Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


--
James Harris

I remember those.We had one called vactric, and it came with a paint sprayer
as well.

Mind you it weighed a ton and was not exactly lean on power either.
Eventually it managed to disintegrate its compressor even though it was
made of metal. metal fatigue I suppose.
It was very handy for those making model planes out of balsa wood for
sucking up the dust.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"James Harris" wrote in message
...
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully clear
the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum fails to
clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something more
powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any dirt
back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am old
fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


--
James Harris

Brian Gaff wrote:
I remember those.We had one called vactric, and it came with a paint
sprayer as well.

Mind you it weighed a ton and was not exactly lean on power either.
Eventually it managed to disintegrate its compressor even though it
was made of metal. metal fatigue I suppose.
It was very handy for those making model planes out of balsa wood for
sucking up the dust.
Brian

I never got much dust when I was balsa bashing nearly 44 years ago.
I visited the local club about 4 years ago when I was thinking of taking the
hobby back up. The snobbery was still there - I'm sure you know what I mean.
Seems that they mostly buy polystyrene kits these days and just glue them
together. To me that would take all the fun out of the hobby.

Brian:
When you were doing the hobby, did you ever read anything by Captain Gordon
Whitehead in the magazines?
I knew him well.
http://www.rcmf.co.uk/4um/electric-r...lsuj9cbv5u6sn6





Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the
old lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing
cement dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should
hopefully clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A
domestic vacuum fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am
looking for something more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac
with a blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it
had come. I think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow,
the hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing.
That seemed more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided
spitting any dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter)
but perhaps I am old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient
if there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the
power tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know
if such a facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it
remotely might help, in case the machine is a long hose away from
the tool being used. Is there anything else I should look out for in a
first workshop vac?


--
James Harris

On Saturday, 1 October 2016 18:08:46 UTC+1, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

Can't beat it.

http://bit.ly/2dkQfsO

On 10/1/2016 6:08 PM, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


I (only) have the very basic Wickes/Earlex plastic "wet and dry" which
is cheap and fairly robust. It will suck and blow and will take a "two
inch" hose as well, which is handy for more bulky stuff.

BUT, it's a bit noisy, and no remote switching.

ISTR that there is a vaccum which has a 13 amp socket on it, if you plug
your tool into it then you can switch both off at once.

On 01/10/2016 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


Bought one of these today, has a power socket & blows.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/p/72115/0

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman

On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?




--
djc

(–€Ì¿Ä¹Ì¯–€Ì¿ Ì¿)
No low-hanging fruit, just a lot of small berries up a tall tree.

David Lang wrote:
On 01/10/2016 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


Bought one of these today, has a power socket & blows.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/p/72115/0

This one and its "lidl" brother get rave reviews on the woodworking
forums that I frequent.

In article ,
James Harris writes:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

I use a hosepipe and wash it out. (Don't use a pressure washer!)
This also moistens the remaining mortar, which helps to stop
it sucking out the water from the new mortar before it sets.
Don't repoint immediately after washing out - let the water
all drain away and dry out a little, but not completely.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a

Lime mortar in your eyes - ouch!

blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

Sounds like my Hoover Constellation. The hose can be plugged
onto the bottom to blow (really meant for clearing blockages
from the hose).

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

I use a master/slave socket (the type used for computer and
accessories which switches off monitor/printer etc when computer
is switched off. The vacuum cleaner is connected as a slave.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?

If it's not going to be portable, I would suggest fitting a
cyclone inline before the vacuum cleaner. It will trap most
of the dirt, reducing the need for frequent emptying, as it
can be made much bigger than the vacuum cleaner's dust capacity,
and it traps the dust outside the airflow so that the dust trapped
in it doesn't reduce suction and efficiency (unlike dust trapped
in a filter).

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On 01/10/2016 20:06, newshound wrote:
On 10/1/2016 6:08 PM, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


I (only) have the very basic Wickes/Earlex plastic "wet and dry" which
is cheap and fairly robust. It will suck and blow and will take a "two
inch" hose as well, which is handy for more bulky stuff.

BUT, it's a bit noisy, and no remote switching.

You can always make you own remote switch fro any vacuum:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...tivated_switch

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 01/10/2016 23:05, Bob Minchin wrote:
David Lang wrote:
On 01/10/2016 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


Bought one of these today, has a power socket & blows.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/p/72115/0

This one and its "lidl" brother get rave reviews on the woodworking
forums that I frequent.

Yes, I have the Lidl version, and it's very powerful/versatile. It's
also quite big and noisy, and the paper bags are £16.50 for 5 via some
convoluted ordering system. I use some generic ones (about a pound each)
from ebay, but they split easily.

--
Cheers, Rob

On Sat, 1 Oct 2016 21:53:29 +0100, DJC wrote:

01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I've a Nilfisk (25 IIRC) with the PTO. Trouble is, when using the Bosch
multitool the vac. slows down as I reduce the speed of the tool, so
basically it's useless for that. Haven't yet needed to use it with the SDS.
--
Peter.
The gods will stay away
whilst religions hold sway

John Rumm expressed precisely :
On 01/10/2016 20:06, newshound wrote:
On 10/1/2016 6:08 PM, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a
blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?


I (only) have the very basic Wickes/Earlex plastic "wet and dry" which
is cheap and fairly robust. It will suck and blow and will take a "two
inch" hose as well, which is handy for more bulky stuff.

BUT, it's a bit noisy, and no remote switching.

You can always make you own remote switch fro any vacuum:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...tivated_switch

No need to make one, the energy suppliers gave many of these away,
usually intended to switch all the periferals off when the desktop was
turned off. The are like a plug in adator, with a master socket and 1
or 2 slave outlets.

On 02/10/2016 03:55, RJH wrote:
On 01/10/2016 23:05, Bob Minchin wrote:
David Lang wrote:

....

Bought one of these today, has a power socket & blows.
https://www.aldi.co.uk/p/72115/0

This one and its "lidl" brother get rave reviews on the woodworking
forums that I frequent.

Yes, I have the Lidl version, and it's very powerful/versatile. It's
also quite big and noisy, and the paper bags are £16.50 for 5 via some
convoluted ordering system. I use some generic ones (about a pound each)
from ebay, but they split easily.

I saw on the Aldi site a reviewer say it was very noisy. I'd rather pay
more for a quieter one because I think the noise would eventually drive
the user crazy!


--
James Harris

On 01/10/2016 23:37, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
James Harris writes:

Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

I use a hosepipe and wash it out. (Don't use a pressure washer!)

Unfortunately, the mortar internals (if that's the right term) are in a
terrible state and there seem to be big gaps behind the front mortar. In
many places, where the front mortar has been scraped away it turns out
there is just a void behind it. So a hose would just throw a load of
water into the gap. Hence the need to use a vacuum to suck the cement
dust away or, if that doesn't work, to blow it clear.


This also moistens the remaining mortar, which helps to stop
it sucking out the water from the new mortar before it sets.
Don't repoint immediately after washing out - let the water
all drain away and dry out a little, but not completely.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a

Lime mortar in your eyes - ouch!

I've already been fairly well sand blasted while using an angle grinder
to clear out the old mortar!

blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

Sounds like my Hoover Constellation. The hose can be plugged
onto the bottom to blow (really meant for clearing blockages
from the hose).

If that a spherical vac which basically hovered then it may have been
the same type!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

I use a master/slave socket (the type used for computer and
accessories which switches off monitor/printer etc when computer
is switched off. The vacuum cleaner is connected as a slave.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?

If it's not going to be portable, I would suggest fitting a
cyclone inline before the vacuum cleaner. It will trap most
of the dirt, reducing the need for frequent emptying, as it
can be made much bigger than the vacuum cleaner's dust capacity,
and it traps the dust outside the airflow so that the dust trapped
in it doesn't reduce suction and efficiency (unlike dust trapped
in a filter).

That sounds like a good idea. I can see lots of homemade cyclones and
small purchasable ones. Do you have a link to something you would
consider suitable?


--
James Harris

On Sun, 2 Oct 2016 11:47:54 +0100, James Harris
wrote:


I saw on the Aldi site a reviewer say it was very noisy. I'd rather pay
more for a quieter one because I think the noise would eventually drive
the user crazy!

Other than ones where the vacuum unit is fixed outside and the pipe
plumbed through the wall I have never come across one which could be
described as anything but very noisy.

On 02/10/2016 12:55, James Harris wrote:
On 01/10/2016 23:37, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
In article ,
James Harris writes:

Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

On getting stuff from between bricks, I am repointing a wall and the old
lime mortar is very crumbly. Any time I scrape away the existing cement
dust more dust and lumps are pulled down. A vacuum should hopefully
clear the cement and sand away and leave it clean. A domestic vacuum
fails to clean out the spaces, which is why I am looking for something
more powerful.

I use a hosepipe and wash it out. (Don't use a pressure washer!)

Unfortunately, the mortar internals (if that's the right term) are in a
terrible state and there seem to be big gaps behind the front mortar. In
many places, where the front mortar has been scraped away it turns out
there is just a void behind it. So a hose would just throw a load of
water into the gap. Hence the need to use a vacuum to suck the cement
dust away or, if that doesn't work, to blow it clear.


This also moistens the remaining mortar, which helps to stop
it sucking out the water from the new mortar before it sets.
Don't repoint immediately after washing out - let the water
all drain away and dry out a little, but not completely.

On the blow port, I've seen what looked like a good workshop vac with a

Lime mortar in your eyes - ouch!

I've already been fairly well sand blasted while using an angle grinder
to clear out the old mortar!

blow facility but it basically blew the air back the way it had come. I
think I would rather the air kept going in one direction.

We had a domestic vac years ago where, in order to get it to blow, the
hose had to be attached to a different point on the housing. That seemed
more sensible to me as it was easy to change and avoided spitting any
dirt back out again (being after the bag and filter) but perhaps I am
old fashioned!

Sounds like my Hoover Constellation. The hose can be plugged
onto the bottom to blow (really meant for clearing blockages
from the hose).

If that a spherical vac which basically hovered then it may have been
the same type!

I've never had a workshop vac before. I guess it would be convenient if
there was a way to have it stop and start automatically when the power
tool it was being used with stops and starts. But I don't know if such a
facility exists. Failing that, some way to start it remotely might help,
in case the machine is a long hose away from the tool being used.

I use a master/slave socket (the type used for computer and
accessories which switches off monitor/printer etc when computer
is switched off. The vacuum cleaner is connected as a slave.

Is there anything else I should look out for in a first workshop vac?

If it's not going to be portable, I would suggest fitting a
cyclone inline before the vacuum cleaner. It will trap most
of the dirt, reducing the need for frequent emptying, as it
can be made much bigger than the vacuum cleaner's dust capacity,
and it traps the dust outside the airflow so that the dust trapped
in it doesn't reduce suction and efficiency (unlike dust trapped
in a filter).

That sounds like a good idea. I can see lots of homemade cyclones and
small purchasable ones. Do you have a link to something you would
consider suitable?


I think John Rumm posted details of one he made on the Wiki?

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman

On Sunday, 2 October 2016 16:10:24 UTC+1, David Lang wrote:
I think John Rumm posted details of one he made on the Wiki?

It's not on the Wiki, but you may be thinking of
http://www.internode.co.uk/cyclone/
http://codesmiths.com/shed/workshop/...ques/cyclones/

Owain

On 10/2/2016 1:22 PM, Peter Parry wrote:
On Sun, 2 Oct 2016 11:47:54 +0100, James Harris
wrote:


I saw on the Aldi site a reviewer say it was very noisy. I'd rather pay
more for a quieter one because I think the noise would eventually drive
the user crazy!

Other than ones where the vacuum unit is fixed outside and the pipe
plumbed through the wall I have never come across one which could be
described as anything but very noisy.

I've always been impressed by how quiet the Henry family is, given their
excellent suck. But of course they don't blow.

On Saturday, 1 October 2016 18:08:46 UTC+1, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools

small & light is easier, handheld

- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks

most clog quickly

- quiet enough to be used in a confined space

no vac is quiet, except central vacs

- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

don't do that with lime dust, it's alkaline and not at all safe for eyes, lungs etc.


NT

its a bit late in the year for lime mortar,
doesnt it fail if frost gets it in its first week?

[george]

On 02/10/2016 10:27, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
John Rumm expressed precisely :

....

You can always make you own remote switch fro any vacuum:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...tivated_switch

No need to make one, the energy suppliers gave many of these away,
usually intended to switch all the periferals off when the desktop was
turned off. The are like a plug in adator, with a master socket and 1 or
2 slave outlets.

I can find pre-made current sensing switches in America but not the UK.
Do you have a link to one?

--
James Harris

On 02/10/2016 20:48, newshound wrote:
On 10/2/2016 1:22 PM, Peter Parry wrote:
On Sun, 2 Oct 2016 11:47:54 +0100, James Harris
wrote:


I saw on the Aldi site a reviewer say it was very noisy. I'd rather pay
more for a quieter one because I think the noise would eventually drive
the user crazy!

Other than ones where the vacuum unit is fixed outside and the pipe
plumbed through the wall I have never come across one which could be
described as anything but very noisy.

I've always been impressed by how quiet the Henry family is, given their
excellent suck. But of course they don't blow.

IMO Henry's are well thought out and properly made. Quiet. Good suction.
Manual wind. Long hose.

--
James Harris

On 04/10/2016 13:53, James Harris wrote:
On 02/10/2016 10:27, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
John Rumm expressed precisely :

...

You can always make you own remote switch fro any vacuum:

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php/...tivated_switch

No need to make one, the energy suppliers gave many of these away,
usually intended to switch all the periferals off when the desktop was
turned off. The are like a plug in adator, with a master socket and 1 or
2 slave outlets.

I can find pre-made current sensing switches in America but not the UK.
Do you have a link to one?

There are any number of master / slave sockets about. e.g.:

http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebas...d---18m-448302

Many are of dubious quality though!




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 01/10/2016 21:53, DJC wrote:
On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I just got one but it doesn't seem to have much power. The mains lead is
quite thick but maybe that's because of the slave power port. What did
you think of how powerful yours was and did you find any way to boost it?


--
James Harris

On 05/10/16 15:50, James Harris wrote:
On 01/10/2016 21:53, DJC wrote:
On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I just got one but it doesn't seem to have much power. The mains lead is
quite thick but maybe that's because of the slave power port. What did
you think of how powerful yours was and did you find any way to boost it?


Seems powerful enough to me, certainly as good as the 2000W Miele I use
for normal domestic duties.


--
djc

(–€Ì¿Ä¹Ì¯–€Ì¿ Ì¿)
No low-hanging fruit, just a lot of small berries up a tall tree.

On 05/10/2016 21:14, DJC wrote:
On 05/10/16 15:50, James Harris wrote:
On 01/10/2016 21:53, DJC wrote:
On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I just got one but it doesn't seem to have much power. The mains lead is
quite thick but maybe that's because of the slave power port. What did
you think of how powerful yours was and did you find any way to boost it?


Seems powerful enough to me, certainly as good as the 2000W Miele I use
for normal domestic duties.

In case we are not talking about the same model, the one I got is the
Nilfisk Aero 26-21 PC.

If you've used it attached to a power tool does it clear sawdust and
wood chips well enough?

I would say that this one's suction is slightly better than but very
close to my 650W domestic vac. I guess I expected more in a workshop
vacuum.


--
James Harris

On 06/10/16 08:53, James Harris wrote:
On 05/10/2016 21:14, DJC wrote:
On 05/10/16 15:50, James Harris wrote:
On 01/10/2016 21:53, DJC wrote:
On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I just got one but it doesn't seem to have much power. The mains lead is
quite thick but maybe that's because of the slave power port. What did
you think of how powerful yours was and did you find any way to boost
it?


Seems powerful enough to me, certainly as good as the 2000W Miele I use
for normal domestic duties.

In case we are not talking about the same model, the one I got is the
Nilfisk Aero 26-21 PC.

Yes, that's the one


If you've used it attached to a power tool does it clear sawdust and
wood chips well enough?

Well enough as far as I am concerned.

Two suggestions:

1. If you are using the rubber nozzle for power tool attachment that
comes with the kit check that the bypass port on the side is closed
(twist the plastic ring.
1a (there is a similar slider to the same effect on the normal hose end.)

2. If you have been using it to pick up bits of rubble or wallpaper,
check that the hose is not blocked. Try putting the hose on the blow
port to see what comes out.



I would say that this one's suction is slightly better than but very
close to my 650W domestic vac. I guess I expected more in a workshop
vacuum.




--
djc

(–€Ì¿Ä¹Ì¯–€Ì¿ Ì¿)
No low-hanging fruit, just a lot of small berries up a tall tree.

On 06/10/2016 21:22, DJC wrote:
On 06/10/16 08:53, James Harris wrote:
On 05/10/2016 21:14, DJC wrote:
On 05/10/16 15:50, James Harris wrote:
On 01/10/2016 21:53, DJC wrote:
On 01/10/16 18:08, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port



I have a Nilfisk Aero 26. Wet and dry, separate port for blow, auto
switch for power tools. Price from screwfix was good and the bags and
filter are cheap from Screwfix

I just got one but it doesn't seem to have much power. The mains
lead is
quite thick but maybe that's because of the slave power port. What did
you think of how powerful yours was and did you find any way to boost
it?


Seems powerful enough to me, certainly as good as the 2000W Miele I use
for normal domestic duties.

In case we are not talking about the same model, the one I got is the
Nilfisk Aero 26-21 PC.

Yes, that's the one


If you've used it attached to a power tool does it clear sawdust and
wood chips well enough?

Well enough as far as I am concerned.

Two suggestions:

1. If you are using the rubber nozzle for power tool attachment that
comes with the kit check that the bypass port on the side is closed
(twist the plastic ring.
1a (there is a similar slider to the same effect on the normal hose end.)

Understood. Yes, I saw the plastic slider on the normal hose end. It was
such a poor cover that I taped the holes up.

In fairness, I think it's the hose which is the main let down - at least
on blow. Placing a hand directly over the ports on the machine shows it
is more effective, though still not as powerful as I expected.


2. If you have been using it to pick up bits of rubble or wallpaper,
check that the hose is not blocked. Try putting the hose on the blow
port to see what comes out.

I haven't sucked anything up with it yet as I see Screwfix let customers
return unused items. I just tried the blow function and, on suction,
compared the hose suction with my domestic vac.

This is one of those occasions where the only way to get the kind of
thing you want is to make it yourself. This vac is a bit too domestic
for my liking. But making a 'decent' machine would take time.

Or, buying a more industrial unit second hand might do. But I found none
available.

On the other hand the Nikfisk does tick all the boxes. It's not as
powerful as I would like but it is the best I've seen. Unless I find a
better solution soon I'll probably end up just keeping the Nilfisk.

--
James Harris

On 08/10/16 11:02, James Harris wrote:
On 06/10/2016 21:22, DJC wrote:

In fairness, I think it's the hose which is the main let down - at least
on blow. Placing a hand directly over the ports on the machine shows it
is more effective, though still not as powerful as I expected.

It comes with a long hose (3.5m) which may offer too much resistance to
the airflow. There is a shorter hose (2m) available which if you do not
need the max length may be better.
I got a shorter hose from Radford Vac Centre
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CPP0G3E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1



--
djc

(–€Ì¿Ä¹Ì¯–€Ì¿ Ì¿)
No low-hanging fruit, just a lot of small berries up a tall tree.

On 08/10/2016 21:43, DJC wrote:
On 08/10/16 11:02, James Harris wrote:
On 06/10/2016 21:22, DJC wrote:

In fairness, I think it's the hose which is the main let down - at least
on blow. Placing a hand directly over the ports on the machine shows it
is more effective, though still not as powerful as I expected.

It comes with a long hose (3.5m) which may offer too much resistance to
the airflow. There is a shorter hose (2m) available which if you do not
need the max length may be better.
I got a shorter hose from Radford Vac Centre
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00CPP0G3E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1





I got feed up with cheap vacs and bought a bosch gas25.
Works really well and is rated to run continuously.
Not cheap but virtually no dust even when sanding walls.
It has a semi auto filter cleaner so you can stop every 20 mins or so
and hit clean to get full suction back even with plaster dust.

On Saturday, 1 October 2016 18:08:46 UTC+1, James Harris wrote:
Any recommendations for a workshop vacuum for the following?

- typical sawdust extraction from power tools
- sucking up sand, cement dust and lumps from between bricks
- quiet enough to be used in a confined space
- blow facility, preferably via a separate port

Matthias Wandel's one is interesting.


NT