> From: TR4guyinVA@aol.com, on 3/4/97 8:01 PM:
>
> I need a shop vac.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Of course being a grunting male . . more power really appeals to me.
What do you expect to be picking up? There are two semi-standard hose
diameters. My experience is that the small one is fine for cleaning up things
such as car interiors, sawdust, and water. If you get into bigger things such
as wood chips, nails, drywall rubble and similar stuff found in construction or
remodeling projects, you'll want the bigger hose. While most 10 Gal+ shop vacs
I've seen would take both size hoses, you ought to opt for one of the more
powerful units if you decide to go with the larger hose diameter.
The large hose attachments are relatively expensive and awkward to use in tight
locations (ex. car interiors). So if you go with a large hose unit, you should
consider buying an adapter (~$6US) or a small diameter hose (~$16US) to use
with small diameter attachments.
> But I don't really care too much about capacity . . how often does one fill
> up a 15 gallon container?
>
15 gallons does seem like a lot. But again, consider the expected applications
before going with something considerably smaller. Think big if you expect to
be doing construction type or large fluid cleanups.
> Stability, ergonomics and gadgets seem like the important things.
>
While the hoses look very similar between vendors, they are often not quite
interchangeable. I currently own a Craftsman and have found that Sears is
about the only source for hoses and attachments. This usually means I must
mail-order or go to the "Parts/Service" shop on the other side of the galaxy
for parts or options (other than filters). The Craftsman unit has worked
reasonably well, but I would probably go with one of the national brands that
are carried by a number of the home improvement and discount chains if I were
to buy another.
Wheels are nice to have. You may want to check out how well they're attached
though - it's a pain to have them fall off while carrying it.
Also, check out the handles. The major design flaw on our current Craftsman is
that the handles are molded into the top (motor) assembly and this top is
attached to the tank with a couple of flimsy plastic springs. I've had a
couple of messes due to one of the springs letting go while I was carrying the
unit. Look for either a more robust means of attaching the top to the tank or
handles that are located on the tank itself.
> I saw a hover with different chambers for vet and dry.
I'm not sure how much this buys you. I've found it necessary to empty and dry
the vac after using it for wet pickups. Otherwise the filters used on a lot of
models tend to mold if the innards are left damp for a significant length of
time. At $10-20US a pop, you don't want to be replacing these every other time
you use the thing.
Good luck!
Regards, Bob Douglas
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