Shop vac and wrenches

I designed an insert for my shop vac hose to help prevent swarf from jamming the hose and I've been very happy with it. I've had it in my main vac for over 6 months and doesn't get bothered by regular vacuum jobs as well as most hobby-sized chips. When you do accidentally suck up long/stringy chips, too many chips at once, or your shop rags: it stops right at the front if the hose making the mess easy to remove. Its actually pretty amazing how well it works. My buddy was adamant it would clog all the time, but that hasn't been the case.

Thingaverse link

I don't mind 3D printing one for you if you end up using the same hose type.
Very interesting. I think the stuff that clogs my hose is akin to the shmoo that Shootymacshootface talks about in his post, which in a in my case is a lard-like congealed mess of chips (mostly mill chips) and heavy cutting oil.

Do you think your device would be effective in preventing this stuff from accumulating on the inside walls of the hose? If so I might like to try it out
Shmoo in the Hose.jpg
 
What size hose is that for
Its specifically sized to nest in the taper of the adapters that come with the Rigid "Pro" hose (link). Its a 1-7/8" hose.
Do you think your device would be effective in preventing this stuff from accumulating on the inside walls of the hose? If so I might like to try it out
Unfortunately not - its only meant to stop materials that are likely to physically tangle up in the hose (like chips longer than 1", rags, etc...). That gunk is cutting oil and I'm not sure there would be a practical solution for that stuff? If I had to guess: a Z or S shape near the working end of the hose could possibly trap some the oil as it hits the first 'wall' of the S-shape and sticks there? Kind of like this but with just 2-3 walls:

vacuum_baffle_oil.png

It would need regular cleaning and I'd think it would hurt the normal function of the vacuum? It would be easy enough to make a 3D printed adapter to go between the hose and the end attachment and test the idea out though.
 
What is a good little shop vac i can buy to pick up chips and of the such from cutting. I dont want anything huge. Next question is what type of wrench do i need for the nut closers for a 5C block fixtures? It appears to be 4 holes space 90 apart of each other.
I made one for the two sizes of "nut closers". Diagram below
 

Attachments

  • 5cBlockWrench.png
    5cBlockWrench.png
    29.2 KB · Views: 11
A garbage can filled with water and tide, let it soak a few days then rinse.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
Very interesting. I think the stuff that clogs my hose is akin to the shmoo that Shootymacshootface talks about in his post, which in a in my case is a lard-like congealed mess of chips (mostly mill chips) and heavy cutting oil.

Do you think your device would be effective in preventing this stuff from accumulating on the inside walls of the hose? If so I might like to try it out
View attachment 375509
Oh yea, thats the stuff, the hose will get noticeably heavier with use. I just banged mine out with the vac running. It worked pretty good.
 
My chip vac is a small Kaercher (50Hz 230v version, overdriven 20% on domestic power :cool:) that I run with disposable filter bags. It has a 1.25" hose. I pick up stringy swarf and put it in the trash, then vac what's left. If I get too greedy with it, I need to push the swarf ball through with a poker, and sometimes clear the diverter inside the canister, but not too often. Don't bother running a filter, just use bags or replace the filter with something easy to clean (foam dirt bike air filter) or something cheap and disposable, like nylon stockings. Chips will ruin a pleated filter in ten seconds flat.

I have a yooge shop vac the size of a trash can with a 4" hose on the main shop floor that'll rip the coveralls off of you if you're not careful, but the little workhorse Kaercher with the skinny hose is what stays in the machine shop for chips.
 
A garbage can filled with water and tide, let it soak a few days then rinse.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
Now you got me thinking. I have a Blower-Vac. Soak, rinse, and blow.

I also have an old spa pump including the motor-driver sitting on the shelf waiting to be put into action.
 
Last edited:
I forgot to insert the post and "edit" won't allow it. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over?

Pliers have their uses, but this isn't one. Pliers are not wrenches and often so badly scar the working surfaces that a wrench won't work when you do find one. I don't know the proper name for what you are looking for, I've called them "pin spanners" for as long as I have been working with them. (50 yrs plus) An easy "one size doesn't fit anything well" is to take a couple pieces of scrap steel (I use key-stock) and fasten a dowel pin in one end. A "roll pin" isn't strong enough. Fasten the other ends together. Voila, an "adjustable pin spanner".

.

If I was to make an 'adjustable pin spanner' out of a pair of pliers, I would have to machine the teeth down smooth, and maybe even mount a couple of pieces of brass, as 'soft jaws'... that might actually work pretty well... thoughts?

-Bear
 
Back
Top