What filter do you use in your shop vac

[C.J.]

I hear regular 5 gallon buckets will eventually collapse under the suction of a shop vac with a dust deputy. The buckets that come with the dust deputy are thicker and won’t collapse. I think firehouse subs pickle buckets are supposed to be thicker and won’t collapse either. Lemme know if there’s any truth to that.

 

[highup]

I'm going to look at those screw on bucket caps to see if they have flat tops.... I've seen em, never really looked at em.

 

[highup]

Ill pay attention to the buckets around here to see if there are any differences. I'll have to buy a micrometer...
.....now see what you just did?

 

[JPfloor]

Laser measuring tape is pretty cool too. Great in big areas loaded with furniture.

 

[C.J.]

If you buy the dust deputy kit it comes with a bucket in a bucket set up as well as they claim their buckets are collapse proof. Never fear, Dr YouTube is here and apparently the bucket in a bucket setup is the ticket.

 

[highup]

I think I get why that works.

 

[highup]

CJ and MSLI, thanks for bringing this subject up. I've heard of these filter bags before, but never gave them a second thought. Since I started doing measuring for the shop, I haven't been using my new craftsman back much but the first time I used a bag was back in early January in an apartment for my uncle. Tons of staples and fine dust to vacuum up after pulling up the carpet. There's been a few other jobs since then including another apartment the smaller area but it still had lots of dust and crap to suck up. This past week we installed carpet in an office at 100-year-old theater here in town. It has a 3 1/4-inch wood floor and all the boards were peaked so I used the edger sander to take care of that, sending the tops off all the board edges. Downstairs those little grinding on the concrete with the edger sander also.
Saturday I went down to the warehouse to return some carpet adhesive and took my vacuum down there also. I decided to toss the bag because it's been through a lot.
To my surprise with the sunlight, I was surprised I could still see daylight through the bag when looking into the inlet hole.
My life has been changed, with no more need to fog up the neighborhood when blowing out the pleated filter.
When using the bag I didn't remove the pleated filter. I can only imagine what would happen with no filter and having a bag come loose without me knowing it.
Anyhow, thanks guys I would never have tried these bags without this topic getting started.

 

[kwfloors]

I use the green filter in my ridgid vac, clean them off for a couple of years before I go get a new one. Work better than the white,cheaper one.

 

[highup]

What's special about the green ones?

 

[C.J.]

What's special about the green ones?

I think they are a HEPA rated filter as opposed to just a regular ol filter.

 

[highup]

That would make a lot of sense.
Filter bags are relatively new to me so now that you said it, logic done slap me in the face.

 

[DarisMulkin]

It s the filter that came with it 15 or so years ago. Air hose takes good care of it.

 

[highup]

It s the filter that came with it 15 or so years ago. Air hose takes good care of it.

Over the years I've destroyed 6 times more craftsman 16 gallon shop vacs that you've bought filters?

 

[highup]

I put this video elsewhere, but since it's too related I put it here to.
This tool wouldn't work all that swift for peeling up traditional vinyl flooring, but I've come upon a job where I have to remove a butt load of Armstrong Designer II. It bonded itself with the 670 adhesive, so well that the vinyl doesn't want to separate from the underlayment. The flooring is it here on the seams and the perimeter about 4 in wide. Cutting into the strips, and pulling it by hand and damages the existing underlayment but it's also very hard to pull up and it breaks all the time as you pull it up.
Peeling It off in a continuous roll is the ticket. It is for me anyway, I'm trying to keep damage to the underlayment minimal and so far it's working really good.
Here's the potato peeler I'm action.
I'm cutting the glued area into three equal with strips with utility knife and that I roll them up on a 15/16 in socket.
I probably shouldn't have put this out in public. Don's probably going to tell his buddies at Milwaukee and they're going to make a tool just for this process

 

[GoodyTrek]

Wondering what filter you guys use in your shop vac. I’ve got a Ridgid shop vac and I just run the regular filter but I do use a vacuum bag. Never tried stepping up to Ridgid’s very fine filter (the blue one) or their HEPA filter (the green one). I’ve got a HEPA vac for when I need it so I don’t have to juice up my shop vac any more than it already is but I’ve been seeing the VF filters on Amazon for the same price as the regular filters. Do they perform better?

What’s your experience and what filter do you run in your shop vac.

Hey CJ,
I use HEPA filters if I'm working with materials like wood dust or other dust particles. I haven't used the VF filters though so no idea if its better.

 

[C.J.]

They have a couple of these in stock at my HD, think I’ll grab one to try it out. I do have an anemometer so I’ll have to do a comparison of suckulation between a standard filter, maybe with and without a standard vac bag, and the HEPA filter with its companion vacuum bag.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...2-16-Gal-RIDGID-Shop-Vacuums-VF6500/304736564

 

[highup]

They have a couple of these in stock at my HD, think I’ll grab one to try it out. I do have an anemometer so I’ll have to do a comparison of suckulation between a standard filter, maybe with and without a standard vac bag, and the HEPA filter with its companion vacuum bag.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-...2-16-Gal-RIDGID-Shop-Vacuums-VF6500/304736564

Try it without a filter...... I mean, you can always aim the exhaust out a window and let mother nature sort it out.

 

[highup]

It would also be fun to try a dust deputy along with a standard filter.

 

[C.J.]

It would also be fun to try a dust deputy along with a standard filter.

One of these days I’ll get one

 

[highup]

Mine is permanently attacked to the lid portion of my old Craftsman 16 gallon shop vac.
I removed the motor then modified the shop vac housing to attach the Deputy.
.........many, many months ago.
...and because I'm now mostly measuring, I've never even played with or tested it.
....my intentions were good.