Are bags required in CT22

[Kris F]

I bought a used ct22 at an auction and don't have a manual for it. Are bags required or is it OK to use without one?

Thanks,
Kris Fenton

 

[Scott W.]

I bought a used ct22 at an auction and don't have a manual for it. Are bags required or is it OK to use without one?

Thanks,
Kris Fenton

I believe it is designed to use with bags.
I think ??? there is a bucket type accessory for wet use.
You can also buy long life bags although they are pricey...

Scott W.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Kris, the CT vacs can be used without filter bags, Festool doesn't recommend it because it causes the main filters and vac motor to fail sooner. Without the filter bag more dust gets to the main filter and then over time dust gets though the main filer to the motor, shortening its life. Your HEPA filter won't last long without a filter bag, the debris will punch holes in the filter ruining it.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Kris, the CT vacs can be used without filter bags, Festool doesn't recommend it because it causes the main filters and vac motor to fail sooner. Without the filter bag more dust gets to the main filter and then over time dust gets though the main filer to the motor, shortening its life. Your HEPA filter won't last long without a filter bag, the debris will punch holes in the filter ruining it.

All dust that is light enough to remain in the air stream after entering the vac's reservoir will try to pass through the main filter quickly clogging it. Don't waste your time and money running it without a bag.

 

[semenza]

Hi, Kris

  Welcome to the forum 

            Get the bags.

Seth

 

[Loren Woirhaye]

Especially from running sanders you will get really fine dust.

The bags are your front-line of defense against that dust
ruining your vacuum motor.

 

[Hoover]

As everyone else said, get the bags.  You can empty them fairly easily to get extra use from them.  I'll empty mine 4 or 5 times, maybe more depending on I've been using it for.

 

[semenza]

As everyone else said, get the bags.  You can empty them fairly easily to get extra use from them.  I'll empty mine 4 or 5 times, maybe more depending on I've been using it for.

Hi,

    Ooohh , suuuuure.  A guy named Hoover recommending vacuum bags :

Seth

 

[Dan Clermont]

What Brice said!!!

You need a bag to pre filter for your HEPA filter on the CT-22. Going without will require HEPA filter replacement sooner then later defeating the savings on skipping the bag

Dan Clermont

 

[markcoutinho]

I bought a second hand CT22 and that guy had used it without bags. I can tell you: what a mess the filters were! I spent at least one hour cleaning them.
If frequently buying a paper bag seems too expensive for you, you might consider buying a permanent bag. Bit expensive but lasts way longer.

 

[Dan Clermont]

I use the long life bags in my CT 22 and it is nice however it is also nice to have some paper bags around for hazardous dust cause when you empty that long life bag the fine dust floats in the air forever!

The Long Life bag was actually designed for tools that hog off material like planers and such. Fine dust from sanders should be captured in the disposable bags.

Dan Clermont

 

[Corwin]

Adding a cyclone or separator (cyclone wannabe) to your system will all but eliminate the need to replace those bags -- a five pack of bags may just last a lifetime...    ;D

 

[greg mann]

I may be wrong on this but I do not believe the vacuum exhausts through the motor. I believe the motor has its own cooling system so dust should not enter the motor. Having said that, I would not consider using the CT without a bag. It is not particularly expensive as they hold a tremendous amount of debris and clogging of the filters would be maddening.

 

[Frank Pellow]

I have the bucket and have used it rather than a bag when cleaning up stuff.  As far as I can tell this has not done any harm.  I've probably run the CT22 about 5 hours this way in the four and a half years I have owned it. 

I also own a long-life cloth bag and that'sthe way that I usually run the vacuum.

 

[Grinding One]

Check out the cost,the 5 pack of bags ,same price as one permanent or long life bag....and I think they recommend after 5 uses to buy another permanent bag

 

[Frank Pellow]

Check out the cost,the 5 pack of bags ,same price as one permanent or long life bag....and I think they recommend after 5 uses to buy another permanent bag

That can't be true.  I must have dumped my bag at least 100 times and it is still going strong.  I see no reason why it would ever wear out.

 

[Grinding One]

Just repeating what my storemanager told me....that even that bag wears out as far as fine material dust

 

[Dan Clermont]

Just repeating what my storemanager told me....that even that bag wears out as far as fine material dust

Interesting, I have never heard of a cloth bag wearing out on a dust collection system. Most bags get better with age as the fine dust cakes and it then filters finer dust.

I've had a long life bag in my used CT-22 since I bought it and the previous owner also used that long life bag. It seems fine and my HEPA filters are not caked or clogged at all

Dan Clermont

 

[romlee]

The 2008 Festool catalog says the long life bag for the CT22 has an average life of 500 refillings. 

I recently purchased a long life bag and will use it whenever I use the 1400 or 850.  I used the 1400 the other day to rout 2" x 3/4" tenons on both ends of 8/4 zebrawood for 60" breadboard ends.  Filled 1 3/4 regular bags.  I'll use the regular filter bag when dealing with fine dust and the long life bag when routing or planing.

I had held off purchasing the long life bag due to the $186 price tag.  After filling the 1 3/4 bags in less than 45 minutes it seemed to make a lot of sense to purchase it.  In fact, my shop is 5 minutes from the Seattle Woodcraft and that's about how long it took to buy the bag.

 

[ultgar]

The filter bags are relatively cheap (especially now with the additional 20% pricing with the bulk packs) and they do add a level of filtration and protect the main (Hepa) elements. 

The design of the Festool (Kranzel) vacuums with their pancake filters eliminates the filter displacement factor when using the machine.  For example, an Attix 12 (12 gallon) RDFD XC model has a huge filter element that displaces approx 2 1/2 gallons within the canister.  Actual max capacity w/o bags is 9.6 gallons, not 12gal. With the Festool, you get maximum capacity out of a relatively lightweight and small chassis design as the elements do not extend down into the canister. SD