# Shop Vac Recommendations



## dannyboysemail (Aug 28, 2009)

Looking for Recommendations on a shop vac that can provide the following:

Good Suction for general bulky construction clean-up (can pick up screws, pieces of drywall/plaster, etc...)
Good Dust Containment. I've noticed that when I hook some shop vacs up to power tools (such as a grinder with a vac shroud attachment) that after a while I loose suction, if it is a bagless shop vac. I've noticed that vacs that accept a bag work better in this case. Can I get a shop vac that accepts bags AND can go Bagless--depending on the job at hand?
Durable and will stand up to continuous usage.
I hope this list makes sense to those of you that come by this post. 
I appreciate and suggestions you can give. I just want to make the right purchase the FIRST time. Up till this point, I have borrowed fellow contractor's shop vacs. 
Please keep in mind, I want a shop vac I can attach to power tools and that will maintain good suction while using it. 
For example, I have a tool (looks like a circular saw) that has two blades and makes a trench in the concrete wall (for laying cabling in). It works great but, creates alot of dust. It has the ability to connect a vac to it. I have noticed that when I used a regular bagless shop vac, that after a few minutes of usage, the filter clogged and suction was lost. However, when I used another Shop Vac that accepted a bag, it maintained constant suction (until the bag filled up). Do they make a shop vac than can accept a bag and go bagless?

Thanks again for any help you may give.


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## cleveman (Dec 28, 2007)

Sounds like you may need a higher dollar vac which agitates the filter 30 million times every nano second.

I have a big Rigid and a smaller cheap Hoover hanging vac which I use mostly for cleaning woodwork before I finish it in the garage.

I like to have a central vac working in the house asap.


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## AustinDB (Sep 11, 2006)

you may be surprised at how much bags will allow the suction to remain high. I have a small rigid 'suitcase' portable-I"m using bags for it and although the bags are small (fills up quickly w/ lots of debris) for small jobs it's great. It's all I use on jobsites. Even the large shop vac's found at Lowes/HD work well. I"m using a larger one I picked up at HD w/ a bag and some sort of sound suppression system-it's not quite, but not as noisy as the vac's I use to use.


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## TimelessQuality (Sep 23, 2007)

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## dannyboysemail (Aug 28, 2009)

72chevy4x4 said:


> you may be surprised at how much bags will allow the suction to remain high. I have a small rigid 'suitcase' portable-I"m using bags for it and although the bags are small (fills up quickly w/ lots of debris) for small jobs it's great. It's all I use on jobsites. Even the large shop vac's found at Lowes/HD work well. I"m using a larger one I picked up at HD w/ a bag and some sort of sound suppression system-it's not quite, but not as noisy as the vac's I use to use.


Are you saying those larger bagless shop vacs sold at Lowes and Home Depot can be fitted with a bag if you want?


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## INTRA (Nov 27, 2008)

I use a 6 hp rigid works great when I attach it to my tuckpointing
saw. And that motar dust becomes very fine. Works ten time better
than my shop vac.


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## AustinDB (Sep 11, 2006)

dannyboysemail said:


> Are you saying those larger bagless shop vacs sold at Lowes and Home Depot can be fitted with a bag if you want?


I'll go one step further by stating the bags are sold right NEXT to the shop vac's :whistling


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

DO NOT BUY SHOP VAC !!!!!!!!!!!!

I have 3 now, on one which is only about 3 yrs old, the switch went on it.
Shop vac will not sell me a switch. They want to replace the whole head unit.

So their attitude is basically they are throw away vacumns. If anything breaks, you just have to replace the whole thing.

I will never buy another one. Maybe Rigid has a better repair policy, I don't know.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Ok, I just sent Shop Vac Canada an email, explaing this to them. I'll post their response.

Hopefully, they will give in and sell me a switch. :thumbup:


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

katoman said:


> DO NOT BUY SHOP VAC !!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> I have 3 now, on one which is only about 3 yrs old, the switch went on it.
> Shop vac will not sell me a switch. They want to replace the whole head unit.
> ...


I burnt up my last Shop Vac in a hurry too. They have a 5 year warranty, but mine barely made it a year. Took it back to Lowes, and they were giving me a great big hassle. Ended up getting a new one, but it didn't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. After that I started using bags all the time. This one has lasted a couple of years without any problems, but if I had to do it again, I would get a Ridgid. They have a lifetime warranty, and seem better built. 

I also have a Fein Mini Turbo that has lasted probably 8 years now with no problems. I love that one, but the hose is too small for general cleanup. Very quiet, though. I also have a Festool CT22 for hooking up to my tools. Really nice to have the automatic switch. But, for general cleanup and abuse, I like to go cheap. 

If you're willing to spend the bucks, though, I would consider a WAP for what you're doing. Great vac's. It's on my list of things to get, but for the money, I would rather buy something a little more sexy. Like a new Festool power planer. I nice general cleanup vac just keeps getting pushed back.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Rustbucket - what is a WAP?


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

http://www.nilfisk-alto.com/Products/VacuumCleaners.aspx

Those are some bad ass vac's. They are made for use, abuse and a lifetime of service.

I own a ct-22. Awesome, I dont pick up nails with it. It would be too hard for the paper filter bags. It would suck up about whatever you want though. I perfer to have it suck the dust from my tools as I am working.

Bosch makes a pretty heavey duty vac as well.


rustbucket, I hear you on the sexy tool part.


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## dannyboysemail (Aug 28, 2009)

*Bags can be used in all Shop Vacs?*



72chevy4x4 said:


> I'll go one step further by stating the bags are sold right NEXT to the shop vac's :whistling


Ha ha--thanks for your reply. Ok, I know that sounds like a foolish question but, when I ask some of the sales reps at these stores, they do not know. If all these common shop vacs (Shop-Vac, Ridgid, Sears Craftsman, etc...) will take a bag versus just emptying into the tank, this is a good thing. Since, I have noticed that suction last longer (when the vac was hooked to a power tool--such as a concrete grinder) and a bag was used.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

katoman said:


> Rustbucket - what is a WAP?



kick-ass, expensive vacs http://www.ultimategarage.com/WAP.html


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

Katoman...pop the switch out and connect the two wires..then get an inline switch and install it...or go to radio shack and get a switch that will work...dont be such a girl! I know it's electrical work but we won't tell anyone!:laughing:


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## Glid (Jun 12, 2008)

I always like this one. It'll suck up a towel.

http://www.milwaukeetool.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductId=8926&CategoryName=SC%3A+Jobsite+Vacuums

Hey, you can buy one a year at $100 and absorb the downtime. Or spend $700 once and have something that lasts. Plus, you can throw crap in the toolbag! (that's added value, to me!)


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## joshua1 (Feb 13, 2009)

Hi, I work a lot in big pharma plants, drilling and cutting mostly in concrete, and if you let any dust escape they would shoot you with a verbal taser and then ask you to leave and not come back. So, we use CFM vacs, made by Nilfisks industrial section. So does everybody else I meet on these jobs, I've never seen anybody use any other make. 
The CFM's have a filter shaker, when the vac gets blocked with dust, you turn it off, rattle the filter and carry on. They will suck cement dust all day every day, will happily suck up chunky stuff after demo work with a breaker, and are built to last forever. We have one particular one 12 years now, (ok its had new wheels and a motor overhaul) that still works daily. 

Nilfisk are simply the number one sucker, and don't really have any competition. Oh, and they don't use bags, they have a big chunky bin on the bottom, with a quick release, you can unhook it and tip it in the skip. 4" Hoses and solid, solid accessories add to the package. They are by no means cheap to buy, but they are very cheap long term, 'cos they work on long after the price is forgotten, like most quality items. J


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

See post #12


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## joshua1 (Feb 13, 2009)

Just went had a look at the last vac we got, and its a CFM 125, stood around €1500+taxes of 21%, a good machine. J.


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## J F (Dec 3, 2005)

How much is that in english? :laughing:


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