Quiet(er) small shop vacuum roundup suggestions? Tried search feature already but can't find a discussion.

[Tallbald]

I'm sure that the noise of a regular shop vacuum used for scroll saw dust collection becomes hard to bear for more folks than just me. Necking down my wall mount 1HP dust collector from 4 inches to 1 1/2 inches creates a screaming air stream at the nozzle end and I imagine the constriction is not good for the dust collector motor itself either.

"Quiet" is a relative term I know, but I wish there was a smaller shop vacuum that I could dedicate to a scroll saw (and my WEN portable oscillating spindle sander) that didn't sound like a jet engine spooling up for takeoff.

Price is an issue for me as I expect it is for some others too.

Could anyone point me to a discussion here or out there somewhere online about quiet alternatives please?

Thanks as always.

Don

[Wichman]

Here is a fairly recent thread : 

I used "shop vac" as my search term ( with the quotation marks )

[Tallbald]

Ahh thank you. I had used "shop vacuum", thinking of "shop vac" as a specific brand only. Thank you. Don

[Matt B]

I found this on YouTube comparing a vacuum called “Stealth” against the “Dewalt Stealth Sonic” . 

https://www.google.com/search?q=dewalt+stealth+sonic+vacuum&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:bce907d3,vid:Jkng2fAxZVA

[Tallbald]

Hey thank you folks. Don

[CharleyL]

I came across, and then re-purposed a whole house central vacuum system. It had a bad control transformer, which I replaced with the right voltage door bell transformer from Lowes, then installed it in the attic of my shop with a Dust Deputy and 30 gallon former grease barrel ahead of the vacuum to collect the saw dust and keep the vacuum filter relatively clean. I installed the pipes and inlet ports downstairs in the shop where convenient. The vacuum came to me with the hose and attachments, and most of the pipe from a complete house remodel, so I only needed a few fitting and a couple of lengths of pipe to complete the installation. It's so quiet that I needed to add a light in the shop ceiling that lights whenever the vacuum is running. I left it running a few times before adding this light. I piped the vacuum exhaust out through the soffit of my shop roof, so if any micro fine dust gets past the Dust Deputy and the vacuum filter, it's not getting back into my shop air.

I installed large ceiling hooks in the 8' shop ceiling in the usual hose paths, so when I want to change the point-of-use the hose is easy to reroute and off the floor. Though I don't use this vac for my larger chip producers, it has been fine for my scroll saws, sanders, drill presses, etc. I collect the chips from my planers and saw dust from my table saw via small trash cans and a small shovel to clean out the cabinets. I also installed an inlet port in the outside wall of the shop near my cars and trucks parking area, and the 25' hose and smaller attachments have been great for vacuuming out all of my vehicles. 

In about 5 years of use there has never been more than trace dust in the bottom container of the central vacuum. The Dust Deputy and grease barrel have been doing a fantastic job. 

Charley

 

[Tallbald]

I love hearing about repurposing successes. My wife and I are happy repurposers too! A central dust collection system is just a pipe dream (grin-LOL) for me. My setup is a wall mount Shop Fox motor/fan/bag, but I built a cyclone separator using a fitting kit from amazon and a 33 gallon galvanized trash can. In two years I've never had more than 1/2 an inch of dust in the bag, b ut the trash can fills up regularly. And into the garden the shavings go, to be tilled in and help the soil. The system is too powerful for a scroll saw collection fitting and I hate to strain the Shop Fox with such a constriction. That's why I'm investigating a "quiet" shop vacuum here.

Thanks to all for your replies folks. I appreciate your time and typing!

Don

Edited January 16, 2023 by Tallbald

[Sycamore67]

I do not understand how the Shop Fox collector is too powerful for the scroll saw.  A shop vac creates up to ten times more suction.

[Tallbald]

I guess it's the 4 inch hose necked down to the little 1 1/2 inch duct on my Wen saw and Wen portable oscillating spindle sander. The Shop Fox wall collector screams. My old Craftsman shop vac does get louder and higher pitched, but not like the wall mount collector.

This brings up a question maybe you or someone could answer. Years ago I seem to remember a vacuum my Dad had that had a sliding collar covering a hole in the wand. A user could adjust the collar to fully or only partially cover the hole which adjusted the suction power through the wand. I wonder if I rigged a "bleeder" of sorts like that was, if the load on the motor would reduce and noise also? I know I'd lose suction flow some but maybe it would still be enough to draw the fine dust from a scroll saw? And maybe better on a motor?

Don

Edited January 17, 2023 by Tallbald

[Sycamore67]

Interestingly, when you neck down the 4" to a much smaller size, the cfm drops.  The load and current draw on a dust collector goes down with the cfm.

I tried many years ago connecting my big dust collector to my scroll saw and was disappointed with the performance.  I connected my vacuum to the scroll saw and got much better flow and suction.

My dust collector can provide a max of around 1800 cfm and max static pressure of about 11".

My vacuum can provide a max of 135 cfm and max static pressure of 96".

For small hoses the vacuum is a better choice.  I do use a small bleeder hole when my vacuum is hooked to a sander otherwise the sander can get stuck to what I am sanding.

[Tallbald]

Good to know and thanks. Thinking here a "quiet" shop vac like the DeWalt QT, with a bleeder mechanism I can if need be make myself. Encouraging. I already have hearing loss and "quiet" is a good thing to avoid further damage. Ear plugs and ear muffs present problems for me, so I'd prefer a different approach.

Don

[CharleyL]

I was looking for this photo of my central vacuum in my shop attic, but couldn't find it. Now I found it. The exhaust pipe to outside is above the vacuum. I had left the top Dust Deputy to input for the vacuum tall because I wasn't certain what kind of barrel my son was going to get me. It has been shortened to a lower lout now, not that it matters much. The pipe below the vacuum comes from the lines in the shop walls and up into the side connection of the Dust Deputy. On the beam to the right of the vacuum is a power switch to remove all power from the vacuum when needed, like when changing/dumping the barrel or cleaning the bottom can of the vacuum.

 

Charley

it. 

[Tallbald]

That's a nice arrangement. It looks so well laid out. Below is my wall collection unit and the large chip cyclonic separator I made. I attach the hose to each individual machine as I start using them. No room for a permanent piping setup. I've been thrilled with this arrangement since I made the separator a couple years ago. It has a plywood baffle inside the can that directs the chip flow and prevents large chips from accumulating and going up into the can output fitting and into the suction fan/bag. The scroll saw of course is a fine dust maker which would let me get by with a small cannister vacuum that rolls around with the saw.

I agree I'll be better off with a shop vac attached to my wife's and my scroll saw(s). Quieter sure would be best though.

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and time here.

Don

Edited January 18, 2023 by Tallbald

[Tallbald]

Not completely what I was looking for but I did find that Lowe's has a 5 gallon stainless tank, 4 HP Craftsman shop vacuum that several buyers have stated in product reviews is markedly quieter than other shop vacuums. I have in mind being able to mount this small vacuum underneath a scroll saw stand shelf and keep it hooked up to the saw. It will be easily removable for other uses. And at around $55 the price is within my budget. 

Thank you all folks for sharing your insight! Don

[rash_powder]

Tallbald, when you neck the piping down you increase the resistance to air flow, which causes less air flow through the vac impeller/basket.  Less air means less work for the motor, so it will actually spin faster and draw less current.  Matthias Wandel and a few others on YouTube have good vids of homebuilt vacs and discuss this.  It is totally counter intuitive.  

My scrollsaw dust management at the moment is a central vac motor driven from a treadmill controller.  I can spin it as light or hard as I want, up to 90 VDC.  The motor and controller are mounted to a small cart with a dust deputy and a 1/2 gallon jar.  Its quiet, but my family says it could be quieter.  So I am working on a 'new' solution.   I found an oil furnace at the dump this summer and salvaged the fire box blower motor and housing.  I've got it mostly cleaned up, but dropped the motor and it landed on the fan basket and bent it all up, so it needs replaced.  This fan will run from an induction type motor so dead quiet, just like your HVAC system!  It will only be single speed, but quiet is the goal and it should be.

[RPG]

Dewalt has a line of 70 db shop vacuums. You need to get the units labeled Stealth Sonic to get the lower decibel machines--the ones labeled Quiet are louder!!  I just bought one a month ago and it is great!

[Tallbald]

Say thank you all. I did buy to try the 5 gallon stainless tank Craftsman at Lowe's for $55. For certain quieter than my 12 gallon 18 year old Craftsman. Going to see if noise for this out in the shop is better or not. Sure would enjoy mounting and storing this small vacuum underneath the stand of my next scroll saw stand, currently under construction. Son already has asked to buy my 12 gallon beast. Thanks again. Don.