Shop vac - second stage HEPA

[jimgood]

I can't be the first person that has wanted to do this...

I have one of these Rigid shop vacuums:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/16-gallon-high-performance-vac-with-cart

I have to vacuum up a lot of musty/moldy/mildewy surfaces so I need to use a HEPA filter. But there is also a lot of dirt and dust which is going to clog the filter too quickly and those things are expensive.

So, I'd like to use a regular filter in the vacuum and then add a second stage HEPA filter on the exhaust side of the vacuum.

Has anyone done this and what did you use?

I found this on McMaster but, it's ridiculously expensive for the 2 1/2" size and I'm not sure it's going to work as they talk about it being for the intake side. But it's along the lines of what I need. http://www.mcmaster.com/#hepa-vacuum-cleaner-filters/=yk9ubb

Any help would be appreciated.

My only other option is going to be to run a long exhaust hose outside. I did my health no favors when I moved a bunch of moldy lumber out of my shop and tried to vacuum up the floor. I didn't have a HEPA filter in it and the vac just blew the mold spores all over the shop.

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[Jackfre]

Heap's run into money when you use them for rough stuff and have to replace them. I'd suggest you companion up your shop vac to an Oneida Dust Deputy. The combination is very good.

 

[buddyboy]

i have the same vac as you do.

i use a metal trash can with one of those plastic lids that have an input and output port for hoses on it,

one hose goes to the vac the other is my suction hose.

i swear 99% of the sawdust I vac up ends up in that can

you can also get a bag to go inside that vacuum.

I use the combo of can, bag and hepa filter... my hepa filters now last FOREVER

 

[buddyboy]

oh another tip that may help you out since you have stuff floating around in the air down there is to get a box fan and find a decent furnace filter that will fit on the intake side of the fan and run it on low.

i did that in my basement with a timer set up... if anything it gets the air moving and cuts down on dust

 

[polhub]

You can use the Oneida Dust deputy and a 5 gallon bucket.

http://www.oneida-air.com/category.asp?Id=%7BCC6B6F2A-E3D7-4F18-A53C-B5C357DFE131%7D

They really work well with fine dust. I have a hepa on my Ridgid shop vac and the Dust Deputy in front, I have filled the bucket twice with sanding dust and the filter was still very clean, in fact, there is only a fine layer of dust on the inside surfaces of the shop vac itself and little else.

 

[jimgood]

That oneida looks like a perfect solution. I'll look into it.

Thanks!

 

[HAP]

Cant you just install the bag and the canister filter. The bag gets the majority of the ****, then throw it away.

 

[MFolks]

Another possible solution:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=30282&cat=1,42401

 

[polhub]

The Dust Deputy works vastly better than the Lee Valley cyclone lids for small lightweight dust.

 

[jimgood]

I ordered the Dust Deputy and I'll report back my results in a couple of days.

 

[jimgood]

Yep. Works as advertised. Amazing. I ordered the Dust Deputy and a HEPA filter and they both arrived today. I haven't had a chance to mount it onto my shop vac yet but I did hook it up with the hoses and sucked up some dirt. Everything visible went into the DD bucket. Nothing in the shop vac. Can't wait to get done with work so I can get it more permanently mounted and do some more clean up.

Thanks for the tip guys!

 

[nehog]

Won't help you, but I have rolls of filter material (about 16" wide) and I just wrap the filters with this stuff and it catches the majority of the bigger dirt and dust.

 

[epmills]

Why not wet everything down really well and **** up the muck? Wet=No dust

 

[jimgood]

Won't help you, but I have rolls of filter material (about 16" wide) and I just wrap the filters with this stuff and it catches the majority of the bigger dirt and dust.

Why not wet everything down really well and **** up the muck? Wet=No dust

Both good ideas. The DD doesn't restrict suction. And it's absolutely amazing to me how only the finest particles are actually going into the shop vac. Posting up my set up next.

 

[jimgood]

This is my set up with the Dust Deputy. I still have to clamp down the hose ends but I'm happy so far. It's not ideal since it's such a bulky solution, but maybe I'll find a better solution in the future. Good enough for now. I did find a better way to mount the DD to my shop vac so read on if you're interested.

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This is their "one size fits all" solution for mounting the DD to pretty much any shop vac. Use a foam block between the shop vac and DD, drill two holes through all and bolt them together.

It's inelegant and I just could not see trying to fumble around trying to empty the unit with out unbolting it every time. Not interested!

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I had a piece of 1/2" x 3/16" x 4' galvanized flat bar laying around begging for something to do. I dragged out my hammer and anvil and shaped it so it fit around the 5 gal bucket for the DD just under the rim. I reversed the ends to match the shape of the shop vac then drilled and tapped them for 3/8" x 1" bolts I had on hand. I put a couple of large washers on the inside and screwed the bolts into the ring from the inside. I also welded a short straight diagonal support from the ring to the base of the shop vac to keep it from putting stress on the wall of the shop vac from the weight of the DD. I still need to put some silicon in the bolt holes to prevent vacuum leaks.

Now when I want to empty the DD, I can pop off the top and lift out the bucket. Lickety split.

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[SweetD]

Pretty cool. Nice McGuiyver with the custom bracket!

 

[jimgood]

Re: Shop vac - second stage HEPA - Gen 3

I posted this in my garage thread but I think this thread deserves the updated version...

Gen 1 was a stock Ridgid shop vac. Gen 2 was the purchase of a Oneida Dust Deputy. I didn't put a whole lot of thought into it so I bent and welded some metal and came up with this:

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But that doesn't fit through doors or tight spaces so, today I got serious with it! I used the same hoop that I bent for Gen 2 and incorporated it into Gen 3.

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Pardon my welds. I can't see very well and I am limited by my use of 110v. I'm sure I would have turned out a stack of dimes if I could see and had 220v.

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And here's Gen 3 in all it's painted glory. I think it looks just right and only took me 4 hours. "Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!"

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