Retroanaconda Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Cleaning in the workshop today and using the vacuum cleaner out of the house, I was thinking that things like metal filings etc. are probably not much good for it. Does anybody have a dedicated vacuum cleaner for the garage/workshop? I find them invaluable for extracting spiders/dirt/dust and general detritus from all the hidden corners. I was thinking a good old fashioned Henry bag vacuum might be a good option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreePointFive Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 I vote for Henry. I've used them for valeting type work for years sucking up all kinds of nasty stuff that people leave in their cars without problems. They have plenty of suck but do require emptying the bag - which in itself isn't a problem as it keeps everything contained. They do a blue wet/dry one that has significantly more power than the standard one, that'll be my next purchase. Don't buy one made in 2007, I probably put it together..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Look for Lidl/ALdi's workshop vacuums, have had one for years, still going strong. No bags, just one giant filter which just needs banging out every now and then if you have done somethings especially dusty (e.g. plaster/cement). They have a function where you plug your power tool into it, and it turns on an off with as you drill holes or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 This is the sort of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Parkside-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-Cleaner-30L-PWD-30-A1/143662527391?hash=item2172f4339f:g:AoEAAOSw0tNfFtgZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 I have a Karcher LD5 for around the house and while doing renovations. Sucks up everything you throw in its general direction without much care (just the other day I was doing some electrics, and vacuuming up some plaster dust, and suddenly I only had 1/3 wire offcuts left :D). And if you take the bag out you can vacuum liquid too, but I haven't tried that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoSS Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 I was lucky enough to find a Bosch GAS25 in a bin at work, only thing wrong was a bad connection in the plug. Just looked up the new price, circa 350 quid, while i probably wouldn't have paid that it's not totally silly considering its a beast and hoovers up anything, including liquid, swarf and sand-blast media. Edit added https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bosch-GAS-25-110v-Dust-Extractor-Vacuum-Cleaner/233705876001?hash=item3669f4aa21%3Ag%3AUssAAOSwb39eSAW0&LH_ItemCondition=4 prob not a bad deal if you can do 110v Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason110 Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Unless you want run a chop saw off it, my vote would be an old Henry. ive got Titan shop vacuum that I can run my chop saw off only because it is only temporary/ permanent loan from old man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miketomcat Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Every boat yard I've ever worked in uses Henry's they are virtually indestructible but only use the paper bags the microfiber ones are rubbish. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjan Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Kärcher lives in the workshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 A ex-builder friend of mine killed his very expensive wet and dry vac. In a rush bought a Henry, filled the bag, chucked it in the skip when full and then proceeded for the next 10 years to run it without a bag. Did eventually kill it when a delivery lorry drove over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Yeah but which one has a large enough diameter tube with connectors that don't reduce/restrict the pipe even further? Eevryone I tries fails to cope with shavings, chips of timber or whatever as they get stuck in the tube, joints or entry to tub...?? Turn the brush part upside and have a look at how small the opening is! Done to increase the airflow but stuff gets stuck... 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 Another vote for a Henry. Mine in the workshop is a mates hand-me-down... done ~15 years as a builder without a bag. It’s a little asthmatic now but still does everything I ask of it. Only retired as he treated himself to a beast of a Makita. Feels like it would pull a breeze block in if the nozzle was big enough! My old department with the machine shop had a great little Karcher one. Spent its life sucking swarf/oil/coolant off the machines and didn’t die... and only retired to clean up after the sparkies (shock horror!!!) when they bought a monster Nilfisk for the workshop which didn’t need emptying every other day. It’s like having a dustbin on wheels with a vacuum on top Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 10 hours ago, PaulN said: Yeah but which one has a large enough diameter tube with connectors that don't reduce/restrict the pipe even further? Eevryone I tries fails to cope with shavings, chips of timber or whatever as they get stuck in the tube, joints or entry to tub...?? Turn the brush part upside and have a look at how small the opening is! Done to increase the airflow but stuff gets stuck... 🤔 Never had anything get stuck in mine, and I've used it for all kinds of wood shavings and brick dust and pieces and lord knows what else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcock Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 I have a Charlie which is Henry's bigger brother, over twenty five years of abuse. I don't bother with a bag just the filter. as said above it has wet and dry capabilities. Yes it will block occasionally normally if trying to pick up longer bits which wedge into the tube corrugations. I also have a Henry I use at work as it's more convenient. I thought I had killed the Henry as I had it smoking one day, but it is still going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Just be a bit careful, the modern Henry's are not what they were thanks to the EU wattage restrictions. Much more lightly built, completely different animal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Got 2 red Henry's and a 'Baby' Karcher - maybe they're jut too small...? Henry's are good with bags but the Karcher isn't IMO. Used without you're forever cleaning out the filter before much is in the can. Decades ago 😮 I used to have a DIY store special to clean out the dust debris, bits of tiles and calamity in the loft over lath & plaster of a 200 year old house. The sort you might get in Aldi today only with a more powerful motor and a much bigger hose and attachments. (2.5"?) Worked really really well too. Burnt one out but got another it was so deep and filthy up there! In order to treat timbers you have to see them. Never seen as good and effective (or as cheap) as them since...didn't hurt too much as it was not expensive... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L19MUD Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 I'm amused by the expertise on hoovers in this forum! Having said that was going to say my old man is a builder and has used the same Henry hoover for well over 20 years and has never bothered with the bags as nails and screws go right through them. The old ones are indestructible Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted September 8, 2020 Author Share Posted September 8, 2020 Thanks guys, really useful stuff. I’ll keep my eye out for an older Henry Hoover second hand I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulN Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Spare parts are really easy for Henry's too... We go here linky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Got a George (the wet and dry version of Henry) - powerful, but not ideal as a workshop vacuum as it has a plastic bracket behind the inlet from the pipe, which larger items like bits of wood get trapped in and then cause a blockage (you push the bags over it - guessing Henry's have a different arrangement or they'd have the same problem?). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 2 hours ago, geoffbeaumont said: Got a George (the wet and dry version of Henry) - powerful, but not ideal as a workshop vacuum as it has a plastic bracket behind the inlet from the pipe, which larger items like bits of wood get trapped in and then cause a blockage (you push the bags over it - guessing Henry's have a different arrangement or they'd have the same problem?). They’ve got the same deflector thingy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Also... I’m surprised no one has complained that this thread sucks 😛 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stellaghost Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 5 minutes ago, landroversforever said: Also... I’m surprised no one has complained that this thread sucks 😛 Is that the best you can do 😀 you need to clean up your act regards Stephen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 Another vote for Henry (or George) Only thing with NOT using a bag, is that it will just spread fine dust unless you stand it outside. With Karcher and Titan the bags are 'kin expensive. Have also got a Titan which was cheap. It sucks up water great and can blow too, which is handy, but I dont use it for dirt now. I find the paper bags better for workshop and building tasks, as the filtration on the cloth bags is better, so they block up too quickly for this type of use. Great for househusband duties indoors though ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elbekko Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 7 hours ago, smallfry said: With Karcher and Titan the bags are 'kin expensive I've got aftermarket bags for mine which are like 10x less expensive. Seems to work just as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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