Hey Mike............I'll check this one out too. Thanks

dragon1 said:

here's a pic for the paper that goes over the filter and the foam sleeve that goes over the filter.

 

Sears also has these bags

but they only fit 2 sizes of vacuum.  probably has a different tube inside to grab onto this bag.  these are good for fine dust too.

I have a crapload of extra hose on my vacs so I can not only put it by a window but I leave the filter off when sucking up fine dust and put the extra hose on the exhaust and run it out a window and let it get the dust out of the house permanently..  Works great for doing floors as there is a lot of fine dust everywhere.

I've had my Rigid shop vac for many years now.  I just keep that filter thing somewhat clean by tapping it on the concrete outside every so often.  I've changed it only a few times to keep the suction at a decent level.  There are accessories available like filter bags that can act as a "pre-filter".

 

Also, there's the Dust Deputy device that takes uses a cyclone effect and swirls the dust into a bucket prior to entering the shop vac.  MUCH easier to empty this bucket than taking apart the shop vac.  Suggest you take a plywood base and attach both the Shop Vac and the Dust Deputy bucket to one platform and put castors on it.  Now you have a portable shop vac again.

Looks like Rockler has a deal on for the piece to keep the filter clean. Both the vortex and vac are on wheels. I guess you could just use a longer hose from the vortex and not have to pull it all over the shop.

 

Gary

I have 2 ridgid shop vavs. One I used to clean my shop and the other is smaller I take on job sites. The one in my shop I use ladies knee high stockings over the filters to help reduce the need to clean the filter as much. Just stretch it over the filter and go. The very fine powder astill passes but it takes a lot longer to glog up. I use and plastic garbage bag to shake the filter out in, keeps the dust down. Then suck out the remains with my dust collector. I'm not sure how the craftsman are setup, but if you have a round filter aprox 5 -6" in diameter, this should help a lot.

 

Best Wishes

Wayne

 

Gary,

Sorry I missed this, but it looks like Dragon covered it.  I use the bags. I have a Rigid but I buy Shop Vac brand bags because more places sell them.  You just have to make sure it will fit inside your vac.  Mind just slips over the inlet pipe inside the canister.

Gary Heltemes said:

Greg.............is this filter bag sold at sears????? Is it a bag that goes over the present filter or a replacement??

Greg Coleman said:

I use dry wall dust filter bags in all my shop vacuums.  Yes it is more expensive than using and cleaning filters but It sucks almost as well when full as when empty.  When it does get full I just toss it out.  No huge dust cloud.

Thanks Greg and Wayne.

Just by the photos of filters shown, I don't think they will fit my filter. My filter is approx. 10"h x 7"d..........but I will try to lay eyes on thise bags. I may just have to buy some panty hose.................off the internet. Damned sure don't want the locals think'n I'm a cross dresser.

Go to the dollar store and pick up knee highs.  Tell them your using them for lint filters on the washer discharge line, which they're also good for.

The filter bags are either white (3 pk general purpose) or yellow (2 pk drywall dust) made for SHOP VAC brand machines. They slip over the INTAKE diverter inside the tank, a rubber gasket keeps them in place. You REMOVE the paper, foam, or pleated filter since it's no longer needed.  WHEN the bag is FULL (and yes you can FILL it) you slip the cardboard gasket patch OFF the intake diverter and slide the bag out of the canister.

The PROBLEM with some vacs is they have a LIP on the tank which prevents the full bags from "slipping" out. I use the filter bags all the time; my 10 gal. metal body vac has NEVER operated without and its CLEEEEEAN inside.

Can they fit inside a Craftsman?  Don't know, I don't own a Craftsman but would ASSUME that if the Sears model has a diverter inside the bags should fit.  

Gary Heltemes said:

Greg.............is this filter bag sold at sears????? Is it a bag that goes over the present filter or a replacement??

Greg Coleman said:

I use dry wall dust filter bags in all my shop vacuums.  Yes it is more expensive than using and cleaning filters but It sucks almost as well when full as when empty.  When it does get full I just toss it out.  No huge dust cloud.

Why not make a small seperator and mount it right on the vac?

http://www.cgallery.com/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=431d289f6a2713e4c8e3e30922887387&

 

this is a great home made separator that can be made for a shop vac or a dust collector. Not hard to do and works excellent. bob

Yupper.............I think you guys have answered my question. I don't think I seen one response bragging them up. The only way to keep the filter clean and make a shop vac satisfactory is to imporvise.

I will try the pantyhose or whatever I can get that might fit the filter.

Thanks guys.

You pretty much have to use air like dragon suggests, beat most of it out first then air, only way to really get the fine out. Do it primarily from outside, then do a little from inside the filter to to the outside, that will get the middle stuff out too especially around the edges. If you don't use air, suction will suck basically.

Gary Heltemes said:

Naaa!!!              I'll play it safe and beat the dust out.      Besides............I got better control of the dust cloud. :-)

Hey mike.............you never did respond on that care pkg.

 

dragon1 said:

Keep the air pressure at around 50-60 psi and it will do a great job of blowing out any dust.  Also, keep the tip moving.

 

Blowing it at 100 psi WILL have a tendency to eat through the filter especially one that is rotted or moldy and old.

 

Used to be they gave you all the accessories when you bought it but now they make you pay for every freakin thing.

 

Mine used to come with:

 

canister filter

Paper/cloth filter with holding band, sheetrock and fine dust

Foam filter for water