The mess in his rig at the end of the day can be unbearable for farrier Jeff Smuck of Alden, Iowa.

That’s why when peering inside Smuck’s rig there’s something that immediately catches the eye — a bright yellow Shopvac mounted to the wall.

“With all the drilling of shoes and pads I do, there’s a lot of metal and dust shavings,” Smuck says. “I don’t like to have stuff looking messy.

“I’m kind of on the picky side when it comes to cleanliness, but the Shopvac has worked out real well.” 

Becoming Popular

Brent Chidsey of Stone Well Bodies and Equipment in Genoa, N.Y., which built Smuck’s rig, has noticed that some farriers are opting for the Shopvac and shying away from other ways to tidy up a rig.

HANGING AROUND. Jeff Smuck opted for a Shopvac wall-mounted vacuum to keep his rig free from metal shavings, dust and other debris.

“I think people are using these Shopvacs as opposed to air compressors because the compressor has limited blowing capability,” Chidsey says. “If you want to keep your rig clean, this is a cheap, inexpensive way to do it.”

Low Cost

Smuck bought his Shopvac at a local Sears store and for all the money he’s put into his rig, it was worth the price. According to the Sears Web site, the 5-gallon hanging Shopvac comes with a wall-mounting bracket and retails for $79.99.

Space Saver

While jamming a Shopvac into a loaded rig may seem like a space…