Suggestions on a Shop Vacuum?

[Michael G]

The 30+ year old Panasonic domestic vacuum cleaner I use/ abuse in the shed is starting to show signs of age. I've used it as a vacuum source as well as an air source, sucked up more chips with it than a bus load of teenagers at a movie and even used it as a wet vac with a cunning contraption added on. However, it is starting to fall apart.
Anyone have any thoughts on a worthy replacement? I saw a Festool at Scrapfest (Christian's I think) that looked nice but I always worry about the price of Festo stuff.
I can't go the homemade route as it also will get used by the rest of the family to vacuum patios and cars. (Needs to be simple to operate and not look too industrial)

Michael

[Gavin Newman]

I find that the carpet in the house picks up most of the swarf and other crap from the workshop floor (at least that's what the Domestic Manager tells me).

Seriously, I have an old VAX that does workshop duties.

[Steamwhisperer]

HI Michael,
Aldi have one for sale at the moment but I wouldn't even hazard a guess on quality. Of course I am wondering if there is any quality at all.

Phil

[FenceFurniture]

They are not too bad Phil, but fairly noisy (what do you want for $89?). I've had one for a year. The problem for Micheal is no Aldi in SA.

[Steamwhisperer]

They are not too bad Phil, but fairly noisy (what do you want for $89?). I've had one for a year. The problem for Micheal is no Aldi in SA.

Excellent FF. I almost bought one yesterday but hesitated. That sucks no Aldi in SA. Occasionally they have some bargains.
I don't know about anyone else but I couldn't care less about the house but am constantly thinking about vacuuming the shed.

Phil

[FenceFurniture]

Go and do it Phil, you'll hardly be disappointed for the dough. I find the filter chokes up well before the bin is full, and needs a tap and CA blow out, but that depends on what you're sucking up of course.

What Micheal needs is a kind chap to ship one over to him.....

[simonl]

I have a fein which I have found to be great. It has a master/slave power point so you can use it for dust extraction for such things as sanding, mitre saw or my triton. If you already have a dedicated dust extraction system then it's of little value.

Stihl also make a couple of really nice vacuums. Too expensive for me but they are nice! Other than that, I reakon pretty much any wet/dry shop vacuuum (heaps on ebay) will do the trick.

Forgot to mention, I bought an optional prefilter for mine. I saves the pleated paper filter from clogging up. The prefilter is a sit- in arrangement made of heavy cotton or felt and is easy to clean. I use my vac for everything, wet ot dry. I have even unblocked drains with it!

Good luck!

Simon

[Christos]

....I don't know about anyone else but I couldn't care less about the house but am constantly thinking about vacuuming the shed.

I guess you live alone then.

[Neil317]

I use an El Cheapo. Not sure where we bought it, but here it is:
AFV67 (Brand New) — Seconds World
I use it once or twice a week, had it perhaps 2 years. Renshape dust tends to block the filter, but as FenceFurniture says pretty easy to clean.

[Anorak Bob]

Part of the deal that has allowed me not to work on Fridays and every second Monday for TWELVE years is I have to clean the house, I use a Nilfisk GM80, one of those round aluminium bodied numbers you see in hospitals. I had another one up in the shed and used it for years till the cast iron dust finally took it's toll. They use a multi layered bag that works fine collecting dead skin and hair but when filled with swarf, they detach from their spigot mount. Then the metal dust pervades places it shouldn't. The shed Nilfisk was a swap meet purchase and cost less than the Aldi. The Nilfisk was quiet.

Its replacement is a 30 litre American made Shop Vac. Powerful and very very noisy. I don't know what the Chinese Shop Vacs are like but mine is fantastic. Used it up in the roof space of my house to remove 80 years worth of dust and grit prior to installing insulation. I've used it to remove mortar loosened with a drill while raking out mortar joints in same 80 year old brick walls. Equipped with a soft rubber Nilfisk nozzle, it effortlessly removes swarf from tee slots. I use it on all my oily machines. It cost about a hundred and thirty bucks when Bunnings used to sell them.

Christian's Festool looked too good to face dealing with swarf. I imagine they are designed for woodies.

BT

[shedhappens]

I use a AL 1620 from AIS http://www.aisnational.com.au/produc...ectory_057.pdf tiz down the bottom on left.
It use's your compressed air and works by a venturi effect.

mind you I don't go over board on the cleanliness stuff, I only use it on the mill.

john

[FenceFurniture]

I had another one up in the shed and used it for years till the cast iron dust finally took it's toll. They use a multi layered bag that works fine collecting dead skin and hair but when filled with swarf, they detach from their spigot mount. Then the metal dust pervades places it shouldn't.BT

Interesting Bob. I'd not considered metal swarf (coz i don't make it), but I can certainly see how it would not be good for a vac, particularly in dust form.

There is a new mini cyclone from ClearView about to hit town shortly, with a claimed 99.6% (from memory) removal of very fine wood dust before it hits the vac. My thinking is that metal dust will be heavier, and should therefore work as well (if not better) in trapping the dust before it gets to the vac.


Any thoughts? The Oz price is likely to be around $160-165 as far as I know.

[Bryan]

(Needs to be simple to operate and not look too industrial)

Maybe you need to explain the aesthetics of industrial chic. (Image search)

[Anorak Bob]

Booth's 1901 Vacuum Cleaner. I think this is the look Michael's trying to avoid. Booth's invention was horse drawn. Inconvenient for shed and patio use.

[FenceFurniture]

Any good for horse dung?