# Shop Vac Conversion



## BuyoMasilla (Jun 5, 2011)

Greetings,

I have a Ridgid bagless shop vac. The motor and intake hose are both on the top or motor part of the unit. It works fairly well, but the paper filters get soiled quickly.

I am wondering if anyone has taken one of these units and turned it into a bagged shop vac. Given the amount of creativity and skill found in this forum, I would not be surprised a bit if that were the case.

I think it's this one; http://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-WD1250-Gallon-High-Performance-Vacuum/dp/B0029NY9W6

If the link works, you can tell there's no hole in the side of the bucket for an intake where a bag could be mounted inside. It appears to be something that can be done and then find a way to plug the intake on top.
Anyone done this here? If you were to, how would you go about it?

Thanks!


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## GaryC (Dec 31, 2008)

I have one, larger than the one you posted. I merely blow the filter out and go again. I have taped a paper towel around the filter to prevent it from clogging up so soon. 
Are you using it for general vacuuming or hooked up to a machine?


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## TheBoxWhisperer (Sep 24, 2012)

I still dont use a bag, but I use the mid tier filter and a 5 gallon dust deputy on mine, it works pretty well.


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## gtbuzz (Sep 19, 2011)

You could certainly do what you mentioned, but you may also want to look at some sort of pre-separator like a Dust Deputy or a DIY affair. That'll keep the majority of the bulk from even reaching the filter in the first place.

I have the Rockler cyclone that I use with my Fein vac. It works well but I don't really recommend it. It's too prone to tipping.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

BuyoMasilla,
Here is your solution:









I clean the filter inside may be once a year, probably less.


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## shawnmasterson (Jan 24, 2013)

This is the most compact version I've seen If you go to the clearvue photo gallery there are lots of set ups.


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## b2rtch (Jan 20, 2010)

I wonder how the suction is on the most compact version, Certainly it looks good but there are many 90 degrees to reduce the suction.


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## MrFid (Mar 9, 2013)

I'd invest in a Dust Deputy as well. Mine works great. Get a HEPA filter once you get the DD set up. There's some good youtube videos on this topic as well. Good luck!


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## BuyoMasilla (Jun 5, 2011)

Thanks for the advice and comments everyone. Gary, I use it as a vacuum, it is not attached to any machine. The vacuum is used for cleaning up and we have been doing some tiling and laminate flooring so there has been a bit of demolition and much dust. The machine moves from the garage/shop to the inside of the house and having more "attachments" will make it more difficult to get it from one place to the other. If I'm able to convert it and fit it with a bag, then the portability and foot print remain as bad as the factory intended.

thanks again everyone.


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## realcowtown_eric (Feb 4, 2013)

I've got several actual shop vacs. I won't buy one that doesnt suck and blow .

I must confess I'm partial to the actual shop vac R2D2 versions, with the metal canister.

I typically discard the kludgy inflexible hoses and use he LV hoses with wands from household vacuum cleaners which I pick up at GSales.. That plastic crap )hoses, wands, etc is so frustrating, and breaks in the cold weather.

All the vacs I buy/ use are capable of being used with bag (except the little dewalt battery operated unit), and I generally discard the foam filter and opt for the general use or hepa pleated filter as case may require.

It was interesting to see the various mods/aumentations that folks have made.

Eric

These puppies are noisy, so I often times have them in another room and use a remote control to turn them on/off. AND, when you move them about, with a partially full bag, do check to see if the bag ain't dislodged from the intake….it often does.

I'm not familiar with rigid products.


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

I had one Rigid shop vac and I hated it. I bought it when we first bough our house for general cleanup (not woodworking). Suction sucked, in a bad way. I got the $20 Black Friday one. My guess is that this was their bottom-of-the-line model, and not indicative of their whole line. I gave it to a friend aand got the 6.5g Shop Vac and have been pleased. I use my Dust Deputy without a bag.


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## Allen4 (Mar 26, 2014)

I had an older model like what your talking about. Couldn't get a bag for it. I tried putting old panty hose pieces over the filter. It works well with keeping the larger junk out. You can just wipe it off. I use my wet dry vac on machines so the saw dust clogs things fast.

I went ahead and bought the contractor grade rigid 6.5 hp. I have a preference for their wand which have something to grip over the Shop vacs. By the way never buy one that is a black Friday or clearance. Tried a shop vac at Lowe's for $40-50. It went back the same day. They reverse manufacture them to still make money at that price, and you can tell.

Anyway, it's quiet and takes bags. Built a Thien baffle cyclone to plug it into. Between the cyclone and the filter bag my HEPA filter doesn't even discolor.

check out getting a new one or building a cyclone over buying one. I found for the cost of the dust deputy, I could just get a new shop vacuum.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

FWIW, I built a separator for my 5gal shopvac and it works great! I even use a Hepafilter on the shopvac and really never need to clean it, the separator works that well. The lid is from Grizzly and I bought a 30gal can from HD.

You will also need to pick up a couple 4in to 2 1/2in hose adapters, but all above can be had for under $100 last time I checked.


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## vacbag (Nov 10, 2015)

@Buyo Masilla - Some ideas for your question re. Ridgid bagless to accepting bags …


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I used my shop vac on the end of a Paint Shaver Pro and, quickly, found I had to come up with some sort of pre filter, since I only got a couple minutes run time before the vacuum efficiency dropped so bad I had to clean the filter.

First, I built my version of a Rainbow vac using a thirty gallon drum. It worked well, but, man, does old paint dust foam. Desperate for a better solution [than dealing with lead mud], I dropped a couple hundred on the Dust Deputy Bert mentions. I went the steel route, since it would get used on job sites.

The simple of it is, I now have three cyclones and refuse to even by a home vac, if it doesn't spin debris out before it gets to the filter.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

To use that shop vac, a separator like a Dust Deputy would be the easiest solution, But that make the whole thing much more cumbersome to use as a portable vacuum.

If I were you, I'd just get a new vac that you can put a bag into and use a HEPA filter. Sounds like you're doing some major remodeling. Perhaps another $100 for a new vac wouldn't be a big deal.

Obviously you can just keep cleaning what you have, but a fine filter like a HEPA will plug fast and a not fine filter turns the vac into a dust pump.


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