Festool Dust Extractors - Current or Former Owners Please

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TonyL

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Mar 9, 2014
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Hi Folks:

I have several Rigid SVs (with micron pleating), dust collectors (one still in the unopened box since January), and a Jet air filter. My shop is about 200 sq ft.

What is your personal experience with the Festool Dust Extractors to serve as a shop vac (dry debris only)?

Thank you and happy turning.
 
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I had one and several Festool sanders. I liked it because it hooks directly to the tools and starts and stops when you turn the sander on and off. No extra switches. We used it for sanding drywall in occupied homes and it did excellent keeping the dust down. I would say they are worth the money.
 

TonyL

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I had one and several Festool sanders. I liked it because it hooks directly to the tools and starts and stops when you turn the sander on and off. No extra switches. We used it for sanding drywall in occupied homes and it did excellent keeping the dust down. I would say they are worth the money.
Thank you very much!
 

DrD

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Jun 26, 2019
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Have had a CT 26 for about 10 years; wouldn't consider any other DE for my shop. No dust from sawing, routing Dominoing, sanding.

OEM bags are expensive; aftermarket bags on Amazon far less expensive.
 

Jontello

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Feb 4, 2015
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USA, Ohio
I bought one and have loved it. I use it on the lathe to to extract all the dust and bits as I turn but also love that is is so easy to use to clean my workshop after a days work. I use it like a simple vacuum in the workshop. Its a very powerful machine. I also love that I can connect the how to where it blows the air out and use it to blow all the bits and pieces of the nooks and crannies I cannot get to on my lathe easily.
 

DrD

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Tony, how are you planning on using a Festool DE? I do not use mine with my lathe simply because of the cost of the bags. I may rethink that because the dedicated Ridgid Shop Vacuum I have dedicated to my lathe is quite noisy.
 

TonyL

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I bought one and have loved it. I use it on the lathe to to extract all the dust and bits as I turn but also love that is is so easy to use to clean my workshop after a days work. I use it like a simple vacuum in the workshop. Its a very powerful machine. I also love that I can connect the how to where it blows the air out and use it to blow all the bits and pieces of the nooks and crannies I cannot get to on my lathe easily.
Thank you. Which model. I have the budget.
 

Dick Mahany

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Dec 21, 2012
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Palm Springs, CA
I've used the CT36 for about 4 yrs now and like it. I wish I had purchased the slightly smaller CT26 as the bag on the 36 can become quite heavy especially if it becomes "bricked" with any amount of MDF dust. I use it for my routers, sanders, power sanding on the lathe and general dust extraction. I also purchased the Systainer format CT-SYS about 2 yrs ago and it is a great little vac for lighter duty work (due to the smaller motor and collector bag). It is easy to carry around so it gets used in and around the house for small jobs.

I don't use them as "shop vacs" where things like screws, sharp objects and debris risk damaging the fleece type bags. Those duties are left to my good old Ridgid vac and dust deputy pre-seperator, although the CT36 machine is perfectly capable of excelling at those tasks and every bit as powerful as the Ridgid.

I have added the bluetooth remote trigger and found it to be very handy for general cleanup and for cordless tools. The variable speed, tool triggered motors are excellent and way quieter than my Ridgid.
 
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