Dust collection?

[Duesey]

I currently use a shop vac to clean after I block body parts or the body itself. It helps contain the filler and primer dust without spreading them all over the shop like like a broom does. I run it over the body and then the floor. Using a broom just makes a big mess in my opinion. This is hard on the shop vac and I was curious if anyone has ever used dust collection devices that sit on a 55 gallon drum with a bag in it. Wood shops use them for table saws and such but I've see these on ebay all the time. I was curious how they work. Kinda a neat freak on cleanliness in the shop.

[TonyL]

i've used them before, its really just a shop vac, but with a bigger container. the principle is the same.

They do work. if you are a huge neat freak, you could go the route of running the drum system outside, and plumbing in 3" pvc throughout your shop. Pop a cap off near where you need to work and suck all the dust to the outside container.

[Jim Nilsen]

A Sears Craftsman vacuum cleaner and a Cleanstream filter is the best I know of. The Cleanstream filters are like a HEPA filter almost and are completely cleanable and reusable,made of Gortex and work with sucking up water when left on. They work great and you definately don't want to breath some of the dust we sand off of our cars and using a vacuum is the smart way to clean up. When I had a job at Servicemaster when I was a kid, they told me if they saw me use a broom they would fire me. Brooms just move dirt around and never get it all up.

At one shop I worked at we would silicone the top of a Craftsman vacuum to the lid of the 55 gal drum to give it more volume. In the woodshop I used to work at they replaced all of their Grizzly and Rockwell dust collectors with Craftsman vacuum cleaners because they are quieter,take up less room, last longer without problems and are less expensive. Sears has a patent on vacuums that gives them more suck than any of the others and they keep renewing it to make sure.

I keep wanting to get the model that turns on when you turn the tool on you are using so you don't have to reach over and turn it on all of the time. The variable speed models are nice too because sometimes you don't need all of the power. Best of all they are wet/dry.

Jim Nilsen

[Duesey]

I was thinking if the drum kind worked good I would plumb like you said. Kinda like the central vac in the house. Nice to just plug a hose in a go. I would probably just blow the dust right out the side of the building and let the rain take care of it. The back side that I never see of course. I think I'll go to sears today and see what they have. Thanks for the help.

[gearbanger]

Shop vac has these filter bags that you can use for drywall dust. You just take the big canister filter out and just use the bag. They are the best thing ever. You never have to clean your tank out or anything. Just change the bag.