Shop Vac maintenence...

[dbhost]

So the suction on my shop vac is getting weaker, I would have to assume from all the sawdust / sanding particulates clogging the HEPA filter...

What is a good method for cleaning the filter?

The tank is about 1/2 full of dust, shavings, and misc stuff from vac operations... (Was that a Cheeto under the back seat of the truck?).

I figure take the vac outside in the driveway, dump the tank into the trash can, pull the filter, knock it a couple of times on the drive, and using a soft bristled brush, brush out the stuff that comes loose...

Aside from compressed air which will send the dust airborn, what other methods can I use to refresh this filter? Yeah I am being cheap. At $30.00 a shot for replacements, I would like my filter to last at least a year...

[Tom Slick]

I use the same method you do, filters can certainly be used over and over again. The gore-tex brand hepa filters can be washed in with water. They are also $30 but less dust when cleaning. The only downside is they seem to cake/clog with dust quicker.

[cgallery]

You aren't supposed to brush a Cleanstream/Goretex filter. The material is very thin on top of a substrate and it abrades very easily.

[dbhost]

Never heard of GoreTex for anything other than semi permeable clothing. (Waterproof / breathable, lets vapor escape). I use the Ridgid HEPA filter I got from HD... It was a bonus kind of thing that came with the vac. It had the regular fine dust, a bag, and the HEPA all in the box... Haven't seen the same setup since. And it appears Ridgid changed the tank color from Gray to Orange on the 12 gallon model again...

[shoottx]

Put the filter in a plastic bag and tap it, roll it around and generally knock as much dust off in the bag then use the vac on exhale to blow out the remaining dust.

[sweensdv]

With my HEPA filter, I just bang it around a bit to loosen the big stuff and then wash off the rest with plain water and then let it air dry overnight. I can't believe that you were able to still draw any air with the canister ½ full of sawdust and debris. I'm lucky to get mine 1/10 full before the HEPA filter is in need of cleaning.

[dbhost]

Debris, lots and lots of debris. The planer, and the carpet in the truck doesn't do much as far as clogging the filter... Now the sanders and the bandsaw are another story. I have been VERY busy with those tools lately, and in less than a week have gone to downright pitiful performance with the filter...

That half full is honestly mostly big stuff. Cheetos, shavings, straw wrappers, pine needles, and other misc chunky stuff that would simply bounce off the filter...

I have seen the Cleanstream filters at HD, I simply thought they were an el cheapo substitute for the Ridgid HEPA filter... They are actually a buck or two cheaper than a replacment Ridgid HEPA...

[BobSch]

Time for a garbage can separator?

[Uncle Cracker]

Some of the HEPA filters (mine included) are made to simply rinse off under a hose, let dry, and then re-install.

[Rand]

Just dumping the shop vac into the trash can isn't being very kind to your garbage collector. When he dumps it into the truck he'll be in a big cloud of sawdust!

I remove the motor/filter assembly and put a plastic garbage bag over the shop vac canister. Then I turn the whole thing upside down and shake it. After giving it a minute for the dust to settle I put the filter into the bag and bang on it to get the dust off.

I usually don't bother getting the filter completely clean because it will just get full of dust again. Usually within a minute of use.

[cgallery]

If you guys would use bags in your vacs, you wouldn't get clogged filters. I'm not saying to use HEPA filters, but I'd certainly use a bag, too.

[dbhost]

Just dumping the shop vac into the trash can isn't being very kind to your garbage collector. When he dumps it into the truck he'll be in a big cloud of sawdust!

I remove the motor/filter assembly and put a plastic garbage bag over the shop vac canister. Then I turn the whole thing upside down and shake it. After giving it a minute for the dust to settle I put the filter into the bag and bang on it to get the dust off.

I usually don't bother getting the filter completely clean because it will just get full of dust again. Usually within a minute of use.

I should have mentioned. My garbage cans are always lined with a bag, and the bag gets tied off before the can goes out to the curb. I had one too many STINKY garbage can days after the trucks ran late, and food garbage was left in the can in the hot Texas sun with no bag... I wanna hurl just thinking about it...

[bthorne]

I've gotta second cgallery's recommendation.

I use a drywall dust bag in the vac in addition to the hepa filter, and it has greatly increased the time between filter cleanings.

[Tom Slick]

Never heard of GoreTex for anything other than semi permeable clothing. (Waterproof / breathable, lets vapor escape)...

Gore has been in the filter business longer then the clothing/fabric business but previously it's been industrial only.
http://www.gore.com/en_xx/products/f..._products.html

They now make shop-vac filters, HD carries them around here.
http://www.cleanstream.com/filters_wetdry.html

[radhak]

I usually don't bother getting the filter completely clean because it will just get full of dust again. Usually within a minute of use.

Agreed, but that's what would affect the performance of your vac. I recommend spending some extra minutes cleaning that filter : gentle bangs with the side of a hard brush, then some compressed air, and repeat. If the 'pores' of the filter are caked with old dust, cleaning the rest of the vac is not gonna help much in improving the vac power. The idea is that the power of the vac reduces slowly when it moves from a 'fully clean' to 'full of dust' state, so the cleaner you start out, the better.

If you guys would use bags in your vacs, you wouldn't get clogged filters. I'm not saying to use HEPA filters, but I'd certainly use a bag, too.

Could you explain more please? What sort of a bag? Does it go over the filter? Like a home-vaccum bag?