Hobbyist's questions

[Irvin Gomez]

Hello, everyone!

First post here.

Have some (little) experience working with wood as a hobby exclusively. A 'weekend warrior' wannabe. So, my question is posed within that context: what would my best option be for a good shop vac? I spend 3/4 hours once a week doing some basic stuff with my limited toolset: Makita 1.25 router, Makita circular saw with rail, Dowelmax / Kreg pockethole jigs and a crappy Dewalt sander that i plan on replacing when I get some funds. Projects are small things I can use throughout my apartment: a rack for my recording equipment, a small coffee table, etc.

I have done a lot of reading / searching, but not having professional experience, I have no idea if a Festool/Fein/Makita/Bosch/etc. $500+ vac would be overkill and I could do well with a simple Ridgid plus a hepa filter and a couple of adapters. I'm torn, because money matters to me, but I don't want to buy stuff that I will have to replace in the future. I have made enough of those mistakes! So far, I have managed with a very old Sears vac, but I would like to improve my dust collection methods (afraid of all the things I've read about fine dust getting in the lungs).

All opinions welcome and gratefully accepted! Shoot!

[Prashun Patel]

For those basic tools, a Ridgid is a fine shopvac. You should research "Dust Deputy" because adding that preseparator can keep your filter from clogging prematurely.

Once you get into bigger stationary tools like a bandsaw, tablesaw, jointer, planer, you can think about a 4" dust collector.

Also, get yourself a good respirator. I am partial to the 3m half mask: it's inexpensive, fits well, and has replaceable, available filters.

Last,
WELCOME TO THE CREEK!!! Roll up your cuffs and wade in. The water's nice.

[Brian Kent]

This one: https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/14-gall...ce-wet-dry-vac
I got this Rigid 1450 at Home Depot for $99. I have 2 Rigid shop vacs - one smaller one from 10 years back and the 1450. The older smaller one kills my ears. The Rigid 1450 doesn't bother me at all. I think this is the only Rigid model that has the "Scroll Noise Reduction" and the word "professional" in the Home Depot name. Huge difference.

I like quiet, smooth tools. I want to get a second one to replace the old one, hooked up to the combo sander.

My full dust collection:
Delta 50-760 hooked up to the big tools.
Jet air filter for the room.
Shop vac on Combo Sander.
Box fan with heater filter behind the lathe head.
3M Half-mask with P100 filters.
Jacket worn in the shop to keep dust off of my clothes.
I take this seriously, and like the Rigid 1450 where is does the job.

[Brian Kent]

For those basic tools, a Ridgid is a fine shopvac. You should research "Dust Deputy" because adding that preseparator can keep your filter from clogging prematurely.

Once you get into bigger stationary tools like a bandsaw, tablesaw, jointer, planer, you can think about a 4" dust collector.

Also, get yourself a good respirator. I am partial to the 3m half mask: it's inexpensive, fits well, and has replaceable, available filters.

Last,
WELCOME TO THE CREEK!!! Roll up your cuffs and wade in. The water's nice.

And furthermore, I always agree with Prashun Patel.

[Mike Henderson]

Get a Ridgid. If you shop for them at Home Depot, they will have shelf labels that tell you how much suction and noise each has. Definitely get a quiet one.

Mike

[Mike Ontko]

Hi Irvin, welcome to the Creek!

You heard it from Prashun first--for the tools you're working with currently, a plain old shop vacuum (Rigid is sold at the "orange store") should do just fine. Even if you do eventually move up to a full dust collection system, you'll still keep and use a shop vacuum for all those things that a dust collector doesn't connect to. I have a 14 gallon Rigid that sits like a loyal pup next to my workbench. You can use the HEPA filter bags to help protect the internal filter that comes with the unit, but you'll eventually come to find that replacing those bags can get to be a pain in the wallet. This is where the Dust Deputy comes in--it's a mini-funnel separator, like the Cyclone, that separates all but the finest particulates before they reach the inside of your vacuum. To add it to your vacuum, you'll also need to get a 5 gallon bucket that you can either attach to your current vacuum, or place on a rolling caddy. There are lots of examples and plans out there on the Interweb to give you ideas on how to go about that.

[Ken Kortge]

Be a bit cautious of putting both the vacuum and a power tool on the same electrical circuit. The Rigid 1450 (I have one also) is 11 Amps. If you add a 15 Amp portable table saw, the combined 26 Amps may pop a 15 or 20 Amp circuit breaker ... especially during motor startup.

I've been meaning to use my ammeter to measure the actual Amperage of both the vacuum and saw during use, but it hasn't happened yet.

[Irvin Gomez]

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful replies.

[Doug Garson]

An option to the Dust Deputy is a shop made Thien baffle. I have no experience with the Dust Deputy so I can't compare them but I have Thien baffles on my Ridged shop vac and Delta 1 hp dust collector and the bucket under the Thien baffle fills up long before there is significant material in the shop vac or dc. The inventor of the Thien baffle is Phil Thien a member here. Lot's of videos around on how to build one.

[Art Mann]

I am coming late to the party but I just want to add my endorsement of the Ridgid vac Brian Kent owns. I own the same one and the only complaint I have is it is a little loud. I have bought a Dust Deputy for it but haven't hooked it up yet. Also, I want to add that I bought the Rockler super flexible hose. It comes with adapters so you can hook it up to almost any hand held power tool with a dust port. It is much easier to use than the stiff plastic hose that comes with the Ridgid.

[Frank Pratt]

The dust deputy is amazing. Only the very finest dust gets past it to the vacuum. Performs better than advertised.

[Prashun Patel]

"Performs better than advertised."

(dumb, ironic joke alert): not any more.

[Jeffrey Martel]

Only advise I can offer is that if you put panty hose around the shop vac's filter, it will help prevent it from getting clogged with shavings/dust. A Dust Deputy will take a lot of stuff away from the vac, but things like plane shavings still get through and like to stick to the filter. Use a pre-filter of pantyhose or similar fabric and they won't stick as easily. Filter will last longer, too.

[Prashun Patel]

That is great advice. Thanks. I will do that!!!

[Daniel O'Neill]

Also, get yourself a good respirator. I am partial to the 3m half mask: it's inexpensive, fits well, and has replaceable, available filters.

+1
I got this respirator and it works great! Near me the 4 pack of cartridges are cheaper at HD

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