Post up your Shop-Vac repairs!

[STINEY]

Okay, so its probably a given that most of us have a shop-vac or two, right?

And these things aren't built to the standards they might be?

I for one am too cheap to just toss one when something trivial breaks, I try to find a cheap way to patch it together. Even if it is just long enough so that the whole thing goes in a glorious ball of fire....

So, with that in mind, I present my tight-wad repair job to one of my shop-vacs, which lost two wheels in an unfortunate cement patio joint incident. $8 worth of fiberglass reinforced bondo and some drywall screws later, we're back in the suckin' sweepin' action!








Come on, post your innovative solutions, I know there have to be some out there.

[70chevyC-10]

I was cleaning mine a couple weeks ago out in the driveway (the filter looked like an angora sweater on a fat girl) and when I went to put it back together I could not find the filter I just spent 10 minutes cleaning. Huh - where'd I put that SOB ? Eventually I figured the 15 mph winds must have had something to do with it. So about 200 hundred yards away in the park I see something moving - yup - thar she blows.

[Beagle]

I drilled a 1" hole in my 2.5 gallon port-o-suck and attached a garden hose / valve to drain it cuz I'm so lazy I don't want to take the lid off to dump water out of it. Does that count?

[Stich496]

I'm still on my first one a craftsman 40 gal.
still like new

[LORENSWIFE]

I drilled a 1" hole in my 2.5 gallon port-o-suck and attached a garden hose / valve to drain it cuz I'm so lazy I don't want to take the lid off to dump water out of it. Does that count?

This is great info! I use ours to suck the water out of my Koi pond it is not a huge pond...but emptying that thing is excruciating!
~Gail

[DanStokes]

Come on, Gail - don't be koi with us! I thought of adding more here but it all comes out inappropriate so I'll drop it.......

Anyhow, Stiney, nice fix! I lost the cloth filter on my Craftsman and that will be one of the stops on my errands today. I need to suck up all of the shavings from drilling the holes for the tec screws holding down the deck on the mezzanine. I guess I COULD leave them as that whole thing will be covered with plywood but I just can't bring myself to do that. When I tried sucking up the concrete dust from the anchor bolt holes I got a face full as a result of not having the cloth filter and I certainly don't want a face full of metal filings.

Dan

[TheSilverBuick]

My old boss told me about it and it was absolutely true. Cloth Samples bags are PERFECT shop vac filters. I should take a picture of one when I get home. I have them on at least two of the three shop vac's =P

[Stich496]

My old boss told me about it and it was absolutely true. Cloth Samples bags are PERFECT shop vac filters. I should take a picture of one when I get home. I have them on at least two of the three shop vac's =P

nylons are better,, ask the women for theirs after they get a run in them, and watch for the looks you'll get..

[milner351]

Hold on to your wallet when you get that new shop vac filter Dan - they aren't cheap - but it's like solvent in the parts washer or abrasives in the blast cabinet - it's part of the consumables cost of having the machine.

[TheSilverBuick]

No possible way they are better. Larger pore size and way more suseptible to tearing. I just rinse the cloth bag out by sticking the garden hose in it, filling it up and reverse circulating it. Wring it out and re-use. Very rugged too since they are designed to carry rock and dirt.

Dan, I could bring you a couple bags to Bonneville.

[DanStokes]

That would be great, Randal! I'll take all the freebies I can get. I guess they'll fit in luggage and get thru TSA, no?

Dan

[LORENSWIFE]

Not a repair story...
Last Christmas we attended a Party where there was the "Cut Throat Gift Exchange" I brought a shop Vac, people were fighting over it! The alternatives were scented candles etc. We went home with a snuggly which I have used to drive to work in the No Heater Suburban...I actually love the snuggly, but was very proud when my gift was being fought over!
~Gail

[TheSilverBuick]

That would be great, Randal! I'll take all the freebies I can get. I guess they'll fit in luggage and get thru TSA, no?

Dan

They're just cotton bags that fold flat. You could fit one into each back pocket of your pants even.

[BigBlockMopar]

If you would've given this 'handy' backpocket advice to a female, the inevitable next question would ofcourse be "wouldn't those bags make me look fat?"...

NOW what you're gonna say SilverBuick then?!

[TheSilverBuick]

"Baby got back"