What I absolutely hate more than anything that has to be done in the shop is clean out the vac. Especially when it’s not even full which is most of the time. The filter gets completely suffocated with the fine particles rendering it useless. I’ve considered one of those ‘cyclone’ trash can tops, but I’m short on space as it is. Anyway, I’m sure everyone is familiar with this entire scenario.
My routine used to be to take it outside along with my compressor hose, dump the debris in the trash, take the air hose and blow the bloody thing clean. I have two filters so I may opt to take it completely off, then blow it clean, install the other one, store the freshly cleaned one for later use … and on and on.
But no more! Cus, I’ve got PANTYHOSE!
The photos should be self-explanatory else you don’t need to be fussing with no pantyhose.
A note of caution. These can be snatched from just about anywhere, but I don’t recommend purchasing them outright unless you actually do wear these things. Color is your call.
Seriously, I tie up the legs, trim off the excess, snap them over the filter and I’m good to go. The ones I ‘borrowed’ are small, which works quite well. When I think they need attention, I just pop open the vac lid and pull and release the material all around the filter and thats it. In truth, my vac no longer struggles as it used to after about a weeks work, so I’m sure everyone who tries this should have the same results. I have not cleaned my vac filter in over two months and its used on my router bench, bandsaw. floor, planer, jointer and so on. In short, I can’t be happier with my new pantyhose. Ha!
BTW, I can’t take credit for this: I saw this in an old Time-Life WW Tips pamphlet that I’ve had for years and never really looked through. I’m glad I did.
Phillip
Replies
I took to using drywall liner sacks years ago. They filter down to the really small dust, and are far less messy when it is time to empty the shop vac. I just duct tape the hole shut where the hose goes in, and throw them away.
I have two of the gore-tex hepa filters for the shop vac. When one gets dirty, I rinse it out, and then run it through the dish washer. Again minimal mess, and almost no loose dust.
What is a drywall liner sack?
It is a paper filter bag that goes inside the shop vacuum just like the bags in the old cannister vacs our moms used long ago. They are frequently used by drywallers since the fine sanding dust is such a nuisance to deal with unless you use a bag.You can buy them at the big box stores.Bill
Yeah, but they are pricey!
but they're worth twice what they cost, for the savings in less dust, mess and drywall boogers.Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
I guess "pricey", is relative. I use my shopvac mostly to collect dust with my sanders. I also hook it up to the biscuit joiner, and skill saw, but 85% of the use is with the sanders. I developed an allergy to oak, and fir dust a few years back, and used to feel like I had broken my nose again after sanding. Now I'm not bothered.
My sanders are Porter Cables, equipped with the one-inch hose. I bought the Porter Cable sanders mostly because of their hose connections. When I bought my sanders none of the other major brands had a convenient way to hook up a vacuum hose.
The dry wall bags trap 95% of particles down to about 0.1-microns, and the goretex filters 99% down to 0.3-microns. Not much gets by the combination, and the use of the drywall bags, keeps the goretex filter from clogging constantly. And, opening up the shopvac to clean the filter, with out the drywall bag in it just gets the dust all over the shop, and me. I started out with just the hepa filter, but added the drywall bags mostly as a prefilter to keep the hepa filter from clogging so much. The first time I opend the shop vac to check the filter I was sold on the drywall bags. There is almost no dust in the shopvac.
Sanding with the shop vac hooked up is fair easier on my lungs than without. Before I started using the drywall liners, and hepa filter, I always had saw dust in my nose and throat after sanding for any length of time, even wearing a dust mask. Now that I use them I don't.
I'm still a little confused.
Is the drywall liner placed over the vac filter like the photo of the nylon over the filter?
What is a big box store?
Where can I buy a Hepa filter for a 32 gallon Sears vac?
Thanks for your advice.
Don
The drywall bags, go onto the nozzle on the inside of the vacuum, where the suction hose comes in. They then filter out the dust before it gets into the tank.
The hepa filters I have are made by CleanStream. Amazon shows one for recent models of Sears shopvacs.
As for the drywall bags, the big boxes, (Lowes, or Home Depot), or most hardware stores or lumber yards, and maybe even WalMart, should have them. You need to get one that matches the volume of your vacuum.
Thanks for the reply. Sorry to ask so many questions?
I assume the drywall liner is intended for use only when you are sucking fine dust. If you were sucking up big chips wouldn't the liner get filled quickly?
Is the bag liner in the shape of a loaf of bread on the end of the inlet?
Edited 3/16/2008 1:10 pm ET by DonC
The liners for mine wrap around the inside of the drum, leaving a space for the inlet filter. They are big, and pretty much fill the drum.
I don't use my shop vac for general clean up. I sweep things up first, and then use the shop vac for the dust. The bags would fill up fast if I used the vacuum to sweep up the curls from planing, etc, and there isn't a lot of dust associated with that, so I sweep first.
I do use it with the router table, and other things that generate dust as opposed to chips.
"The liners for mine wrap around the inside of the drum, leaving a space for the inlet filter. They are big, and pretty much fill the drum."This is the reason you go with the pantyhose system it is cheap & you CAN vacuum your shop without plugging up your hepa or gortex filter.I can understand if your having breathing problems or always collecting sheet rock or other fine dust. But if not there is no need to throw money at the problem. I have used the same pantyhose top for 4-5 years now & it works great & no plugged filter. If you want increased filtration double the Pantyhose tops up.Good, better, best never let it rest until your good is better & your better best.
Been using the pantyhose idea for years, works great.Good, better, best never let it rest until your good is better & your better best.
Edited 3/15/2008 10:28 pm by OB
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