It’s safe to say you don’t want to suck up scraps of woods, nails, screws, pieces of metal, or water with a regular vacuum. Not only does a regular vacuum lack the power to adequately suck up big pieces, but it’s also likely too small and delicate for the heavy debris. The shop vac’s powerful motor and its larger, tougher hose are made to handle those nuts and bolts, and its tank is capable of taking in water. The regular vacuum, on the other hand, is only made for reasonable amounts of dirt, dust, and crumbs in the home.