Shop vac

Chuck Beland

Member
Messages
800
Location
Rhode Island
I have a Rigid 12 GL shop Vac that I use for general cleaning up chips & also as a DC when I'm sanding. I have tried to put woman's pantyhose around the filter to try to keep it clean but the dust gets inside & clogs up the filter. I remember either seeing (you tube) or reading something where someone did something to a Rigid shop vac adding something so when they picked up the dust from the floor the shop vac was completely clean all the dust was in another container.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? if so can you please give me a link to this.

Thanks
 
Darren,
I don't have a DC like Vaughn I just have a Rigid 12 gallon shop vac.

I know, there is a link to the guy's site that has the Rigid vac there. :wave:

Or are you wanting it in the vac itself?

Edit: here is the link, its a trash can separator, but watch the videos...nothing gets to the vac: http://www.cgallery.com/jpthien/cy.htm
 
Last edited:
Chuck, Phil Thien started out making a separator for his shop vac. I adapted it for my DC, but if you look around his site he's got info on a trash can separator for his shop vac.

The Thien separator is inexpensive and very effective. The cyclone separators like the Oneida or Clear Vue are great, but a bit pricey. And Niki's idea with the barrel and geotextile fabric will be fine for a few minutes until the fabric clogs.

If you have the right model of Ridgid shop vac, this looks sweet (but a bit pricey, too)...

http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/Ridgid_Conversion.htm

Right now I have a 5 gallon metal bucket with a cheap separator lid from Harbor Freight. At some point I'd like to make a Thien separator for my shop vac, but I want to figure out a way to do it without having a second container to drag around the shop. I've seen pics of a guy's shop vac where he added the baffle to the vac itself. Made it a bit taller, but it apparently works well.
 
...Right now I have a 5 gallon metal bucket with a cheap separator lid from Harbor Freight. ...

Vaughn,
Check out that Oneida Dust Deputy. The plastic version (cyclone only) is on sale right now for $59.00, including shipping. That's only about twice the price of the trash can lid separators, and it'll work a whole lot better!
 
Vaughn,
Check out that Oneida Dust Deputy. The plastic version (cyclone only) is on sale right now for $59.00, including shipping. That's only about twice the price of the trash can lid separators, and it'll work a whole lot better!

Wow, that's a great price. If possible, I'd like to get away from the extra bucket for a separator, mostly due to floor space and ease of moving it around my cramped shop. This thread over on Phil's site shows one 'R2D2' approach:

http://www.cgallery.com/smf/index.php?topic=147.0
 
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