A Fein Solution

   I have a Fein shop vacuum that I have used for several years and think is an excellent tool.  I like that it is quiet (as shop vacs go) and that it has a switch that allows the tool being used to turn  the vac off and on.  A great feature when doing a bunch of sanding.


  I don't think it is possible to over estimate how important dust collection and shop vacuums are to a wood worker.  If you don't vacuum the shop regularly a layer of dust gets on everything. If the dust is there just walking through the shop stirs it up and the dust gets on your finishes as they dry.  As well, fine dust has a long term negative effect on breathing and lungs, something not to be ignored.


  The only short-coming I ever found with my shop-vac was the small diameter of the vacuum hose meant that when I was cleaning up my shop I would often have a splinter or a curl of wood from planning jam the hose.  Then I would have to figure out how to clear the obstruction, for a time I had an eight foot piece of quarter round that I used as a cleaning rod, but then I got creative.

Fein-en-stein

   I replaced the standard hose with 2 1/2in dust collection hose.  It needed an adapter to fit so I made one from M.D.F. using my hole saws to cut out the sections. 

  The shop vac doesn't have nearly as powerful a vacuum force since the hose is so much larger but it is still strong enough to pick up saw dust and shavings.  I feel that the trade off has been worth it, since it doesn't get plugged any more when I am cleaning up.


   By nature I am not patient, so having the vacuum hose get plugged up in use was a real pain in the neck.  This simple modification, though long over due has been a real time saver.  I still have the other hose available to use though I haven't gone back for it once, the extra vacuum pressure the smaller  hose supplies hasn't been missed.