Replies

1. 
   IanC | Oct 28, 2003 10:54pm | #1

   That's interesting, wonder if they'll fit a Hoover?  Ours has gotten so loud we wear muffs to vacuum the house, no kidding, and it's not all that old.  I've cleaned everything but no luck.  Anybody know how to quiet down a screaming motor?

1. 
   stancalow | Oct 29, 2003 04:05am | #4

   Iancummins

   I built a enclosure out of scrap plywood and some casters in which put the shop-vac.   Just a crude box with wheels and a door and three holes - one for the hose, one for the power cord, and one for an extended scrap PVC exhaust pipe.  I think there was a similar thing in an issue of Family Handyman earlier this year.  It is lined with fiberglass wall insulation and cuts down the noise quite a bit.  Plus it makes it less susceptible to tipping over when moved around, and gives an extra work surface on which to store things.

2. 
   DougF | Oct 28, 2003 11:00pm | #2

   I bought one and took it back the next day: no difference whatsoever on my Craftsman vac.

   Doug

3. 
   RANGERP75R | Oct 29, 2003 01:50am | #3

   ehrichweiss

      Bought one several years ago and still using it. I think it helps tone down the sound. I don't hear as well as I used to, but I think it takes it down a few decibels. The main effect seems to be as on a silencer on a rifle which I am familar with. It doesn't really silence the rifle report. It does drop the decibels slightly, but what it manily does is disperse the sound in different directions which in essence makes it quieter and hard to tell from what direction it's directly coming from.

      An excellent approach would be buy it, attach it and if you think it doesn't work; take it back the next day for a refund.

   sarge..jt

4. 
   artw | Oct 29, 2003 05:41am | #5

   I bought one and put it on my craftsman vac and it did tone it down. I'm still using it and if I take it off, it is noticeably louder.

   Ken K

5. 
   CRAIGCONEY_M | Oct 29, 2003 07:42am | #6

   I have one, don't use it.  Bought the Hartville Tool muffler, works better, ended up putting the vac in a cabinet under my drill press on a wireless remote.

6. 
   parrothead | Oct 29, 2003 03:27pm | #7

   Hello ehrichweiss, I have one on my craftsman vac. It does help some but not enough that I can get away without hearing protection. I would use the money to invest in a good pair of headphones, because even with the muffler, I still wear mine.

   Mike

   We are the people our parents warned us about. J. Buffett
1. 
   ehrichweiss | Oct 29, 2003 04:05pm | #8

   Thank you all for your comments!

   stantheman, could you tell me a little more about your box you built?  How tight does the shopvac sit in there...is there any "breathing" room?  Do you have to worry about the vac overheating? 

   I'm thinking I like the idea of an enclosure for my shopvac, so any suggestions can now be pointed toward the problems/success stories/failures of enclosing a shopvac in a box.  If someone had their vac die, I'd like to know about it so I don't kill mine as well.

   I also am going to pick up some ear protectors.  Any hints/tips on picking up a good pair of those would also be greatly appreciated!

   Thanks again,

   ~EW

1. 
   IanC | Oct 29, 2003 04:48pm | #10

   EW, Assuming you're talking about muff type ear protectors, let me throw this out.  The number one consideration IMO is comfort.  Out of three pair I've bought over the years,  I can only wear one for extended times without discomfort.  I wouldn't mail order this item,  try them on in a store and leave them on  until you start feeling ridiculous or take them back and try another brand.  It's like buying shoes.  I've seen articles that explain the rating system for noise reduction but can't locate one right now...........somebody here will know. 

   Ian

   Edited 10/29/2003 9:49:26 AM ET by IANCUMMINS

2. 
   jackiechan | Oct 30, 2003 08:51am | #12

   EW,

   A shop vac' muffler is something that is easily built with inexpensive PVC pipes and joints from your local home center.  You'll need 15" -20" of 2" OD (outside diameter) PVC pipe, a 90 degree elbow, a 20" long 4" diameter PVC section, a reducer from one end of the elbow to the 4" diameter pipe, and a sound deadening material. 

   The sound deadening material can be almost anything - old foam carpet underlay or felt underlay, a section of foam egg crate (used as mattress pads), just about anything that will prevent the sound from bouncing.

   Line the 4" diameter pipe with the sound reducing material.  Don't block up the tube - exhaust air must be allowed to flow through the muffler.  Use any rubber consistency style glue (e.g. silicone adhesive, etc...) to mount the material.  Attach the reducer to one end, with the 90 degree elbow on top of that.  Cut a section of the 2" diameter pipe to fit between the vacuum and the elbow.  You want the 2" diameter pipe to be long enough to allow the muffler to clear the side of the unit.  The muffler should be facing down towards the floor.

   If you have any additional questions, please feel free to ask!Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.

7. 
   TKanzler | Oct 29, 2003 04:26pm | #9

   I have the same muffler shown.  I just measured the sound level from my Genie wet/dry vac, in a sheetrocked room with 7.5 ft ceiling.  From about 3 feet away, and in line with the exhaust, without the muffer I measure 103 dB (A weighted).  With the muffler, 95 dB. 

   The general whoosh of the air flow didn't change perceptably, but the high pitched scream comes down significantly.  It was literally painful to use without the muffler (hearing protectors are still the best, though), and I was going to just chuck the vac until I tried this thing a year or two ago.  Now it's not too loud to use, depending on the room and duration of use, and I can angle the exhaust away from the suction side of the vac.

   It's probably most effective on the higher frequencies, and therefore results would be dependant on the vac in question.  I still wear protection most of the time, but it doesn't upset everyone in the house as much, and for short duration I can tolerate the noise.  $10 well spent, in my case, to make a crummy machine tolerable.

   Be seeing you...

8. 
   JDorn | Oct 29, 2003 05:03pm | #11

   Not too long ago I saw some plans for an enclosure that you'd line with carpet scraps and use as a spare roll around table as well.  I've been toying with building it for some time now, just gotta get around to doing it.  Supposedly it tones down the noise quite a bit.

   JD

9. 
   hammer1 | Oct 30, 2003 09:21am | #13

   Sell that screamer and get a Fein!

   
   

   ---

   Edited 10/30/2003 10:43:01 PM ET by Hammer

1. 
   EdHarrow | Oct 31, 2003 05:35am | #15

   Ditto.

2. 
   AhneedHelp | Nov 01, 2003 06:53am | #16

   re - Sell that screamer and get a Fein!

   -----------

   Yes, but also take a look at Festo.

   Very very very quiet and ShopVac's 2.5" hoses fit.

1. 
   hammer1 | Nov 01, 2003 08:21am | #17

   They fit the turbo III too, $289 w/easy cleaning.

1. 
   AhneedHelp | Nov 01, 2003 03:49pm | #18

   re -  

   They fit the turbo III too, $289 w/easy cleaning.

   -----

   Yes, indeed.

   Was just mentioning Festo because I was surprised nobody brought it up, although the thread is more about mufflers.

   Whoops.

10. 
    MaxdOut | Oct 30, 2003 06:52pm | #14

    I bought one yesterday for my Genie shop vac. I don't have a db meter but it made a noticable difference which made it worth the $10.

    Hey Jackie Chan, how much quieter is your vac after adding your homemade unit? I'm interested in making my shop as "quiet" as possible.

    By the way, I'm new to this site and have found it wealth of information.

    Gary