Do it Yourself Clipper Vacuum System

The easy way to start using a DIY Vacuum system is with the Vac Groom kit from Puppy Playground..

It’s a great intro to using a clipper vacuum system, the vac groom kit is also probably the best intro into how to make your own clipper vacuum system.

There’s a few things you need to know with the vac groom.

For the basic Andis one or 2 speed clipper the attachment doesn’t sit perfectly under the blade. You can fix this with a few passes of a dremel to get a “custom fit.”

NOTE: It looks like Vac Groom has updated their attachment to fit all clippers. So the dremel suggestion may or may not be helpful.

One excellent feature of the vac groom is that it fits on and off your clipper easily. Most other clipper attachments require dedicating a clipper to vacuum grooming only.

The vac groom also does not come with it’s own suction control (or regulator). If you want to use it with the lay of the coat or shorter than a #2 guard comb in reverse, you’ll want to get a router speed controller (or rheostat). It’s not a big deal and it’s actually pretty handy to have one around anyway.  You can pick one of these up at Harbor Freight (19.99).

http://m.harborfreight.com/router-speed-control-43060.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

The Shop Vac Brand of wet dry vacs does not work well with the speed controller, but again that’s okay because Home Depot’s Rigid Brand does.

If you work in a Salon or have room for a large wet dry vacuum in a Mobile and noise is a concern, this 16 gallon Rigid Brand wet dry vac is fairly quiet especially when paired with a muffler (which I think it comes with). It’s a nice vac and has enough power that it’s blower port can be used as a hv dryer in an emergency.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-16-gal-Wet-Dry-Vacuum-WD1851/100638360

For House Calling, you want to find a small wet dry vac where the noise level is not obnoxious. These small $20-30 vacs seem to change frequently, so there’s a bit of trial and error. Save those receipts…This is one time when you may have to return a few before you find the right one.

These instructions read much more complicated than they are and the Vac Groom is an easy and affordable way to try and learn a clipper vacuum system.

For next level or advanced vac hacks….

Other DIY Clipper Vacuum hacks:

All the clipper vacuum systems I’ve seen use a 1″ hose. You can buy an adapter set for your wet dry vac at Home Depot (Lowes does not carry this at the time of this writing) to help a 1″ clipper vacuum hose fit your wet dry vac.

If you have a small wet dry vac it generally comes with a smaller diameter hose. I’ve used duct tape to connect the slightly larger small vacuum hose to my 1″ clipper vacuum hose and it’s worked well.

Advanced “Hose Hack.” A 1″ diameter dishwasher hose available at either Home Depot or Lowes should work with any clipper vacuum attachment.

Other attachments and Links

You can buy clipper vacuum attachments from Puppy Playground…Vac Groom

http://www.puppyplayground.com/page5.html

Romani….Clipper Vac

http://www.mdcromani.com

and

Hanvey…Hair Vac

http://www.hairvac.com/artmaster.htm

Short and Sweet Youtube video:

In the video I’m use a Shop Vac Brand and the Romani attachment which has a suction regulator built in. I also say I go through vacuums every 6 months…I actually go through a cheap vacuum about every 18 months – 2 years.