[hawkeye10]

Ever since I got a Dust Deputy and put it on a cart with my Ridgid shop vac I have been wanting a small shop vac that is easy to move around. I want to use it for when I need it inside the house and to clean off the deck. I know how easy it is to spend someones money so I don't want a Fien or Fest Tool. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[kp91]

Don,

I am probably the worst person to ask, because I had a shop vac addiction for a while. Every estate sale or auction that had one, I bought it, so I could dedicate it to a particular tool. I ended up giving most of them away, but still have a few. I have a 20 gal and a 16 Gallon Sears vac (red bodies) (the 20 has a smaller footprint, but the 16 is a convertible to a leaf blower). I have a little 8 gallon shop vac brand (black body) tied to the CNC, and a 4 gallon shop vac (grey body) just inside the door to the house to clean up what I drag inside. From what I can tell, they are all about the same for quality. The smaller the vacuum, the louder the machine is the only noticeable difference.

On the big machines I use GORE CleanStream Wet/Dry Vacuum Filters filters. They aren't cheap (almost the price of a used shop vac!) but they do an awesome job and last forever. If doing anything with a lot of dust (MDF, etc) I throw in the yellow vacuum bags as well.

 

[Nickp]

This works for me...

RIDGID 4 gal. 5.0-Peak HP Portable Wet Dry Vac WD4070 at The Home Depot - Mobile

 

[RainMan 2.0]

This works for me...

RIDGID 4 gal. 5.0-Peak HP Portable Wet Dry Vac WD4070 at The Home Depot - Mobile

I have the 4 gallon you posted in the link , and also the 14 gallon Rigid model . I hate the 4 gallon one , only because it's twice the decibal level of the larger models, and I have to wear ear plugs just to cope with it .
It's nice to tote around though

 

[hawkeye10]

This works for me...

RIDGID 4 gal. 5.0-Peak HP Portable Wet Dry Vac WD4070 at The Home Depot - Mobile

This is the one I have been considering. I have the Ridgid 14 gallon shop vac it's been a good one. I use it a lot and I can't believe it's still running. I think Emerson makes a lot of these vacs and puts different names on them.

 

[Garyk]

Small vac's seem to also have small efficiency.

 

[DesertRatTom]

I have a 10 gallon Shop Vac, which has a roll around base that seems to snag on everything. It has the 2 1/2 inch hose and connector, which is great. I find it easier to use with the wheels off.

I have HF dust collectors with chip separators (and long 4 inch hoses) in both shop areas, which really do the job far better than the vac. The 10 gallon is fairly portable to me and a nice compromise between size and power. It isn't too noisy either. Filters seem to fill quickly though, but with your Dust Deputy and collection bin inline, it would work well.

As to cleaning off clothes and shoes, I just use my DC's 4 inch hose before I leave either shop. Clothing is the way most dust gets into the house.

 

[MikeMa]

I bought a 12 gallon sears craftsman last year and dedicated it to sanding dust collection. I put a 1 micron filter on it, as well as a filter bag. I also added a variable speed control and an auto start. I may at some point put the available hepa filter on it. I don't have a separator on it, but I am very happy with its overall performance. I have a bosch ROS, and nearly 100% of the dust is collected.

I have a 16 gallon sears craftsman that is used for general purposes.

 

[Nickp]

This is the one I have been considering. I have the Ridgid 14 gallon shop vac it's been a good one. I use it a lot and I can't believe it's still running. I think Emerson makes a lot of these vacs and puts different names on them.

Real easy to haul up and down...I put a Dust Deputy in front of it, handles most of the tools when doing quick jobs...