Do it Yourself: RE: [DIY] Oscillating tools

for me anyway, the cartridge filters work great. the only thing I wouldn't use that filter for is vacuuming up fireplace ashes.

From: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of subprong
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 3:45 PM
To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DIY] Oscillating tools

Thanks, Bob. I'm assuming that you feel as though the cartridge alone is adequate enough to keep the outblowing air filtered well enough? I use mine for the table saw as well as the floor and I tend to get a lot of dirt, leaves, staples, lumber tags and whatnot getting sucked in there. So hopefully the leaves and such won't crowd the cartridge. I may try this out. If it works, I'll feel like a fool for wasting money on bags all of this time but will surely thank you!

I'm cracking up at that remote switch. Had no idea that even existed and what a great idea for a shop. RF as well! I take it this is the switch...

http://www.grizzly.com/products/110V-Remote-Control/G4699

On Wed, Jan 23, 2013 at 7:47 AM, Bob Davis <bob@wrobertdavis.com> wrote:

A good pleated cartridge filter is designed to have lots of surface area and will hold a bunch of dust before it affects vacuum performance. When I am very active in my shop, I pull the cartridge maybe twice a year and tap it to shake off the dust into the garbage can. If I am feeling bored, I even get the air compressor, don a dust mask and blow out the dust on the cartridge. I used one cartridge for five years that way. I recently replaced it with a high end cartridge that is supposed to work wet or dry. My shop vac never had bags. My dust collector has one humongous cartridge filter on it and does not use bags, either. It has a rotating "beater" inside of it that I manually move to knock off the dust. I have never replaced the cartridge on the dust collector (in use about five years). Home depot in my area sells an assortment of replacement filters that fit most vacuums.

Regarding the power switch for the vacuum, I got tired of walking over and turning my shop vac off. I have a high quality 20' vacuum hose and use it as an ad hoc dust collector for routing, drilling, sanding, etc. Somehow the vacuum is always 20' from where I am working. I purchased a wireless remote switch for the vacuum and keep the remote on my belt. It is a real luxury that saves these bones that are getting older.

From: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of subprong
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 12:41 AM
To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DIY] Oscillating tools

Wow, well I could have wasted a lot of money for nothing now all this time. My shop vac is I believe 12 gallon (the filter bags fit 11-14 gallon....so it's one of those sizes) and it does have a cartridge filter on it. So what's the point of the bag then (anything other than convenience)? I've always used both at the same time. If the bag is not in use won't that just clog up the cartridge filter and decrease the suction power or not?

On another note, the plastic switch broke on the vac about a month ago. I was able to move it so that it stays in the "on" position. So I'm basically plugging it in to start it and trying to quickly unplug it to stop it (not smart). Seems with many tools or machines these days, there is always some small, cheap plastic piece that fails and makes the item useless. There is no part replacement for this and I cannot figure out a way to rig some item to replace the plastic piece. I figure my only solution (outside of buying another vac) is to wire a small manual light flicker toggle switch into an extension cord and plug it into that. Or buy one of those big switches that you plug your saw and vac into....you flick that switch on and both the vac and saw start up together.

On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 8:21 PM, Bob Davis <bob@wrobertdavis.com> wrote:

I get the feeling you are talking about a relatively small vacuum if you are concerned with filter bags. A decent sized shop vac will usually have a cartridge filter instead of bags and it takes a long time before it needs to be replaced or cleaned. I think your money would be better spent getting a larger shop vac that uses a cartridge filter. They don't care if you suck up big chunks of stuff. It just clangs or thunks when it hits the bottom of the canister, but doesn't hurt anything.

From: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of subprong
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 4:31 PM

To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DIY] Oscillating tools

Dust collection. Have you or anyone here used this type of system for their table saws?

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=31104&site=ROCKLER

The bags for wet/dry vacs are might expensive and this would cut down on having to replace them. Supposedly the bigger chunks of stuff will fall into that bucket while the finer particles will continue onto your wet/dry vac filter bag. Basically, you'll end up emptying out that bucket of bigger particles instead of constantly emptying and throwing away the expensive filter bags in your vac.

I've seen people DIY'ing these type of turbo buckets as well.

On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 3:41 PM, Bob Davis <bob@wrobertdavis.com> wrote:

In the past, a lot of HF tools were pure junk. But some specific items, notably, their dust collector seemed to serve a lot of people well. I still view most HF stuff as light duty cycle, short life tools. But for some uses, that is just perfect, considering the price. What irks me is when someone does not understand the cost of a commercial duty tool and calls it a rip-off. In almost all cases, you get what your pay for. It is a matter of being sure that your expectations match what you are buying.

I am a tool junkie and tend to buy more than I need. The area where I have enjoyed getting a whole lot for very little money is finding old hand planes and restoring them to good user quality. My brother picked up a Norris smoother plane in England for me for a song. It looked awful, but it's downright magic when you use it.

I guess I got a bit philosophical.

Bob

From: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com [mailto:DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dale S
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2013 3:22 PM
To: DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [DIY] Oscillating tools

I'd say that for $50.00 it is either as you say heavily discounted, overstock or reconditioned, none of which bother me in the least. I'll probably be sending off an order to HF next month for a couple of items and a vibrating saw will be one of them. I've just about convinced myself that I need one more router, this time with a 1/2 inch collet so that I can take advantage of some of my shaper cutters. HF has a nice looking unit for under 60.00 and their quality has really improved in the last 20 years since I first started buying from them. I'm about to find out how good some of the vibrator cutters I bought from them are too and if worth their weight in salt I'll get some more at about 25% of others asking prices.

Dale in the Flatlands.

subprong wrote:

I haven't used mine yet but I got this recently which seems to be heavily discounted compared to other sites. $50 plus free shipping...
ROCKWELL 73-Piece 2.3-Amp Oscillating Tool Kit

http://www.lowes.com/pd_371432-54602-RK5107K_0__?

If you have a problem with the link, go to the lowes website and enter the following item number..

371432
On Tue, Jan 22, 2013 at 7:04 AM, Jan Flood <jan.flood2@att.net> wrote:

From: darrell wolf
on a subject more to the groups reason, has anyone used or have one of the
oscillating multi-tools and whats your opinion of it. worth the cost or a
seldom used tool that can be done without. B&D as one for about $40 that
seems durable and accessories are reasonable.
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