Replies

1. 
   Brett | Jul 07, 2005 10:42pm | #1

   Howdy Kyle,
   I feel the same way about many of the products sold at Home Depot, but, in the case of the Shop Vac, I compared every brand I could find, those being Shop Vac, Craftsman, Ridgid, and one other whose brand name eludes me. I wound up buying the Ridgid because, feature for feature, it was WAY cheaper than the other brands. I've had it nearly 4 years now, and it works great. I got the one where the motor assembly pops out and is used as a blower. I thought I'd never use this feature because I hate leaf blowers, but I find it super handy for blowing out the filter when it becomes clogged. Admittedly, I haven't used the other brands, so I maybe don't know what I'm missing, but I've used mine as a dust collector plugged into my tablesaw, clamped beside my router table, and clamped besdie my mitre saw, as well as general Vac duties, and I've never felt like I needed more out of a shop vac. Another year or 2 and I'll get a dust collection system, but for now, I'm pretty happy with the Ridgid. Anyone else?
   Brett, Vancouver

   "It's not procrastination if you put it off right now!"

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jul 08, 2005 10:59pm | #12

   I'm pretty happy with the Ridgid..

   I got the BIG vacuum.. Have had it about two years?

   It WORKS! Enough for me.. Bit noisy but all seem to be...

1. 
   DarylRos | Jul 10, 2005 04:38am | #13

   Actually Will, that's no longer true. The Fein and Festool are really quiet. Don't buy the, "you'll never know it's on" claim, because you will, but they don't sound like any other vac. They are really quiet. Expensive too. However, after going through two Shop Vacs in the last 11 years (so no complaints, 5.5 years per is not really bad), I can honestly tell you either of those are better. They pick up and filter better. The Festool is the best, it has a huge amount of accessories, and of, course, comes with the need to take a second mortgage if you want the8ir stuff.

2. 
   Jfrostjr | Jul 07, 2005 10:57pm | #2

   I recently purchased a Festool. My 15 year old Craftsman wet/dry worked fine but it was so noisy that I put on ear-muffs to use it. The Festool is much quieter but I don't think it is worth the money. You think you've bought a package, but when you get it you still need to go out and buy the attachments. I wish I'd looked at Fein.

   A great feature available now is the "plug the tool into the Vac". When you start the tool, the Vac starts. I love it.

   Jerry

3. 
   MiKro | Jul 07, 2005 11:21pm | #3

   Kyle,

   I recently purchased the new Rigid 1850 shop vac and have been very pleased with its performance. My last Ridgid worked hard for 6 years doing drywall cleanup and finally had to retire it because the filter bracket broke. I have tried the new one with a 4" to 2" reducer from my 14" bandsaw and it removes all saw dust as well as my dust collection system does. Hope that helps. Heres the specs on the one I purchased from HD

   http://www.ridgid.com/Contentpages/images/WD1850.pdf

   Good luck!

   Mike K

    

   
   

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   Edited 7/7/2005 4:22 pm ET by MiKro

4. 
   Pondfish | Jul 07, 2005 11:58pm | #4

   I have a 22 gal ShopVac from Lowes.  Works fine, fairly quiet, and with the vacuum bags I get very little dust blow out. 

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
5. 
   cherryjohn | Jul 08, 2005 12:41am | #5

   Fein....................thats all you need to know..i have one and use it as a dust collector and a vac.  I wonder whay people buy anything else.  It is quiet and has a heppa filter.  Id prefer to buy 2 of these vs a dust collection sys.  Ok the capacity isnt there for a commercial shop but for a home enterprise it sure is

    

    

    

   Wicked Decent Woodworks

   (oldest woodworking shop in NH)

   Rochester NH

   " If the women dont find you handsome, they should at least find you handy........yessa!"

6. 
   BenA | Jul 08, 2005 01:08am | #6

   Kyle: Ditto on the fein vac. Its the last vac you will ever buy. see link below.

   http://www.feinus.com/p/newdustfree/vacmain.htm

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 08, 2005 04:17am | #7

   Ditto.  I have their little one, handles my 14" Delta quite well.  My only compliant (true for any small-hose vac) is that it does tend to plug up when vacuuming big stuff.  I use bags for some other vac, much cheaper than Fien's bag.

1. 
   BenA | Jul 08, 2005 03:49pm | #9

   Ed:  Fein has lowered the price of the paper bags. and now there sold in a three pack for about $11.10. Also you can get the 2-1/4" hose for the mini-turbo vac if you want to solve the large wood chip problem.

   http://www.feinus.com/p/newdustfree/vacmain.htm

1. 
   EdHarrow | Jul 08, 2005 06:02pm | #10

   I do actually have the large hose, but the entry into the canister is now the "weak link".  I use that hose for the bandsaw, and it does quite well, as I mentioned (and, of course, there's no "big" stuff).  One of these days I'll get my act together to try it in series with a separator.  I can't save enough about how well it does, esp given its size.  Handy to carry around, and quiet to boot. 

   The bags I use are shop-vac, #906-61.  They are not a perfect fit, and they lack the little trap door, but the last time I bought some they were $6.87/three.

1. 
   DarylRos | Jul 08, 2005 09:02pm | #11

   The real choices, and both are costly, is Festool or Fein. The upside of Fein is it's a bit cheaper. The downside, the filter replacement blows dust back into the air.

   The real downside to Festool is not the cost, it's the addictive quality of Festool. It runs quietly, it has the built in self-start with a tool plugged in (so does the Fein), it has the systainer bay on top for lugging around all the Festools you will inevitably want to buy, and it has a cartridge filter system and filter cleaner rod that helps, and it's custom, more expensive dust bags with a self sealing plug built in. I had to get it becasue of my wife'e ever growing dust allergy. It was get a better system (had to splurge on a cyclone too) or give up woodoworking).

    

7. 
   Steve50 | Jul 08, 2005 02:55pm | #8

   I trashed my Craftsman & Shopvac brands as they both sounded like they were powered by jet engines.  I now have a Fein mini-turbo and Festool.  Both are very quiet and perform great.  Only downside is the on-going cost of the bags but at least the filters don't need changing.

8. 
   dukeone | Jul 10, 2005 08:39am | #14

   Kyle:  I've been using my Milwaukee 8912 since '89 and it is quiet and powerful. Expensive, yes but all the good ones are. Every imaginable accessory is available as are bags and parts (haven't needed any repairs). It is the only dust collector in my main shop and handles the table saw, planner, bench and all the miscellaneous pick up. Looks cool also, retro red and chrome.

   KDM

   Kenneth Duke Masters
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