Duct collector/extractor

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WriteON

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I want a small, powerful (inexpensive haha) unit for sanding drywall or using at lathe. Any opinions, experience with the 8 gal Dewalt? I would like a unit as small as possible...any other suggestions.
 
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jttheclockman

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Something strange there. All the places I looked at the price is $400 but Lowes it is $300 and not in store. Alot of money for a shop vac. Automatic filter cleaning. Never seen this before.(of this type) Another thing to go wrong. If I am spending that kind of money on a shop vac it will be a Festool or even a Fein. A shop vac is designed to collect dust at a direct source thus the small hose. Why you mention sheet rock dust I have no idea but again designed to hook to a sanding tool. My opinion
 

acmaclaren

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I purchased a Fein. It's pretty small and pretty quiet compared to other vacuums. I've really liked mine. It does a good job of sucking all the shavings up while turning.
 

MRDucks2

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Two observations. The smaller bodied wet/dry vacs I have tried over the years tend to be best for dry use only. Shouldn't be a problem for your application. The small canister holds little liquid before it begins to get sucked through.

Second, if I were going HEPA and quiet, for that kind of money, I would go with the Fein. Known to be powerful, quiet and a long reputation.


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leehljp

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I bought a Fein about 8 years ago, the larger one to do similar things that you mentioned. My one drawback on the Festool at the time was the 1 inch (internally) hose. I got the Fein because of the 2" hose. I have enjoyed it and used it in the house and in my shop. It is powerful and I am sure that Festool has the same feature and maybe more, but the best feature on the Fein that I have is the onboard outlet. Plug my sander into it and turn the sander on, the Vac turns on too. Turn the sander off, the vac turns off. That was somewhat unique for a shop vac back then. Still enjoying it. There have been time I have wondered though - what would I have been able to do with a Festool Vac.

But It came down to hose size for me. I live in an old house with some slat/lath and concrete rooms. When redoing rooms, a 1 inch hose limits what it can pick up as concrete chunks don't exactly come off in 1/2 and 3/4 inch pieces.
 

TonyL

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The shopvac types accept a much finer reusable pleated filter. Better for fine SR dust. I think the festool is top of the line.
 

jttheclockman

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And a good dust collector is cheaper than my medical deductible
Just have to be careful as labeling it a dust collector. It will collect dust as you seem to require but not true dust collector. Again either 1" hose or 2" hose is rather small to hook to a lathe or any other dust producing cutting tool. Tools that are designed to have a shop vac attached to it they will work great or for even picking up dust after the fact. Much more involved if you really want to attack dust in the shop. Good luck in your choice.
 

WriteON

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Let's say I buy the bottom of the line Festool. The Mini whatever (non blue tooth) for vacuuming or maybe using a boom on the Taig lathe. After buying a few options it gets real costly. Any reason not to buy the least expensive, smallest unit?
 

jttheclockman

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Let's say I buy the bottom of the line Festool. The Mini whatever (non blue tooth) for vacuuming or maybe using a boom on the Taig lathe. After buying a few options it gets real costly. Any reason not to buy the least expensive, smallest unit?
You are asking a question that can not be answered by anyone. Festool vacs are some of the best on the market without question. The main difference between them all is the size and capacity. Less emptying time. They all are quiet and hook up to their tools wells. Now will they work with other brand tools I do not know for sure. but remember their tools are designed to collect dust better because it is basically a package that they sell. You can use a Dewalt router that yes the hose hooks to it but the dust guard is not as efficient and so on. I am not going to be the one to tell you spend $600 on a shop vac that is for sure. Good luck in your decision. Festool does make a great line of tools. Too bad they are so expensive.
 

leehljp

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IF you use the smallest Festool for anything other than sanding dust and small particle sawdust, you WILL NEED a dust deputy and or Festools version.

Once you get into lathe turning, the bags on smallest version will fill up fast. That is why I went with Feins larger vac.

Read this carefully - from a Festool Forum:

Once you get to sucking in more than saw dust, even Festool forum recommend either separator and dust deputy for larger particles and even going to a larger DC.

Festool IS the FINEST you can get - for what it does, but think carefully about what you will use it for. I have online friends that swear by the Festool vac system, but they use it on fine particles, not chips, plannings, turnings etc. Mighty expensive if it doesn't do all you want it to do because it wasn't made for everything a normal large shop vac or DC system does.

ALSO, do a search for "Festool Vacs and larger chips, turnings and plannings" - you should find that most Festool owners use it with excellent results within its parameters but not outside of it.
AND, look at the specs such as volume per minute or what ever. Compare that to others. Will the Festool meet your turning volume requirements or limit itself to your sanding?

I am NOT against Festool; it is the best, but the Vacs, when I was looking, wasn't designed for what I wanted or needed. I needed more versatility and got a large Fein.
 
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WriteON

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IF you use the smallest Festool for anything other than sanding dust and small particle sawdust, you WILL NEED a dust deputy and or Festools version.

Once you get into lathe turning, the bags on smallest version will fill up fast. That is why I went with Feins larger vac.

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Will look at Fein. I have the PSI collector for the Jet lathe. I want a small HEPA dust extractor/collector to vacuum the lathe, floor and occassionally the pool table chalk dust. Not for any large projects. Maybe a small drywall sanding repair. They are pricey aren't they.
 

bmachin

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With the money you save buying the Fein you can come close to upgrading to a Festool when you want to buy a router or RO sander or track saw. Nobody comes close to collecting dust and chips at the source as well as Festool.

Bill
 

WriteON

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I ordered a (Blue Tooth) Midi. Thought blue tooth on a vac seems weird but I guess it's functional. Here's the $.05 question. How is Festool packaging. I ordered the unit through Amazon. Amazon tends to ship the box right off the shelf or stick in a box twice the size with no packing material. What to expect...signed Nervous in Pa.
 

WriteON

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Got the new BlueTooth Midi today. For the cost I thought (shame on me for thinking) it would be blue tooth complete. The transmitter is optional at $45. It is compact and fairly light weight. I like the construction...it is a seriously well built unit. Thank you everyone for your help...this is a case of Buy Once.
 

WriteON

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Got the BT transmitter today. Aside from
the cost I love this unit. Can't wait it breaks so I can buy another one.
 
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