bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Damn things just are not built right anymore... I purchased a Shop Vac brand canister vac for garage cleanup... this was the most expensive unit without the metal canister... 1: Brand new, right out of the box, it didn't work properly... the rollover protection ball(cylinder in this case) was getting sucked up into the blower inlet... It was too light and airflow would suck it striaght up... I ended up screwing several heavy washers to it in order to keep down... I had to fix it on the spot because I could not take it back after hours and I absolutely had to use it that night... 2: A short time later I noticed the switch was acting up.. It would turn on and then off again like a momentary button switch.. I had to take the vacuum apart again to clean and lubricate the switch... The damage appears to be heat related NOT DIRT related... but it has contiued to work... not very well... but it stays on if you give it a good positive snap with your finger... 3: It just died on me last night... I dismantled it AGAIN!!! I tested all components and it seemed to be a problem with the motor wiring this time... now that I have COMPLETELY disassembled the motor unit I can see what the problem was... There is a GD FUSE!!! IN THE MOTOR HOUSING... WTF!!! this thing is the LAST thing you can remove from the unit... I wight as well just rebuild the WHOLE DAMN THING... In any case.. I bypassed that silly POS FUSE and the damn things works again... I would gladly purchase an older shop vac to replace this one... even if it needs rebuilding... I am absolutely FLOORED by the lack of quality of the new garage vacuums... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 ohh... BTW.. It is less than a year old... I have noticed that NOT ONE OF THE NEWER designs holds on to the canister very well... twice!!! I have spilled the canister contents by lifting it by the top handle and knocking the canister with my knee while walking... This is also UNACCEPTABLE... I don't think you can buy a decent vacuum any more... I own 2 hand-me-down canister Electroluxes... one is from the early 1970s and the other is a later 1980s model... They both need occasional light maintenance but have worked reliably for decades... That is a real tool.. they just dont like water.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Haaa... 3 year warranty.... except I have to ship the giant thing to a service center 3 states away... I also just found the parts list... You can buy evey piece of the damn thing EXCEPT the motor/switch/fuse parts.. they only sell a replacement motor assembly ... which is $60 plus shipping... which gets me near the $80 cost of the whole vacuum... I am pissed off... crappy unit... no way to use the warranty or buy the crappy parts without spending almost as much as a new vac... This is a scam... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 Ahhh... I talked nicely with a manager of the Shop Vac customer service.. they are sending me a brand new motor assembly with the fuse and the switch FREE of charge.. Thank you Shop Vac for at least providing service even though the design is CRAP!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumo Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Based on my experience the Shop Vac brand itself literally sucks! It doesn't hold up, it's too noisy, dust flies everywhere and it's poor in quality. I tried the home depot brand and found that one better but it got stolen so i never had it that long to see if it would die. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFancypants Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I have this one: http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?cat=Wet-Dry+Vacs&pid=00917925000&vertical=TOOL&subcat=Tank+Style&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes So good so far (2 years), and not too expensive. - Greg - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 Damn dude. Step back and pound a beer or two. I have had a Sears vac that is 12 years old. It is just starting to sound like a bearing is going. When it dies, I will get another Sears vac, most likely this one The sears units have bitchin filters that even trap drywall dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 I went to Sears to look at the suggested vacs... I picked up the 6.5HP model and the tank crashed onto the shelf and bounced onto the floor.. taking out half the accessories display... I picked it all up and looked carefully at the tank clasps... These are barely able to hold the weight of an EMPTY TANK... WTF!!! I snatched a new vacuum still in the box off the shelf.. ripped open the carboard and pulled out the vacuum.. I checked the fit of the tank clasps and found the SAME PROBLEM... they don't hold the tank for shiat... Upon inspection of the unit I have determined that these are the same crappy designs everyone else is making right now... Someone show me a real vacuum and I am out the door to pick it up... Now... I realize that you are supposed to pick them up by the side handles on the tank... There is no way in hell I am going to purchase a vacuum designed that way... I don't have the time to wind up the cord, remove the hose and accessories, bend wayyyy over with both hands and transport the vacuum.. them return to gather up the hose, accessories, and the extension cord on my second trip... I will grab the damn top handle with one hand and hold the hose and cord in my other hand... or I might as well drop kick it into the trash bin... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlderThanMe Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I have te same vacuum and right after I removed al the paint off the top of my Z I vacuumed EVERYTHING and then picked up the vacuum and as I picked it up it barely tapped my Z which was on jack stands and the bottom fell off and sent paint dust everywhere again... They say cleanliness is next to Godliness...well it ain't easy to be clean... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetleaf Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I guess it's not just me LOL.. Yeah, I hate these cheap POS's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I went to Sears to look at the suggested vacs... I picked up the 6.5HP model and the tank crashed onto the shelf and bounced onto the floor.. taking out half the accessories display... I picked it all up and looked carefully at the tank clasps... These are barely able to hold the weight of an EMPTY TANK... WTF!!! I snatched a new vacuum still in the box off the shelf.. ripped open the carboard and pulled out the vacuum.. I checked the fit of the tank clasps and found the SAME PROBLEM... they don't hold the tank for shiat... Upon inspection of the unit I have determined that these are the same crappy designs everyone else is making right now... Someone show me a real vacuum and I am out the door to pick it up... Now... I realize that you are supposed to pick them up by the side handles on the tank... There is no way in hell I am going to purchase a vacuum designed that way... I don't have the time to wind up the cord, remove the hose and accessories, bend wayyyy over with both hands and transport the vacuum.. them return to gather up the hose, accessories, and the extension cord on my second trip... I will grab the damn top handle with one hand and hold the hose and cord in my other hand... or I might as well drop kick it into the trash bin... LOL Well, when you find one, let us know. FWIW the old unit I have only has handles on the top. Never had a problem with the bottom coming unattached, even with the tank full of gravel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt1 Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 John, you're just cursed!!!!!!!!!!!! I agree the shop-vac brand sucks major, but I've had real good luck with the sears brand, one I've had for 10 yrs or so, and another one, the 6 hp version, for about a year. jt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCchris Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I have had a Sears vac that is 12 years old. It is just starting to sound like a bearing is going. When it dies, I will get another Sears vac, most likely this one The sears units have bitchin filters that even trap drywall dust. Pop, We must have the same unit. Mine is approx 15 years old. No problems with mine at all, carried it around by the handles full of water. Mine has also sucked up a lot of drywall dust as well. I haven't replaced the filter either, just clean it occasionally. chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 You guys with the old sears units are lucky to still have them... Trust me.. If they break.. get them fixed... you don't want what is out there now... Caveat Emptor... unless you have $350 for a real professional vacuum... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrFancypants Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I went to Sears to look at the suggested vacs... I checked the fit of the tank clasps and found the SAME PROBLEM... they don't hold the tank for shiat... Hmm.. the one I have has two rotating locks, one on each side. Yeah they are plastic, but they seem to hold the bucket on fine. I actually have problems taking the damn thing apart to empty it because it holds together so firmly. Granted, it doesnt have wheels though so it's not the best for floor use -- I just hang it on the wall and use the 20' hose. - Greg - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 13, 2006 Author Share Posted November 13, 2006 I did not consider the hanging vacuum... I didn't even look at it... I'll bet they had to attch the tank better for that one... I don't want to seem thorny... but I have to critique this one... http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...seBVCookie=Yes It has less power... a tiny little tank... and 1.5" narrow hose... I have been cleaning 50 lbs at a time of blasting abrasive... I use it for water pickup and carpet spot cleaing with 50 lbs of water per load... and... that vac is $90... for what???.. a wall hanging bracket and an extra hose... it seems like a $40-$50 value to me... ================================================================================================ I'm sorry for you Sears fans... they are selling the same import junk everyone else sells... but the prices are 20%-30% higher than everyone else... It is really great that I can get a new ratchet to replace the one I broke... at 8PM on a Sunday... but after I have broken so many... I opted for professional tools... I found that they actually WORK better too... Sears is a great place to find a wide variety of tools in one place... that is hard to beat.. but there are better deals and better quality elswhere... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 McMaster Carr sells a nice stainless steel 6.5 hp, 185 cfm, 10 gallon drum, two speed shop vac with stainless steel extension wands, large cart wheels in back and swivel casters in front, 35 ft. cord, 8 ft hose. $536.67. The 6 gallon model is $229.70. The also sell the vacuum motor top, hoses, accessories, and a cart that attaches to the top and bottom of a standard 55 gallon drum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted November 13, 2006 Share Posted November 13, 2006 I've had a 6 HP RIGID unit from Home Depot for at least 5 years now. A few plastic pieces have broken and I've just called their 800 number and they sent new ones with no questions asked. On the pecking order of shop vacs, I'm not sure where RIGID falls, but it's met our needs, including my wife using it to vacuum the scum from the bottom of the pond once a year when we clean it. How's that for abuse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjhines Posted November 14, 2006 Author Share Posted November 14, 2006 Well... It really looks like the nice ones are expensive enough to make me want to fashon my own... I have several hoses in 2 sizes and many accessories from past shop vacs... I have a trash can and/or a 50 gallon drum with vacuum written all over them... I also have an electric leaf blower and the new motor assembly from Shop Vac on the way... HMMMmmmmm... 2 speeds with 17 amps of high power sukkin on the way baybeeee.... ahhh... how about that... I just found 4x 3"-swivel casters..... hehehe... maybe you guys can tell... I have been catching up on honeydoo lists... naturally... a much used tool went south.... I am in complete limbo with the Z for a little while... suspension parts are with the machinist, cage awaits door bars and my local race shop's schedule... can't paint much until it gets back... I'm not even getting back into the electrical until the body is ready... ohh well... custom shop vac time.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted November 14, 2006 Share Posted November 14, 2006 I also have an electric leaf blower and the new motor assembly from Shop Vac on the way... HMMMmmmmm... 2 speeds with 17 amps of high power sukkin on the way baybeeee....You sound like Tim Allen on Tooltime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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