Thread: Which shopvac? Advice wanted.

I've a bit of experience with shop vacs. At home I have a small Metabo, at work we have a big Festool and a Carbatec. Obviously, the Festool is the best, but whether you consider it worth the money is up to you. I have been impressed by the aforementioned Carbatec model, it's also branded as a Hitachi and I think I've seen it sold by someone else.

One factor to consider is the wattage of the tools you wish to use the auto-start with. Cheaper vacs tend to have lower wattage limits than the more expensive brands. How big is the router you want to use? This is why I bought my Metabo, despite being cheap (I got it years ago when Bunnings ran out all their Metabo stock, thanks to a forum-member for the heads-up!) it has a 1200w maximum power socket, enough to run my Dewalt 621 router.

It's not the answer you want to hear but if I were buying a vac, I'd get a Festool of at least 30L capacity, while they are expensive up front they are powerful, quiet and feature-laden. They aren't bad value over time, particularly if you have a separator. The old Festo, predates the name change, at work just died after over 10 years of heavy service including several sets of brushes. Well worth the several hundred dollars to get the motor replaced.

Derek, don't discount the Aldi Taurus shopvac. My genuine (smaller) Shopvac had a run in with some hot coals (long story!) and burnt the cartridge filter. Bunnings wanted almost as much for a cartridge filter for the Shopvac as I had seen the whole kit and caboodle in Aldi some time ago. Through the forum I was tipped off that these same vacs were for sale on Ebay. Mine cost well under $100, including delivery, and has been in constant use ever since. I use it will all my sanders and the auto switch facility is great.

Have a look on Ebay for wet & dry vacuums.

https://www.woodworkforums.com/f200/h...tractor-73076/

Hi Scissors

Thanks for that.

I saw the Carba-tec in gtheir catalogue. On paper it looks impressive (and about at the end of the range I'd be prepared to pay for a vacuum cleaner, unless wised up - its been some years since I bought the little Shopvac I was using, which, incidentally was not a machine I'd recommend).

Can you tell me more about the Carba-tec machine, and also is there a link to the Hitachi equivelent?

Hey BS, that as well. Aldi do not exist for us in WA as they do not have any shops in the state. I looked on eBay. Only Shopvacs and brands that are basic and without specs. My priorities are a motor about 2 hp (1400-1500watts), a 2 1//2" (63mm) hose, and it would be good to have a plug in for an Elu OF97e router (same as the Dewalt 621 by coincidence), which has a 1100 watt motor I recall.

Regards from Perth

Derek

A little more research and I realise that (as far as I cam tell), only the Festools can run a router of more than 1 hp and certainly it is the only one that can run a 2 hp power router (as I have in my router table). One is paying for this switchable facility. The cheapest Festool, Festool CT MIDI AUS, is about $770 (including shipping to Perth) or $720 (and excluding shipping). This is the smallest vesion. Anyone have it and can offer their observations?

Regards from Perth

Derek

"important as the Dust Deputy collect most/all the dust"

Dont count on that, it'll only filter out the bigger stuff fine dust goes straight through it... I brought one and was very disappointed with it as my home made job worked better!
I've been using it on my angle grinder fitted with a masonary blade to cut through render so it can be chipped off easier, using my old cyclone it would be about 1/2 hr before flow drops off the DD was about 5min!

They'll work just fine for power tools like routers and planers drills etc etc, but for sanding dust they are not very good at all your vac filters will block quickly.

Here are a couple of options.

Vacuum Cleaner - crazysales.com.au

Vacuum Cleaner - crazysales.com.au

I got a similar 60 ltr one from here but mine has two motors. Very powerful and great on the router table and drop saw. I replaced the hose with bigger pool hose from bunnings. The hose comes in 1100mm lengths and I got seven so I can get right around the shed for cleanups without dragging the vacuum. Bunnings also has a few rubber adaptors and elbows in the pool section to join other size hoses so I can use the vacuum on the sanders and hand held routers.

Col..

For my two bobs worth all I use is a normal house vaccum cleaner for an 1800w one it gives great suction which then goes through a dust collection bucket simmilar to a triton one only home made. It seems to work fine and only a little dust actualy makes it to the vac dust bag, I use it on my 1/3 sheet sander, belt sander, router table and table saw (as I haven't got a dust extractor yet) as well as shed cleanup. The best thing was the price......found at the local tip, like the old saying, one mans rubbish is another mans treasure

Derek,

I happened to go to Bunnings today, the other half fancied some gardening supplies so I had a quick look at the vacs. The Ryobis seemed decent enough, and had a 1000w max input. The Carbatec that I mentioned was certainly better made, but then again, at twice the price, it should be.

I've used the Carbatec at work with a Domino and pneumatic orbital sanders with excellent results, it's powerful enough to attach two orbital sanders to and use them simultaneously, not quite as powerful as the Festool, but good enough. The only downsides are its 800w max input, and it doesn't have adjustable suction, so when using a fresh bag with a clean filter it can tend to be too powerful and suck the sander onto the workpiece, although this isn't very pronounced and is only a minor annoyance.

As for vacs that can take a router, the Metabos can (1200w) the Feins can (2000w) and the Hitachi version of the Carbatec vac can (2000w) whether or not this means the Carbatec can actually take a higher than rated load or if it has a different switch I don't know. I have a feeling that the Makita dust extractors can also take a sizable load; one of them at least is 1200w.

As for the router table, it depends on your set up, but I wouldn't consider an inability to auto-start a deal-breaker. I'd probably find it more annoying to have to unplug the table and plug it into the vac! I only consider auto-start to be necessary on sanders, biscuit/domino joiners and hand-held routers.

Festools are great, I've used probably 6 or 7 different models of their vacs, but unfortunately not the CT Midi. I haven't been able to fault them, except for their initial and consumable costs! Consumable costs shouldn't be significant for you, if you are primarily using your vac with a separator.

If I were you and didn't want to blow a bundle on a Festool, I would have a long hard look at the 25L (I think) Fein, it's able to handle 2000w and according to the Yanks, where Fein vacs are very popular, it's quiet and powerful.

Pretty much all the available trade quality vacs available in Australia AFAIK

And

The Feins

I've got the Aldi and use an shopvac paper filter over the pleated filter which makes cleaning the really fine stuff off the pleats much easier. I just fitted it similar to the shopvac paper over foam, but used two long cable ties to create a fitting collar. (This is not the same as putting in a paper bag as has been described elsewhere)

I have made up long hoses from other throw out vac cleaner bits I've found, but if I was doing it again I'd look at starting with a Hoover GV01 garage vac. I have no experience with it's actual suck, but the package looks ok. Available from several sources around $270.

Hoover Floorcare Products and Brochures

More research ...

My money right now is on the Fein Dustex 25, which is a new version. This has ungraded features over the old version (Dustex 11), which includes variable air. It can manage a 2000 watt power tool. It is much quieter than the Festool Midi. The Festool can handle 2400 watts, but has a smaller capacity and is significantly more expensive - Sydney Tools are selling the Fein for $440 and the Festool for $770. Reading around the internet my uimpression is that they are equivelent quality but many (who have both) prefer the Fein.

Any here that can comment?

Regards from Perth

Derek

That Fein looks like the go I reckon Derek. I use a Metabo and it's great though, couldn't be happier with it..

Festool bags expensive if I remember correctly.
Let's know what you get in the end though///

I use a Taurus / Aldi vac that I picked up on eBay which has auto-start via a 1400W power tool outlet. I have been very happy with it using a Triron MF001 1400W router and lots of other tools.

Someone on the forum suggested using ShopVac brand 40-50l bags which you can pick up at bunnies and my filter looks as clean as a whistle.

The only thing I plan to change is to add some longer better quality hose which is on the to-do list.

This one on eBay looks identical - it could be worth confirming with the seller that it has a 1400W auto-start outlet and comes from the same distributor in Vic that supply the Taurus / Aldi brand vacs.

Vacuum Cleaner with Power take off Wet and Dry - eBay Bagless Vacuums, Vacuum Cleaners, Cleaning, Housekeeping, Home. (end time 16-Jul-10 20:00:57 AEST)

It would certainly save you a few $'s at $80 delivered.

Cheers,
Geoff

Derek,

I have the aldi which is a 1000w unit and has 1400w tool limit. I though that this limit was because the vacuum has a 10amp lead so total consumption for tool and vacuum has to be no more than 2400w.

I would have though then that the fein with 1300w motor and 2000w tool limit for a total of 3300w would require a 15amp plug and power source to be able to supply the necessary power.

Is this correct??? Or do they come with standard 10amp plug???

Regards
Mark

Out of interest, how noisy is the Aldi?

Regards from Perth

Derek