Replies

1. 
   rwjiudice | Oct 24, 2007 02:37pm | #1

   I do not have a central dust collector so I use a shopvac for all my needs. I use the pleated paper filter and a filter bag designed for "drywall" dust. The bag is yellow and made by shop vac. I find this does a great job and the filter bag keeps the pleated filter from clogging.

   I do a LOT of shopwork and find this system works for everything but the table saw. (I just don't get enuf air volume to control it) but it really works for everything else.

2. 
   Carya | Oct 24, 2007 03:17pm | #2

   I stopped buying HEPA filters for my Ridgid when the girl at HD said I could wash them.  I don't do that, but I do vacuum them (pleat by pleat) with the central vac (which I also use to vacuum the bucket).  Takes five minutes and I'm good to go. 

   Otherwise, I could spend $40 every week or so.  Also connect the central vac to smaller tools like sander and router instead of or along with the shop vac.

    

   Andy

    

1. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 26, 2007 02:05am | #7

   Ridgid has paper bags (sort of like a vacuum cleaner bag) I use them all the time. The bag attaches to the inlet tube and keeps the filter 'sort of clean'..I forget the price but about $12.00 for two?

1. 
   Carya | Oct 26, 2007 02:17am | #8

   Thanks Will. It probably takes me less time to vacuum out the pleated filter than it would to buy/install the bags and its free. Andy

1. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 26, 2007 03:01am | #9

   vacuum out the pleated filter ....Yes I have to do that also but a new filter is much less often!

3. 
   saschafer | Oct 24, 2007 05:37pm | #3

   I use HEPA filters from CleanStream (the same people who make Gore-Tex). As noted, they're washable, so while they clog fairly quickly when fine sanding, they're easy to rejuvenate. I have two, so that I can clean one and let it dry while using the other.

   -Steve

    

4. 
   jc21 | Oct 24, 2007 06:33pm | #4

   On my ShopVac brand vacs I run the filter bags in combination with pleated filter- there's no clogging of the pleated filter. For me the $3.00 or so each bag costs is worth it, especially on a jobsite. No fooling with a plugged filter and cleanup is easy- pull the bag and toss it and put a new one in.  if you don't want to go that route you could try a prefilter- Sears should have foam sleeves that go over your pleated filter. Get a couple, they can be easily washed, and swap them out as needed.

5. 
   marking | Oct 25, 2007 03:08am | #5

   I have to agree that the shopvac bags that fit your canister are the greatest!!

   A while back, I had my shop vac out on a sizable remodel job for a couple of months. Somewhere along the line it occurred to me that I hadn't had to clean the filter.
   When I finally got around to looking inside the bag it was so full I had to really fight to get it out of the canister. I swear there was 10++ lbs of stuff in there! I took the filter out and gave it a tap and only the tiniest bit of dust came off.

   My two cents

   peace
   Mark

6. 
   troys | Oct 25, 2007 07:57am | #6

   I have used a clean-stream filter for years in my 9 year old Sears shop vacuum and have had no problem with it, it seems to work much better than the stock filter. When it gets clogged I vacuum the filter with ####regular vacuum outside and then its good to go. Anyway good luck.

   Troy

7. 
   woodhacker | Oct 26, 2007 06:36pm | #10

   if you hook up a separator between the vac and the tool the vac filter will stay clean a lot longer. Oneida makes the "Dust Deputy" for this purpose, or you could get a plastic separator lid to fit on a five gallon bucket for about thirty dollars

1. 
   mrbird90 | Oct 27, 2007 02:22am | #11

   I have the Onieda Dust Deputy hooked up to my drum sander and I hardly ever have to clean my pleated filter. The other day I sanded 120 feet of 6" wide poplar from .685" thickness to .625" and there was no visible dust on my Sears vac.  HEPA filter. The cyclone pail was quit full.