RIDGID 14 Gallon Pro Vac WD1450
andyfew322
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
This vac appears to be very good, and at $99 It’s a bargain. My question though is that will it be able to suck up dust from a sander (mainly a belt sander) without clogging immediately like my current 1 gallon does?
“I’d rather be a hammer than a nail”
Replies
Well, it'll last some longer, 'cause it has a larger filter cartridge, but it will clog up.
However, HD offers a replacement filter bag for that unit similar to the ones found in the dedicated dust collectors by Fein and Festool. I purchased the bag to use with my sander, and I'm hopeful that it'll last longer than the cartridge. The difference it, when the cartridge clogs up I just take it outside and knock the dust off against the inside of the trash can and reuse it. But, when the bag fills up, I get to throw it away and buy another one.
Some folks attack this problem by adding the small cyclonic Dust Deputy between the sander and the shop vac. That approach seems to work pretty well, based on the articles that I've seen, but it's one more thing to stumble over in the shop.
Mike D
so there is a filter bag that you can slip over the cartridge? how much does that cost? and if you have it, can you test how long it will last with ROS (random orbital sanding) and belt sanding
"I'd rather be a hammer than a nail"
Edited 1/16/2008 10:55 pm ET by andyfew322
no, it's a replacement bag filter similar to that found in a canister vacuum cleaner.
Mike
Andy,
Shop vac's fail in one critical sense for what you are asking them to do.. the filter clogs..
A dust collector will have a cyclonic element which spins the dust and causes it to fall out before it ever gets to the filter..
Your best alternative for a shop Vac is the Dyson vacum cleaner. It has that same cyclonic effect.. The Dyson will continue to suck completely untill the bin is filled.
Anything with a filter will clog up. It doesn't have to be completely plugged to dramatically decrease it's ability to collect dust. As the element fills up less air flows through it and with less air, less dust is collected..
my question is if i twill last longer than a 1 gallon vac
"I'd rather be a hammer than a nail"
andy
No!
Not in that application.
What kills it will be the clogged filter..
Ignore the fact that it will be making noise with nothing really happening unless you devote yourself to cleaning the filter every 5 minutes or so..
Sawdust will quickly clog filters.. you need a cyclonic approach to solve the issue. Many brands out there, pick one but make sure it works by cyclonic principles rather than a filter!
If you do a lot of sanding, but don't want to invest in a full size cyclone system to eliminate the clogging problem, take a look at the Dust Deputy from Oneida. Its a miniature cyclone that gets hooked up ahead of a shop vac. In my tests of the unit for a magazine the Oneida stopped at least 99% of the dust before it got to the vac. They aren't cheap but they sure are effective.
John White
John,
Did you get a chance to test the Clear-Vue mini-cyclone at the same time you tested the Dust Deputy?
Bob
I didn't know that Clear Vue made a mini cyclone. The Oneida came out a couple of years ago, the Clear Vue probably wasn't being made back then. The Oneida worked perfectly so the best that Clear Vue could do would be to work as well and/or be less expensive.John W.
Looking at the designs, I really doubt that the Oneida does as good a job of separation as the Clear Vue. The Clear Vue design is based on extensive cyclone research by Bill Pentz. I was so impressed with the performance of mine, I bought their 18" cyclone dust collector too. The only time I every had any dust of any significance go through my Clear Vue mini cyclone is once when I was demonstrating it to a friend and I sucked up a pile of jointer chips too quickly. In normal use, there would be no need to suck up so many chips so quickly.
Looking at the designs, I really doubt that the Oneida does as good a job of separation as the Clear Vue. The Clear Vue design is based on extensive cyclone research by Bill Pentz.
And the dust deputy is based on extensive cyclone research by Oneida. And they were the first to adapt this cyclone technology to a shop vac.
I don't understand how you can tell one is superior by "looking at the design"??
I own the Dust Deputy and also have had the chance to use the clear vue for several weeks. The dust deputy is superior in my opinion, with less dust getting to the vacuum than the clear vue. The clear vue is a poor imitation of the dust deputy from what I saw in use.
Also, the clear vue is $135 shipped and you have to supply a container and make it seal perfectly otherwise there is leaking around the top. And it is constructed out of mdf and clear plastic. The Oneida I bought was all steel - $150 shipped, with a mini steel drum and matching lid with seal.
While I respect Bill Pentz's research, you have to realize his "extensive research" is pushing people to buy his cyclone design from Ed Morgano (Clear Vue) which he receives a commission from. So I think it's best for people to do their own research and come to their own conclusions. Bill's claims are no different than Penn State's, Grizzly's, and Oneida's. They all claim to be the best, and they all claim the other guys products suck.
Lee
When I made the statement that I doubted the Oneida Dust Deputy did as good a job as the Clear Vue Mini, I based my doubt on 3 things. 1) The Oneida has a round inlet and it is not tilted down. 2) I am pretty sure the Oneida does not have a neutral vane. 3) It seemed like the dust that got through to the vac in the Oneida video, even though it was very little, was more than I see with the Clear Vue. I do admit that I would rather have a metal cyclone, but it is pretty cool seeing the dust spin around too. I bought the Clear Vue mainly for performance. If the Oneida really is doing as good a job, then that is the bottom line. Both the Oneida and Clear Vue will make a HUGE improvement to any shop vac.
Both the Oneida and Clear Vue will make a HUGE improvement to any shop vac.
Agreed! Most important, is the absence of that fine layer of talcum powder-like dust covering the shop after extended periods of sanding ;)
Lee
Like Mike D says, get the bags that go with the shop vac and the clogged filter problem goes away. You can run the vacuum until the bag fills, which for a ROS application will be substantial. I never had a problem with my filter unless i sucked up something that poked a hole in the bag. As I said, no problem when doing the ROS thing.
There are bags for "normal" operations that are fine to use, but they also make bags for drywall dust collection. Get the cheaper bag, it should be fine.
Andy to prolong the efficency of the rigid filter ,put an old nylon over the filter than when clogged give it a tap and use some compressed air from the inside of the filter out. keeping the old nylon on the filter. it's quick, cheap, for the money rigid has a good vac although a pair of ear muffs with the purchase is not a bad idea. Or build a muffler box to put over the whole vac.
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