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Shop Vacuum Clogging Quickly

Shop Vacuum Clogging Quickly (post #167166)

JohninTN on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 09:57

Workshop

I recently bought a new shop vacuum(Rigid) to replace the small underpowered vac I had used for several years. This machine has a 14 gallon tank and a pleated filter. I use it for collecting dust from the table saw and gerneral shop clean-up. It seems that the filter clogs up almost immediately and even after removing and cleaning, it sucks up dust from the tank and is clogged again as soon as it is turned on. Apparently the 14 gal. tank is only fully utilized when vacuuming water. Is this normal?

Yes, I would like to have a dedicated dust collection system but there is no room in my small shop. This vac got a high rating in its class. Overall, I like the vacuum but would like to maintain full efficiency for a longer time.

John

Always practice safe vacuuming (post #167166, reply #1 of 10)

by roc in reply to JohninTN [original] on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 21:20

Place a protective layer between the pleated filter and the tank.

No. seriously though. Check into a paper filter that can go over the pleated one. Some times, often, the pleated filter is to trap the ultra fine particulates after the smooth paper filter has stopped the larger stuff and the larger stuff has sluffed off and is then in the bottom of the 14 gal part of the vac.

I have two Feins. They offer an optional pleated filter but one still used the paper bag or the cloth pre filter.

For example :

http://www.feintools.us/index.php?c=fs8&...

roc

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

Some of the ShopVac brand (post #167166, reply #2 of 10)

by swenson in reply to JohninTN [original] on Thu, 05/19/2011 - 21:48

Some of the ShopVac brand small vacs come with a toss out paper bag collecor that fits over the intake port inside the canister. Extra expense but might be a fix for you if it will fit a Rigid vac.

ShopVac (post #167166, reply #3 of 10)

by Westchester in reply to swenson [original] on Fri, 05/20/2011 - 04:19

John

If space is tight - have you considered adding a Wall Mounted Dust Collector - Search the - Rockler Catalog -

I'm glad I don't have pleated (post #167166, reply #4 of 10)

by hammer1 in reply to JohninTN [original] on Fri, 05/20/2011 - 06:29

I'm glad I don't have pleated paper filters in my vac. I used to and they clog quickly, especially in humid conditions. I have a Teflon bag I use in my vac. You can find them at shops that sell and service commercial vacs.

Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

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Use a filter bag (post #167166, reply #5 of 10)

by Mike_D in reply to JohninTN [original] on Wed, 06/22/2011 - 20:01

On the advice of a remodeler friend I replaced my center filter with a washable one and then added a large bag filter made for my shop vac. Amazingly effective! The bag has sufficient paper area that it doesn't clog to speak of unless I'm cleaning up plaster dust (then I use my Dust Deputy in front of everything). The bags aren't that expensive, and they last surprisingly long before they fill up. I use mine to capture sanding dust from my orbital and my 1/4 sheet sanders in conjunction with Merka Abranet.

Try it, you'll like it.

Mike D

I agree (post #167166, reply #6 of 10)

by Jigs-n-fixtures in reply to Mike_D [original] on Thu, 06/23/2011 - 13:07

A clean stream filter, (I have two so they can dry between uses), and dry wall bags in the shop vac. Keep things from clogging, and make disposal lots easier.

Isn't fine dust going to (post #167166, reply #7 of 10)

by DonStephan in reply to JohninTN [original] on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 14:47

Isn't fine dust going to collect on whatever is used as a filter, whether pleated or not, and thus reduce air stream? Oneida's Dust Deputy is one example of a collector that goes in front of your shop vac to try to intercept material upstream from the filter. No experience with these products.

To your question "Isn't fine (post #167166, reply #8 of 10)

by Mike_D in reply to DonStephan [original] on Mon, 06/27/2011 - 19:02

To your question "Isn't fine dust going to collect on whatever is used as a filter" I certainly thought so, but the reality is that the big paper filter bags made specifically for the shop vacs have a huge amount of square inches of filter material. There's some other stuff going on as well, but the bottom line is that I fill one of the bags up completely with fine sanding dust before I start to see ANY diminished flow to the vac. It defies logic but it is what it is.

Now that is NOT true when I'm sanding away at my clumsly attempts at dry wall or plaster. Then they clog up pretty darn fast - however, I've learned to insert my dust deputy in line at that point and all is goodness once again. I don't use the DD all the time 'cause it's a royal pain to maneuver around both the shop vac AND the DD in a small shop. Plus don't need it with just sanding dust.

Mike D

Thanks for the followup (post #167166, reply #9 of 10)

by DonStephan in reply to Mike_D [original] on Tue, 06/28/2011 - 17:19

Thanks for the followup Mike. Are you thinking of the paper bags used in my Festool sander, or something that surrounds the pleated filter my Sears shop vac?

The filters are large vacuum (post #167166, reply #10 of 10)

by Mike_D in reply to DonStephan [original] on Thu, 06/30/2011 - 07:02

The filters are large vacuum cleaner bags made specifically for shop vacs. When you take the top off your shop vac to empty it you will see a section of plastic pipe that extends an inch or so into the big tub. The bags have a cardboard through attachment point with a rubber gasket attached. You push the bag over the plastic pipe and you're set. Yes, they wind up wrapped around your pleatef filter, but only as they fill. If you go to Lowes or Home Depot and go to the shop vac section, they will have three bag sizes. Small for the smallest wet/dry shop vac like you'd take into a small closet or on a small job as instant site cleanup. The second is "medium" and the third is "large". They are typically labled for the gallon size of your shop vac. I can use either the medium or large in both of my shop vacs - one a Sears and one from Home Depot. I buy the same bags for both at Lowes since it's closer to my house and they work fine.