Shop Vacs

[alan40]

Looking at shop vacs for my new 24 x28 heated tractor home.[img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] Any recommendations before I go out and get one? [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]
<font color="blue"> </font> Thanks!!!!!

[MDNick]

Alan,

I got a new craftsman for christmas. Haven't sucked anything with it yet. But I have blown. The power head detaches and turns into a leaf blower. Or light snow blower, or dust blower, or etc. I recommend whatever you find, look for this feature. Unless you already have something filling that niche. Only thing I can think of. Enjoy.

Nick

[Spencer]

Don't just price the vacuums themselves but also price the replacement filters. Some of those filters can be quite expensive.

[Anonymous Poster]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Don't just price the vacuums themselves but also price the replacement filters. Some of those filters can be quite expensive. )</font>

I've been using the same shop vac and filter for about 20 years now. Mainly wood working type sawdust though, VS oil soaked dust for example. I have never changed my filter. Just knock it against a tree when dumping the full load of whatever is in there...

Now maybe new shop vacs are different. But the old ones had filters that lasted and lasted and lasted...mine is a Sears unit.

Still seems to work fine...lots of dust goes in and little [if any] comes back out the exhaust.

I guess I am just wondering if the filter in today's shop vacs is an important consideration or not. I know it is with anything my wife would buy for her own use.

Bill

[DocHeb]

Listen to the vacuums also - some of those universal motors are like ice-picks to the ears. Many of the newer generation have sound suppression - but of course you'll pay.

[Boondox]

Al -- I have a noisy Sears shop vac that sucks, which is exactly what it's supposed to do. Never had any complaints about it or the noise.

On the other hand, for cleaning my garage I open all the doors and use my Husqvarna backpack leaf blower. Blowing all that dirt outside is faster and more thorough than sweeping or using the vac.

My wife once asked why I didn't keep the house as clean as my garage...so I opened all the doors and fired up the leaf blower. She failed to see the humor in the situation! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Pete

[rdln]

It doesn't matter, they all suck!

[JATO_RaT]

I have a Super quiet Fein model 9.55.13. I also have a super noisy Tornado which is all stainless, tons of power but sits idle because its just ear splitting to use. I really like the Fein. I purchased it at Amazon.com. It has many choices, reuasable filter, filter bags and HEPA filtration. I just use the filterless. It also has auto start. Plug a sander into the vacuum, turn on the sander, the vac turns on. I believe the cost was $199. Rat...

[Richard]

Though I can't for life of me recall brand name, I bought one for the little lady for Christmas couple years ago... yes, that garnered me "the look", [img]/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] however, she neglected that year to dog ear some catalogs for me, so she paid the price. (Also got her a auto, battery charger... tis a mistake she's NOT made since) [img]/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

My point.. the one at Home Depot (which is where I got it) is US made, in fact, made somewhere here in Tennessee. I have no idea if maybe ALL of them are domestically made, but that helped make my decision easy. They too, have a model with detachable blower, though I didn't get that one.

Richard

[Inspector507]

I've had a few of the 6 gal. ones before we moved out here. None of them lasted for much more than an occasional cleaning of the car. Especially the Genie brand that I got for a gift.......what a dog. I have had a 16 gal Craftsman for the last 6 years, I love it. I usually try to wait until Sears has a sale on filters and buy a few replacements. They are reusable, to a point. Probably longer if you remember to take them off for wet vacumming [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img].

Jerry