[Shop-talk] shop vac for ashes?

[Jimmie Mayfield]

On Sun, Nov 08, 2009 at 12:35:18AM -0500, David Scheidt wrote:
> I need a vacuum to suck up (cold) ashes from a wood stove.  I'd very much
> like one that doesn't spew fine ash dust all over the house.  Can I just fit
> a HEPA filter to a shop vac?  Can you get a HEPA filter for a small shop
> vac?  I know they exist for full sized ones.

Try to find some drywall bags for your shopvac in addition to a HEPA filter.
Used together, they should catch most of the fine dust but the exhaust air 
might still smell like ash so you might want to try it outside first.

I do not recommend that you rely solely on a HEPA filter.  The fine ash will
clog the filter almost immediately causing the motor to overheat.  Many a drywall
worker has killed a shopvac this way.

JM