I hate using shop vacs

[mdoolittle]

Wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make a shop vac more user friendly. I am so tired of the machine getting tangled in the cord or hose and tired of the thing tipping over. Any suggestions?

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make a shop vac more user friendly. I am so tired of the machine getting tangled in the cord or hose and tired of the thing tipping over. Any suggestions?

I always just plug mine into my retractable cord reels, which are hanging by the ceiling. It's not perfect, but its better then plugging into the walls.

I think the worst thing about using a shop vac, is when it graps a hold of your johnson. Since it is hot as hell down here in Florida, most of the time I'm vacuuming in a thin pair of swim shorts. Ouch....

 

[tpolley]

i know what you're talking about. i've found that one trip around the shop, vacuuming up dust, metal shavings and whatever else, and its bottom heavy enough that it doesn't fall over.

perhaps you could fabricate a steel base with pnumatic swively wheels. that would make it wide enough and heavy enough that it wouldn't tip. the pnumatic tires would roll over anything you put infront of it.

 

[jshillin]

Buy one of the wall mountable ones that have a 20ft hose. I picked up one on sale at sears a few months ago. Much more user friendly.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

i know what you're talking about. i've found that one trip around the shop, vacuuming up dust, metal shavings and whatever else, and its bottom heavy enough that it doesn't fall over.

perhaps you could fabricate a steel base with pnumatic swively wheels. that would make it wide enough and heavy enough that it wouldn't tip. the pnumatic tires would roll over anything you put infront of it.

I keep talking about putting a heavy weight on the bottom of mine...Maybe an old brake rotor....

 

[dmw56]

Use your wife's Kirby! You'll enjoy your shop vac much more afterwards.

 

[TAMPAGT07]

Use your wife's Kirby! You'll enjoy your shop vac much more afterwards.

I use my wife's "Kirby, " as much as I can...But I don't enjoy my shopvac afterwards.

 

[dmw56]

I use my wife's "Kirby, " as much as I can...But I don't enjoy my shopvac afterwards.

You use it in the shop and you're still alive?

 

[66HertzClone]

Most of the frustration comes from having a crappy hose. The hose supplied with most shop vacs twist, kink and will drive one crazy. Look for a quality aftermarket hose like the ones used at the car wash. That alone will make a big difference.

I picked an old Hoover Dial a matic upright at a garage sale, perfect for the floors in my garage, I sweep around the edges and pickup the big thinks, then hit the floor with the Hoover.

 

[MotoDave]

I also have one of the wall mount units, an I love it. Its mounted next to my workbench, and the hose is long enough it'll reach anywhere on the bench including my vise. I have a ghetto zip tie loop on it so I can hook it to the vise and use it like a dust collector, works great when I'm using a cut-off wheel to collect most of the dust.

 

[cambyz28]

+1 on the sears wall mounted shop vac works good only complaint is sometimes it makes this horrible sound like when a kid blows through one of them hard plastic bendy staws only a hundred decibles higher. JMO

 

[Merkava_4]

Most of the frustration comes from having a crappy hose. The hose supplied with most shop vacs twist, kink and will drive one crazy. Look for a quality aftermarket hose like the ones used at the car wash. That alone will make a big difference.

I got the link to go along with that suggestion.

http://www.mrnozzleinc.com/

 

[tj90]

I got the link to go along with that suggestion.

http://www.mrnozzleinc.com/

I ended up getting a 15ft(?) blue shop vac hose from Lowes to replace the original. Much better. The new one never kinks like the original, thin walled 8 ft hose. I like the longer length cause I can vacuum out my wifes entire SUV by positioning the vac near one of the doors and feeding the hose to all corners. Not having to move the vac during car cleaning is worth the price of admission! Plus the ends of the hose are more rubber like so they dont scratch and stay in place - virtually ending the hassle of a hose pulling out of the vac base.

 

[fatfillup]

+1 on quality, longer hose. Also, quality vacs typically are much quieter (that's my pet peave) and have bigger, better wheels and castors. Problem is, a good vac will be $300 plus. I have one for my shop because we used to sell them but would be hard pressed to spend that much for one now.

 

[mdoolittle]

With the longer hose, do you mount the hose to the wall when not in use or is there some kind of hanger you attach to the vac itself?

 

[G1K]

Cut up a few sections of PVC large enough to go around the casters. They'll act as fenders and not allow the cord to get all tangles up under the wheels. I'll put up pics this weekend if you want to see.


Ryan

[spelling/grammar Nazi]

Think is not equal to thing

[/spelling/grammar Nazi]

 

[jshillin]

With the longer hose, do you mount the hose to the wall when not in use or is there some kind of hanger you attach to the vac itself?

The craftsman wall mount vac has a plate on top you wrap the hose around. If I would have saw your question earlier I would have took a pic while i was cleaning up.

 

[scottg1952]

Cut up a few sections of PVC large enough to go around the casters. They'll act as fenders and not allow the cord to get all tangles up under the wheels. I'll put up pics this weekend if you want to see.

Cool, love to see pix o that!!
My worst of all pet peeves about shop vacs used to be the perpetually clogged filter. I only have one so it does all the duty on the place.

So I make dirtbags! Nothing like an old fashioned dirtbag!

Just cut up an old sweatshirt and sew/hot glue it together. It'll go 21 times longer then any filter! You can keep sucking until the whole barrel is full instead of stopping to clean the filter all the time.
Just take it out for wet pickup.

yours Scott

 

[southpier]

You use it in the shop and you're still alive?

you might have missed something . . .

 

[JohnFreeman]

It's always good to have a long hose!

 

[jjkrjh]

I like mine.
Works well with dust and you can cover a large area quickly. You do have to put up with the neighbors teasing "look he's vacuuming the garage"

 

[bchee]

Cool, love to see pix o that!!
My worst of all pet peeves about shop vacs used to be the perpetually clogged filter. I only have one so it does all the duty on the place.

So I make dirtbags! Nothing like an old fashioned dirtbag!

Just cut up an old sweatshirt and sew/hot glue it together. It'll go 21 times longer then any filter! You can keep sucking until the whole barrel is full instead of stopping to clean the filter all the time.
Just take it out for wet pickup.

yours Scott

Came across this older thread. I'm interested in this set up. Anybody else use this?

Do you put the armhole on the intake, and the neck-hole where the filter would normally go?

 

[Monte]

can i use trousers too ?

 

[Bigpigdave]

Shop Vac makes an upright model. I have one and love it for general shop cleaning. It will only pick up dry, other than that it does a great job.

 

[Vinko]

Wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make a shop vac more user friendly. I am so tired of the machine getting tangled in the cord or hose and tired of the thing tipping over. Any suggestions?

If I could afford it and justify the expense, I'd love to get one of the ones that ultimategarage sells. My Ridgid is just not cutting it anymore.

 

[NJHandyGuy]

i tried the **** trick still not very effective

 

[mrholeshot]

Wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make a shop vac more user friendly.

Put the big hose on and slide it up your pants leg and listen to some sweet soul music through some good headphones.

 

[Jeff]

 

[nate379]

Are you one of those guys like on the infomericials that can somehow fawk up an ice cube tray or water hose?

Wondering if anyone has figured out a way to make a shop vac more user friendly. I am so tired of the machine getting tangled in the cord or hose and tired of the thing tipping over. Any suggestions?

 

[Buxfan]

Are you one of those guys like on the infomericials that can somehow fawk up an ice cube tray or water hose?

LoL

Or the lady who can't use scissors correctly since they hurt her hands soooo much.

 

[domoMKIV]

i tried the **** trick still not very effective

Can't say I have ever heard of that trick. Care to elaborate?

 

[z28toz06]

I always just plug mine into my retractable cord reels, which are hanging by the ceiling. It's not perfect, but its better then plugging into the walls.

I think the worst thing about using a shop vac, is when it graps a hold of your johnson. Since it is hot as hell down here in Florida, most of the time I'm vacuuming in a thin pair of swim shorts. Ouch....

WTF are you vacuuming that you keep your shop vac nozzle near your johnson? Cheezdoodle crumbs?

 

[Brad54]

I think the worst thing about using a shop vac, is when it graps a hold of your johnson. Since it is hot as hell down here in Florida, most of the time I'm vacuuming in a thin pair of swim shorts. Ouch....

Okay, seriously, just spend the $20 on a ****** and call it a day.

-Brad

 

[Brad54]

I finally found a use for a dead shop vac, and it fills a void I've had for years in the shop:
I got a free short/wide Rigid shop vac that was dead.
I pitched the top half of it and kept the lower bucket... it's the PERFECT thing for emptying radiators in while changing water pumps, intake manifolds or radiators and hoses.
It'll slide right under a car on jack stands, and it's got a huge capacity.

-Brad

 

[A29]

I keep an old brake drum in mine. It no longer tips.

 

[mkdive]

I always just plug mine into my retractable cord reels, which are hanging by the ceiling. It's not perfect, but its better then plugging into the walls.

 

[alamerang]

I think the worst thing about using a shop vac, is when it graps a hold of your johnson. Since it is hot as hell down here in Florida, most of the time I'm vacuuming in a thin pair of swim shorts. Ouch....

I was just cleaning out the shop when out of nowhere this shop vac became totally attracted to my jock. Yeah.... No one believes that one anymore