I had good result strapping the flat weight from a standing lamp underneath the bucket, wheelbase permitting, obviously. Lots of different shapes & widths out there.
I blow out my shop vac filter with my electric leaf blower. Been using the same filter for ten years! I clean the wife’s vacuum with the leaf blower too. Works great!
Great video! I love the pool filter sock idea. My favorite shop vac hack is to use one of those remote control outlets that are used for holiday lights etc. They have a remote control for off/on. I wear the remote on a lanyard around my neck and I can start and stop the vac as needed without having to walk over to the vac
I use the remote also. Came with 2. I keep one Velcrowed on my dust cart and in lives on a massive aluminum caribeaner to move around. Sometimes I just use the switch but having both options is great
Good video, I use one of those remote outlets to turn on the engine block heater on my tractor from inside my house, over 200 feet away and in a metal building.
Using a pool filter sock is effectively reducing filter capacity. The pleats just increases the filter capacity. Using the sock reduces that. The better filter will have a higher square inch and the sock itself reduces that to a single wrap with no pleats.
I worked for ShopVac Corporation for nearly 25 years. The profit on our vacs themselves was razor-thin. Filters, on the other hand, cost us almost nothing to make, but REALLY brought in the bucks! 🙂
@@cram1nblaze Don't worry...they all but went out of business. The owner sold the name to a Chinese company and now just put China-made vacs in boxes in a little plant in Pennsylvania so they can write 'Made in USA' on the outside.
All of these are great solutions.. I am very retentive about my shop vac being very efficient due to being in the construction industry. For over 25 years I have always put about a 1/2” of standing water in the tub! This allows the dust to drop & stick to the tub, therefore keeping the filter a lot cleaner! Thanks for the additional tips to add!!
When cleaning drywall dust, I put in a bout 1/3 full of water, that's enough with a 15 gallon shop vac to hold it down and power drywall sand a whole home without filter cleaning.
The cart with the topper setup is awesome and I'm totally inspired. I've also never considered MAKING a muffler, I've bought a couple, looks like I'll be making some of those too! I feel like I'd want is pointing up like an old VW stinger 😆! A note on the sock thing for the filter, don't use cheap knee-highs. If some female in your life wears decent tights cut the legs off them instead. No "runs" and I just have to give them a quick snap and all the dust falls off. They should be a little thicker and have more stretch, at least the ones I used did. When my wife got a run, they were headed for the trash anyway, and those pool filter socks were not cheap for me locally, like $10 for 1. I've only had to cut up 2 of her pairs (to isolate the best sections) and they've lasted me years. I have 4 w/d vacs that I use in the trades, various sizes/power for different jobs.
Good call on the tights, I'll bet some yoga pants even have enough "airflow" to work. If you do want to go with the pool filters socks the link I put in the video description is for 20 socks; still less than $15.
@@HouseDoctorRay I hadn't even considered yoga pants before! Not that she goes through them much, but I wonder if they would be too wide, or not wide enough and not have enough stretch... Less than $15 for 20 is amazing! Have you seen them? Wonder if they are as good as the ones you've used.
I like your muffler tip; however, you must make sure that the cumulative area of holes you drill are at least equal to the diameter of the exhaust pipe. If not you will increase back pressure and decrease suction. Additionally, because of the filter material you added, I would 2x the cumulative diameter to account for the restriction caused by the filter material and maybe even go up a size in pvc pipe. Keep it up!
@@jerryp1970 No not really because the restriction is the diameter of the exhaust port on your vac. 2.5-3” should be fine but the point I made in my original comment still apply.
I know this video is a couple of years old, and I've seen about every kind of vacuum cart built there is, but I really like the look and how compact it is. I have the same shop vac so this is definitely on my build list. Thanks.
I like the pool filter sock Idea. I replaced my paper shop vac filter with a washable type one I bought from Bunnings (Aust). It's made by Gerni. Cost about $15. To clean it I just wash it under the tap. No dust even when I clean it. Beautiful!
I especially love your cart. It takes up no extra space per se, gets the bucket at a convenient height for emptying, and the holes for accessories is a very nice touch!
cool vid. cyclonic dust separators are the WHIP! i use one before the shop vac i use for my sandblast cabinet. the fine dust it spins out is insane. my filters last waaaaaaaay longer now. definitely worth the loot. cheers
For the past 40 years I have just been cleaning my shopvac filter with a water [jet] spray and let it dry for a week or so. I have a second filter to swap in while the first one is drying. I really like the pool filter sock though. Thanks!
I use a sock made from a flour bag for me by a neighbor 40 years ago. Filters for my craftsman cost $30 in Canada and has this sock has saved me hundreds over the years. Take the sock of and then blow the filter off with an air compressor and it is like new again.
Wow, Ray, great ideas. I had no idea about the pool filter socks. Also, I usually slap on a pair of hearing protectors when using the shop vac. 95+ dB for an hour will result in hearing loss so your muffler build resulted in an impressive reduction. I think I’m going to do the whole Dustopper build like you showed. You took the humble shop vac to a whole new level.
Good job! You not only found ways to quiet and improve the shop vac but you also improved the design to make it functional. It would have been nice to see how well the dustopper worked on picking up water. It would be a complete win if you don't have to take off the filter
I would always take off the filter when sucking up water. There will be water in the airstream and will reach the filter. Any dirt on the filter will turn into a pasty mess.
Another idea for a pre-filter, is a plain white paper towel. They work very well, just wrap a single layer around the outside of the shop vac filter and hold in place with almost anything, tape, string, elastic bands, wire etc. When it gets plugged up, no need to clean it, just undo your fasteners and drop in the bottom of the vac to throw out with the rest of the dirt, and roll out a new one. I've been useing them for years. BTW, not my idea, I saw it on youtube ages ago, unfortunately I don't remember the fellows name to give him credit.
Well from now on I credit Larry Thompson. Thanks Larry. I think I remember that video, old barn and he walked through a door and the vacs were out back?
youtube.com/@engineershomeworkshop2692 I got it from this guy and also copied his prefilter housing idea old window screen and wire. It works great, keeps everything in place, and is easy to take off. I found that viva signature cloth paper towels work the best.
Great video! I always swap the power cord with a longer one. Just keep your eye out for an old house vacuum cleaner in the trash and cut the cord. Swap takes about 5 mins.
I'm impressed. I have a bizarre fascination with vacuums and the ways they can be used. I even have a TH-cam video with how I attached a vacuum to a post-hole digger. I've made pre-filters for years. I have a 55-gallon barrel converted to one, which is used with my post-hole digger. I made one from a five-gallon bucket which I keep in the house and can convert my household vac into wet-dry use and quickly use water to clean stains or spills in my carpet. I paused your video when I saw the Dustopper and ordered one--it's prettier than mine.
SuperVac! A few years ago I actually got a pool filter (on seasonal clearance) for my shop vac. It was cheaper than the correct filter. Far cheaper than the recommended wet filter. And it is an upgrade that has lasted and performed better.
My hack is cutting and using household AC pleated filters and Harbor Fright ball end shock cords .The filters are cut and stretched to wrap around and secured with two shock cords. This is for a small corded vac which would normally use a paper type filter.
I did the dual 5g bucket diy dust cyclone. I tried using a single but I think the height helps with separation. I also made a cart but regardless it's not fun to move around. My solution was buying a 20ft hose so I don't have to move the contraption around
@@kevinoneill41 Mines a 2.5" hose. For regular vacuuming I don't notice any difference. If you need the most suction you can get I might use a shorter hose. Hard to say if there's a noticeable difference
I was gonna comment something similar on the dust cyclone. I got a dewalt version of the cyclone and use it on a 5 gallon bucket connected to a central vac. Works pretty well and a lot cheaper than a full dust collection system, for anyone interested.
I'm going to check out pool filter socks. I've been taping paper towels around my filters. That's worked really well. Reconfigured garage and will build sanding area
Great video, thanks for taking the time. Not sure if someone covered this but for what it's worth, 10 dB is though to be about half (or twice) as loud. The dB (or deci-Bell) was developed at Bell Labs (AT&T). Since the human ear can discern sounds over an obscenely large range of energy (about a factor of a billion) they used the logarithmic scale. The Bell is very big, so they use the deci-Bell or dB, which is one tenth of a bell. For the record, every 3 dB is double the power but your ear can barely discern it. 10 dB is 10 times the power which sounds about "twice" as loud. Thanks again.
@@robertopenheimer1451 Thanks for the comment, but you didn't seem to read my point carefully or understand it. You're talking about power levels which hardly anyone cares about other than engineers. It's true -3dB is half the power and -10 dB is one tenth. To the human ear, which most people care about, 10 dB is thought to be about twice as loud, -10 dB is about half as loud. Once typically can't "hear +/- 3dB.
@@robertopenheimer1451 @@jazbuilding human ears are so good they have a 10 million times difference in power between the quietest and loudest they can hear. Simply making the sound energy half hardly reduces the noise heard because the ear is so incredibly good at hearing.
@@hugegamer5988 I am capable of easily discerning a 3db shift, if you cannot your ears are not as good as you believe. I was in charge of the lab for a major loudspeaker manufacturer. The lab included an anechoic chamber and sophisticated anechoic testing and graphing. I believe I am qualified to make my comment. Hearing is subjective, properly set up and calibrated equipment is not.
Thank you for all these tips! Cleaning the filter is always an outdoor job for me. It’s not convenient when there is snow and cold outside. The pool filter sock and the dustopper will be addition to my shop this week!
I have to say, you did the best dust filtration add-on test I’ve seen on any hack your shopvac vids. Most of those throw down a jar’s worth of cat hair, or a cup of shop dust. Not you! Oh no! You bring in a full BUCKET of fine sawdust. I was a bit afraid of what was going to happen. I have a dust deputy, but that demo makes me want this one. Bravo!
Thanks. I actually used too much. Once the Dustopper gets close to full the dust can no longer fall because the bucket is full. It works better if you empty it sooner.
I still have my almost 30yr old ShopVac and I use blue shop towel as a pre Filter over the the foam Filter held together with a plastic ring over it. This is the original set up but the old blue cloth was replaced with the blue shop towels 2 pieces. My wife uses the vacumm to just to clean our apt now its well built and powerful!! I'm amazed how this lasted so long from renovations to cleaning cars and now my apartment it keeps on going..ShopVac!!
@@HouseDoctorRay The blue shop towels are reusable and stronger from my experience but the rubber bands are a good option. Nice vacumm cart you built Btw 😎👍
I see this video is a year old and it was suggested to me why I don’t know I wasn’t looking at shop vac stuff. However, these are great suggestions. As far as the muffler goes, I found the best way to minimize noise is to have two hoses I have a 30 foot hose I use for vacuuming attached to the inlet and then I have a 16 foot that I ran out the garage door and it’s amazing how much it decreases the sound.
We were meant for each other Wally. The same thing you mentioned applies to compressors. I've seen quite a few times people plumbing the inlet outside to reduce the noise.
My shopvac hack is the use of a pool cleaning hose to replace the short standard shopvac hose. simple modification using the standard hose ends on the pool hose. vac now sits in one spot and the 30' hose covers more area. Plus I can put the vac outside and not have to listen to the noise.
Gave me a pretty good chuckle. You had dust suction for the drill press while drilling holes in the "muffler" and were creating large plastic non threatening chunks of plastic, but while using a circular saw on a track, fine dust was going everywhere. On another note, I had one of those wet/dry Craftsman vacuums back in 2000 and with about 10 minutes on it the motor caught fire which ignited the plastic at the top of the lid.
Man, this is pure gold! I just picked up a rigid shop vac and the first thing I thought about was man that filter is going to be a PITA to get clean. Thank you sir!
Ridgid sells vacuum cleaner bags for their shop vacs. They work amazingly well, last a very long time, and you’ll never need to clean your filter again. The vacuum also never looses suction with the bags.
I’m pretty meticulous with my pleated filters. I actually vacuum my pleated filter using a second bagged wet/dry vacuum. I find this the only way to really clean the pleated filter. You did a really great job constructing the dustopper cart!
I almost clicked "NEXT!" and its a good thing I didn't. Cuz you had some pretty good ideas there that I can use. The Pool Sock was a winner and that's all I thought you had. When you talked about adding that dust collector I almost clicked "NEXT" and its a good thing I didn't. Because your modification and the way you designed the collector to go over the top was surprisingly cool. So I've been for about a year now had thoughts of building a Thien-baffle cyclonic separator on my Craftsman 16gal shop vac. And your modification almost killed it but now I will build the Thien-Baffle cyclonic separator on my Craftsman and still build your modification to raise the tool storage at a height that negates having to bend over. Soooooooo Thanks for putting this up!
I use shop vacs down in my basement,garage and barn. We actually own a few of them. I clean the filters very easily. I take them out to my Pole Barn out back and dump what I can in a garbage can. My filters have a Black Plastic Ring and a material cover that sits over the filter. You set it over the filter and push the ring down over the filter and it holds it tight over the filter. I simply start up my Air Compressor and Blow it clean with air pressure. There is no need to take it apart to even consider washing the material covering the filter the air pressure blows it so clean. Invest in a Air Compressor if you don’t have one it is a needed tool to have today. You have no idea how many vacuum cleaners I also fixed that someone would of thrown away because that air compressor came so handy to have. Air Pressure does wonders.
I know it's an old video but a tip on the dust bucket deal as I have built my own version that works great and really reduces the amount of dust that gets to your filter. I add a garbage bag inside the bucket for easier clean up.
The dust dustopper has worked really well for me. I've using it for over 2 years and highly recommend. I use a paint bucket and I also set another dustopper in a large 32g drum. In my experience, it works better then cyclone separator.
TL;DR: Get a disposable HEPA vacuum bag. You can reuse them by cutting open one end, then fold that edge over a few times and use a few big binder clips to secure it. Like a bag of chips. It works so much better than skimmer socks, it'll last way way longer, keeps the cartridge filter & motor ridiculously clean, makes switching between wet & dry super easy, no lungful of dust whenever you open the vacuum, and filters everything out before the air can get to the exhaust port. $20 solved basically every annoyance and health hazard with vacuuming (or rather, getting rid of the dirt and dust without it going everywhere) including drywall dust and fine particulate that most vacuums shouldn't handle. Even the annoyance of having to clean the outside of the vacuum because it gets covered in a layer of dust any time you open it. I haven't had to clean my cartridge filter at all since I switched to a HEPA bag (4+ years ago, it would need a monthly clean at minimum before then) or vacuum the vacuum itself right after I empty it. And every time I switch from dry to wet pickup. Vacuum bags are a game changer, especially when you use a HEPA filter bag as well as the HEPA cartridge filter. It's like the dirt disappears into a black hole, compared to the nightmare it is when you have to empty or clean a bagless vac. The full spiel: As a pool owner, I can promise you those skimmer socks will get a run in them just like pantyhose/knee highs. I spent a lot of time hunting down special synthetic mesh skimmer socks because the normal ones would rip within a week. (The synthetic mesh ones wouldn't work as a vacuum filter though) You can get fabric pre-filter bags for shop vacs that would do a much better job, but my double HEPA filter method makes the fabric pre-filter fairly unnecessary (see below - I was able to skip the muffler as well) I am picking up some skimmer socks for my shop vac tomorrow - but I use them over the foam filter for wet pickup. Makes rinsing the filter so much easier, rather than trying to pick out the layer of wet fur/hair/fibres from the foam filter. My solution? Go with a HEPA vacuum bag. Costs about the same as a pack of skimmer socks, lasts a hell of a lot longer, it'll stop more dust getting to the cartridge HEPA filter than a skimmer sock would,you can vac up drywall or fine particles without the dustopper, makes emptying the vacuum and switching between wet/dry pickup so much easier (and you don't end up inhaling a bunch of dust/dirt every time you open the vac canister) and they don't actually have to be disposable. When it's full, cut along one of the short edges, empty the bag, then fold that open end down a few times and secure with a few big binder clips. Seriously, that $20 HEPA bag has saved me so much time, frustration and coughing fits. I bought a pack of two well before the pandemic and the first one is still going strong! (I use the type H, yellow colour disposable hepa bags - there is a tougher tear resistant one, which I would probably buy next time, but mostly to compare with the yellow ones) I have vacuumed up broken glass, drywall, tiny bits of gravel, staples, needles, dry chlorine, baking soda, clay soil, bark... The list goes on. I am still surprised by how well it has held up, and am still a bit annoyed that I put up with the supposedly superior bagless vacuums for so long. The HEPA bag does a good enough job with drywall, chemicals and anything else that requires a P2/N95 mask. I can't compare it to a muffler, but I feel safer with two layers of HEPA filters and it's also way better on the motor and cartridge filter long term, as they stay pretty damn clean and there's no air restriction from the muffler or from the cartridge filter getting clogged up. I haven't tried a dustopper, just because I don't need the dust extraction functionality, and I'm more concerned with the very fine particles that a HEPA filter will catch. Dry chlorine powder is my benchmark for filtration - I had a commercial canister vacuum with a micron fabric filter, someone spilled a bit of chlorine and grabbed the vacuum instead of the broom. It picked up the chlorine granules, but the micron filter fabric couldn't stop the very fine particles from going straight through it, into the motor, and back out in the air. And the vacuum motor smelt like chlorine for months every time it ran after being coated in that very fine chlorine dust - which ended up being one of the reasons I bought the shop vac. HEPA filter handled chlorine just fine - I wouldn't have even tried it without the HEPA bag as well as the canister filter, because of that exhaust port. And as a side benefit, with 2 layers of HEPA filtration my shop vac could technically work as an air purifier. Just a very loud one. Works alright if you just want to turbo charge an air change, like when your kitchen exhaust fan would take ages to clear out a bit of smoke (btw, I have extremely bad allergies and I'm hypersensitive to chlorine - hence the minor obsession on the very fine particles and max filtration efficiency. When you get an instant migraine for the rest of the day because someone vacuumed briefly - you'll go to some lengths. Upside is the shop vac with all its filters is still the cheapest vacuum I've owned, and it beats the rest of them by far)
Thanks for the tips. I recently bought the new Dewalt shop vac. It is half as loud as my shop vac, worth every penny. Like other comments, I use a hepa bag and filter. I really like your tower, and will be adding that next.
I use bag filters, I haven't needed to replace or clean the vacuum motor drum filter in a couple of years - The vacuum is used primarily for the cars - I say this because it seems like many people overlook the effectiveness of the filter bags.
Yes you have given me some good ideas, I would like to say that 99% of the time I clean my shop vac outside, and with an air hose I blow out my filter and the wind takes it all away. I also use a prefilter they sell for collecting drywall cement dust for regular use they last along time if not abused, I have a wet vac especially for wet and it had one of those wet vac filters. If I had a shop I'd definitely try your combo dust collecting idea and have maybe one dedicated vas per saw or have it plumbed for all saws. I'll definitely be shopping for some pool socks though , thanks👍
WOW very impressive. I bought a used Craftsman and even without the filter installed it didn't have any sucking though the motor sounded robust but straining. I removed the motor from the top housing and found a thin micro filter presumably to stop dust from going out the exhaust. Anyway once I cleaned that thin filter I had a relatively perfect suction. Also the pool sock is a great idea, I used womens nylon back when they were a thing. Seemed there was no shortage of them since they were easily snagged. Great video, looking forward to more.
Good stuff! I like that you tested the dust collector on sawdust to see how effective it is, and how you solved the unwieldiness of it with a simple "up" grade 😂. The pool socks are gold, such a great idea! I'm finding some today!! Here's my tip: I use a wireless remote switch to control the vacuum. I keep the little remote (size of a FOB) near the inlet of the hose so I can turn it on like a flashlight. Which works well for cleaning chips off the lathe and milling machines. Regarding sound: You're right about decibels, they are logarithmic. It works out that for every 3 dBa, power is doubled. So 87 dBa is 1/2 the energy of 90, and 93 dBa is 4X the energy level of 87. Here's some levels to consider. 10 dBa - a pin dropping 30 dBa - whisper 60 dBa - conversation 85 dBa - snowblower, diesel truck passing (also damage hearing after 8 hrs) 90 dBa - squeeze toy, mower 105 dBa - table saw 140 dBa - jet engine at takeoff (eardrum rupture) 180 dBa - rocket launch 194 dBa - shock wave threshold, when "sound" can liquefy soft tissue
That cyclone results is great. But it tells me that the underlying design of the vacuum needs to change to a dual chamber design - perhaps one for dry and one for wet?
That is very good tips, I've been a carpenter and cabinet maker for 30 years and I'm always working and doing, but never trying too improve my situation, thank you for that, 👍.
I was impressed at how carefully you drilled the holes in the muffler. I would have just held the pipe with my foot and gone to town drilling a bunch of random holes! Lol.
The dust collector you are using is acting more as a chip separator, actually, that’s exactly what it is. I built them using a 20 gallon bucket and pvc fittings. Works great!
This is the coolest ever hacks for a shop vac I have watched. Oddly enough I only need a pool filter and a dust topper. I have everything else. Thank you.
I generally get the good Hepa washable filters and the trick is to keep those things as clean as possible then your Shop-Vac will run at top performance always. And don't forget to remove them if you're sucking up water
Impressive video. Your modifications are functionable and very useful, of course the cherry on top is your ingenuity in making the set up for the dust stopper...subbing!
Great video. I am surprised you did not mention a filter bag in the wet dry vac. Keeps your filter clean, makes dumping cleaner and you can almost completely fill your vac. Yes they cost but they are reasonable.
With the cyclone collector you don't really need it. It's not worth the cost to me at $10 a bag (Ridgid). If you only use your vac occasionally it might be worth it, but wood working can fill a 5g bucket pretty quick
@@A6Legit Agreed! The cyclone is a game changer. They used to only make them for 55 gallon drums. I mainly use bags for drywall dust because it was a shop vac killer. Great stuff!
Great stuff! DBs are logarithmic. Every 3db is a doubling or halving. The 97 to 87 decrease means you halved and then halved it again, plus reduced it further.
Of power required not actual sound. Meaning it takes twice as much power to make 3db increase or reducing power by half. This redirected the sound and honestly isn't much reduction. Still harmful to hearing without hearing protection. So say you have 100 watt amp and your stereo makes 91 db. You would need 200 to increase volume to 94. 400 to reach 97 db 800 to reach 100. In this case it has nothing to do with reduction in sound. This just changed pitch most of the noise is coming from the motor itself.
Mannnnn I been needing those tips! I just threw out my Shop-Vac because they don't make the filter anymore, so now I'm looking for one that will last me more than two years.
Good video. My noise hack is having bought a set of those noise-canceling earbuds. They're so effective I can listen to a podcast or music comfortably even at low volume while running a shop vac, household vacuum cleaner or any other noisy tool. Some of the best money I've ever spent. Edit: Decibels are logarithmic, that is correct, but so are our ears. So while a 10dB increase in sound is actually ten times the sound energy, we generally perceive it as roughly double the volume. Twenty decibels would be 100x sound energy and four times the subjective volume level; thirty decibels 1000x and eight times, and so on.
I have been doing plumbing in my home, and helping friends with plumbing since I was in my late 20 (now 57) I have never seen that CPVC pipe cutter you used in the dustopper part of the video, and I think I'm going to one of the big box stores and get a pair
What's cool about vacuum systems is it doesn't matter how large of a volume you have for the internals of the vacuum system like the addition of extra hoses and that bucket and all that won't decrease your suction so long as it's not restrictive. I took a tiny like 2 gal shop vac and made a central vac system in my work truck so I have a remote turns it on and have 4 different ports I can connect to. The dust bucket is a good idea I might add that in.
In general it seems like larger capacity vacs have higher HP motors. Definitely do the dust bucket or DIY one. It's easier to empty debris from, however the filter will still get clogged with all the fine particles. It just keeps the bulk of it out of the vacuum so you don't have to mess with bags or try dumping the vac with all the accessories attached to it.
I take my filters outside and lay them in the grass. Then I use my gas powered ( or electric will work too)blower and blow the dust out. Keeps you from wearing the dust. Just make sure the wind is blowing away from you😁. Air compressor works too but usually you are closer to the filter and the dust coming off.
The sock is a great addition. When the dustvac filter gets clogged with fine particles it can be cleaned - just go over the outside with another vacuum cleaner and a small nozzle.
The dust collector cart was a great build, thanks for the idea. Please keep your free hand behind the saw because if it hits a knot or foreign object and the saw jumps you’ll lose it.
The difference of an inline filter like the dust stopper, or a cyclonic centrifugal filter makes a HUGE change to what actually gets through to the shopvac...certainly made a difference catching a lot of the finer dusts that clog up the vac filter so quickly. Great video by the way...loved the pool filter sock hack...will certainly be adding that to mine. Cheers from Sydney Aus!!!!
When I set up my small wood shop ,I set up a vacume tube thatwent all around the shop with several out lets, I set the shop vack at one end of the shop connected to that end of the tube, then plug the hose into what ever out let is closest to where I need to vacume, works great and only have to move the hose from outlet to outlet as needed.
I’m a 46 year old custom stone mason licensed contractor that’s been doing demo and flooring since I was 14 years old. Buying a better filter is very helpful. I didn’t for years. I also have severe asthma and allergies. So the most filtration that you can find is best. In flooring and sole and stone, no one uses a shop vac as much as we do. Sometimes cleaning the filter is a job every few minutes in some cases. Having two filters helps with the time but in general , most every shop vac that I’ve owned , the filter has lasted as long as the shop vac did. Now not to say the condition was the greatest and yeah probably could have been due for replacement , but when the vac needs replacing as well, . . . Well not to be too shallow, I won’t go too deep. You can buy a muffler that attaches to the outlet for around $15-20 bucks. They work great and fit perfect not to mention do what they are designed to do. Always wear protection. Always. Get a good painters mask. It’s called a respirator. 3M makes most of them on the market. I have silicosis and mesothelioma on top of my severe Asthma. It’s not fun. Protect it ! All of it ! Everything that you care about from your ears to your eyes, Arms Legs Skin. Yes skin And especially Your lungs. Even if your a smoker of anything. Still. Protect them
Spray the entire vacuum with a good protectant like 303 or no low sheen armor all. Inside and out, even inside the hoses and pipes. Obviously, start with a very clean vac! The layer of protectant keeps static electricity from building up, so dust sheds easily. Cleanup is so much easier.
Works quite well, and its cheap, too. A little of these protectant products goes a long way. In some cases, I have observed treated plastic surfaces repelling adhesive pads a year later. Which isn’t exactly what I wanted, but it illustrates how long lasting the protection is. But everything has to be clean prior to treatment. I worked in fire damage cleanup, and our machinery would be covered with smoke and ash at conclusion of project, which took a while to clean, and even then contamination remained. After treatment with a protectant, almost no dirt, smoke, or soot would adhere.
Thank you so much for this video! You've addressed all my concerns except the tip over issue but one of the comments said to put paver stones in the shop vac to stabilize it. I going to try that. This video is so helpful, thanks again.
HD buckets are inferior. Get one from motor oil or hydraulic oil, or paint. Darker colors resist UV light better than ones from restaurant dishwashing or sanitizer solutions. I call it " ultraviolent radiation." Keep all plastics away from it as much as possible .
For those with smaller shop vac setups, who want that cyclone separator action (like the dustopper; it is just one of many available cyclone separator designs on the market).. but with a MUCH smaller footprint. There exist in-line cyclone separators. I got one by Cen-Tec called the Turbo Duster. You put it in line with the vacuum hose; personally I chose to put it at the end of my flexible hose right before I put the hose pipes and whatever attachments. I have a 1 and 1/4" size shop vac hose, which is the smaller size and often the same size as standard household vacuum hoses (meaning can use most household vacuum attachments on the shop vac hose) +I can use the Turbo Duster with the included adapter for my shop vac, but if you have a larger size hose you may need to check specs and/or get an adapter. The Turbo Duster is small, which is both the advantage AND potentially a con; it will cyclone separate but only holds a plastic cup's worth of whatever you're vacuuming. I personally prefer it because we're low on space, +if I need to vacuum a lot the cup is quite easy to empty (twist on/off). But if you're doing a lot of volume with sawdust etc. it will probably irritate you how small it is so for that better to use the larger options. Just figured would mention since I think there are probably some other people like me, who want the flexibility of a shop wet/dry vac with cyclone separation, but who have very little space available; where a 5 gallon bucket sized system in addition to the vacuum size itself is too large or bulky to be workable.
I have the cyclone dust collector from Rockler and it works great but I don’t have space for it and I have to take it apart after each use. This is more convenient. I always save my fine sawdust for repairs. Especially filling wooden holes or large gaps in wood. I learned from Paul sellers to mix sawdust, warm water and PL glue. It works great
Great video, thanks! I found heftier shop vac filter socks at Walmart and Home Depot for around $6-7 each, and found pool skimmer socks on-line for around $4 for 30 (much thinner material). Looking forward to trying them out and saving time, effort, and dust clouds when brushing and air-blowing out the 100 flaps on the shop-vac filter. Thanks again!
I like how models show HP ratings of 5 and 6 when in America the plug has 120V @ 15A max meaning 1800 watts max or 2.4 HP And that’s at a 100% efficiency. To get 5+ you need 200% efficiency, with a couple of vacuums hooked together you could have perpetual motion.
This is some great ideas for shop vacs but what peaked my interest is what kind of insulation do you have on those garage doors? It's exactly what I need to do to mine.
To improve further and provide more filter surface area, use a catch bag inside of vac. Since most of the debris will be in your cyclone your vac will remain very clean and bonus is that it works better than your sock, less restriction, I basically never have to clean filter.
If you have a round shop vac like the Craftsman shown on your video. Look on the inside of the drum where the hose fitting comes into the drum. If the outlet of that hose fitting just comes straight in or is angled down, get a 90 degree pvc fitting of the same size and attach it to the inside of the fitting so as the air comes in it swirls around the drum the same way a cyclone does. It's a lot cheaper than the one you have that mounts on a bucket and works great.
Cool idea for the two stage vacuum. Thanks! EDIT: As far as the muffler goes, you can buy one cheaper that is much smaller and I think it works as well the one you built. The sock is a cool idea but, they sell a package of paper socks that go over the filter.
@@HouseDoctorRay I've bought cloth socks specifically made for shop vacs online. But it's been a few years since and I don't remember which site they were on. Most likely ebay.
I've put panty hose legs over shop vac filters for over thirty years. I collect vacs at yard sales, disperse them around my home and shops, and 3D print (many) custom accessories for chip removal and fume extractions.
A two minute TH-cam video on how to make baffles will help with mufflers. I did just about everything you did when it came to constructing mine, but I went ahead and inserted a core with baffles/chambers to reduce the sound profile. I think a lot of people get sucked into the decibel rating instead of directing the sound i.e. air
I learned about the filters used on bituminous concrete ( asphalt) factories and how they work. When adding sand and rock to the mix in has to filter out a lot of the fine dust to improve the quality of the mix. These filters are not manually cleaned very often but they would get clogged really fast with all the dust in the material. They have a similar construction to your shop vac with that sock over the filter. The filter has a pipes inside the filter with compressed air that release every few minutes in a blast that knocks the caked on dust off the outside of the filter. This self cleaning allows it to continue doing its job with minimum maintenance. Shop Vac have a problem that the filter is not cleaned like this but the fine particles are allowed to build up which decreases the power of the vacuum. The only thing that is easy to do is to jolt the vac once in a while to knock dust of the filter. Also I wonder if silicon spray on the sock would help keep the dust from clinging to the sock?
More shop vac tips: th-cam.com/video/pI_TEhyP6RQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=R-lF-OTAv8hZFoTx
Looks like TH-cam finally decided to reward you by showing this video to people after nearly a year. Congrats! It's a worthy watch.
Thanks. I wish knew how or why it was put into the rotation.
Hey man love the video just TH-cam put your vid out to me for some reason
Add a paver block or 2 inside the shop vac bucket to lower the center of gravity so you don't pull the tower over when you pull on the hose.
Great idea 👊🏻
That's fkn BRILLIANT! ... (HOW did I not think of that..?) Thanks!
That's fkn BRILLIANT! ... (HOW did I not think of that..?) Thanks! ☮✌🏻
I had good result strapping the flat weight from a standing lamp underneath the bucket, wheelbase permitting, obviously. Lots of different shapes & widths out there.
I used your method and it worked perfectly. Thanks man 👍🏻👊🏻
I blow out my shop vac filter with my electric leaf blower. Been using the same filter for ten years! I clean the wife’s vacuum with the leaf blower too. Works great!
Awww! Isn't that cute? His and hers vacuums! Take care now...
That’s a trick my dad showed me years ago. As well as “meh, forget vacuuming the car, just open the doors and use a leaf blower” I love that guy 😊
Sounds like my kind of guy.
Good shit man much respect
@@Slightlysalty1 I’ve been using the leaf blower to clean the cars, my kids and better half think I’m nuts. Glad I’m not the only one
I’ve have tied shop towels on my shop vac filter for 30 years now. Works great
Great video! I love the pool filter sock idea. My favorite shop vac hack is to use one of those remote control outlets that are used for holiday lights etc. They have a remote control for off/on. I wear the remote on a lanyard around my neck and I can start and stop the vac as needed without having to walk over to the vac
I use the remote also. Came with 2. I keep one Velcrowed on my dust cart and in lives on a massive aluminum caribeaner to move around. Sometimes I just use the switch but having both options is great
Brilliant, simple.....I love it. 👍👍👍💯💯💯
Good video, I use one of those remote outlets to turn on the engine block heater on my tractor from inside my house, over 200 feet away and in a metal building.
Thanks that sounds great, but I think I'm going to tape it to the house so I don't hang myself. 😂 😂 😂
Using a pool filter sock is effectively reducing filter capacity. The pleats just increases the filter capacity. Using the sock reduces that. The better filter will have a higher square inch and the sock itself reduces that to a single wrap with no pleats.
The joy he showed when he smiled after he said I need to build a cart LOL. I laughed so hard. Thank you for the tips and tricks.
I worked for ShopVac Corporation for nearly 25 years. The profit on our vacs themselves was razor-thin. Filters, on the other hand, cost us almost nothing to make, but REALLY brought in the bucks! 🙂
You live in Williamsport?!?!?
No, I lived in Binghamton, where the motors used to be manufactured. @@DDooMRooMM
Heck I would pay more if offered better. Out-design the competition!
thanks for ripping us all off! love it
@@cram1nblaze Don't worry...they all but went out of business. The owner sold the name to a Chinese company and now just put China-made vacs in boxes in a little plant in Pennsylvania so they can write 'Made in USA' on the outside.
All of these are great solutions.. I am very retentive about my shop vac being very efficient due to being in the construction industry. For over 25 years I have always put about a 1/2” of standing water in the tub! This allows the dust to drop & stick to the tub, therefore keeping the filter a lot cleaner!
Thanks for the additional tips to add!!
Never heard of this!
When cleaning drywall dust, I put in a bout 1/3 full of water, that's enough with a 15 gallon shop vac to hold it down and power drywall sand a whole home without filter cleaning.
The cart with the topper setup is awesome and I'm totally inspired. I've also never considered MAKING a muffler, I've bought a couple, looks like I'll be making some of those too! I feel like I'd want is pointing up like an old VW stinger 😆! A note on the sock thing for the filter, don't use cheap knee-highs. If some female in your life wears decent tights cut the legs off them instead. No "runs" and I just have to give them a quick snap and all the dust falls off. They should be a little thicker and have more stretch, at least the ones I used did. When my wife got a run, they were headed for the trash anyway, and those pool filter socks were not cheap for me locally, like $10 for 1. I've only had to cut up 2 of her pairs (to isolate the best sections) and they've lasted me years. I have 4 w/d vacs that I use in the trades, various sizes/power for different jobs.
Good call on the tights, I'll bet some yoga pants even have enough "airflow" to work.
If you do want to go with the pool filters socks the link I put in the video description is for 20 socks; still less than $15.
@@HouseDoctorRay I hadn't even considered yoga pants before! Not that she goes through them much, but I wonder if they would be too wide, or not wide enough and not have enough stretch... Less than $15 for 20 is amazing! Have you seen them? Wonder if they are as good as the ones you've used.
I like your muffler tip; however, you must make sure that the cumulative area of holes you drill are at least equal to the diameter of the exhaust pipe. If not you will increase back pressure and decrease suction. Additionally, because of the filter material you added, I would 2x the cumulative diameter to account for the restriction caused by the filter material and maybe even go up a size in pvc pipe. Keep it up!
Good point. I was originally going to go with 1/4" holes until I did the math on how many I would need. I decided on 1/2" holes instead.
Anyone know if there's an optimal size pipe ie, would a 3" pipe muffle better?
@@jerryp1970 No not really because the restriction is the diameter of the exhaust port on your vac. 2.5-3” should be fine but the point I made in my original comment still apply.
@@youtubeuser5424 They're more like $13-16 but you're right. It's probably cheaper than buying the materials to DIY.
Where's the fun in that?
I know this video is a couple of years old, and I've seen about every kind of vacuum cart built there is, but I really like the look and how compact it is. I have the same shop vac so this is definitely on my build list. Thanks.
I like the pool filter sock Idea. I replaced my paper shop vac filter with a washable type one I bought from Bunnings (Aust). It's made by Gerni. Cost about $15. To clean it I just wash it under the tap. No dust even when I clean it. Beautiful!
Nice!
This man can build anything with pvc
Not anymore. Have you seen the prices?
I especially love your cart. It takes up no extra space per se, gets the bucket at a convenient height for emptying, and the holes for accessories is a very nice touch!
Thanks. It can get a little top-heavy. Some commenters have suggested putting a concrete paver in the shop vac to stop tip overs.
As a stone Mason I have to deal with very fine dust. Your ideas are sound.
Thank you.
I hope you wear a good mask even outside.
I have the same 20 + year old vacuum! Picks up 16 common nails! Thank You for the tips! Excellent video.
Unfortunately mine died. I replaced it with an orange one.
cool vid. cyclonic dust separators are the WHIP! i use one before the shop vac i use for my sandblast cabinet. the fine dust it spins out is insane. my filters last waaaaaaaay longer now. definitely worth the loot. cheers
For the past 40 years I have just been cleaning my shopvac filter with a water [jet] spray and let it dry for a week or so. I have a second filter to swap in while the first one is drying.
I really like the pool filter sock though. Thanks!
I use a sock made from a flour bag for me by a neighbor 40 years ago. Filters for my craftsman cost $30 in Canada and has this sock has saved me hundreds over the years. Take the sock of and then blow the filter off with an air compressor and it is like new again.
Wow, Ray, great ideas. I had no idea about the pool filter socks. Also, I usually slap on a pair of hearing protectors when using the shop vac. 95+ dB for an hour will result in hearing loss so your muffler build resulted in an impressive reduction. I think I’m going to do the whole Dustopper build like you showed. You took the humble shop vac to a whole new level.
I use ear protection. Generally, if I need to use the shop vac it's AFTER I've cut a bunch of lumber & I NEVER run a tool w/o ear protection!
What? Huh? Could you repeat that?☺☺
Good job! You not only found ways to quiet and improve the shop vac but you also improved the design to make it functional. It would have been nice to see how well the dustopper worked on picking up water. It would be a complete win if you don't have to take off the filter
I would always take off the filter when sucking up water. There will be water in the airstream and will reach the filter. Any dirt on the filter will turn into a pasty mess.
Another idea for a pre-filter, is a plain white paper towel. They work very well, just wrap a single layer around the outside of the shop vac filter and hold in place with almost anything, tape, string, elastic bands, wire etc. When it gets plugged up, no need to clean it, just undo your fasteners and drop in the bottom of the vac to throw out with the rest of the dirt, and roll out a new one. I've been useing them for years. BTW, not my idea, I saw it on youtube ages ago, unfortunately I don't remember the fellows name to give him credit.
Well from now on I credit Larry Thompson. Thanks Larry.
I think I remember that video, old barn and he walked through a door and the vacs were out back?
@@HouseDoctorRay Could be, my memory is good, but very short.....
@@larrythompson2967 my memory great too, long as we’re talking about the present. The past isn’t near as clear as it use to be! 😂
youtube.com/@engineershomeworkshop2692 I got it from this guy and also copied his prefilter housing idea old window screen and wire. It works great, keeps everything in place, and is easy to take off. I found that viva signature cloth paper towels work the best.
@@farkroy Those Viva paper towels are the best!
Paper towels wrapped around the middle makes a great cheap filter.
Use bags for dust control.
Great video! I always swap the power cord with a longer one. Just keep your eye out for an old house vacuum cleaner in the trash and cut the cord. Swap takes about 5 mins.
Good idea. I often cut the cord off of old appliances or tools and save it for repairs or upgrades.
Yep. Vacuum cords are long and heavy duty. I always save them.
I'm impressed. I have a bizarre fascination with vacuums and the ways they can be used. I even have a TH-cam video with how I attached a vacuum to a post-hole digger. I've made pre-filters for years. I have a 55-gallon barrel converted to one, which is used with my post-hole digger. I made one from a five-gallon bucket which I keep in the house and can convert my household vac into wet-dry use and quickly use water to clean stains or spills in my carpet. I paused your video when I saw the Dustopper and ordered one--it's prettier than mine.
SuperVac! A few years ago I actually got a pool filter (on seasonal clearance) for my shop vac. It was cheaper than the correct filter. Far cheaper than the recommended wet filter. And it is an upgrade that has lasted and performed better.
My hack is cutting and using household AC pleated filters and Harbor Fright ball end shock cords .The filters are cut and stretched to wrap around and secured with two shock cords. This is for a small corded vac which would normally use a paper type filter.
I did the dual 5g bucket diy dust cyclone. I tried using a single but I think the height helps with separation. I also made a cart but regardless it's not fun to move around. My solution was buying a 20ft hose so I don't have to move the contraption around
The more hose the less suction you have. Somthing to do with friction drag but I haven't noticed it with my 2" line
@@kevinoneill41 Mines a 2.5" hose. For regular vacuuming I don't notice any difference. If you need the most suction you can get I might use a shorter hose. Hard to say if there's a noticeable difference
I was gonna comment something similar on the dust cyclone. I got a dewalt version of the cyclone and use it on a 5 gallon bucket connected to a central vac. Works pretty well and a lot cheaper than a full dust collection system, for anyone interested.
I'm going to check out pool filter socks. I've been taping paper towels around my filters. That's worked really well.
Reconfigured garage and will build sanding area
Great video, thanks for taking the time. Not sure if someone covered this but for what it's worth, 10 dB is though to be about half (or twice) as loud. The dB (or deci-Bell) was developed at Bell Labs (AT&T). Since the human ear can discern sounds over an obscenely large range of energy (about a factor of a billion) they used the logarithmic scale. The Bell is very big, so they use the deci-Bell or dB, which is one tenth of a bell. For the record, every 3 dB is double the power but your ear can barely discern it. 10 dB is 10 times the power which sounds about "twice" as loud. Thanks again.
Thanks JAZ, and thanks for watching.
Unfortunately you are wrong. -3db is half, 10db would be 10 fold.
@@robertopenheimer1451 Thanks for the comment, but you didn't seem to read my point carefully or understand it. You're talking about power levels which hardly anyone cares about other than engineers. It's true -3dB is half the power and -10 dB is one tenth. To the human ear, which most people care about, 10 dB is thought to be about twice as loud, -10 dB is about half as loud. Once typically can't "hear +/- 3dB.
@@robertopenheimer1451 @@jazbuilding human ears are so good they have a 10 million times difference in power between the quietest and loudest they can hear. Simply making the sound energy half hardly reduces the noise heard because the ear is so incredibly good at hearing.
@@hugegamer5988 I am capable of easily discerning a 3db shift, if you cannot your ears are not as good as you believe. I was in charge of the lab for a major loudspeaker manufacturer. The lab included an anechoic chamber and sophisticated anechoic testing and graphing. I believe I am qualified to make my comment. Hearing is subjective, properly set up and calibrated equipment is not.
Gm what about filling the exhaust with cotton and ziptie a nylon or mesh over it in to keep in it from blowing out?
Cotton is likely too dense. Those cut to fit furnace filters are very cheap. It's really just to break up the airflow.
Thank you for all these tips!
Cleaning the filter is always an outdoor job for me. It’s not convenient when there is snow and cold outside.
The pool filter sock and the dustopper will be addition to my shop this week!
Keep it clean Jim!
I put my filter in a plastic shopping bag while I shake/tap most of the dust off. then blow with the vac. Indeed usually outdoors.
I have to say, you did the best dust filtration add-on test I’ve seen on any hack your shopvac vids. Most of those throw down a jar’s worth of cat hair, or a cup of shop dust. Not you! Oh no! You bring in a full BUCKET of fine sawdust. I was a bit afraid of what was going to happen. I have a dust deputy, but that demo makes me want this one. Bravo!
Thanks. I actually used too much. Once the Dustopper gets close to full the dust can no longer fall because the bucket is full. It works better if you empty it sooner.
I still have my almost 30yr old ShopVac and I use blue shop towel as a pre
Filter over the the foam Filter held together with a plastic ring over it. This is the original set up but the old blue cloth was replaced with the blue shop towels 2 pieces. My wife uses the vacumm to just to clean our apt now its well built and powerful!! I'm amazed how this lasted so long from renovations to cleaning cars and now my apartment it keeps on going..ShopVac!!
Some people just use regular paper towels and rubber bands around the filter.
@@HouseDoctorRay
The blue shop towels are reusable and stronger from my experience but the rubber bands are a good option. Nice vacumm cart you built Btw 😎👍
Thanks.
Subscribed. Retired tractor trailer owner operator here who just got a new shop vac. Enjoyed your instruction.
Thank you and thanks for the subscription.
I see this video is a year old and it was suggested to me why I don’t know I wasn’t looking at shop vac stuff. However, these are great suggestions. As far as the muffler goes, I found the best way to minimize noise is to have two hoses I have a 30 foot hose I use for vacuuming attached to the inlet and then I have a 16 foot that I ran out the garage door and it’s amazing how much it decreases the sound.
We were meant for each other Wally.
The same thing you mentioned applies to compressors. I've seen quite a few times people plumbing the inlet outside to reduce the noise.
My shopvac hack is the use of a pool cleaning hose to replace the short standard shopvac hose. simple modification using the standard hose ends on the pool hose. vac now sits in one spot and the 30' hose covers more area. Plus I can put the vac outside and not have to listen to the noise.
Nice. For others, some hoses will whistle very loudly if they're not designed for vacuums.
Gave me a pretty good chuckle. You had dust suction for the drill press while drilling holes in the "muffler" and were creating large plastic non threatening chunks of plastic, but while using a circular saw on a track, fine dust was going everywhere. On another note, I had one of those wet/dry Craftsman vacuums back in 2000 and with about 10 minutes on it the motor caught fire which ignited the plastic at the top of the lid.
In my defense that saw has no port on it so I have no easy way to hook up a vacuum.
Man, this is pure gold! I just picked up a rigid shop vac and the first thing I thought about was man that filter is going to be a PITA to get clean. Thank you sir!
Ridgid sells vacuum cleaner bags for their shop vacs. They work amazingly well, last a very long time, and you’ll never need to clean your filter again. The vacuum also never looses suction with the bags.
I'll bet using the Dustopper before the bag will really help out.
I use the Vaccum bags they work good for me. This only a suggestion,Thanks for sharing
I gotta try these bags everyone is mentioning.
I’m pretty meticulous with my pleated filters. I actually vacuum my pleated filter using a second bagged wet/dry vacuum. I find this the only way to really clean the pleated filter. You did a really great job constructing the dustopper cart!
Thank you.
Air compressor makes a filter like new.
I almost clicked "NEXT!" and its a good thing I didn't. Cuz you had some pretty good ideas there that I can use.
The Pool Sock was a winner and that's all I thought you had. When you talked about adding that dust collector I almost clicked "NEXT" and its a good thing I didn't. Because your modification and the way you designed the collector to go over the top was surprisingly cool. So I've been for about a year now had thoughts of building a Thien-baffle cyclonic separator on my Craftsman 16gal shop vac. And your modification almost killed it but now I will build the Thien-Baffle cyclonic separator on my Craftsman and still build your modification to raise the tool storage at a height that negates having to bend over. Soooooooo Thanks for putting this up!
Thanks. I added a Thien Baffle to my Harbor Freight dust collector and it works great.
th-cam.com/video/nhofS3WJylY/w-d-xo.html
I use shop vacs down in my basement,garage and barn. We actually own a few of them. I clean the filters very easily. I take them out to my Pole Barn out back and dump what I can in a garbage can. My filters have a Black Plastic Ring and a material cover that sits over the filter. You set it over the filter and push the ring down over the filter and it holds it tight over the filter. I simply start up my Air Compressor and Blow it clean with air pressure. There is no need to take it apart to even consider washing the material covering the filter the air pressure blows it so clean. Invest in a Air Compressor if you don’t have one it is a needed tool to have today. You have no idea how many vacuum cleaners I also fixed that someone would of thrown away because that air compressor came so handy to have. Air Pressure does wonders.
A dog dryer is cheaper for that kind of job.
I know it's an old video but a tip on the dust bucket deal as I have built my own version that works great and really reduces the amount of dust that gets to your filter. I add a garbage bag inside the bucket for easier clean up.
Best ideas for the shop vac I have seen...period!
Thanks Bill. I really appreciate it.
Very good.. very good indeed. Straight-forward, well laidout, explained, shown and demonstrated... not to mention inventive! Thks Doc...
Thank you Timothy
The dust dustopper has worked really well for me. I've using it for over 2 years and highly recommend. I use a paint bucket and I also set another dustopper in a large 32g drum. In my experience, it works better then cyclone separator.
Good to know. Thanks for posting.
I have a project I'm working on that your system might help with can I ask u some questions regarding this
Sure. Fire away.
Great tips! I use a sock and a bag. yeah their spendy but I cut an end open, dump it and reseal the end.
TL;DR: Get a disposable HEPA vacuum bag. You can reuse them by cutting open one end, then fold that edge over a few times and use a few big binder clips to secure it. Like a bag of chips. It works so much better than skimmer socks, it'll last way way longer, keeps the cartridge filter & motor ridiculously clean, makes switching between wet & dry super easy, no lungful of dust whenever you open the vacuum, and filters everything out before the air can get to the exhaust port. $20 solved basically every annoyance and health hazard with vacuuming (or rather, getting rid of the dirt and dust without it going everywhere) including drywall dust and fine particulate that most vacuums shouldn't handle. Even the annoyance of having to clean the outside of the vacuum because it gets covered in a layer of dust any time you open it. I haven't had to clean my cartridge filter at all since I switched to a HEPA bag (4+ years ago, it would need a monthly clean at minimum before then) or vacuum the vacuum itself right after I empty it. And every time I switch from dry to wet pickup. Vacuum bags are a game changer, especially when you use a HEPA filter bag as well as the HEPA cartridge filter. It's like the dirt disappears into a black hole, compared to the nightmare it is when you have to empty or clean a bagless vac.
The full spiel:
As a pool owner, I can promise you those skimmer socks will get a run in them just like pantyhose/knee highs. I spent a lot of time hunting down special synthetic mesh skimmer socks because the normal ones would rip within a week. (The synthetic mesh ones wouldn't work as a vacuum filter though) You can get fabric pre-filter bags for shop vacs that would do a much better job, but my double HEPA filter method makes the fabric pre-filter fairly unnecessary (see below - I was able to skip the muffler as well)
I am picking up some skimmer socks for my shop vac tomorrow - but I use them over the foam filter for wet pickup. Makes rinsing the filter so much easier, rather than trying to pick out the layer of wet fur/hair/fibres from the foam filter.
My solution? Go with a HEPA vacuum bag. Costs about the same as a pack of skimmer socks, lasts a hell of a lot longer, it'll stop more dust getting to the cartridge HEPA filter than a skimmer sock would,you can vac up drywall or fine particles without the dustopper, makes emptying the vacuum and switching between wet/dry pickup so much easier (and you don't end up inhaling a bunch of dust/dirt every time you open the vac canister) and they don't actually have to be disposable. When it's full, cut along one of the short edges, empty the bag, then fold that open end down a few times and secure with a few big binder clips.
Seriously, that $20 HEPA bag has saved me so much time, frustration and coughing fits. I bought a pack of two well before the pandemic and the first one is still going strong! (I use the type H, yellow colour disposable hepa bags - there is a tougher tear resistant one, which I would probably buy next time, but mostly to compare with the yellow ones) I have vacuumed up broken glass, drywall, tiny bits of gravel, staples, needles, dry chlorine, baking soda, clay soil, bark... The list goes on. I am still surprised by how well it has held up, and am still a bit annoyed that I put up with the supposedly superior bagless vacuums for so long.
The HEPA bag does a good enough job with drywall, chemicals and anything else that requires a P2/N95 mask. I can't compare it to a muffler, but I feel safer with two layers of HEPA filters and it's also way better on the motor and cartridge filter long term, as they stay pretty damn clean and there's no air restriction from the muffler or from the cartridge filter getting clogged up. I haven't tried a dustopper, just because I don't need the dust extraction functionality, and I'm more concerned with the very fine particles that a HEPA filter will catch. Dry chlorine powder is my benchmark for filtration - I had a commercial canister vacuum with a micron fabric filter, someone spilled a bit of chlorine and grabbed the vacuum instead of the broom. It picked up the chlorine granules, but the micron filter fabric couldn't stop the very fine particles from going straight through it, into the motor, and back out in the air. And the vacuum motor smelt like chlorine for months every time it ran after being coated in that very fine chlorine dust - which ended up being one of the reasons I bought the shop vac. HEPA filter handled chlorine just fine - I wouldn't have even tried it without the HEPA bag as well as the canister filter, because of that exhaust port.
And as a side benefit, with 2 layers of HEPA filtration my shop vac could technically work as an air purifier. Just a very loud one. Works alright if you just want to turbo charge an air change, like when your kitchen exhaust fan would take ages to clear out a bit of smoke
(btw, I have extremely bad allergies and I'm hypersensitive to chlorine - hence the minor obsession on the very fine particles and max filtration efficiency. When you get an instant migraine for the rest of the day because someone vacuumed briefly - you'll go to some lengths. Upside is the shop vac with all its filters is still the cheapest vacuum I've owned, and it beats the rest of them by far)
Wow! Thank you for the thorough response and information.
Very interesting. It would be great if you made a video explaining the details of how your setup works. I would love to see it.
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Thanks captain assberger
Only problem is that this craftsman can't take bags lmao
Thanks for the tips. I recently bought the new Dewalt shop vac. It is half as loud as my shop vac, worth every penny. Like other comments, I use a hepa bag and filter. I really like your tower, and will be adding that next.
At the grocery store I was really impressed with the Milwaukee vac. They were using it to vacuum out the potato bins and it was really quiet.
I use bag filters, I haven't needed to replace or clean the vacuum motor drum filter in a couple of years - The vacuum is used primarily for the cars - I say this because it seems like many people overlook the effectiveness of the filter bags.
It seems like bags are the way to go. What am I missing?
Sounds like you're missing a bag.
Yes you have given me some good ideas, I would like to say that 99% of the time I clean my shop vac outside, and with an air hose I blow out my filter and the wind takes it all away. I also use a prefilter they sell for collecting drywall cement dust for regular use they last along time if not abused, I have a wet vac especially for wet and it had one of those wet vac filters.
If I had a shop I'd definitely try your combo dust collecting idea and have maybe one dedicated vas per saw or have it plumbed for all saws. I'll definitely be shopping for some pool socks though , thanks👍
WOW very impressive. I bought a used Craftsman and even without the filter installed it didn't have any sucking though the motor sounded robust but straining. I removed the motor from the top housing and found a thin micro filter presumably to stop dust from going out the exhaust. Anyway once I cleaned that thin filter I had a relatively perfect suction. Also the pool sock is a great idea, I used womens nylon back when they were a thing. Seemed there was no shortage of them since they were easily snagged. Great video, looking forward to more.
Thanks Kenneth.
Good stuff!
I like that you tested the dust collector on sawdust to see how effective it is, and how you solved the unwieldiness of it with a simple "up" grade 😂.
The pool socks are gold, such a great idea! I'm finding some today!!
Here's my tip: I use a wireless remote switch to control the vacuum. I keep the little remote (size of a FOB) near the inlet of the hose so I can turn it on like a flashlight. Which works well for cleaning chips off the lathe and milling machines.
Regarding sound:
You're right about decibels, they are logarithmic. It works out that for every 3 dBa, power is doubled.
So 87 dBa is 1/2 the energy of 90, and 93 dBa is 4X the energy level of 87.
Here's some levels to consider.
10 dBa - a pin dropping
30 dBa - whisper
60 dBa - conversation
85 dBa - snowblower, diesel truck passing (also damage hearing after 8 hrs)
90 dBa - squeeze toy, mower
105 dBa - table saw
140 dBa - jet engine at takeoff (eardrum rupture)
180 dBa - rocket launch
194 dBa - shock wave threshold, when "sound" can liquefy soft tissue
Good info. Thanks for sharing.
i listen to my music at 400dBa , its soothing
“ Liquefy soft tissue “. Whoa,… I got a bad visual on that one. Whew.
Great vid. Sub’ed.
Thank you so much.
That cyclone results is great. But it tells me that the underlying design of the vacuum needs to change to a dual chamber design - perhaps one for dry and one for wet?
That is very good tips, I've been a carpenter and cabinet maker for 30 years and I'm always working and doing, but never trying too improve my situation, thank you for that, 👍.
Thank you Steven and thanks for watching.
I was impressed at how carefully you drilled the holes in the muffler. I would have just held the pipe with my foot and gone to town drilling a bunch of random holes! Lol.
Awesome!!! Now when I have a small mess,I only need 2 other people to help me move my industrial wet/dry vac... thanks
The dust collector you are using is acting more as a chip separator, actually, that’s exactly what it is. I built them using a 20 gallon bucket and pvc fittings. Works great!
This is the coolest ever hacks for a shop vac I have watched. Oddly enough I only need a pool filter and a dust topper. I have everything else. Thank you.
Thanks Thomas.
I generally get the good Hepa washable filters and the trick is to keep those things as clean as possible then your Shop-Vac will run at top performance always. And don't forget to remove them if you're sucking up water
Thanks!
Wow! Thank you so much Carrie.
Pool filter sock - hadn't heard that one before. Well done.
Impressive video. Your modifications are functionable and very useful, of course the cherry on top is your ingenuity in making the set up for the dust stopper...subbing!
Thank you I really appreciate it.
Great video. I am surprised you did not mention a filter bag in the wet dry vac. Keeps your filter clean, makes dumping cleaner and you can almost completely fill your vac. Yes they cost but they are reasonable.
With the cyclone collector you don't really need it. It's not worth the cost to me at $10 a bag (Ridgid).
If you only use your vac occasionally it might be worth it, but wood working can fill a 5g bucket pretty quick
@@A6Legit Agreed! The cyclone is a game changer. They used to only make them for 55 gallon drums. I mainly use bags for drywall dust because it was a shop vac killer. Great stuff!
@@erictjones Fair point, it depends what youre vacuuming
That’s the best set up I’ve seen yet without having to go to an expensive system. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Michael. Glad you liked it.
Why have I not came across your channel, until today? Great tips, that actually work. Thank you so much.
Thanks RD and thanks for watching
Great stuff! DBs are logarithmic. Every 3db is a doubling or halving. The 97 to 87 decrease means you halved and then halved it again, plus reduced it further.
Thanks. I didn't know decibelologists watched @HouseDoctorRay.
Of power required not actual sound. Meaning it takes twice as much power to make 3db increase or reducing power by half. This redirected the sound and honestly isn't much reduction. Still harmful to hearing without hearing protection.
So say you have 100 watt amp and your stereo makes 91 db. You would need 200 to increase volume to 94. 400 to reach 97 db 800 to reach 100.
In this case it has nothing to do with reduction in sound. This just changed pitch most of the noise is coming from the motor itself.
Mannnnn I been needing those tips! I just threw out my Shop-Vac because they don't make the filter anymore, so now I'm looking for one that will last me more than two years.
You must really abuse them, they usually last a long time. Although I will say my new Ridgid isn't built as well as my Craftsman that just died.
Good video. My noise hack is having bought a set of those noise-canceling earbuds. They're so effective I can listen to a podcast or music comfortably even at low volume while running a shop vac, household vacuum cleaner or any other noisy tool. Some of the best money I've ever spent.
Edit: Decibels are logarithmic, that is correct, but so are our ears. So while a 10dB increase in sound is actually ten times the sound energy, we generally perceive it as roughly double the volume. Twenty decibels would be 100x sound energy and four times the subjective volume level; thirty decibels 1000x and eight times, and so on.
I have been doing plumbing in my home, and helping friends with plumbing since I was in my late 20 (now 57) I have never seen that CPVC pipe cutter you used in the dustopper part of the video, and I think I'm going to one of the big box stores and get a pair
Works great. There is a link in the description. Have Jeff mail you one.
What's cool about vacuum systems is it doesn't matter how large of a volume you have for the internals of the vacuum system like the addition of extra hoses and that bucket and all that won't decrease your suction so long as it's not restrictive. I took a tiny like 2 gal shop vac and made a central vac system in my work truck so I have a remote turns it on and have 4 different ports I can connect to. The dust bucket is a good idea I might add that in.
They really do work well. Can't recommend them enough.
In general it seems like larger capacity vacs have higher HP motors. Definitely do the dust bucket or DIY one. It's easier to empty debris from, however the filter will still get clogged with all the fine particles. It just keeps the bulk of it out of the vacuum so you don't have to mess with bags or try dumping the vac with all the accessories attached to it.
I take my filters outside and lay them in the grass. Then I use my gas powered ( or electric will work too)blower and blow the dust out. Keeps you from wearing the dust. Just make sure the wind is blowing away from you😁. Air compressor works too but usually you are closer to the filter and the dust coming off.
The sock is a great addition. When the dustvac filter gets clogged with fine particles it can be cleaned - just go over the outside with another vacuum cleaner and a small nozzle.
Good idea.
Or throw it in the laundry?
It's just shopvacs all the way down, a pyramid scheme
The dust collector cart was a great build, thanks for the idea. Please keep your free hand behind the saw because if it hits a knot or foreign object and the saw jumps you’ll lose it.
The difference of an inline filter like the dust stopper, or a cyclonic centrifugal filter makes a HUGE change to what actually gets through to the shopvac...certainly made a difference catching a lot of the finer dusts that clog up the vac filter so quickly. Great video by the way...loved the pool filter sock hack...will certainly be adding that to mine.
Cheers from Sydney Aus!!!!
Yes, Dustopper or even a homemade separator goes a long way in keeping the filter clean.
When I set up my small wood shop ,I set up a vacume tube thatwent all around the shop with several out lets, I set the shop vack at one end of the shop connected to that end of the tube, then plug the hose into what ever out let is closest to where I need to vacume, works great and only have to move the hose from outlet to outlet as needed.
I’m a 46 year old custom stone mason licensed contractor that’s been doing demo and flooring since I was 14 years old.
Buying a better filter is very helpful. I didn’t for years. I also have severe asthma and allergies. So the most filtration that you can find is best. In flooring and sole and stone, no one uses a shop vac as much as we do. Sometimes cleaning the filter is a job every few minutes in some cases. Having two filters helps with the time but in general , most every shop vac that I’ve owned , the filter has lasted as long as the shop vac did. Now not to say the condition was the greatest and yeah probably could have been due for replacement , but when the vac needs replacing as well, . . . Well not to be too shallow, I won’t go too deep.
You can buy a muffler that attaches to the outlet for around $15-20 bucks. They work great and fit perfect not to mention do what they are designed to do.
Always wear protection. Always.
Get a good painters mask. It’s called a respirator. 3M makes most of them on the market.
I have silicosis and mesothelioma on top of my severe Asthma. It’s not fun. Protect it ! All of it ! Everything that you care about from your ears to your eyes,
Arms
Legs
Skin. Yes skin
And especially
Your lungs. Even if your a smoker of anything. Still. Protect them
I’d have to agree with myself here, just so YT doesn’t delete my comment that I worked so hard on.
J/k. It was easy. Agape !
Excellent points. Thanks for taking the time to post.
I’m gonna have to say drywall dust fills up my filters the fastest. Good video man. 👍
Thanks Josh
Spray the entire vacuum with a good protectant like 303 or no low sheen armor all. Inside and out, even inside the hoses and pipes. Obviously, start with a very clean vac! The layer of protectant keeps static electricity from building up, so dust sheds easily. Cleanup is so much easier.
Is this wizardry you speak of true Wallace? I've never heard this before but it sounds like it would work.
Works quite well, and its cheap, too. A little of these protectant products goes a long way. In some cases, I have observed treated plastic surfaces repelling adhesive pads a year later. Which isn’t exactly what I wanted, but it illustrates how long lasting the protection is. But everything has to be clean prior to treatment. I worked in fire damage cleanup, and our machinery would be covered with smoke and ash at conclusion of project, which took a while to clean, and even then contamination remained. After treatment with a protectant, almost no dirt, smoke, or soot would adhere.
Thank you so much for this video! You've addressed all my concerns except the tip over issue but one of the comments said to put paver stones in the shop vac to stabilize it. I going to try that. This video is so helpful, thanks again.
Thank you. Let us know if the paver works.
I started the build, but got stuck on making the hole for the bucket in the mdf. Already destroyed two hd buckets using diffrent sizes hammers.
You have to practice. You need the harmonic frequency just right.
HD buckets are inferior. Get one from motor oil or hydraulic oil, or paint. Darker colors resist UV light better than ones from restaurant dishwashing or sanitizer solutions. I call it " ultraviolent radiation." Keep all plastics away from it as much as possible .
Awesome!!! My boyfriend loves souping up everything. This will stoak him out. Thanks for sharing.
For those with smaller shop vac setups, who want that cyclone separator action (like the dustopper; it is just one of many available cyclone separator designs on the market).. but with a MUCH smaller footprint. There exist in-line cyclone separators. I got one by Cen-Tec called the Turbo Duster. You put it in line with the vacuum hose; personally I chose to put it at the end of my flexible hose right before I put the hose pipes and whatever attachments. I have a 1 and 1/4" size shop vac hose, which is the smaller size and often the same size as standard household vacuum hoses (meaning can use most household vacuum attachments on the shop vac hose) +I can use the Turbo Duster with the included adapter for my shop vac, but if you have a larger size hose you may need to check specs and/or get an adapter. The Turbo Duster is small, which is both the advantage AND potentially a con; it will cyclone separate but only holds a plastic cup's worth of whatever you're vacuuming. I personally prefer it because we're low on space, +if I need to vacuum a lot the cup is quite easy to empty (twist on/off). But if you're doing a lot of volume with sawdust etc. it will probably irritate you how small it is so for that better to use the larger options. Just figured would mention since I think there are probably some other people like me, who want the flexibility of a shop wet/dry vac with cyclone separation, but who have very little space available; where a 5 gallon bucket sized system in addition to the vacuum size itself is too large or bulky to be workable.
Do you mean the Cen-Tec Systems 58577 Turbo Duster that says "Turbo Dust Filter" on the box?
I have the cyclone dust collector from Rockler and it works great but I don’t have space for it and I have to take it apart after each use. This is more convenient. I always save my fine sawdust for repairs. Especially filling wooden holes or large gaps in wood. I learned from Paul sellers to mix sawdust, warm water and PL glue. It works great
What is PL glue?
Great video, thanks! I found heftier shop vac filter socks at Walmart and Home Depot for around $6-7 each, and found pool skimmer socks on-line for around $4 for 30 (much thinner material). Looking forward to trying them out and saving time, effort, and dust clouds when brushing and air-blowing out the 100 flaps on the shop-vac filter. Thanks again!
Best shop Vac hacks ever. Thank you for your creativity and willingness to share!!
Thank you.
I like how models show HP ratings of 5 and 6 when in America the plug has 120V @ 15A max meaning 1800 watts max or 2.4 HP And that’s at a 100% efficiency. To get 5+ you need 200% efficiency, with a couple of vacuums hooked together you could have perpetual motion.
Reminds me of the small engine lawsuit years ago. Now lawn and garden equipment is sold by CCs and not HP.
@@HouseDoctorRay we used to joke that small gas engines were rated in Hamster Power.
This is some great ideas for shop vacs but what peaked my interest is what kind of insulation do you have on those garage doors? It's exactly what I need to do to mine.
Owens Corning
th-cam.com/video/QgC0R_lkSu4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=dhnXvKPpAYL30tTf
To improve further and provide more filter surface area, use a catch bag inside of vac. Since most of the debris will be in your cyclone your vac will remain very clean and bonus is that it works better than your sock, less restriction, I basically never have to clean filter.
I don't understand what you're saying. How does a catchbag keep the filter clean?
@@jamestate3839possibly because the bag itself is also a filter.
Great ideas I like the dust topper and the way you mounted it.
Thanks Don
If you have a round shop vac like the Craftsman shown on your video. Look on the inside of the drum where the hose fitting comes into the drum. If the outlet of that hose fitting just comes straight in or is angled down, get a 90 degree pvc fitting of the same size and attach it to the inside of the fitting so as the air comes in it swirls around the drum the same way a cyclone does. It's a lot cheaper than the one you have that mounts on a bucket and works great.
I am always amazed what a Man can invent when left alone in a shop. LOL, This is a great idea.
Thank you
Cool idea for the two stage vacuum. Thanks!
EDIT: As far as the muffler goes, you can buy one cheaper that is much smaller and I think it works as well the one you built.
The sock is a cool idea but, they sell a package of paper socks that go over the filter.
Thanks Ralph. Do they sell those paper socks in the store or is it online only?
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
@@HouseDoctorRay I've bought cloth socks specifically made for shop vacs online. But it's been a few years since and I don't remember which site they were on. Most likely ebay.
I've put panty hose legs over shop vac filters for over thirty years. I collect vacs at yard sales, disperse them around my home and shops, and 3D print (many) custom accessories for chip removal and fume extractions.
No worries about fumes igniting? Or are you talking about non flammable fumes?
Mister you are a genius. I retire in a year and 8 months and wanted to refinish use furniture. This will help with keeping my garage tidy. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
This guy's a genius. Black & Decker, watch out! He perfects vacs.
Thanks Bandit
A two minute TH-cam video on how to make baffles will help with mufflers. I did just about everything you did when it came to constructing mine, but I went ahead and inserted a core with baffles/chambers to reduce the sound profile. I think a lot of people get sucked into the decibel rating instead of directing the sound i.e. air
You're right but it kind of made it look all scientificky.
I learned about the filters used on bituminous concrete ( asphalt) factories and how they work. When adding sand and rock to the mix in has to filter out a lot of the fine dust to improve the quality of the mix. These filters are not manually cleaned very often but they would get clogged really fast with all the dust in the material. They have a similar construction to your shop vac with that sock over the filter. The filter has a pipes inside the filter with compressed air that release every few minutes in a blast that knocks the caked on dust off the outside of the filter. This self cleaning allows it to continue doing its job with minimum maintenance. Shop Vac have a problem that the filter is not cleaned like this but the fine particles are allowed to build up which decreases the power of the vacuum. The only thing that is easy to do is to jolt the vac once in a while to knock dust of the filter. Also I wonder if silicon spray on the sock would help keep the dust from clinging to the sock?