Shopping for shop vacuum

Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0200

I’m on my third workshop vacuum now. The first one was Parkside, an old model from about 15 years ago. It never cleaned properly, I don’t even remember if it broke or I got rid of it because it was useless. Next one was a small Karcher. It worked great for years, but I only did occasional DIY projects. When I started the large renovation, I killed it in a week. It’s now on a shelf, until I decide if I want to replace the motor unit or bin it.

Which meant I had to buy a replacement quickly, I couldn’t research the best model and look for bargains. In rural Sweden there’s no “next day delivery”, it’s “in three days if you are lucky”. I had to choose from whatever was available in nearby shops.

The immediate requirement was renovation. Wood dust, plaster and cement dust, occasional metal filings and wet mess. Nothing toxic, but a lot of it.

The longer-term use case is lighter: ongoing DIY projects, sawing, sanding, drilling, the usual.

Workshop vacuum vs regular vacuum

A regular domestic vacuum cleaner is a civilised tool for civilised places. It has good filtration, reasonable noise levels, an assortment of finely shaped attachments for different surfaces and spaces. And you would break it in minutes if you tried to use it on a construction site.

A workshop vacuum can handle wood shavings, plaster dust and metal filings. Most can also handle wet stuff, they can even be used to pump out water.

Can you use a workshop vacuum for regular domestic cleaning? Yes. Would you enjoy it? Definitely not. It’s heavy and it’s LOUD. Plus, once you used it for intended purposes, it’s forever dirty.

Features to look for

Tank capacity. My old vacuum had a 15L tank. For occasional use it was good enough, it took months to fill. For the renovation I wanted a 30L model.

Filtration. Some vacuums are rated for hazardous materials such as asbestos. For that use, you also need to line it with a disposable bag, so make sure you stock them. But I didn’t need that, regular filter was good enough for me.

Auto filter cleaning. As fine dust builds up on the filter, suction drops. Some vacuums have an automatic mechanism that taps the filter periodically to knock accumulated dust back into the tank. Very convenient. Mine doesn’t have it though.

Wet/dry capability. Most workshop vacs handle both. Wet pickup requires removing the standard filter and replacing it with a foam sleeve.

Power tool socket with autostart. Some vacuums have a socket on the body - you plug your power tool into it, the vacuum starts automatically when the tool does, stops when the tool does. More important for woodworking than for renovation. Also, you would need to make sure the socket where you plug the vacuum can handle the combined power of both, which is usually above 2kW.

Small differences. Things like: how long the hose and power cord are, how well the castors turn, are there places for storing extra attachments (in my case: 2m, 3m, very well, no but the previous had it). If you’re in a comfortable position of comparing similar models, you can be choosy.

What I got

The DeWalt DXV30SAPTA. Thirty litres, stainless drum, wet/dry. There was a decent deal on it at the time, and the more important factor was DeWalt’s build quality. It should survive the renovation.

It is, as expected, large and loud. But my noise-cancelling headphones do a great job on the constant hum. It cleans very well. It came with several attachments, but I only use two: the wide brush and the narrow nozzle. There’s also blower mode: the hose can be connected to the exhaust. I found this feature useful a few times.

I sometimes connect the vacuum to tools - sanders, planer and plunge saw have dust extraction ports. I had to buy adapters for them, since every manufacturer uses a different diameter.

It doesn’t have auto filter cleaning. It would be really useful, sometimes I need to clean it several times per day. Well, you can’t always get what you want. I keep an old toothbrush and use it when I see it doesn’t suck.

Pallet workbench: a 15-minute solution for a problem at hand

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:01:00 +0200

A few months ago I moved into a new place: a house in need of deep renovation. I brought tools, ordered materials, but there was no workbench. I simply needed a reasonably flat surface at a comfortable level for sawing, drilling and sanding.

Fancy workbenches are a common DIY project - moderately complex, practical, with few aesthetic requirements. But I needed something fast. I couldn’t spend a week building a proper bench. Besides, how could I do it without a bench? Classic chicken-and-egg problem.

Enter: wooden pallets.

The plan (if you can call it that)

The idea was simple. I had some building materials delivered on wooden pallets. They were different sizes, but two of them had the same width - 80cm. I used them for sides. I shortened one with a sabre saw, otherwise it wouldn’t fit in a doorway and I needed a movable workbench.

80cm plus the height of the 3rd pallet made it 92cm, which is just the perfect height for me to work standing up. For comparison, a standard office desk (for sitting work) is 75cm, a kitchen worktop is 90cm and I always find kitchen worktops slightly too low for me. Your needs may vary.

I simply joined the pallets with a few wood screws. Then I put two boards on the back and one on the side to make it less wobbly. That was it. There’s enough space underneath for my vacuum cleaner. I attached a small vice and used clamps for larger objects.

Safety note

Don’t bring inside anything stamped MB (methyl bromide treated). Look for HT (heat treated) - that’s the safe one. If you can’t find a stamp, light-coloured wood with no obvious chemical stains should be OK too.

The Good Stuff

it took me about 15 minutes to build and I could move to what I really needed to do
it cost 0, which is a good price
the spaces between the boards can be useful - something to secure a clamp onto, and my saw won’t cut the surface where there isn’t any

The Not-So-Good Stuff

made from rough wood - splinter hazard (sanding would defeat the purpose of a 15-minute build)
no cabinets, no drawers, no nothing
not exactly horizontal and levelling would be hard
small elements and tools fall between boards
longevity is unknown - pallet wood is not the highest quality timber
it won’t win a beauty contest

Verdict

It’s better than having no workbench!

Workshop on Easy-DYI