What do you use as a bench vac?

[niclonnic]

Here's a curious subject that I've been casually meaning to post about for some time. What is the one vacuum that you use as a "bench vac" to clean out other vacuums with?

Lately, I've been using a Craftsman Clean n Carry 2-gallon shop vac for this very purpose. Owned by my stepmom, it has been nothing but a workhorse. This machine has been serving me well as a bench vac to vacuum off bagless bins and filters with. However, the filter is very messy to clean off afterwards, sending this dust flying all over the place. Since this shop vac can't use disposable bags, it sort of defeats the purpose, despite the fact that I only empty it in the garage.

Because of this messy emptying process, I keep thinking about buying a Eureka Mighty Mite. Since it's a bagged canister, there are no cyclones or filters to get plugged up with dust from other machines. I can simply throw the bag away after it gets full. Although the Mighty Mite sounds like the perfect bench vac for me, I kind of don't want to introduce another vacuum into my household, due to a rule in which I can't hoard vacuums.

I'd love to hear what you prefer to use as a bench vac.

 

[ultralux88]

A central vac, or whatever bagged canister with decent suction is closest. When I have a proper bench setup, which I do not, as from 2006-2021 I worked in a vac shop and would just go in an hour or so early, or on a slow day just work on/clean up one of my vacuums. Could use a bag from the open packs for free, or buy a pack and the belt for wholesale if needed. So I never bothered setting up a bench at home. Now I don't really use a bench for work, unless a folding table at the job counts, so I'm missing that badly.

 

[panasonicvac]

At home, usually my Shop Vac. Sometimes I'd go over to a local car wash and use one of theirs to clean out my vacuums if I'm already headed for that direction anyways. At the first vacuum shop I worked at, I used an MD Silent Master that was custom where I'd turn on the switch from my bench instead of reaching down to turn the unit on. And then at the others, I used canisters either a Filter Queen or a Tristar that were also custom where I'd turn on the switch from my bench.

 

[ultralux88]

I had an MD mounted elsewhere and just an inlet, used a low volt hose and just had the switch right there.

 

[panasonicvac]

Yeah that's another easier way to do. I remember the hose on the MD wasn't an actual central vac hose, whether it looked like a Panasonic Jet-Flo upright hose already plugged in the inlet on the bottom and the central vac unit itself wasn't really mounted but sat on the end of the bench like a trash can. I can't remember, it's been so long when I worked there and that shop has since closed down.