looking for the quietest shop vac
#11
Hi all,

Very simply, I want to replace my old Craftsman shop vac, which sounds like a jet engine, with something quieter. Looking for recommendations. While I'd like to keep from spending my grandkids' college tuition, I am willing to pay for what I'd be getting.

Thanks for the assistance.

Mikey
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#12
Festool CT26 or the like...quiet but may hurt your grandkids' tuition reserve a bit.

The next best (that I have used, a loan from my neighbor) is https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-VAC140S-14-...b_title_hi

71dB and close to that of the CT26 (62 - 72). The Ridgid (14 Gal.) 6 Peak HP vac, a lot cheaper, has a 79 dB rating. A muffer may help.

Simon
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#13
Mine is quiet enough that I forget that it's on. It's a Rigid brand Screamer DB Ultra from Home Depot.

It's also outside the shop, in a lean-to. I have a 30' hose. Dumping out the pre-filter cyclone and blowing the cloth filter cover off happens out there, too. cut a hole in the hall for the hose. The power source is a switched outlet.
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#14
Buy a box.
Put the Shop Vac in the box.
Quiet.

My Shop Vac / DC prime mover is inside a cabinet. Very quiet.

Ag
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#15
Fein Turbo shop vacs are the quietest.  Festools and Bosch are quiet as well.  Bosch, Festool, and Fein come at a premium price.  I spent part of a bonus on my Festool CT33.  I'm quite pleased with it.  It's now connected to a Dust Deputy.
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#16
(11-04-2017, 11:40 PM)AHill Wrote: Fein Turbo shop vacs are the quietest.  Festools and Bosch are quiet as well.  Bosch, Festool, and Fein come at a premium price.  I spent part of a bonus on my Festool CT33.  I'm quite pleased with it.  It's now connected to a Dust Deputy.

I have an older Fein, from back when they had true on off tool start, and variable speed. If I need to crank it up I can hear it fairly well, but down where it easily gets the work done for dust/chips I can hear light music playing over it. Does a remarkable job on suction, rolls very well (lot's of wheels) has a very long cord, maybe 16', It can easily swap to water clean up, then I find the higher power levels necessary, but the water subdues the sound. It was half the cost of the similar Festool
Big Grin

I too use the dust deputy like deal sold at Rockler, and collecting drywall dust all of it goes to the collection can, none to the filters. That is as important to me as anything else, I've been using the same filter for several years, it never get's anything except air running through it.
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya

GW
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#17
(11-04-2017, 07:32 PM)mikey2222 Wrote: I want to replace my old Craftsman shop vac, which sounds like a jet engine, with something quieter. Looking for recommendations.

Mikey

If I were you I would drag my old shop vac down to Sears and Home Depot and compare it to the two vacuums linked below. I've used both of these vacuums. They both have good suction and are relatively quiet. Both get lots of good reviews. Compared to your old vacuum, I think you'd be happy with either one.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-xsp-12-ga...ockType=G3 

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-14-Ga.../100081216 -- has "noise reduction technology"

I own a Fein Turbo I vacuum. It has good suction and is very quiet. If you don't need the Auto Start feature, a Fein vacuum may not be worth the extra cost. 

https://www.amazon.com/Fein-9-20-27-TURB...B00K69ILFQ -- the main complaint is premature failure of the Auto Start feature

An alternative to Fein's Auto Start is the i-Socket Autoswitch, which can be used with any vacuum.

http://www.rockler.com/i-socket-110m-too...gJZlPD_BwE
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#18
Seems to me I read a review of the more expensive vacs (Fein, Festool, the expensive Bosch, etc.) and the Fein was the quietest. I have 3, all older models and they are really nice. That said, I think any of the expensive ones are much less noisy than the Craftsman.....and it probably takes instruments to measure the difference between them. I'd probably buy an expensive on price...whichever is the cheapest.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#19
Fein is one of the best it also has a longer duty cycle then the others.  I can run my 2 Feins for 8 hours plus when I cnc 3D cuts
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#20
(11-05-2017, 07:58 AM)fixtureman Wrote: Fein is one of the best it also has a longer duty cycle then the others.  I can run my 2 Feins for 8 hours plus when I cnc 3D cuts

Old adage, put good in, get good out
Big Grin

So far everything I have bought with the Fein name on it has been a wonderful tool, giving me great service for a long time. Back when I used my Fein tools a lot, now, not so much..
Worst thing they can do is cook ya and eat ya

GW
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