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  1. #1
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    Mar 2012
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    Default Workshop vacuum cleaner

    what may be the better type of vacuum cleaner for picking up swarf and metal shavings?

  2. #2
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    May 2011
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    Murray Bridge S Aust.
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    Alf, NO vacuum cleaner will be better for picking up swarf, unless the swarf is very small.
    Drill swarf will block the suction hose in about 30 seconds. DAMHIKT
    I ended up getting a magnetic sweeper from our local supply place, it's a Machinery Warehouse, H&F, thing, just punched into Google and it appears they can be bought from Bunnings at nearly half the price, $99 V $179.
    https://www.bunnings.com.au/hart-hea...sweep_p5810784
    Just make sure that any bench/stands cross rails are above 150mm clearance, to allow the wheels to get under and clean up. I have a 200 litre (44gal) drum with the top cut out and slightly squashed so that the wheels just sit outside the drum, lift the handle and any metal drops straight into the drum, grinding dust and all.
    Forgot to mention, if you are fitted with a Pacemaker, then DON'T get one as it will affect your ticker.
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  3. #3
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    It depends to some extent if you use lube or not.

    I do use lube so I like using a wet and dry shop vac as they have a sort of "settling out" chamber that reduces the amount of oily swarf swarf that come in contact with the filter.

    That aside I know blokes who use minimal lube (ie mainly dry swarf) and have been using regular household vacs for years without problems.

    My Shop vac is a Ryobi 30L I found by the side of the road - it was missing the filter and filter locking mechanism. A new filter cost me $15 and I made a filter locking mechanism out of PVC pipe fittings. I have replaced teh filter once since then.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    York, North Yorkshire UK
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    Hi Guys,

    I made a magnetic pickup wand using a couple of salvaged hard disc drive magnets. A bit like an oversize bike pump made from 20 mm and 40 mm diameter plastic water pipes with a blanking cap at the bottom and a plastic ring about an inch bigger in diameter than the tube used, mounted about six inches from the bottom. I made a plastic plug with a 20 mm hole in it to go at the top.

    I'll grab a picture of it later !

    As promised 21-12-2019-002.jpg 21-12-2019-001.jpg

    40 mm plastic water pipe about 18" inches long. The black pipe is 20 mm plastic water pipe/conduit. The pair of magnets are just glued to it with "Evostick" vinyl cement. One on each side at the bottom. Rotating the black pipe stops it sticking to the oil pan when picking up swarf. The plastic ring just pushes off the swarf as you pull the black tube out. The pressed in cap prevents the plunger from being pulled right out. The blue plastic cap is just pushed on. It took about an hour to make.
    Best Regards:
    Baron J.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
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    South Australia
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    I just use a Hitachi shop vac style for everything have not had ant blocking problems
    ( Magnet should not not have any effect on a Pacemaker unless you give it HUG )

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by China View Post
    ( Magnet should not not have any effect on a Pacemaker unless you give it HUG )
    Just going by what the sticker on it said. Also, was told by a bloke with a Pacemaker, not to come near him with a metal detector.
    https://www.heart.org/en/health-topi...and-pacemakers
    Kryn
    To grow old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

  7. #7
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    Pretty much a myth these days modern ICD's are very tolerant of such things, however obviously go with what your Cardiologist instructs, with the older versions you almost had to walk around in a Faraday Cage.

  8. #8
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    I use a Stihl SE61. If you use the crevice nozzle, you can pull the big bits off so they don't block the hose. Any vacuum will block though if you jam it into a big pile of chips, so pick up things gradually. The hose on my vacuum is relatively long, so if it blocks I have to knock things out with a broomstick. The whole length gets used.

    Kryn, why don't you peck drill if long swarf is a problem. No long chips then.

    Michael

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore View Post
    I ended up getting a magnetic sweeper from our local supply place, it's a Machinery Warehouse, H&F, thing, just punched into Google and it appears they can be bought from Bunnings at nearly half the price, $99 V $179.
    https://www.bunnings.com.au/hart-hea...sweep_p5810784
    Kryn
    The description on the Bunnings website is interesting, apparently this unit is fitted with a special type of magnet, I wonder if it will pick up aluminium?

    "Designed for professional use and is suitable for all non-ferromagnetic materials with a pick up weight of 13kg. When the pull handle is lifted, it disengages the magnet and the materials drop from the sweep, making life easier".

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Melbourne
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    copy and paste from an earlier thread
    "Nilfisk. Have a couple, they work great. Though new, the sort of vac I'm talking about would cost more than your mill. Ebay is your friend, if I recall correctly my favorite one was "only" $360(well I think thats a lot for a second hand vac). The other needs one of its motors replaced and that's going to cost about $250.

    Something with a 2"+ dia hose would be nice. You also need a wet/dry vac as they use a separate air intake for motor cooling.

    Oh and they take up a fair bit of space as well.

    Magnets are ok, and I do use them for really bad swarf(not that there is any of that around here ). I have a wand* and a broom, they would be much better if there wasn't so much cast iron around for them to grab hold of, or even my work boots lol. Then I have to demagnetize things.

    Stuart

    *wand is easy to make with some rare earth magnets, a piece of PVC pipe and a wooden broom handle."

  11. #11
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    Sep 2010
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    Lebrina
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    Another vote for the magnetic pick up from me. I love my swarf wand and it has been the best investment I have made for machine cleaning. I use the wand as a primary tool and then finish with a Karcher wet and dry vacuum. The Karcher is not the best vacuum by far, but I got it brand new for free, hence why it resides in my shed.

  12. #12
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    May 2020
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    Willowbank QLD
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    Don't forget it is possible to make your own wet and dry vacuum. Essentially use a large bucket with a lid. Put two holes in the lid. One of these will go to your hose you use to vacuum and the other will go to your vacuum cleaner. It will work like a pre-filter on a 4wd. If you wanted to get fancy you could put a magnet under the bucket. This will capture a lot of the fine metal filings if you have them.

    Steve

  13. #13
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reidy41 View Post
    Don't forget it is possible to make your own wet and dry vacuum. Essentially use a large bucket with a lid. Put two holes in the lid. One of these will go to your hose you use to vacuum and the other will go to your vacuum cleaner. It will work like a pre-filter on a 4wd. If you wanted to get fancy you could put a magnet under the bucket. This will capture a lot of the fine metal filings if you have them.
    That's basically what I did for my grinding dust collector which is connected to my 4HP wood dust extractor.
    The cheap silver (aluminized mylar) has some heat resistance so it doesn't matter if spark land on it
    The brown hose connects to the dust extractor.
    The air flow into the mylar hose is so high it cools and rapidly extinguishes the sparks
    On entering the drum the metal dust and grinding/belt grit (and any hot workpiece) slows down and fall out of the air fkow.

    IMG_1615.jpg
    bestofthebest.jpg

    No magnets though, it would make cleaning out the drum a PITA.

  14. #14
    BobL is online now Member: Blue and white apron brigade
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reidy41 View Post
    Don't forget it is possible to make your own wet and dry vacuum. Essentially use a large bucket with a lid. Put two holes in the lid. One of these will go to your hose you use to vacuum and the other will go to your vacuum cleaner. It will work like a pre-filter on a 4wd. If you wanted to get fancy you could put a magnet under the bucket. This will capture a lot of the fine metal filings if you have them.
    That's basically what I did for my grinding dust collector which is connected to my 4HP wood dust extractor.
    The cheap silver (aluminized mylar) has some heat resistance so it doesn't matter if spark land on it
    The brown hose connects to the dust extractor.
    The air flow into the mylar hose is so high it cools and rapidly extinguishes the sparks
    On entering the drum the metal dust and grinding/belt grit (and any hot workpiece) slows down and fall out of the air fkow.

    IMG_1615.jpg
    bestofthebest.jpg

    No magnets though, it would make cleaning out the drum a PITA.

    It's also not much good as a vac for picking up heavier swarf.

  15. #15
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    This use to be just my lathe and drill press swarf cleaner. The lower bin catches the swarf and most of the water/oil with a little of the oil getting to the filter in the top.
    Get greedy and it would block up. take a bit of time, stab at it and remove the longer bits stuck to the end by hand and it works well.

    Unfortunately the general shop vac (an old house one) that was used for doing the floor and general dust packed up so I am using this for everything. The light dust is causing the filter to clog up more so a bit more maintenance required.

    DSC08101.jpg

    Tony

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