Anybody have ideas on a good shop vac

[Bob Latourelle]

Looking for suggestions on a good small shop vac to use with a random orbital sander. Not Festool or Fein. Both are to expensive for me.

[Jamie Buxton]

Buy any shop vac, use good earmuffs to handle the shriek, and buy an aftermarket small-diameter hose. The usual shop-vac hose is large diameter so it can swallow construction debris. However, the large hose is inflexible, and it kinda steers the sander. A hose with a smaller diameter is more flexible, so you have better control of the sander, and it is still big enough to pass sanding dust.

[Mike Henderson]

Check the Ridgid at Home Depot. The shelf label will tell you how much suction and how loud (relatively). Make your choice.

I have a Ridgid and it's good - not as quiet as I'd like, but not a screamer.

Mike

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Buy any shop vac, use good earmuffs to handle the shriek, and buy an aftermarket small-diameter hose. The usual shop-vac hose is large diameter so it can swallow construction debris. However, the large hose is inflexible, and it kinda steers the sander. A hose with a smaller diameter is more flexible, so you have better control of the sander, and it is still big enough to pass sanding dust.

+1
That's what I've been doing for 20 years. The filters clog pretty fast, but even my old PC sander catches 99% of the dust with an old craftsman shop vac.

[Jamie Buxton]

One more suggestion....When sanding, a tool-triggered vacuum is a terrific thing. By "tool-triggered" I mean that the vac gets turned on any time you turn the sander on, and it turns off when you turn the sander off. Me, I'm always turning the sander on and off to move the workpiece or move myself. Fancy vacuums like those Festools and Feins you don't want to buy have tool triggering built in. But you can buy separate tool-triggering switches from any woodworking catalog. Here's an example, but there are many out there -- http://www.rockler.com/i-socket-110m...-vacuum-switch

[Mike Chalmers]

I use a small shop vac with a Dust Deputy. I seldom have to clean the filter, just empty the bucket.
I would advise that you stick to a low power one, as they don't need much. I find that sometimes the ROS is sucking down tight on the work piece making it hard to move the sander.

[Ole Anderson]

ShopVac is bottom on my list. Too noisy and bearings go too fast. Ridgid or Craftsman (my choice) are better choices. I have the 5.5 hp 12 gallon one.

[Dave Zellers]

I use a small shop vac with a Dust Deputy. I seldom have to clean the filter, just empty the bucket.

Yes, + 1 on this, but the OP said no Fien or Festool and, say a Ridgid vac plus a Dust Deputy pretty much adds up to an expensive vac.

But you're so right- a Dust Deputy in between your sander and the vac is a wonderful thing.

So buy the Ridgid or whatever vac now and then down the road add the DD.

But as stated above, wear hearing protection. Something like this is all you need.
http://www.amazon.com/Honeywell-R-01...=1458521831&sr

[Mike Henderson]

ShopVac is bottom on my list. Too noisy and bearings go too fast. Ridgid or Craftsman (my choice) are better choices. I have the 5.5 hp 12 gallon one.

I absolutely agree about the ShopVac brand. I had one and gave it to GoodWill because it was so loud.

Mike

[George Bokros]

I have a DD that I paid $90 for at Woodcraft. It is the small one and I only use it for sanding. I installed a new filter in my vac when i got the DD and it is as clean as I installed it. i use a trash can separator with my chip collector and it works fine for the big stuff.

[Dan Friedrichs]

And buy yourself a HEPA filter for whatever you get. CleanStream Pro is a often-recommended one.

I built my own cyclone pre-separator, added variable speed and tool-triggered, and included the HEPA filter.

[Dan Hahr]

Get the Ridgid 6 hp 16 gal with a detachable blower. It has a lifetime warranty. I'm on my third one because HD won't just send me a switch. This latest model has a much beefier switch which should last more than the avg 7 years the others did. Dan

[Dave Zellers]

Can't you just cut out the broken switch and insert a light switch in line? That's what I did with my old Craftsman 20 years ago and it is still going strong.

With these simple 110v motors, any 110v switch will do.

[Mark Blatter]

One more suggestion....When sanding, a tool-triggered vacuum is a terrific thing. By "tool-triggered" I mean that the vac gets turned on any time you turn the sander on, and it turns off when you turn the sander off. Me, I'm always turning the sander on and off to move the workpiece or move myself. Fancy vacuums like those Festools and Feins you don't want to buy have tool triggering built in. But you can buy separate tool-triggering switches from any woodworking catalog. Here's an example, but there are many out there -- http://www.rockler.com/i-socket-110m...-vacuum-switch

There you go. I learned one more new thing today. I had no idea such a thing existed. Those are pretty cool. I will need to get one or two for my shop.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I would definitely recommend a Clean Stream filter, as they are made of Kevlar, and you can wash them with a hose to clean them, as compared to the paper one that came with it. I also recommend Rocklers flexible hose adapter hose.http://www.rockler.com/dust-right-un...-port-hose-kit

I also recommend this little gadget. http://www.rockler.com/fastcap-remote-control-vacuum-switch