Alternative Ridgid hose for Kapex (VT2570)

[lumipallo]

Hi,

thanks to this forum I have collected a fairly large collection of Festool tools during the past years. I recently started looking at a new larger hose to connect the Kapex to my Festool vacuum for improved dust collection, but I simply couldn't get over the 100+ euro for a 36 mm.

During a work trip to the USA I picked up the Ridgig VT2570 Pro Hose Kit for ~$40 at a Home Depot, and to my surprise it was a perfect fit when I arrived back home. The hose diameter is 1-7/8" and the material seems exactly same as my  Festool non-static hose, with the 1-7/8" fitting snuggly attaching nicely over the Kapex suction port.

Thought I'd share in case this hasn't come up yet.

 

[jeep jake]

thanks i own that same hose and was thinking about that the other day

 

[semenza]

Hi,

thanks to this forum I have collected a fairly large collection of Festool tools during the past years. I recently started looking at a new larger hose to connect the Kapex to my Festool vacuum for improved dust collection, but I simply couldn't get over the 100+ euro for a 36 mm.

During a work trip to the USA I picked up the Ridgig VT2570 Pro Hose Kit for ~$40 at a Home Depot, and to my surprise it was a perfect fit when I arrived back home. The hose diameter is 1-7/8" and the material seems exactly same as my  Festool non-static hose, with the 1-7/8" fitting snuggly attaching nicely over the Kapex suction port.

Thought I'd share in case this hasn't come up yet.

HI,

Welcome to the FOG!  [smile]

If you don't need the full length for other tools .... knock it down to about 5 1/2 '  for just a bit more  DC improvement.

Seth

 

[Julian Tracy]

I have that same hose and if anything, it seems a little better quality than the Festool hose - it's a good one.

JT

 

[skids]

I have that hose and I hate it with a passion..Fortunately it's relegated to my rigid vac. The way the end pieces are fastened to the hose itself is a complete joke. It basically screws in and holds with pressure, which ALWAYS comes loose at some point just from moving it around and taking it on and off the vac. There isn't a nice coupling like the Festool hoses.

I went with the Festool non AS hose on my Kapex. After spending a boat load of money on the saw, I wasn't about to put a piece of junk on it.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

The Rigid hose is far from junk, and the hose itself is a perfect fit on the Kapex without the fitting.  I'm glad you value your overpriced hose though, Festool i am sure appreciates your business.

 

[skids]

The Rigid hose is far from junk, and the hose itself is a perfect fit on the Kapex without the fitting.  I'm glad you value your overpriced hose though, Festool i am sure appreciates your business.

Well thats funny, because I considered it a relative bargain compared to the AS hose!!  [big grin]

Honestly though, to each their own. I think that hose is junk, and I explained why. I own it, and I am intimately familiar with how it's constructed. I am just telling it like it is, not trying to insult you.

The fact is that hose is made in china and falls apart. Is what it is, don't blame me for pointing it out. Have you ever taken a Festool hose apart? If you have and you see the difference. It's a complete PIA when your mid clean up and I have to fuddle around with putting hose ends back on. And heaven forbid it's cold out, then it's almost impossible to get it back on correctly. My experience has just been bad with that hose compared to my Festool hoses, and it's the hose ends and how they fasten to the hose that make ALL the difference.

And you can be sure Festool appreciates my business, they appreciate EVERYONES business. One of the reasons I rarely think twice about paying their prices. Just ONE of the reasons..But quality is the biggest.

 

[Julian Tracy]

Around here at least, the Orange Ridgid hose that HD sells isn't made in China, it's made the USA.  The end fittings are not like the Festool, that's correct, they actually thread onto the hose like a screw.  Takes about 6-7 turns or so to seat, so it's into the fitting a couple inches or so - it's certainly not falling out at all, but I'll admit the design doesn't allow for infinite "rotatability" as the Festool does.  The design allows for free movement to certain extent.

Though that's the exact same attaching design as the nice quality 36mm x 16' hose that came with my Clarke Cav8 vac that is European made, variable suction and tool activated.

But at $30, imo it's a heckuva better deal than the Festool hoses.

JT

 

[Brice Burrell]

Do the Ridgid hose ends have the ability to swivel?  If they do swivel you could glue the ends on.  

 

[Julian Tracy]

They're  a simpkle one-pc. deal. with female threads to allow the hose ribs to screw into the fitting.  My preference is to leave it free so you get some rotation swivel, but yea, occasionally you screw it in a bit.

JT

 

[lumipallo]

Do the Ridgid hose ends have the ability to swivel?  If they do swivel you could glue the ends on.  

Gentlemen, the hose came with a number of fittings and the ones I'm using in the pictures are two piece ones with full swivel capabilities at both ends.

The fact that the fittings are detachable without damage is nice and with some silicone or other flexible adhesive the fittings would stay on forever. And as said, the hose itself looks and feels to be from exactly the same material as my Festool AS hose.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Do the Ridgid hose ends have the ability to swivel?  If they do swivel you could glue the ends on.  

Gentlemen, the hose came with a number of fittings and the ones I'm using in the pictures are two piece ones with full swivel capabilities at both ends.

The fact that the fittings are detachable without damage is nice and with some silicone or other flexible adhesive the fittings would stay on forever. And as said, the hose itself looks and feels to be from exactly the same material as my Festool AS hose.

Thank you.

 

[skids]

But it's NOT anti static, so therefore it is not the same materials.

It's fairly crush resistant I will give it that, especially compared to it's Festool non AS equivalent which is much more crushable, but....It's also much easier to deal with because of that.

I will say, the gluing idea is a good one. Because those hose ends always fall off for me, which has made me despise that hose and it's on good little beater Rigid vacuum that has seen some serious abuse and holding up well. Although there is some advantage to having the hose be able to move when connected to the Kapex.

 

[Kevin Stricker]

Well I have a lot more problems with my Festool hoses personally but that could be based on them getting more use.  My 36mm AS hose always kinks and restricts airflow every time I use it to clean up.  I guess the ends on my 27mm hoses fall off every couple weeks and putting them back on is a much bigger PIA than the 2 seconds to screw the Rigid hose connector back on.    The Rigid hoses are every bit as supple and user friendly as the Festool hoses.  The Festool hose ends are superior for tool connections.  But when we are talking about a hose for a Kapex I see no benefit blowing $100 bucks when the $30 alternative is equally usable.  But like you said to each their own.

 

[Bikeboy80]

I wonder if you could remove the Ridgid hose ends and put on the Festool, if you so desired? ???

 

[denovich]

I put a few turns of electrical tape around the ends of the hose before threading the connectors back on. That seems to have solved the problem of the connectors falling off.

 

[skids]

I put a few turns of electrical tape around the ends of the hose before threading the connectors back on. That seems to have solved the problem of the connectors falling off.

thats actually a GREAT idea. I will try that next time mine fall off..Which should be soon based on past experience with this hose.

 

[vwdave]

I just bought the ridgid hose for my garage kapex. I cut the hose in half, the hose fittings fit perfect.

Dave

 

[KapexJoe]

This is good. Using this post, I purchased the hose for use with my new Kapex and 5 gal Ridgid vac. I had to reverse the hose on the vac and use a couple of adapters, but it works. I'm using the vacuum bags and a  HEPA filter. Hope I have enough power. To be determined.

 

[Offshoreman69]

I have been using the hose at the link below with my CT 33 since I bought the CT and it will work with the Kapex but the 24' length seems more than just a little overkill, that is where I use the shorter Rigid set just like our Finnish friend.

For you Sinophobes in the group, this one is also made in the USA, probably by the same place as the Rigid based on the colour scheme. Although it's sold by a Canadian based company, hopefully that is not going to cause any nationalistic fervor!

http://www.leevalley.com/US/garden/page.aspx?p=47161&cat=2,42194,40727,47161