All Replies on Shop-vac

Don’t know who has the best but my Ridgid vac with the attached Dust Deputy cyclone does a great job on my Ridgid table saw.

I’m still using the 16 gal Sears. Noisy but suck is adequate for the Router table, Rigid oscillating sander and shop floor. I use a DC for the table saw.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

Russell, for $149.00, you can get a HF dust collector. Much less noise, and fewer empty cycles. I am very pleased with mine, and for the bucks, ya can’t beat it.
Bill

-- bill@magraphics.us

It seems to me that most of the vac brands are about equal in terms of air movement. I would look at availability, warranty, or whatever other factors might be important. To me, an important consideration might be the cost/value aspect. This would also be a good time of the year to wait for the black Friday giveaway that Lowes usually has on them….of course, there’s no guarantee thew vacs will be a featured item, but history is on your side.

-- I long for the days when Coke was a cola, and a joint was a bad place to be (Merle Haggard)

Bill, I’ve thought about that DC at HF but I just dont have the space for it and the hoses. ShopVac has less footprint and can be moved around. And lets face it, a joiner is a mess no matter what. I’m almost inclined to take the damn thing outside when I need to use it.

-- Failure does not stop me, it makes me try harder..... because I'm crazy.

Best? Festool or Fein.

Best bang for the buck? My Ridgid hasn’t failed me yet.

That said, I doubt that any shop vac is going to out perform a DC at the table saw… but that wasn’t your question… :)

-- John, BC, Canada

I’d almost rather just put a box under the TS and let the dust fall out than to have to go to the trouble of a SV just for it.

-- Failure does not stop me, it makes me try harder..... because I'm crazy.

A shop vac works great as a dedicated collector for a table
saw. I used one for a few years. I used a Craftsman –
lots of noise and lots of suction.

If you are looking to collect fine airborne dust you need
to get it both above and below the blade. I was
curious about filtering through water and found a video
of an Australian guy who made a simple system to
get most of the fine dust trapped in water using a
vacuum, 2 5 gallon buckets and a dust deputy.

I have had good luck with a Ridgid 5hp/12gal vac. I use it in conjunction with a Dust Deputy on my router table, drill press, etc.

—Gerry

-- Gerry -- "I don't plan to ever really grow up ... I'm just going to learn how to act in public!"

Russell,
The wife sewed me a fairly heavy duty bag that fits under the jointer. It’s held in place by six ea. 1/2”X 1/8” rare earth magnets in little pockets she provided.

-- Gene 'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

My blue shop vac from lowes has done it’s job as my only dust collector for years now without failure.

-- He who dies with the most tools... dies with the emptiest wallet.

I have 3 Ridgid Shop vacs (2 in the shop and 1 at the clinic) that we’ve used and abused for years. Don’t know why but the 14 gal seem to have MUCH stronger suction. I bought and returned a 16 gal for that very reason. I used a HF coupon to buy the last one at HD. They didn’t smile but they took it!

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

Not sure it is what you are looking for, but Home Depot has a “Special Buy” deal on a Ridgid 12 gallon, 5 HP vac with a detachable blower. It is just $59.88. The only other Ridgid vac at that price is a 9 gallon 3.5 HP unit, so it seems to be a pretty good deal. It also has a 4.7 out of 5 stars with over 100 reviewers.

I bought one yesterday, and the blower part at least works pretty well.

I purchased a Craftsman 5 hp/12 gallon vac and like it a lot. Super suction. Hooked up to my bandsaw there is virtually no dust what-so-ever. A step down from the one I got used the smaller hose which doesn’t fit my tools,this one uses a 2.5” hose. My only gripe is I wished it was taller rather than it’s bulky width but I can live with it. Oh, and it is much quieter than my comparable Ridgid I once had.

-- www.benchtopwoodworkingtools.com

I gotta vote Ridgid…16 gal with the detachable blower. Current one is #2 after leaving the 10 year old #1 behind on a move. The only complaint I have is with a clean filter it will grab anything in sight.

I also have a new Shop vac brand that looks to be the same. It’s much safer in that it will only grab stuff that I stick into its nozzle (but that one has the HEPA filter bag in it so I’m sure it is not a fair comparison)

Beware of some of the HD Ridgids on sale. The made in Mexico ones have a 1 1/2” hose and are not like the others at all.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

Another ridgid vote here…

-- IF YOUR NOT MAKING DUST...YOU ARE COLLECTING IT! SOUTH CAROLINA.