# Not a very good value



## rockinmichael (Nov 15, 2011)

I am sad to hear that they seperated it into two parts. Mine came in one and works great


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## PittsburghTim (Jan 16, 2012)

It would seem to me to be better off with a second vacuum. Also, I'd be surprised to see a difference whether the bucket was one or two pieces. I would believe that the key part is the lid. Perhaps the one-piece bucket is larger?


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

I'm wondering if rockinmichael is using a different vac with higher air speed. Maybe my Ridgid doesn't produce enough flow rate to fully activate the cyclone. In any case, my experience may help someone else.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

I ordered one a couple of months back as well and mine also is a single part canister.

Were I ordering now I'd probably just get their dust right parts kit and just use a garbage can or fiber drum with a thein baffle.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Seems like a lot of stars for something that didn't work well ?


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

I was feeling generous.  I will continue to use it for the planer and the jointer. It works well for larger chips. It will capture those chips with ease and it IS a little easier than the vac to empty. But I had been hoping to extend the time between filter cleanings. I don't think that will happen.

So as the title says, my real complaint is that it's just not a very good value.


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## AlbertaJim (Oct 1, 2011)

With my dust deputy I have put an extrafine bag into the shop vac (captures drywall dust) that way my vac filter doesn't get the dust. I have upgraged to the dust deputy with a special cart which holds both the DD & Vac.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Exactly; put a bag in the shop vac and it will take extremely long to fill and your filter will be safe.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

Wow, I will keep looking


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## hacker (Feb 6, 2012)

thanks, I will order the Oneida plastic version based on your comments


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## PKFF (Dec 16, 2011)

The Vortex I ordered in september this past year was 1 solid ten gallon bucket. Looks like they are getting a little crafty and maybe making it so it breaks down for shipping. I have had the same experience as you have, the fine dust doesn't get trapped. I have the most powerful shopvac you can buy on the market at 6.5hp and it does a fine job with the chips and routered shavings. With the Table saw and sander dust, it seems to be that I have to clean the filter whenever I empty the vortex, so it really is just making it so the cavity in the shopvac doesnt get filled. I wasn't too impressed either, considering the whole point of this product is to reduce if not remove the cleaning of the filter from the process. I probably have to clean the filter every other time I empty the vortex. I have it hooked up correctly.


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

I bought two Vortexes (Vorti?) recently and use them with Ridgid vacuums. My experience has been very positive so far. They seem to perform as advertised, which is pretty great because they get such high marks. I take issue with a couple things in this review. First, there are instructions on how to make the tubing compatible with Ridgid vacuums. All you have to do is wrap a couple layers of tape around the end of the Ridgid hose and then it fits snugly into the Vortex port. You could probably go to more effort to make the seal even better, but in my view a snug fit is a snug fit. Regarding the flex tube, mine works perfectly well - it certainly isn't useless. I don't think it is designed to be fully extended. Fully extending it takes all the flex out of it. I'm sorry the results aren't what you expected. I can't really compare my results empirically with yours, but I would say that maybe you should try the tape procedure I mentioned above. Maybe a tighter seal would give you better results. You seem to be dubious about the length of the 4-foot flex tube. With my set-up, four feet is totally adequate. They could have provided zero feet, so the fact that they provide the flex tube at all makes this an even better value. I also bought the component parts and made a vortex cabinet. Maybe I'll get off my duff and write my own compare/contrast review. Thanks for writing yours.


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## PKFF (Dec 16, 2011)

Furnitude, are you having the same results with the fine dust making it past and clogging the filter? If not, what did you do differently? I set it up in accordance with the manufacturers instructions but I am still ending up with a clogged filter on a consistent basis. This was the main purpose for the unit and their main advertisement for this product, to reduce the filter clogging to minimum if not zero. The only solution I could find is to not use it for fine dust. I'd hope there would be a solution. I was expecting a small amount build up, but not to be completely caked with fine dust after each filling.


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

I checked it yesterday and found minimal fine dust on the filter. When I get home tonight, I'll check again because I used it a lot last night. I'll report back.


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## Retrowood (Oct 11, 2011)

This is the 1st less than stellar review I've seen on this product. Do you think the revised two piece container is compromising the function?
I have an old Craftsman 6HP Hepa equipped vac w/ the Plastic Deluxe DD package and as long as I don't run the DD pail too full my filter stays very clean. I mounted everything on a old convertible hand cart which allows everything to be in one unit and is very maneuverable. A big advantage is going to a 7gallow pail to gain about 40% more dust capacity.

Retrowood


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## IceCactus (Jan 10, 2011)

I bought one when they first came out…my experience has been that it works fairly good.

What i found is a couple things. It works better when empty. I can fill it no where near the fill the line. If more then a couple inches of debris is in the container it will start scrubbing with my 6.5HP craftsmen shop vac.

It does make a difference in filter cleaning times. I can probably go 2-4 times longer before filter cleaning. I think i might try a dust deputy though to see if it does better with my orbital sander.

Really my only gripe about the unit is moving it. I am constantly using 4 letter words as i try and move the vac and the separator around the shop! It tips over and get hung up constantly.


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## Everett1 (Jun 18, 2011)

I just went with the Thien seperator, and it works AWESOME


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## Retrowood (Oct 11, 2011)

Are you using the Thien separator with a Vac or a Dust collector system? 
If you're using a Vac, I'd really like to see some pictures.

Retrowood


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

I never condisered this machine because it looks like the outlet going to the vacuum does not pull from the middle of the lid. That is contrary to the entire principle of creating a cyclone in the first place. The Thien separator baffle is just a way to make the cyclone work without a conical shape, but it still has its exit hose coming from the middle of the container, as it should. The Vortex, IMHO, is simply a drop-out box. You can do the same thing with any similar sized container and two hose connections.

Thanks for your post, you pretty much confiirmed my suspicions. I would tend to agree with the question of "why such a high rating?".


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## PKFF (Dec 16, 2011)

Retrowood, I have the one piece container. I have major clogging of the filter after use with sanders and cleaning the cabinet saw. When using tools such as the planer and router, it does not have any clogging. It is noticibly different after it gets half full, and does not have much suction after the filter gets clogged so I need to clean that. For what it is worth, in dollars, it does pretty much what it was intended. It is not to be gauged against $400-$1000 Dust collection systems I know. Though, when I read the reviews on it before I bought it, everyone said the filters were clean. I have yet to have that experience. I want to know if anyone else had the same problem or if I have it set up differently. Crank, you are correct in that normal 2 stage DC system the suction goes straight out of the top.


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## TechRedneck (Jul 30, 2010)

I agree with Crank. I don't see how this could work correctly when I look at the lid. The suction side seems wrong and will just grab the fine particles at the top without allowing them to settle out. The heavy chips would drop out and the dust will get sucked into the filter if the vac.

You would be better off with a mini cyclone on a little mobile unit.


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## brownwood (Oct 30, 2009)

I also own the Vortex, and use it with an old Genie Shop Vac. I have noticed that some of the finer dust does collect on the filter, but it is no where near as bad as I previously experienced without the Vortex in line. I have no experience with the miniature cyclone model, but I would expect it to perform a little better due to the nature of the design. I recently purchased the Vortex, and overall I am quite happy with it and would recommend it for most operations such as cutting, planing, routing; I don't know that I would recommend it for sanding if my goal was to have the filter without any dust collected at all. Bottom line: I like it and use it all the time; I'm glad I made the purchase.

Tim, Texas


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## Furnitude (Oct 18, 2008)

I'm reporting back. My Vortex and the Ridgid vacuum I use with it are brand new, so the filter was spotless before I started using it a few days ago. I used these with my chop saw, which does create fairly fine dust. There was quite a lot in the Vortex and a minimal amount on the filter of the vacuum. There was kind of a film of fine dust coating the inside of the vacuum barrel.

Overall, I'm happy with it. Understand, that's compared to not having anything. I think we all have a range of perfectly valid opinions. That's what's great about this site. Read about other people's experiences and take what you find useful.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

@all-y'all: Don't lose sight of the fact that the test I performed was admittedly a very tough test. Under my table saw was several weeks worth of sawdust from a variety of wood species including MDF. So under "normal" use I would not be surprised to get results more like Furnitude's. And maybe that's why the 3-star rating. I was disappointed by the poor tubing and accessories. If I hadn't had a spare hose for my vac I could not have hooked it up at all. (Well, OK, I could have used a bunch of duct tape) But if the price had been more like $30 it would have been worth it.


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## marcbousquet (Oct 15, 2011)

I have one of the solid units and I don't use it nearly as much as I use now that I have my DC but I find I still use it when I'm picking up shavings from the shop floor that may or may not have large pieces that could damage the impellers and when when I've picking up the wood shavings from when I have turned pens. Also the shop vac is alot quieter than the DC when running so if I'm up early and working on pens in the basement then I'm less likely to wake the whole house up.


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

Since you already have the vac w/ the detachable blower you might as well remake the old school clearvue mini cyclone. You can use the dust deputy plastic cyclone and make the lid shown below.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

In case anyone is watching this, Home Depot has their 16 gal wet/dry vac with removeable blower on sale for $50 this weekend (Feb 17-10).


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

Is this the one you're talking about? This is the only one I see for $50
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Wet-Dry-Vacuums/h_d1/N-5yc1vZb8pi/R-202017225/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051









The one you need to do the above mod is this one for $119:
http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-Wet-Dry-Vacuums/h_d1/N-5yc1vZb8pi/R-202554974/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051
You need the blower to be detachable so it can easily be mounted sideways.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

Well, I have the first one, paid $80 for it on sale. And the blower IS detachable. (at least it was when I bought it - better check to be sure) Now, if that "mod" is a kit, it may require a specific Ridgid model. Either way, the 16 gal vac for $50 is a great value!


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## Sarit (Oct 21, 2009)

Based on the descriptions on the website, the first one has a "blower port" whereas the second has a "detachable blower", but it also doesn't hurt to go have a look in person to confirm.

The mod used to be part of the clearvue mini kit which got discontinued due to a patent infringement issue w/ Oneida so its no longer available. However, I think it wouldn't be so hard to make one yourself to fit even the non-detachable blowers. The main issue is that the lid portion of the motor housing will make the contraption a bit more bulky.

My craftsman vac doesn't have the detachable blower (some models do) so my plan is to teardown the unit down to the vac motor and build a whole custom vacuum w/ the Oneida dust deputy.


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## MoshupTrail (Aug 11, 2011)

I've been using the Vortex for several weeks now. It HAS allowed me to install the HEPA filter in the Ridgid vac for much cleaner air coming out. AND, I have not had to clean the vac filter for a while. On the other hand, I DO have to empty the Vortex more frequently than I had to empty the vac. After it gets about 1/3 full you can tell it's starting to impede the flow. It's a bit tricky dragging the two units around the shop. But I haven't chucked it either!


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## BigAl98 (Jan 29, 2010)

To help stop the unit from tipping put a brick or something heavy in it. I used a rotor from my Suv's wheel.


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