless the hose catches on fire and spreads to the vacuum.  Hot sparks from the grinder stop being a fire hazard before they travel very far, unless combustion of other stuff adds to it.  Hot chips from the lathe or mill also cool below the ignition point of most materials pretty quickly unless you are working with ceramic inserts or the like on a powerful lathe taking heavy cuts.  No experience or training at this, just guessing...


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## markba633csi (Oct 3, 2017)

Bob Korves said:


> What size is the pool hose, Mark?  I need some vacuum hose to fit my 2.5" I.D. Ridgid and Craftsman 5.5 HP(claimed) 16gal vacs, and also some reasonably priced attachments.


only 2 inch I'm afraid , might be too small for your machines
Mark


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## RandyM (Oct 3, 2017)

Holescreek said:


> *Don't buy "shopvac" brand vacuum cleaners. I have 3 of those trash cans in the shop now.  They literally become rolling trash cans because the motors burn out very quickly and get pitched*.  I've been using a Home Depot Rigid brand 5HP vacuum in the shop every day for more than 8 years to clean the chips and metal off the mills and lathes.  The hose is starting to get heavy due to all the oil and sludge packed inside it.  I don't worry about "quiet" since it only runs when I clean up.  Shop vacs do not have enough CFM for grinding use, none of them.  You need at least 650 CFM for your safety and there are better solutions than a cheap vaccum cleaner.



Is this a blanket statement on the whole brand or just the lower priced units? I can see where the lower priced units may have less quality built in. I just bought one like this a few months ago.

Shop Vac

Certainly hope to get a few years out of it. Has a three year warranty. I really like that it is a lot quieter than the Craftsmen unit that it replaced.


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