Are old vac sys se1 worth it if i find one

[Crispy]

I know this may be a silly question, but ive finally found a Vac sys Se1 system which seems in go condition for a steal.........$1000 aud ( plus postage)

Its production date on the se1 clamp is 2014,
would i be stupid to pass this up - the wife has approved an early bday present ... just hoping its legit.

 

[MikeGE]

I was a late adopter to the VAC SYS, but use it on nearly every project. If the condition is good and everything works, I think the $1,000 AUD (about €570) is a great deal.

These pop up from time to time on the free version of eBay. There is currently one listed for €1,600 in Bonn that has never been used, but the listing doesn't indicate the age. I doubt it will last long before it finds a new home.

 

[Crispy]

Thankyou Mike,

Ive been looking for a while, and trying to work out which other brand to purchase and was close to buyiung the virutex se660, but managed to find this one on FB market place - so hoping its not a scam!
for $1000 im not even going to haggle

I found a complete se1 and se2 in a another european country last night, would have been ~$3000 aud before freight, but they dont send out of the country

 

[luvmytoolz]

Here in OZ the Vac Sys is extremely rare to find in the wild. A mate sold one a few years back for considerably more than that. So yes, I reckon $1k is a pretty good deal for something so useful.

 

[Crispy]

And just like that, my dream is dashed lol.
I understand 1k was probably a scam, especially for how clean it looked in the photos.

Apparently asking for a video call to actually see the item, and suggesting that 'pack and send' act as middle men to make sure i get the item, and he got his money was not welcomed, i got one response from the seller - "i can send"..
before he left the chat.


So a long/ very very long shot.....if anyone knows anyone either in Australia (preferably) or another 240v country selling one or could possibly help get one to me would be appreciated...
Would not be an issue to pay for time spent to get said item. - as i said in the line above, its probably a long shot ( or if someone lives in NSW for the one that may or may not be on line )

I have found a few on eaby for sale, but most state they dont ship outside of what ever country they are in.


Failing that im still in 2 minds about getting a virutex product....either just the small desk pad vc4 or the svn460 ( tilt and rotate) which from what i gather use compressed air - and as i remembered today i have an old 7.1cfm air compressor i havent used in a couple of years but its no vac sys.

 

[hdv]

I think I remember something about a vac clamping system created by Izzy Swan? You might take a look at his site. You can also build one yourself, including the swivelling foot. Someone has posted a clip on Youtube showing how they did that.

I am very, very glad I got mine (very shortly after they were discontinued) from a member of another forum for a "normal" price for a second hand item. But for the prices I see nowadays I would probably go the build-it-yourself route.

Sautershop in Germany have their own system too (I think they are called vacdogs) and they do ship worldwide. For that you would need to buy your own pump, but those are easy to come by.

Doscornio and Schmalz are other brands you might take a look at. Not cheap, but very reliable.

 

[Cheese]

Doscornio and Schmalz are another brands you might take a look at. Not cheap, but very reliable.

You can add Bankmaster & Hanning to that list.

 

[Crispy]

Cheers to you both HDV and Cheese.

I will still continue the hunt - just wont mention this to my wife as she already hates how much ive spent in the last 4 years on my shed toys alone, she should be lucky i dont have more money to spend on cars

The Schmalz is similar to the virutex items in was looking at, but not completely sold on, still the small vc4 plate or 2 would still be cheaper than ordering some more Veritas Planing stops from Canada for sanding!

The Banksmaster Mono S really i like ( i remember seeing this one a while ago) and is the probably the closest to the same adjustablilty as the vac sys, can even order a foot pedal apparently...

Will have to see if they would send to Australia though, i have a vacuum pump for refrigeration that does not get much use that flows 2.5 m/h, so close to 3cubic meters.
As i cant find them anywhere out of europe, im guessing it will be somewhere around $2.5to $3.5k australian - allowing for up to $500 in freight and upto $400 taxes and duties landed.

 

[hdv]

Just saw this. Might be of interest to some here.

VACUDOG™

We're almost there! We will begin accepting orders tomorrow, June 10th @ 8:00 am, with the first Kits shipping by July 1st.Turn your TRACKTOP MFT™ into a vacuum table. Introducing the all new VACUDOG™. An innovative "Patent Pending" bench dog, designed so you can easily add vacuum clamping to...

tracktubes.com

 

[woodferret]

Part of the usefulness of the SE1 type head is that it elevates the workpiece away from other surfaces. The VC4, Vacudog, vacpods, etc do not. This becomes an issue with the MFK and Conturo should you ever decide to get/use those.

I've 3d printed a great many flat vac pods and while you can jerry rig them onto extension blocks or boards, it starts to look very much like a Vac Sys at the end of the day to get something that isn't a trinket.

 

[Crispy]

Well i got a response from Doscornio about getting one to australia
On top of either $1020€ - pedal no pump, or $1365€ -pedal and pump, the freight is $500€ - so $880 aud, but apparently from payment 2 weeks delivery time.
So the total ends up being around $3800 at my door for the mono s with pump and pedal and GST and border force taxes.

I did ask for a rough freight cost for unit with vac pump and for without - but it looks like they have set the fright for both units together......
I think i will be pushing the proverbial up hill to get this past the wife, at least for a while , but if i can not find a vac sys this i think will more than likely be the way i go.

I did however order a VC4 and switch to tie (?) me over in the meantime, should be here next week i hope, it was the cheapest way to start with vac clamping i could find. without spending close to $1k

 

[luvmytoolz]

Whack a wanted up on the Aussie woodwork forums, I wouldn't be surprised if there'd be someone local'ish with one they don't use but just haven't gotten around to selling.

 

[IrvinPang]

I came across a shop that was closing down and selling off their Festool inventory. I double-checked what they provided, and ended up buying the VAC SYS VP + VAC SYS SE1 for about $764...
Also DF700 EQ + OF1400 EQB for about $1400

BTW, I come from China... Maybe folks around here don't see the value in second-hand FESTOOLs yet? Not to mention they are actually brand new inventory goods.

 

[Crispy]

Whack a wanted up on the Aussie woodwork forums, I wouldn't be surprised if there'd be someone local'ish with one they don't use but just haven't gotten around to selling.

Tried to do this tonight, i need an admin to do something in the back end before i can even see the marketplace or post a wtb add there, first world issues

I came across a shop that was closing down and selling off their Festool inventory. I double-checked what they provided, and ended up buying the VAC SYS VP + VAC SYS SE1 for about $764...
Also DF700 EQ + OF1400 EQB for about $1400

BTW, I come from China... Maybe folks around here don't see the value in second-hand FESTOOLs yet? Not to mention they are actually brand new inventory goods.

Irvin, that is some good prices!!!!
the DF700 and OF1400 for the price of a new 1400 is pretty awesome

 

[luvmytoolz]

Tried to do this tonight, i need an admin to do something in the back end before i can even see the marketplace or post a wtb add there, first world issues

Yeah they make it pretty restrictive at first to stop bots and scumbags. Annoying at first I'm sure, but it works extremely well to keep it a clean and really well behaved forum.

 

[IrvinPang]

Irvin, that is some good prices!!!!

Honestly, I had no clue what the VAC SYS even was before this. But that price? Had to be legit. So I looked up the model on the FOG, and wow—seemed like I could score a killer deal. Snapped it up before anyone else caught on.

For the DF700 EQ & OF1400 EQB? That’s a whole other story. Truth is, I actually missed out on it at first. Later I found out they were also selling leftover OF1400 EQBs—but the price? Nothing to write home about. So I hit up the seller and talked him into canceling the previous guy’s order, saying I’d take both the DF700 EQ and the OF1400 EQB together. Now hoping whoever got mysteriously ghosted doesn’t hang out on FOG...

 

[luvmytoolz]

For the DF700 EQ & OF1400 EQB? That’s a whole other story. Truth is, I actually missed out on it at first. Later I found out they were also selling leftover OF1400 EQBs—but the price? Nothing to write home about. So I hit up the seller and talked him into canceling the previous guy’s order, saying I’d take both the DF700 EQ and the OF1400 EQB together. Now hoping whoever got mysteriously ghosted doesn’t hang out on FOG...

Wow, dirty pool! But I suppose all's fair in love, war, and Festool! ;-)

 

[Crispy]

I Thought i should finish this thread off on the end result of chasing the se1.
So had a mate chase the seller up on face book marketplace in NSW. He did get a response to which the 'actual' location of the seller went from a 2 hour round trip, to a 12 hour round trip in the opposite direction from where my friend lives.
When he requested a video call before driving up, old mate disappeared apparently, so more than likely a scam of some sort.

There were a few on ebay in europe, but all with no freight options but the local country, for all over $4k AUD
I found a russian scam site selling ebay items ( well the pics anyway) for half price..

On re-evaluation of what i wanted out of doscornio, mono S, pump, pedal and a couple of extra pads, my total ( possibly more) once i pay the federal tax peoples their share for 'importing' something i cant get in the country was over $4000 AUD

I spoke about this to my wife on how much i wanted to spend, and then we compromised on what i could spend........ and it wasnt $4k lol.

In the end i purchased a Kouros VacPad system in 'coolaid' ( description for site - *Coolaid color combination is a Primary color of a dark blue, with a secondary color of vibrant green for those who are more fond of a certain tool brand look - You know who I’m talking about… and got %10 off for fathers day). 2 of everything including rotate and swivel heads, but without a pump for just over $1k AUD delivered.
The height, swivel and tilt components of the vacuum clamping system are important, and i couldnt live with just straight suction pods.

I may have to start putting away a little money and revisit the doscornio option late next year after this years family holiday to japan is over and done with.

PS, forgot to add, i know its only been a week, ive had no luck so far with australian festool buy sell swap on facebook ( id be much broker if i lived down south though - so much stuff i want at pretty good prices second hand ) and no bites or even comments on the woodworking forums, but you get that

 

[Cypren]

"Coolaid" color... boy, that cracks me up. They know us all too well. Hope you enjoy the vacuum system! I've had the VAC SYS for about five years but never used it very much until we moved houses and I got a larger shop. Now I've got the walkway clearance to keep it permanently attached to the side of my main workbench (using Sedge's T-track holding panel design) and I find I use it all the time. Like many tools, convenient access is key to maximizing utility.

I would suggest that if you're going to mount this to an MFT-style bench, find a way to mount it on a sliding base of some kind so you can adjust not only the rotation angle but also the height relative to the surface of the workbench. I've found it extremely helpful to be able to level the clamping pads with the top of the bench in order to hold material in place while still aligning it with bench dogs, or push the clamps up above the benchtop to easily hold and rotate material for trim routing, sanding and so on.

 

[luvmytoolz]

@Crispy I saw your ad the other day and I'm really surprised no results so far. Maybe they're rarer than I thought down here.