I use an ex SWMBO Miele. It work very well for me but I don’t produce huge volumes of swarf. It is a dog and cat model so has a secondary filter, supposedly HEPA, that stops any fine metal dust that the bag does not trap getting into the motor. It also stops full size swarf if you forget that you took the bag out but not put a new one in. Don’t ask me how i know this…..

Robert.

Henry.

my mobile one is a 40yrs AquaVac tho the plastic cover has needed much repair – I have a lidl ash can model that sits in a small cupboard but with a hose from a scrapped dyson (a friend very kindly printed me the necessary adapter to connect the two) – the dyson hose will extend some 8 feet or so which is enough to reach my mill + lathe.

Also an original Aquavac, but more recently bought the larger of the Lidl workshop vacs.
It has a remote start for coupling up to power tools, but is quite a bit bigger than the cheaper option from the same store.
I picked up mine during a Parkside discount week and also had a 10% coupon from a previous high spending month.

Not a bad review, but it does show the EU model, whereas mine has a UK 13A plug and socket

In the other workshop, I still use the Aquavac with the sandblasting cabinet, but with a coarse internal filter in the cabinet and a vortex/cyclone dust extractor in line before the vacuum.
Mine is an alloy one off ebay on top of a plastic contained which originally houses suet balls for the birds.

Greatest thing ever for keeping the workshop clean. I use a a ccheap hardware store wet and dry vac a bit like the one Peak4 posted above. Works a treat on everything from the lathe to the floor. Highly recommended.

I use one of these from Wickes: https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Wet+Dry-Vacuum-Cleaner-With-Blower-20L—1250W/p/215735

The workshop is a lot tidier now and I seem to be inclined to do more intermediate dwarf clearance since I got it.

Rod

I use a very old Henry, he has even survived having his head blown off, when I decided, unwisely, to hoover a motorcycle petrol tank out to get rid of some sand from blasting. Despite being unused and empty for some time there were enough fumes left to cause a very large bang and his head flew across the workshop. Two new clips from Ebay and he is still going and still smiling!

Never asked him to hoover up a Dwarf though.

1 more user of an old Henry, milling chips and cast iron turnings quickly dissapear, as said though watch you don’t block the tube with long pieces of steel swarf, I pick those out of the chip tray before using Henry.

Emgee

I’ve had a Parkside (Lidl) PNTS 1500 B2 wet and dry one for about 7 years now.  It’s best feature is the power socket on the top for your power tools so that it automatically starts when your sander etc., is switched on.  I seem to remember it cost about €50.

Russell

I have a Numatic twin motor but the single motor ones work perfectly well. Very robust they will even  tolerate sucking liquid through the motor for a while if you don’t. Fully rebuildable motors too the motor units are modular so you can swap the motor/fan  assembly instead of the whole head.

You cn use them bagged or bless, wet or dry. Hot swarf or grinding g dust will melt the hose but otherwise pretty indestructible in normal use.

Numatic also make the Henry range of vacs far as I know.

On 30 April 2024 at 17:41 Steven Shand Said:

I use a 30L food barrel with a cyclone attachment fitted to the top. That is powered by a standard shop vac that I think I got from Screwfix. The Cyclone attachment and barrel is a game changer as nothing really ever gets to the vac so you never have bags to change. It’s something I setup when doing more wood stuff but it works great for swarf. I have a 5M hose on it and so can reach anywhere in my small workshop with it.

 

I use almost exactly this, powered by an old Sealey wet n dry shop vac. I have 2 barrels, 1 for swarf and 1 for everything else. Absolutely brilliant – if it will fit up the hose it will suck it up no bother – wet or dry, although with a spiral wound hose the longer swarf can be an issue as has been said. I have fitted a relief valve to the barrel lid to stop it collapsing though and that is great (can get them on amazon).  I’ll get a smooth bore when I get a ’roundtuit’.

Highly recommended if you have the room.

I use a Ryobi wet n dry vac. No bag but internal filter. Works ok  unless you make long stringy chips. Got a large plastic barrel to make a separate collector with a cyclone but just not got a roundtuit yet