Question about paper filters, shop vacs and dust collection

I have a Ridgid "5.5" hp shop vac with a HEPA filter that does a good job keeping the dust down. Kinda noisy though, and the HEPA plugs up quickly when using the drum sander . . . I was thinking of buying the Jet 2 micron DC at Woodcraft today (10% sale). While searching the archives here, I see mention of using a paper filter in the shop vac to intercept the fines, thus keeping the HEPA from plugging as quickly. Maybe this is the economical way for me to go??

Question: Where does this paper bag/filter go? Do you fix it to the intake vent inside the shop vac body?

Thanks!

Scott

Reply to
Scott
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Economical, sure, but you'll want to keep it clean. A doubled T-shirt would do about 75% of what you need. GI blanket would do probably 95%.

Goes over the finer filter. Rubber band works pretty well.

Save your ears and the TV reception and get the induction run DC.

Reply to
George

I tried the bags that cover the cylindrical filter years ago but gave up on them since they tended to clog relatively easily as well and I didn't think that they worked all that well. When I built the addition on my place and was doing all the drywall finishing, I tried these bags that sit around the inner perimeter of the shop vac container and fit over the hose entrance inside (much like the way that most upright vacuum bags attach). With the screen sander attached to hose, I could do all the drywall sanding in the world and produce almost NO dust at all. Understanding that the bags fit the entire circumference of the collection tub, there is a great amount of surface area through which the blower draws a vacuum. Therein, I have not noticed a marked increase in noise or degradation in perfomance as the bag fills.

I use if for everything including drywall sanding, cleaning ash out of the fireplace, woodworking, etc.

I have a Shop Vac brand vacuum and the bags are made by Shop Vac as well however depending on your vac's size, you might be able to use them too. OTOH, Rigid might make them specifically for their units. Check Home Depot.

Take care, Jim

Reply to
Jim McKelvey

Thanks for the replies guys. I ended up blowing $350 (less 10%) at Woodcraft today for the pleated cannister-filtered Jet DC. Sucks like the front end of an F-16 Falcon, but lots quieter. Anybody need a shop vac?

;>)

Reply to
Scott

You do. Take it out to the garage to clean out the cars.

It's also wet/dry?

Reply to
George

HEPA? Yikes... that's gotta add a LOT of static pressure. FWIW, I'm currently building a cyclone separator system using the plans on this website as a starting point:

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'll be using 6" duct and a 300 sq.ft. cartridge filter that's 99.99% efficient at 0.5 micron from Wynn Environmental.

I recently moved into a house where the basement is the obvious shop space. My old shop was in a two-car garage and fine dust wasn't so much of a problem, because I did most of my work with the big door open and ran a huge fan to get the dusty air out. Now, in the basement, that just won't work, and I've been up to my waist in shavings and dust. To make matters worse, I recently got a new double-drum sander that produces dust like I've never SEEN before!

Anyway, based on tests some fellows have done, mine will pull about 1700 CFM through the whole system of 6" ducting that I'll run. I reckon that'll do it.

Joe

snipped-for-privacy@att.net (Scott) bellowed forth with this wisdom for all to hear:

Reply to
Joe Helmick

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