Vacumm Recommendation - Please

Hello everyone,
I am a new community member, and would appreciate your advise. Which vacumm could you please recommend me for dust collection? Also, which other items will I need to buy? (e.g. A hose? Is a hose support necessary? etc.)
I bought the XXL Pro.

Thank you very much in advance,

The XXL Pro includes a Sweepy which has an adapter which fits a couple of hose sizes — using a 2.5" hose is huge in terms of noise reduction and is what I’d recommend, see the hoses at:

https://ptreeusa.com/dust_hose.html

I got a Festool CT Midi and an Oneida Ultimate Dust Deputy, but bought in a noise-induced, migraine-fueled rage — you can do as well for much less money w/a bit of sweat equity — just get a Fein or Ridgid or other quiet vacuum w/ a HEPA filter, and a cyclone such as the Dustopper (or make one yourself) and work up a suitable cart or bracket system.

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I got the cheaper option of the Festool CT-15 (which hasn’t shipped yet), also because I was tired of the noise, and my cheapo shopvac burned out.

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Please take the time to consider how you will use it beyond the Shapeoko. I went with a Festool CT 26 Hepa with the Festool cyclone (around $1,200 total). While it works very well with the Sweepy 2, I spent another $200 on a shop cleanup kit and hose and am still working to figure out connections to other tools. Ordered the Rockler small toolkit for my sander and will need other adapters for other tools. The Festool cyclone attaches to the top of the vacuum, which saves me some floor space. I also like that I can plug the machine into the vacuum and the vacuum powers on with the machine. I really like the Festool, but if I had to do it over again, I might have just gone with a 2-1/2” or 4” system and saved some money.

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As others above said you need to evaluate what you will be using your dust collection (dc) for. I have a full woodworking shop. I have a Jet DC1100 dc and use it for everything. If your only dust collection would be sanding and the Shapeoko then a shop vac would be adequate. If you have other machines like a bandsaw or drill press then a shop vac will work but not as well as a dedicated dust collector. Many folks use the smaller Rockler dust collector and as you saw above the Festool from several above. The Festool is likely a great dc but it is expensive.

So again it is back to what are you going to do. If you needed to pull a trailer with your vehicle that had 10,000 pounds in it you would not get a Volkswagen bug to do it. You would get a proper truck to pull the trailer. Dust collection is the same. If you only need a Volkswagen Bug then get a shop vac but if you need heavy duty then get a larger dust collection system.

What collects dust is not actually vacuum it is the Cubic Feet Per Minute (CFM) that collects dust. The moving air is what collects dust and also makes static electricity which can cause your Shapeoko to have EMI related stops. So grounding of your hoses and router/spindle is important.

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Thank you Will, can you please recommend me a specific hose model? I do see these company has many types!
Thank you and regards,

Guy, I am only going to use my Shapeoko. I have limited money as well. Which shop vac would you recommend?
Thanks in advance,

I got one of these and it worked pretty well. My main complaint is lack of bags (or maybe I just didnt ever find any) for it. But out of the box worked great compared to similar priced one from Lowes or Home Despot.

These get recommended as the more quiet option but are a bit more spendy as well:

I bought:

4600 Fulton™ Anti-Static Semi-Clear Dust Hose - 2-1/2" x 10’ $29.99

Considered the clear which retracts better, but I’m cheap.

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I have the VacMaster VWM510 for the Shapeoko paired with a Dust Deputy and it works very well. Its big advantage is being quiet. Bags are a non issue when paired with the Dust Deputy.
It came with long hoses (smaller diameter and not anti-static) that have worked for me.
Also a remote which I find useful but not a deal breaker.

In my woodshop in addition to a cyclone dust collector for my larger tools I also have the Fein Turbo I which is paired with another Dust Deputy. Again bags are not an issue as hardly anything gets to the vacuum,

If you get a Dust Deputy consider using Gamma Seal Lids as they screw onto the 5 gallon buckets. Not an option with the Dust Stopper from Home Depot.

Bill

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Bill, is this a good option for the Dust Deputy
? Amazon.com

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These little CNC machines aren’t producing a substantial volume of waste per minute of operation, especially when compared to something like a shaper, jointer, surfacer, large drum sander, or even a table saw. Any decent capacity shop vac will perform the job. A separator will save you some coin on filter bags over time, but certainly not required. I’ve had mine hooked into my Festools, Makita, Hilti, Rigid, and dust collector. I’ve noticed no difference in effectiveness. A shop vac with its smaller diameter hose will be louder than dust collector with its large diameter hose. I wear hearing protection in my shop, I don’t care about the difference.

I have quite a few costly shop vacs, as well as less expensive stuff like Rigid. Vanity is a factor for me with regards to customer perception, and the auto start and adjustable vacuum are valuable for certain tasks. But it most cases, if I am just sucking crap up, like you might be from a small CNC, I always opt for the Rigid.

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A decent shop vac will do, but a dust separator is a must. Otherwise you will end up changing filters a lot, of you might get some blow by if the filter is not very good. I got this one from home depot for $50 and it does the job:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dustopper-High-Efficiency-Cyclonic-Dust-Separator-12-in-Dia-with-2-5-in-hose-36-in-long-with-2-Sweep-Elbows-HD12A/315749552

If the vacuum is too loud, you can build a box to put it in with a baffle. I build a 2x2x2 MDF box with a simple baffle and it it made a huge difference. I got the idea from this video:

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This option may get you what you need. It does not include the buckets and casters.

Bill

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Well the last few days I put a cheap Ryobi vac onto the SO3 with the sweepy 1 and worked great till I did deep cuts.Hose size is 34mm.Having said that I have a paddock vac and I am going to try that on this Weekend.Problem I see is that it operates on a 4 inch pipe and reduced down to 34 mm will reduce its effectiveness but I will try.Another reason to upgrade to a sweepy 2

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Where is your machine? I am lucky in that I have a shop 28x20. Right now I have a dust collector from HF near my equipment. A dust deputy is in the plans for the future with the dust collector going outside in a doghouse. So if you don’t have the luxury of a large area, a dust deputy with a (shop vac enclosed) might work for you. Remember a shop vac creates heat and needs air to work. So if you are going to enclose, provide ventilation and filters.

Good luck

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I have a small shed just for it…so, no much space

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I have tried most of the options, nothing has come close to the 220 CFM Ridgid stainless drum shop vac for evacuating chips.

Max,what dia hoses are you using?Do you have a cyclone in the system??

I use the Peachtree 2.5" with the Dust Deputy with the twin buckets which are very convenient and good quality. The Ridgid shopvac I use has a lifetime warranty. I am seeing some difference in this years model slightly less CFM, possibly a impeller design change.

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