Hu

HerHusband

18/11/2007 7:44 PM

Quietest Shop Vac? Need in a hurry!

My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the vac,
but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.

So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.

I need a QUIET vac!

I need a vac with a 2-1/2" hose. It should screw, or otherwise lock, into
the vac so I can pull the vac around by the hose and not pull the hose out.

I need a vac that I can install filter bags in (the usual vac canister
filters clog up too quickly with fine dust).

I need a vac with a long cord (12' or longer).

I need a vac that has built-in storage for the cord and attachments.

My current vac is a 12-gallon "quiet series" Shop Vac brand that I've had
maybe 3-4 years. I've been happy with it, but I'm a little disappointed
that it died so soon.

I've read good reviews of the Ridgid WD-1450 that Home Depot sells, but
don't know how it would compare with my current vac.

Is there a shop vacuum that you recommend that is available at Lowes, Home
Depot, or Sears? Like I said, I need it yesterday...

I do not have a dust collector. It's on my Christmas list, but the early
death of my shop vac may delay that. :(

Thanks,

Anthony


This topic has 33 replies

ee

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

20/11/2007 10:07 AM

On Nov 19, 9:04 am, HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Buy the Harbor Freight Tools Dust Collector instead, the shop vac you
> > described will run you nealry the cost of the HFT (possibly more!) put
> > it on wheels for the time being and put the uctwork for it on your
> > XMAS LIST.
>
> I was considering that option last night too, but came to the conclusion
> that I use the shop vac for a lot of tasks outside the shop. Vacuuming the
> cars, cleaning the woodstove, drywall work, spring cleaning the house,
> remodeling work at my in-laws, etc.

Not to mention that for some of my tools, ie miter saw, band saw, and
ROS where the hole isn't four inches, the suction of my $250 Harbor
Fright DC drops to worse than the shop vac.

LH

"Lew Hodgett"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 5:59 PM

RE: Subject

You start with Fein and go down hill from there.

Bring your piggy bank.

Lew

AG

Art Greenberg

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 11:56 AM

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:09:35 GMT, Joe wrote:
> Fein Turbo III.
>
> You will hate paying for it. That is the *LAST* thing you will ever
> hate (or even mildly dislike) about it.

Agree 100%. I _love_ mine. Worth every penny.

--
Art Greenberg
artg at eclipse dot net

bR

[email protected] (Robert Bonomi)

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

21/11/2007 9:18 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:
>> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight
>
>Based on the many positive reviews I've read, I bought a Ridgid WD1450
>shop vac this afternoon for $99 (+tax). I haven't had the opportunity to
>really work it yet, but I did get everything assembled and fired it up
>for a few tests.
>
>Noise Level - Not bad. It's quieter than my "quiet" Shop Vac, though in
>all fairness that has been sounding a lot louder and unhealthy the past
>few weeks. I remember being impressed when I bought my old Shop Vac too.
>I'm sure the WD1450 isn't as quiet as the Fein or Festool machines, but
>it's only one third the price and it was in stock just a few miles from
>home. It's certainly quiet enough to use by itself, and I wear ear muffs
>when using it with other tools like a sander anyway.

Ridgid also makes an inexpensive 'muffler' the plugs on the air exhaust
fitting. It makes things a little quieter -- not so much the absolute
sound level but knocks off some of the higher frequencies. It is a
'noticeable', albeit *not* 'radical' difference.


If you want seriously quiet _on_a_budget_, AND are willing to compromise
down to household-size hose, look for a used 'Filter Queen'. they catch
_everything_ out of the air, are damn-near indestructible -- stainless
construction, and *amazingly* quiet. No provision for wet pick-up capability,
though. :)

Unlike virtually any other 'home' vacuum, you _don't_ risk damaging it
if it picks up something solid -- hardware, wood scraps, whatever.

They've also got a built-in 'cyclone', so suction doesn't degrade much as
it pulls in dust.

Filter Queens are _grossly_ over-priced on the new market, but can be had
reasonably on the used one.

ee

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 4:19 PM

On Nov 18, 9:31 pm, JeffB <[email protected]> wrote:
> There's an article in the latest FWW with plans for an enclosure for any
> shop vac that quiets it to the same noise level as the Fein... probably
> for less $$$. The current Ridgid shop vacs are well reviewed in lots of
> places.
> --
> JeffB
> remove no.spam. to email

I built the one I found in the first issue of "Home Handyman" that
someone gave me for Christmas. :-)

A plywood box about two feet square and a little higher than two feet,
all carpeted. One side is a hinged door. At the back is a whole bunch
of one inch holes and furring strips around the top and sides of the
back, and over that is some leftover paneling so the exhaust is
shunted towards the floor.

Quieted down that cheap screaming Menards shopvac. Without the box, in
the basement, the wife had to turn up the TV upstairs. With the box,
she barely noticed it was on. Two years later that screaming shop vac
died and I replaced it with one of those Shop Vac "Quiet" models,
which we all know ain't that quiet. But in that box, it is.

There are those who will tell you if you put your shop vac in a box,
it'll overheat and die. And mine did. Two years later after many
hundreds of hours of use. Couldn't tell you if it was due to
overheating or not but I think I got my 40 bucks worth. :-)

This one has been in there for six months. Doesn't get used quite as
hard now that I've got the DC, but it turns out the shop vac is better
for the ROS and the band saw, so it's getting used.

You make your shop vac foot print a little bigger, but you also gain
the space over the vac as a tool station. I use it for my planer. I
store the implements in the box and made cleats to wrap the extension
cord and the extra long hose I bought, and put two power strips on it.
One strip I use to turn the vac on and off and the other is always
hot. Very handy little station.

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 9:57 AM

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 09:04:15 -0600, HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:

>> Buy the Harbor Freight Tools Dust Collector instead, the shop vac you
>> described will run you nealry the cost of the HFT (possibly more!) put
>> it on wheels for the time being and put the uctwork for it on your
>> XMAS LIST.
>
>I was considering that option last night too, but came to the conclusion
>that I use the shop vac for a lot of tasks outside the shop. Vacuuming the
>cars, cleaning the woodstove, drywall work, spring cleaning the house,
>remodeling work at my in-laws, etc.
>
>Considering the costs, I'm wondering about buying a better shop vac and
>postponing the dust collector a little longer. My main gripe with this is
>the better vacs are usually larger, which means less portability. As it is
>my wife complained about lugging my 12 gallon vac out to clean the cars. :)
>It would also be harder to transport a larger vac to work at my in-laws.
>
>I'll have to see what I can find locally today, as I don't have the time to
>wait for a vac to be shipped.
>
>Anthony

IMHO, you might consider spending maybe $200 for the harbor "fright" DC and
starter kit and picking up a used vac for the other chores at a garage sale..
If the DC is too loud, I added this to mine and quieted it down a LOT.. YMWV
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/sup1000.html


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Bn

"BobS"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 9:29 PM


"HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the
> vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> I need a QUIET vac!
>
> I need a vac with a 2-1/2" hose. It should screw, or otherwise lock, into
> the vac so I can pull the vac around by the hose and not pull the hose
> out.
>
> I need a vac that I can install filter bags in (the usual vac canister
> filters clog up too quickly with fine dust).
>
> I need a vac with a long cord (12' or longer).
>
> I need a vac that has built-in storage for the cord and attachments.
>
> My current vac is a 12-gallon "quiet series" Shop Vac brand that I've had
> maybe 3-4 years. I've been happy with it, but I'm a little disappointed
> that it died so soon.
>
> I've read good reviews of the Ridgid WD-1450 that Home Depot sells, but
> don't know how it would compare with my current vac.
>
> Is there a shop vacuum that you recommend that is available at Lowes, Home
> Depot, or Sears? Like I said, I need it yesterday...
>
> I do not have a dust collector. It's on my Christmas list, but the early
> death of my shop vac may delay that. :(
>
> Thanks,
>
> Anthony

You will not find a so-called "quite" shop vac at any of those stores. A
good quite shop vac will cost you a minimum of around $400 and go up from
there.
http://www.jlindustrial.com/CGI/JISRCH?ns=1&oldNtt=&oldNtk=&oldURLVar=&scrNtt=984-03-10&Ntk=Keyword+Search
http://www.shopvac.com/vacs/detail.asp?ID=202&HdnSource=index&StoreID=

That one states "Extra Quite" and is from Shop-Vac.

You won't find that grade at those stores.

A common failure of the Shop-Vac models is the fusible link in the motor
housing blows. The filter gets clogged, the motor overheats and the fusible
link goes. When under warranty, Shop-Vac sends you a new motor assy. But
you can do an emergency fix. Remove the cord from the power outlet.

Take off the top, remove the cover that covers the motor from the inside.
Follow the power cord and you will see the black wire goes into a black
plastic enclosure that is secured to the housing either with a screw or by
snapping in-place with tabs. In that is the fusible link and you most
likely will discover it's no longer there since it melted. Take that
assembly apart and use a piece of solder that is about 20ga or - affix an
in-line fuse carrier (auto parts store) and put in a delay type fuse of the
proper rating. Amp draw should be stated on the sticker on the vac. Mine is
a 16 gal, 5.75hp shown on the sticker (if you can believe that) with a 11.7A
rating.

Clean the vac and filter. Put it back together, plug it in and check for
smoke - at your risk of course. Most of these are wet/dry vac's and are
double insulated. But a bad motor can start a fire so use common sense.

These so called "Contractor Grade" vac's sold at home centers are not really
very heavy duty at all - despite the advertising. Compare them to a real
industrial grade, heavy-duty model and you'll see why they cost so much.

Here's a page that has some Porter-Cable vac's you may be able to find
locally at a dealers store. All in the $300-$400 range.

http://www.google.com/products?q=porter+cable+7814&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf8&um=1


Now if it doesn't really have to be that quite and you can live with about
the same noise level of your old vac and you can't fix it - then the
Shop-Vac models that are wet/dry and in the 16 gal range will meet your
requirements. I have the 16/5.75 Shop-Vac with water pick-up and it was $99
at Lowes. I initially bought a Rigid from Home Depot and it was loud in
comparison. Note that the smaller model Shop-Vac's (12 gal or less) are not
quite in comparison to the larger models. Cost was around $100. Lowes had
them on display and I was able to plug one in before I hauled it off. If
you insist on hearing one (nicely) they most likely will honor your request.

Bob S.

Jj

JeffB

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 7:31 PM

There's an article in the latest FWW with plans for an enclosure for any
shop vac that quiets it to the same noise level as the Fein... probably
for less $$$. The current Ridgid shop vacs are well reviewed in lots of
places.
--
JeffB
remove no.spam. to email

DS

David Starr

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 5:26 PM

HerHusband wrote:
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> I need a QUIET vac!
>
> I need a vac with a 2-1/2" hose. It should screw, or otherwise lock, into
> the vac so I can pull the vac around by the hose and not pull the hose out.
>
> I need a vac that I can install filter bags in (the usual vac canister
> filters clog up too quickly with fine dust).
>
> I need a vac with a long cord (12' or longer).
>
> I need a vac that has built-in storage for the cord and attachments.
>
> My current vac is a 12-gallon "quiet series" Shop Vac brand that I've had
> maybe 3-4 years. I've been happy with it, but I'm a little disappointed
> that it died so soon.
>
> I've read good reviews of the Ridgid WD-1450 that Home Depot sells, but
> don't know how it would compare with my current vac.
>
> Is there a shop vacuum that you recommend that is available at Lowes, Home
> Depot, or Sears? Like I said, I need it yesterday...
>
> I do not have a dust collector. It's on my Christmas list, but the early
> death of my shop vac may delay that. :(
>
> Thanks,
>
> Anthony

I have the Ridgid WD06250. Was a gift, but probably came from the Borg.
It's OK. It's quieter than the radial arm saw. Just running the
vac, I don't bother with ear defenders. Vac plus radial arm saw, I put
on ear defenders. It's all plastic, with a paper HEPA filter. Hose is
all plastic with a plastic snap lock thingie so I can pull the vac by
the hose. It's been sucking for a year without any trouble.

David Starr

TV

Tom Veatch

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 11:24 PM

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:44:30 -0600, HerHusband <[email protected]>
wrote:

>My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
>I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the vac,
>but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
>So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
>I need a QUIET vac!
>...

I bought a Ridgid with "Scroll Technology" from HD that *might* meet
most of your needs. As far as the quietness is concerned, I don't have
a lot to compare to, but it's positively silent compared to the old
Sears sucker that it replaced.

Tom Veatch
Wichita, KS
USA

BS

"Bill Stock"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 9:33 PM


"HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the
> vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> I need a QUIET vac!
>
> I need a vac with a 2-1/2" hose. It should screw, or otherwise lock, into
> the vac so I can pull the vac around by the hose and not pull the hose
> out.
>
> I need a vac that I can install filter bags in (the usual vac canister
> filters clog up too quickly with fine dust).
>
> I need a vac with a long cord (12' or longer).
>
> I need a vac that has built-in storage for the cord and attachments.
>
> My current vac is a 12-gallon "quiet series" Shop Vac brand that I've had
> maybe 3-4 years. I've been happy with it, but I'm a little disappointed
> that it died so soon.
>
> I've read good reviews of the Ridgid WD-1450 that Home Depot sells, but
> don't know how it would compare with my current vac.
>
> Is there a shop vacuum that you recommend that is available at Lowes, Home
> Depot, or Sears? Like I said, I need it yesterday...
>
> I do not have a dust collector. It's on my Christmas list, but the early
> death of my shop vac may delay that. :(
>
> Thanks,
>
> Anthony

I just replaced my old Shop Vac with a Rigid 1850. I hated the SV, tiny
hose, screams line a banshee, tippy. I kept waitng for it to die, which it
never did, just got less sucky. Even the garbage vultures wouldn't take it.
:-)

The Rigid has a tug along hose, tool purse, filter monitor, cart with large
wheels, hideous Orange colour, HEPA filter and is somewhat quieter than the
SV (lower pitch). The Rigid is only moderately more sucky than the SV, but
I've only used it to clean up a water leak so far. I use a DC for all my
shop work.

As Lew said, a good vac will cost some serious $s, my Rigid was $229
Canadian. It will probably be less in the US.


hh

henry

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 8:36 AM

When I sand with my festool ROM I dont know that the vac is on except
not a bit of dust. Its also a variable speed and turns on then the
sander turns on.

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

20/11/2007 8:00 AM

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 13:58:45 -0500, "J. Clarke" <[email protected]> wrote:

>mac davis wrote:
>> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:13:19 -0800 (PST), bookman
>> <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Buy the Fein or a Festool shop vac. Five years from now you will
>>> still be satisfied with it.
>>
>> Not a knock on any brand, but 5 years is nothing...
>> I've been waiting for my Craps-man vac to die for over 20 years..
>
>I had to get a new one a few years back. My JC Penney finally rusted
>out. I guess I could have just gotten a barrel and fastened the motor
>to it but I figured it was time.
>
Lucky you... My vac is just new enough to have the plastic case.. *sigh*


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

ee

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

20/11/2007 9:21 AM

On Nov 19, 7:49 pm, Tanus <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I like that idea for a basement shop,
> but I'm in a small outdoor shop. My idea
> is to mount the vac outside and run the
> power cord and hose through holes in the
> wall.

I forgot to mention that the box is on casters, I moved the shop out
to the garage a few years ago, and I get a lot of use out of that
station. But after checking out your shop link, I agree with your
choice to keep it outside. I would worry about blowing rain on the
motor but I think judicious use of an old tarp or plastic sheet to
protect it on all sides while still giving it lots of ventilation
would be easy enough to do. Probably would muffle it a bit besides.

I was also going to say something like "Gosh, you'd need a really long
hose."
But now I'm not. :-)

Dan

br

bookman

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 5:13 AM

Buy the Fein or a Festool shop vac. Five years from now you will still
be satisfied with it.

Dd

DS

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 2:20 PM

HerHusband wrote:
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> I need a QUIET vac!

My craftsman is the loudest, ear piercing POS I've ever encountered. I
prefer the dust over the noise.

Mt

"Max"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 7:50 PM


"HerHusband" wrote
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the
> vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Anthony

Be sure to check this one out.
http://tinyurl.com/2scmra

Works for me.

Max

Ji

"Joe"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 3:09 AM


"HerHusband" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
> I need to finish the project by weeks end. I tried sanding without the
> vac,
> but the shop filled with a dust cloud in just a few minutes.
>
> So, I need to run to town tomorrow and get a new vac pronto.
>
> I need a QUIET vac!
>
> I need a vac with a 2-1/2" hose. It should screw, or otherwise lock, into
> the vac so I can pull the vac around by the hose and not pull the hose
> out.
>
> I need a vac that I can install filter bags in (the usual vac canister
> filters clog up too quickly with fine dust).
>
> I need a vac with a long cord (12' or longer).
>
> I need a vac that has built-in storage for the cord and attachments.
>
> My current vac is a 12-gallon "quiet series" Shop Vac brand that I've had
> maybe 3-4 years. I've been happy with it, but I'm a little disappointed
> that it died so soon.
>
> I've read good reviews of the Ridgid WD-1450 that Home Depot sells, but
> don't know how it would compare with my current vac.
>
> Is there a shop vacuum that you recommend that is available at Lowes, Home
> Depot, or Sears? Like I said, I need it yesterday...
>
> I do not have a dust collector. It's on my Christmas list, but the early
> death of my shop vac may delay that. :(
>
> Thanks,
>
> Anthony

Fein Turbo III.

You will hate paying for it. That is the *LAST* thing you will ever hate
(or even mildly dislike) about it.

jc

Hu

HerHusband

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

18/11/2007 11:22 PM

Bob,

> A good quiet shop vac will cost you a minimum of around $400

I guess I should have added UNDER $200 to my list of requirements... :)

> A common failure of the Shop-Vac models is the fusible
> link in the motor housing blows.

In my case, I think the brushes and/or bearings wore out. It has been
sounding rather unhealthy the last couple of weeks, and black "soot" was
building up outside the motor assembly. I knew it was ready to die, but was
hoping I could limp it along till I had a little more cash. No such luck.

> I initially bought a Rigid from Home Depot and it was loud in comparison.

That's the kind of first hand experience I was looking for. Thanks!

While not exactly "quiet", my old 12 gallon shop vac was quieter than most,
and I'd be happy with the same noise volume. I'd just like something that
lasts a little longer. :)

Anthony

Hu

HerHusband

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 9:04 AM

> Buy the Harbor Freight Tools Dust Collector instead, the shop vac you
> described will run you nealry the cost of the HFT (possibly more!) put
> it on wheels for the time being and put the uctwork for it on your
> XMAS LIST.

I was considering that option last night too, but came to the conclusion
that I use the shop vac for a lot of tasks outside the shop. Vacuuming the
cars, cleaning the woodstove, drywall work, spring cleaning the house,
remodeling work at my in-laws, etc.

Considering the costs, I'm wondering about buying a better shop vac and
postponing the dust collector a little longer. My main gripe with this is
the better vacs are usually larger, which means less portability. As it is
my wife complained about lugging my 12 gallon vac out to clean the cars. :)
It would also be harder to transport a larger vac to work at my in-laws.

I'll have to see what I can find locally today, as I don't have the time to
wait for a vac to be shipped.

Anthony

Hu

HerHusband

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 7:06 PM

> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight

Based on the many positive reviews I've read, I bought a Ridgid WD1450
shop vac this afternoon for $99 (+tax). I haven't had the opportunity to
really work it yet, but I did get everything assembled and fired it up
for a few tests.

Noise Level - Not bad. It's quieter than my "quiet" Shop Vac, though in
all fairness that has been sounding a lot louder and unhealthy the past
few weeks. I remember being impressed when I bought my old Shop Vac too.
I'm sure the WD1450 isn't as quiet as the Fein or Festool machines, but
it's only one third the price and it was in stock just a few miles from
home. It's certainly quiet enough to use by itself, and I wear ear muffs
when using it with other tools like a sander anyway.

Suction - Seemed strong, and the 2-1/2" hose was easy to clip on and pull
the vac around with. I can't judge it more until I've had a chance to
work with it, but it should be more than adequate for my needs.

Accessories - I liked the "bucket" on the back of the Shop Vac brand
better than the "bag" on the Ridgid WD1450, but I suppose I'll adjust. I
generally don't use any of the accessories anyway, other than a brush
(not included) and a small nozzle for tight spots. I'll probably keep and
use the attachments from my old vac.

The WD1450 has a nice 20' cord, though again, I liked the cord hooks on
my old Shop Vac better. The cord wraps around the handle on the WD1450,
and there doesn't seem to be much to keep it there. Time will tell
whether it actually stays in place.

The WD1450 has four small casters that make it easier to move in any
direction than my old Shop Vac. However, the Shop Vac had big wheels in
back that allowed me to pull it up over extension cords. I probably won't
be able to do that with the WD1450.

I forgot to pick up a fine filter bag when I was at Home Depot today, but
I did see them in stock there. I'll pick one up tomorrow. Naturally, the
extra bag I had for my Shop Vac doesn't fit the WD1450 properly, which
will probably translate into more expensive bags that are harder to find.
We'll see...

I am a little disappointed that I had to go to a 14 gallon vac, to get
the same features I had on my old 12 gallon vac. I would have preferred
something smaller and more portable than my old vac. I'm not sure the
WD1450 will even fit in my trunk anymore, and my wife isn't going to be
happy about dragging it out to vacuum the cars. :) But, if I can get a
dust collector in the near future, my shop vac needs may be less
important and I may be able to downsize. We'll see... I was ready to
spring for the dust collector and make an hour drive one way to go get
it, but they didn't have any in stock. Guess it's best I didn't make an
impulse buy anyway. :)

So, I lost a day I could have been working on the cabinets, but I should
be back up and running tomorrow.

Thanks for everyones input!

Anthony

ym

yugami

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

21/11/2007 9:04 AM

On Nov 18, 7:44 pm, HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:

> I need a QUIET vac!
>
Try adding a silencer
http://www.me.mtu.edu/courses/meem4704/project/spring04/vacuum_report.pdf

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

20/11/2007 7:59 AM

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 22:00:32 -0500, "Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote:

>
>"mac davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> Since it went on the "blower" side, I tried running a hose from the blower
>side
>> to a corner of the shop about 12' away and noticed a BIG reduction of
>> noise..YMWV
>
>*Is* it actually quieter or is there just less noise getting to where you
>happening to be listening?
>
Nobody gets a free lunch, it just moves the noise, I think..
Works for me, though, especially since I do most of my "vacuuming" with the DC,
so I'd rather the vac exhausts out a window or at least away from me..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Hg

Hoosierpopi

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 5:21 AM

On Nov 18, 8:44 pm, HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:
> My Shop Vac died on me in the middle of sanding some cabinets tonight, and
...
I do not have a dust collector. ..
>
>
Buy the Harbor Freight Tools Dust Collector instead, the shop vac you
described will run you nealry the cost of the HFT (possibly more!) put
it on wheels for the time being and put the uctwork for it on your
XMAS LIST.

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 9:50 AM

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:22:20 -0600, HerHusband <[email protected]> wrote:

>Bob,
>
>> A good quiet shop vac will cost you a minimum of around $400
>
>I guess I should have added UNDER $200 to my list of requirements... :)
>
>> A common failure of the Shop-Vac models is the fusible
>> link in the motor housing blows.
>
>In my case, I think the brushes and/or bearings wore out. It has been
>sounding rather unhealthy the last couple of weeks, and black "soot" was
>building up outside the motor assembly. I knew it was ready to die, but was
>hoping I could limp it along till I had a little more cash. No such luck.
>
>> I initially bought a Rigid from Home Depot and it was loud in comparison.
>
>That's the kind of first hand experience I was looking for. Thanks!
>
>While not exactly "quiet", my old 12 gallon shop vac was quieter than most,
>and I'd be happy with the same noise volume. I'd just like something that
>lasts a little longer. :)
>
>Anthony

I tried the craftsman "noise reducer" on my old vac and it made a little
difference... anything that will quiet down a craftsman vac is a good thing..lol

Since it went on the "blower" side, I tried running a hose from the blower side
to a corner of the shop about 12' away and noticed a BIG reduction of
noise..YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Uu

"Upscale"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 10:00 PM


"mac davis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Since it went on the "blower" side, I tried running a hose from the blower
side
> to a corner of the shop about 12' away and noticed a BIG reduction of
> noise..YMWV

*Is* it actually quieter or is there just less noise getting to where you
happening to be listening?

BH

Brian Henderson

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 11:48 PM

On Sun, 18 Nov 2007 23:22:20 -0600, HerHusband <[email protected]>
wrote:

>> A good quiet shop vac will cost you a minimum of around $400

>I guess I should have added UNDER $200 to my list of requirements... :)

Then chances are you're not going to get a vaccuum that meets all your
requirements. You get what you pay for, if you want all those
requirements, but are unwilling to pay for them, then don't exect to
get them.

What you may end up doing is buying a vac that you can afford and then
putting it into some sort of enclosure. I think they had one in this
month's Fine Woodworking.

JC

"J. Clarke"

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 1:58 PM

mac davis wrote:
> On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:13:19 -0800 (PST), bookman
> <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>> Buy the Fein or a Festool shop vac. Five years from now you will
>> still be satisfied with it.
>
> Not a knock on any brand, but 5 years is nothing...
> I've been waiting for my Craps-man vac to die for over 20 years..

I had to get a new one a few years back. My JC Penney finally rusted
out. I guess I could have just gotten a barrel and fastened the motor
to it but I figured it was time.

> mac
>
> Please remove splinters before emailing

--
--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

TT

Tanus

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 8:49 PM

[email protected] wrote:

>
> I built the one I found in the first issue of "Home Handyman" that
> someone gave me for Christmas. :-)
>
> A plywood box about two feet square and a little higher than two feet,
> all carpeted. One side is a hinged door. At the back is a whole bunch
> of one inch holes and furring strips around the top and sides of the
> back, and over that is some leftover paneling so the exhaust is
> shunted towards the floor.
>
> Quieted down that cheap screaming Menards shopvac. Without the box, in
> the basement, the wife had to turn up the TV upstairs. With the box,
> she barely noticed it was on. Two years later that screaming shop vac
> died and I replaced it with one of those Shop Vac "Quiet" models,
> which we all know ain't that quiet. But in that box, it is.
>
> There are those who will tell you if you put your shop vac in a box,
> it'll overheat and die. And mine did. Two years later after many
> hundreds of hours of use. Couldn't tell you if it was due to
> overheating or not but I think I got my 40 bucks worth. :-)
>
> This one has been in there for six months. Doesn't get used quite as
> hard now that I've got the DC, but it turns out the shop vac is better
> for the ROS and the band saw, so it's getting used.
>
> You make your shop vac foot print a little bigger, but you also gain
> the space over the vac as a tool station. I use it for my planer. I
> store the implements in the box and made cleats to wrap the extension
> cord and the extra long hose I bought, and put two power strips on it.
> One strip I use to turn the vac on and off and the other is always
> hot. Very handy little station.

I like that idea for a basement shop,
but I'm in a small outdoor shop. My idea
is to mount the vac outside and run the
power cord and hose through holes in the
wall. The vac will be protected from the
elements with a small roof and partial
walls. My idea isn't so much to reduce
noise as to give me extra space. In a
small shop, a 12 gallon vac takes up a
lot of room.

Come summer, when the neighbours are
back, I may have to build a box as well.
--
Tanus

This is not really a sig.

http://users.compzone.ca/george/shop/

TT

Tanus

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

20/11/2007 9:29 PM

[email protected] wrote:
> On Nov 19, 7:49 pm, Tanus <[email protected]> wrote:
>> I like that idea for a basement shop,
>> but I'm in a small outdoor shop. My idea
>> is to mount the vac outside and run the
>> power cord and hose through holes in the
>> wall.
>
> I forgot to mention that the box is on casters, I moved the shop out
> to the garage a few years ago, and I get a lot of use out of that
> station. But after checking out your shop link, I agree with your
> choice to keep it outside. I would worry about blowing rain on the
> motor but I think judicious use of an old tarp or plastic sheet to
> protect it on all sides while still giving it lots of ventilation
> would be easy enough to do. Probably would muffle it a bit besides.

The more I think about this, the more I
like the idea of a box. And on wheels.
Still outside, but covered with roofing
tin. The shop is pretty close to one
neighbour's cottage and he'll hear it,
but an insulated box should keep the
noise down to (sorta) acceptable levels.
>
> I was also going to say something like "Gosh, you'd need a really long
> hose."
> But now I'm not. :-)

SWMBO has never complained about the
length of the hose....yet....
>
> Dan

Tanus

dn

dpb

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

21/11/2007 12:05 PM

HerHusband wrote:
...
>> A good quiet shop vac will cost you a minimum of around $400
>
> I guess I should have added UNDER $200 to my list of requirements... :)
>
...

http://www.parish-supply.com/milwauke.htm

( :) )

--

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

19/11/2007 9:53 AM

On Mon, 19 Nov 2007 05:13:19 -0800 (PST), bookman <[email protected]> wrote:

>Buy the Fein or a Festool shop vac. Five years from now you will still
>be satisfied with it.

Not a knock on any brand, but 5 years is nothing...
I've been waiting for my Craps-man vac to die for over 20 years..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

md

mac davis

in reply to HerHusband on 18/11/2007 7:44 PM

21/11/2007 7:44 AM

On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 10:07:31 -0800 (PST), "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Not to mention that for some of my tools, ie miter saw, band saw, and
>ROS where the hole isn't four inches, the suction of my $250 Harbor
>Fright DC drops to worse than the shop vac.

Strange.. you have any leaks or vac loss?

I use a reducer at the lathe and the difference that I see (with the $150 HF DC)
is that 4" has lower suction but more volume, where 2 1/2" has more suction and
less volume..
I've tried both and for sanding on the lathe the 2 1/2" is easier to get close
to the work and will draw the dust further than the 4"..

OTOH, I sealed the little DC connecter on my band saw and put a 4" hole in the
lower clamshell and it works a lot better now..YMWV


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing


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