I'm (sort of) in need of a small and reasonably powerful Vac and noticed this job by Milwaukee details...
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Ryan, here is my setup I continue to love. I have supplemented the regular vac with a dust cyclone, also compact, that really does the job with fine dust and larger jobs. I just finished a 4 month kitchen remodel on a house with lots of plaster walls to repair and the setup worked great.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=337292
For vacuuming the car I just use the suitcase vac without the cyclone, then stash it back in the hall coat closet.
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I have the M18 box one. It works great and you can't even hear it. (If your standing next to a 747 powering up) LOL

I would be interested in something like this for metal chips. Anyone have any experience with cleaning up chips from a lathe or mill.
Interesting. My local HD has the M12 vacuum for $49.00. I've been tempted since the dust devil we have for the house seems to go through rechargeable batteries every 1.5 year or so.
I've not pulled the trigger since I thought it would a little weak. This M18 might be a nice step up.
I highly recommend this also because you can **** up water. I use this to service HVAC in attic ... very convenience ... for about $200 w/ XC batteries, it's very affordable.I can't vouch for the one you are looking at but I have the one pictured and love it. I keep it on the work truck for small messes and have been nothing but happy with it. My customers go nuts over it.
Interesting. My local HD has the M12 vacuum for $49.00. I've been tempted since the dust devil we have for the house seems to go through rechargeable batteries every 1.5 year or so.
I've not pulled the trigger since I thought it would a little weak. This M18 might be a nice step up.
Yea, my HD does too. I found a battery in a display tool and tried the M12 vac out. Sorry, but no way would I drop $50 on this POS. Battery only had 2 lights, so it was about half charged. But that thing couldn't pull a fart through my trousers!
So here is my storage solution for my larger M18 tools and also the 2 that are more commonly used by the ladies in my household.I own this vacuum and I LOVE IT! I have the 9ah battery to go with it. The dang thing will run for ever on the one charge. I do have a few 5ah and a 2ah batteries. I have not ran the vacuum on that, but I imagine it will be fine.
The only thing I don't like is, there is no storage solution from Milwaukee. I would love a wall hanging set up. I could make something pretty easy, but I would like to at least have a place to hang it on the wall.

I used to have it hanging over my workbench but when we moved to our new house 2 years ago I decided to use it over my box. I mounted it just low enough so I can reach everything in it as my box sticks out 30" from the wall. It does work out well. My favorite is on the other wall above my workbench though. It's a gloss yellow IKEA cabinet with a drop down door.Those HF wall cabinets are awesome!

Yea, my HD does too. I found a battery in a display tool and tried the M12 vac out. Sorry, but no way would I drop $50 on this POS. Battery only had 2 lights, so it was about half charged. But that thing couldn't pull a fart through my trousers!
What are you guys trying to pick up with the M12 vac?
I demoed it at HD. They had a Milwaukee display with some 2X4's for testing out drills and there was saw dust and other **** on this display.
I tried it with that stuff and my $20 B&D Dustbuster did a better job on that type of stuff than the M12. It just didn't have enough suction.