What Shop Vac do you use ?

[Hephaestus29]

I've had a Craftsman 5 hp wet/dry model for a
long time. I guess it works good but I
use it to **** up wet/oily machining
chips on top of cleaning the shop floor.
So it has a pretty good build up on the
inside of the hose now, and I need new
Adapters and ends since they have cracked
and or broken.
I would really like to have a system I
could move outside so it wasn't so noisy
and a flexible hose with a smooth ID.

I do have some long plastic tubes that
I got from an electrolux dealer that I think
would work to run a tube outside.
This would mainly be used for chips and
not vacuuming the floor.

 

[Ilikeike]

I have a rigid, the damn thing is LOUD!
I'm sure OSHA would require ear protection if we had to use it a work.

 

[stage20]

I have a rigid, the damn thing is LOUD!
I'm sure OSHA would require ear protection if we had to use it a work.

do you have a muffler on it?

 

[Finky198]

+2 on the loud rigid we have 2
I have an old craftsman as well it's held up well but nothing special

 

[DonPowers]

I have an old Shopmate by Shop Smith, bought in the early 80s. Still works good and is not that loud. Here is a picture taken today.

 

[zakmartin]

I have an old Shop Vac 12 gallon 5 HP (Model LM500). It's never failed to ****.

That sounds wrong.

 

[djjsr]

Shop Vac 14 gal (?). The type you can put a bag in if you want. I haven't cleaned a filter in years.

 

[MikeF2316]

I have a "Sears best" Craftsman electronic one that's about 25 years old. Back when Sears best meant something! The electronic ones were green and black and had a continuously variable speed control. Of course I only use it at full speed.

 

[metaldad]

a ridgid 8 gal. 3 1/4 hp.
it vented the exhaust towards the floor. stupid idea.
i sealed the bottom vents and punched a few holes in the top, so it blows up.

 

[rlitman]

I use a Fein Turbo II. I can easily talk over it.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I've had a Craftsman 5 hp wet/dry model for a
long time. I guess it works good but I
use it to **** up wet/oily machining
chips on top of cleaning the shop floor.
So it has a pretty good build up on the
inside of the hose now, and I need new
Adapters and ends since they have cracked
and or broken.
I would really like to have a system I
could move outside so it wasn't so noisy
and a flexible hose with a smooth ID.

I do have some long plastic tubes that
I got from an electrolux dealer that I think
would work to run a tube outside.
This would mainly be used for chips and
not vacuuming the floor.

Sears vacs were made by Ridgid/Emerson (758 and 113 model prefixes) and later on by Shop Vac (338 model prefixes). I like the SV versions better, but that's just me. Shop Vac's customer service is second to none. I have no fewer than 15 wet/dry vacs!

 

[Shiftless]

I've been using this one for a long time. Very quiet. Very long hose. Clogs too easily. Cloth permanent filter.

old school Fein

 

[dodge610]

I have a 4hp craftsman I have ha for years noisy but runs very well. And a craftsman wall mount in my garage. Also have 2 hand carry craftsman 1 is 11/2 hp. the other one is a cordless c3 craftsman. and last but not least a small HF roll around I think that i a 2hp. that I use in shop #2 for cleaning the floors.

 

[Ilikeike]

do you have a muffler on it?

No.
But the next time I go down the shop vac isle at Home Depot, I'll grab one if they have one.

 

[spongerich]

No.
But the next time I go down the shop vac isle at Home Depot, I'll grab one if they have one.

The muffler makes a difference.
Without one it's LOUD! with the muffler, it's only LOUD!

I usually use the disposable bags in mine in addition to the regular cartridge filter. Seems to quiet it down just a little and the bags are pretty cheap. With the bags, my filters last nearly forever even when I'm using it with my bead blaster.

 

[NUTTSGT]

If you sucking up some **** that's going to destroy it, I'd consider looking/buying used ones. A quick on CL for your area showed this older model which looks like it might a decent well built unit, if it still works.

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/for/5171668910.html

 

[Tebbiebear]

I have a couple that I use quite a bit. I have a Hoover GUV on the wall that I use for detailing my cars (and my friends/familys cars, lol) I quite like it, its loud but it has a long hose, 30 feet iirc, and has very good suction. I only use it for detailing because I like keeping the head and accessories nice and clean.
I use a 10 gallon Shop-Vac brand vac for the dirty cleaning chores.

 

[Reese]

I have a 5 or 6 gallon Shop Vac brand with a filter and a bag and a 1 or 2 gallon vac without a filter or bag. I use the bigger one for general clean-up and the small one for plumbing. It works great to **** out toilet bowls, tanks, and sink traps.

I have a big Craftsman I haven't used in a few years. It's too large to be very portable and is stupid noisy.

 

[FigureItOut]

I have a Ridgid 16 gallon, the big one at HD with the cart handle deal. It's very quiet due to something called Scroll Noise Reduction. Popular Mechanics or Family Handyman rated it the highest suction by far, but of course they only tested Big Box brands.
On board tool storage isn't well thought out, but there are easy fixes to that. The filters are easy to clean and to change. The cord is too short but I use the retractable from my ceiling anyway so it doesn't matter. The available 20' hose is priced well and is basically a necessity, for me at least.

 

[Ponchoguy]

I have a Ridgid 16 gallon, the big one at HD with the cart handle deal. It's very quiet due to something called Scroll Noise Reduction. Popular Mechanics or Family Handyman rated it the highest suction by far, but of course they only tested Big Box brands.
On board tool storage isn't well thought out, but there are easy fixes to that. The filters are easy to clean and to change. The cord is too short but I use the retractable from my ceiling anyway so it doesn't matter. The available 20' hose is priced well and is basically a necessity, for me at least.

I have this one too, brand new, just assembled it. I complained I couldn't get a part for one of my older units, so I parted it out and they sent me the 16 gallon SCR at no charge as a replacement! Wohoo.

 

[SMKS]

I care about noise so I went with the Ridgid from HD with the noise reduction.

I also have a fancy euro vac, but if I had to do it over again I wouldn't get the euro vac. They aren't worth the extra cost, IMO.

The newer Craftsman vacs are made in China by Vacmaster, it appears. They used to be made by Emerson in Mexico.

Also, read this thread:
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226762

 

[FigureItOut]

I have this one too, brand new, just assembled it. I complained I couldn't get a part for one of my older units, so I parted it out and they sent me the 16 gallon SCR at no charge as a replacement! Wohoo.

Cool, I certainly like mine. I wouldn't want to post it here but my Amazon review has my tool-storage mods described and you may find it helpful. There's only a few reviews so you'll find it easily, entitled "onboard tool storage not great......" and is the only one with an image attached.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/reviews/B0029NY9VW/ref=cm_cr_dp_aw_see_rcnt?ie=UTF8&s=sd

 

[dodge610]

I have this one too, brand new, just assembled it. I complained I couldn't get a part for one of my older units, so I parted it out and they sent me the 16 gallon SCR at no charge as a replacement! Wohoo.

Rigid Oh my lord ponch a rigid ok turn in your craftsman man card

 

[Granite80]

RIGID - love it

Ridgid WD1450 14-Gallon 6-Horsepower Wet/Dry Vacuum

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MBADFI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Fender1325]

Sears craftsman from the 80's. Still going strong, still can order parts for it

 

[SMKS]

RIGID - love it

Ridgid WD1450 14-Gallon 6-Horsepower Wet/Dry Vacuum

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MBADFI/?tag=atomicindus08-20

It's cheaper at HD. $99 regular price.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-14-gal-Professional-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-WD1450/100081216