Vacuum cleaner for DIY - dry pickup only.

For quietness, suck, and a long power lead with really reliable coiling, the Henry family.

If it's strictly sawdust/shavings/woodchips or very similar - consider getting a workshop dust/chip extractor.

I have the bottom of the range from Axminster - it takes bin-liner sized sacks and can fill one in a few minutes.

Think it's this one:

You can buy a 60mm hose for the Earlex if that helps

The George is better, having used one.

Dave

Those sound quite fixable

NT

I'm happy enough with my Earlex for dry workshop - although I bought it the extra pleated filter and fat hose. Noisy, but cheap.

Stop putting your fingers in there...f*ck, jobs a good'un.

to be properly portable. Sorry should have included these in the first post.

helps

Won't increasing the hose bore reduce the vacuum?

Richard

Do you think so? About 15 years ago I tried to find new handles and wheeled base for the unit without success.

Richard

Suction. Yes it will, but the airflow will increase.

A twin motor vacuum has much the same suction as a single motor machine, but double the airflow.

Well, generally speaking...

Small rust: wire brush, car body filler, wipe of paint. Major rust: rivet on a new sheet steel base Unguarded fan: EML, chip basket etc, rivet or weld on Motor: usually its a case of cleaning out the airpaths through the machine, but if the motor is actually faulty, rewinds are an option on a decent vac.

NT

Unless you use the Earlex a hell of a lot in 'wet' mode such that you really need separate machines, that would seem a good option, enabling you to use the same machine for both. I have one of these filters and have found the machine's performance (in 'dry' mode) to be radically increased over the old paper filters.

David

Be careful though that wet use (or even damp) and cement dust don't mix. They'll "corrode" the filter, and they aren't cheap.

The most recent filters I have bought at Wickes no longer have the metal grille and are now all plastic, so do not rust Regards Bruce

Indeed. I did replace the cooling fan guard when it broke and did a 'cigar cutter' job on my right forefinger. Certainly a dollop of plastic plod will sort the rusty can. Just not sure that the motor deserves a great deal of investment. I fear that the cost of a rewind might exceed the cost of a new machine if one takes life expectancy into account.

No, I meant the element itself. IMHE, they seem to not like damp alkalis.

So what exactly is the advantage of higher air flow?

It should be able to carry more dirt and maybe bigger dirt.