Went with a shop vac over a dust collector for my truck work

I had to choose between a cheap dust collector and a heavy-duty Shop-Vac to clean out the cab of my Freightliner, and I went with the vac after a buddy warned me about the collector's filters clogging fast with diesel soot. After six months of weekly use, the vac is still going strong and I've had zero issues. Anyone else made this switch or stuck with something else?

3 comments

3 Comments

victorhernandez6d ago

Keep the shop vac, diesel soot will destroy a dust collector filter in no time flat.

kellyallen6d ago

And that's the thing, the shop vac just handles the soot way better because it doesn't rely on fine pleated filters that get gummed up. I think the dust collectors are great for wood shops where you're dealing with dry sawdust, but truck interiors are a whole different ballgame with all the grime and moisture mixed in. Once you figure out a setup that works, it's hard to argue with six months of trouble-free use.

wesley6396d ago

My buddy tried using his woodworking dust collector to clean out his diesel truck. First time he hit the soot, the filter basically just turned into a greasy rag. He had to toss the whole thing.