Replies

1. 
   RickL750 | Feb 07, 2003 05:39pm | #1

   I still have my original vac. It's about 16 maybe 17yrs old and still going strong.

2. 
   DestinDave | Feb 07, 2003 05:47pm | #2

   I had a crappy old Sears that lasted 18 years. I finally tossed it while it still worked and bought a Shop Vac for $100. WOW, that thing could suck the horns off a bull. The paper filter needs frequent cleaning though, In 22 years of woodworking, I've had only two.

1. 
   RoyinMD | Feb 07, 2003 08:45pm | #3

   I'm resolved to keeping my current craftsman running for as long as possable. I bought a third party premium filter for it ($25-30) thats so much nicer than the stock filter. It has a hard plastic end that can be banged on with the shop brush and its washable without falling apart.

1. 
   MikeIke | Feb 08, 2003 12:13am | #5

   Hey Roy, that 3rd party filter sounds interesting. I badly need one for my Sears. Mind sharing your source?

   Thanks!

   Ike

1. 
   oxmach | Feb 08, 2003 12:33am | #6

   Haven't tried the panty hose, though love the idea and challenge.  I put an after market filter on from Lee Valley http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=46449&category=1,42401,42402&ccurrency=2&SID=

   This works very well.  To clean it I use either the dust collector or simply brush it with a small dust broom brush.

   Greg

1. 
   MikeIke | Feb 08, 2003 05:14am | #9

   Thanks! I'll put it on the list for the weekly browse.

2. 
   RoyinMD | Feb 08, 2003 03:08am | #7

   Ike,

   The third party filter came from Home Depot in the shop vac area. They are available for many different brands of vacs. I don't remember the exact name of it. You will know you found it the second you see it. You will enjoy throwing the old one away. I looked there because Sears is farther from home.

   Edit: Doh! Should have checked first. Greg's got the right link above. Check it out.

   Enjoy, Roy

   Edited 2/7/2003 7:15:13 PM ET by ROY_INMD

1. 
   MikeIke | Feb 08, 2003 05:16am | #10

   Thanks! Well, depending on my patience level, I'll either make a weekly run to HD or do the other. I agree. I'll enjoy pitching the old one. I think it has it's own heartbeat by now.

3. 
   CJohn | Feb 08, 2003 07:38am | #11

   Hi Ike; I replaced my craftsmen original filter with one I purchased from Menard's, it's called a Gore CleanStream filter.  I measured the base on the shopvac and removed the wire cage that was orginialy installed, and measured different filters at the home center until I found one that was close. It fits snug and works great. The sku# is 3313209056.

   Good Luck

3. 
   Wil | Feb 07, 2003 09:10pm | #4

   I've had two shop vacuums: a Sears that lasted about 25 years, replaced by a Shop Vac about 10 years ago.  The Sears unit performed flawlessly (though it simply distributed the fine dust) until the motor failed catastrophically.  I'm still using the large heavy-duty canister as a trash container.

   The Shop Vac has, and is performing well, but has required some attention and repair.  I replaced the original foam/cloth filter with a paper "can" filter, then with a Gortex "can" filter, then covered the "can" with a section of panty-hose as a prefilter.  this works very well - a huge improvement in perfomance, filtration, and convenience. (Sometimes fun chasing down the panty-hose too!)

   I also had to repair the on-off switch 3 or 4 times; then it failed completely,and I replaced it with a rugged switch. No more switch problem.  When I noticed the motor lugging and giving off an ozone smell, I disassembled the shroud and found two foam filters (that filter cooling air to the motor).  They were loaded.  Cleaning them restored full performance.  Cleaning these motor filters has become routine for me.

   Hope this helps.

   Wil

4. 
   RANGERP75R | Feb 08, 2003 03:24am | #8

   Roy

      Have 2 small Shop-Vacs and a large one. A Ridgid 12 gal. and all these are still in service. My original Craftsman is 31 now and I gave it to My BIL who still has it cranking in his home machine shop.

      Panty hose filter. I've heard it all. I use 1/2" foam I buy at an fabric and craft shop. Sounds like a good idea to me. If your not running the vac, you can always use it as a mask to hold up convenience stores. ha..ha..

   sarge..jt

5. 
   fredsmart48 | Feb 09, 2003 05:46am | #12

   Why did you kill it was it cheeting on you with another vacuum. 

      :o)

1. 
   IMERC | Feb 09, 2003 06:23am | #13

   I have a Reliant comercial. Yard sale special it was. It has lasted forever and then some. I put on an after market filter but will try the panty hose. Thanks. This thing will pull a golf ball through a 100 yards of garden hose and I have to keep reminding myself to keep it away from the crome on my truck.

6. 
   forestgirl | Feb 09, 2003 08:37pm | #14

   I'm still on my original 16-GAL Craftsman from the early 1980's.  Must admit, it hasn't been in full use all that time.  It started life in a boarding stable for horses, lived and worked there for about 10 years, then took a few years off.  It is now serving dust collection duties and sweep-up in my shop.  I got a HEPA filter for it a few months ago, and am careful to clean it when performance drops off.  Noisy son-of-a-gun though.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

7. 
   Turbo | Feb 10, 2003 04:10am | #15

          I've had a Craftsman 16 gal ShopVac since about 1976.  During one of the times it fell over, tripping on the cord as I was vacuuming, the switch broke.  I went to a vacuum sweeper repair store, and bought a small, round, used Hoover house vac. for $10.00.  I was tired of the Craftsman and its falling or getting stuck on cords.  I vacuum at the end of the each day I'm in the shop.  The small house vac died rather quickly.  I saved the smaller hose at it was easier to attach to portable electric tools that had a vacuum connection.

          When the smaller vac died, I decided to fix the Craftsman ShopVac switch.  It was easy since I was over my anger.  Ha.  When it dies someday, I think I may look into a Fein III or a subsequent one.  I saw one demonstrated at a WW Show.  It was so quiet, it was almost music to my ears.

8. 
   customfl | Feb 10, 2003 01:31pm | #16

   On the shop vac site they have a chart you can use to see what type of filter and filter combo to use for your application. I found out that just saw dust filters aren't good enough so if you go to the drywall application it work fine. With the proper filters and keeping them clean your vac should last 20+ years.

   http://www.geocities.com/waynecustomfl

1. 
   RickL750 | Feb 10, 2003 05:02pm | #17

   Hi Guys!

   I’ve used a stocking on my shop vac filter and found that when using it on MDF or other fine dust it tends to get stuck between the stocking and the filter and reduces suction.

   RickL

1. 
   Windwoodtrader | Feb 10, 2003 07:37pm | #18

   MDF is indeed nasty stuff for producing dust. Better for the dust to clog the filter than clogging your lungs!Windy Wood

   From the Helderberg Mountains

2. 
   customfl | Feb 10, 2003 09:24pm | #19

   I also do alot of mdf, that is why a prefilter is so important. You can get the prefiter bags at menards for about $2.00 ea. Also improves efficiency and you don't have to keep cleaning the filter every 10 minutes. Have used mine for about a month now and no problems at all.

1. 
   RickL750 | Feb 10, 2003 10:29pm | #20

   Thanks I'll try them out.

   RickL

9. 
   billballeza | Feb 11, 2003 06:27am | #21

   Shop vacs are my dust collection system. I have three 16 gallon craftsman.. one for general clean up.. and one each dedicated to my router table and TS. I also use my clean up vac for my plate joiner and chop saw. If I get a benchtop planer I'll probably get another vac for it.