ROS upgrade and Vac Suction

[Bit_Fiddler]

In order not to have to start a new thread and since i have all the vacuum experts gathered in one place.

My Rigid Lunchbox vacuum has been only okay.  I feel the included filter clogs too quickly in my opinion.  When i open it up the filter is completely clogged.  I take it outside and bang it out, then return it to the vacuum and have better suction which dies off quickly.  It still sucks but is probably missing a large percentage of it's suckage capacity.

With a dust collection system now I will use the Dust collector hoses to the majority of the cleanup.  I want this vacuum to be for a tool for use with my sander.  Would a bag instead of a filter make things better or worse?

Secondary question as it is likely I will be investing in a better system this summer:  If you have a high end sander and vacuum, like Festool do you still wear a respirator and hearing protection when sanding?

I have a HEPA filter in my Fein Turbo II vacuum that I front end with a Dust Deputy which I use with my sanders.   The DD catches a *very* high percentage of the sanding dust, very little gets to the filter.  I remove the filter about 2x a year and blow it off with an air hose which makes quite the dust cloud - finer than talcum powder if I had to describe it.  Nothing seems to fall to the ground soon - it's just a cloud that is carried off by the wind.   The DD separates the dust out and drops it into the bucket - I'd buy the setup again in a heartbeat.   The Fein is DRAMATICALLY quieter than the big old Sears shopvac I used to use, but I still wear ear muffs.   The muffs have a radio in them that allows me to listen to tunes or the TV in the shop (Small FM transmitter connected to TV for the muffs to pick up.) while I am sanding or doing other work if I choose.  No need for a respirator from what I sense - not even a faint wiff of wood dust while sanding.

Dave

[fredhargis]

It won't cost that much to try the bags out and see if it helps (I think they will help a lot). Be careful which bags you pick, some of them aren't all that tight and will let a lot of the finer dust into the filter anyway. I generally keep a bag in my vacs.