Better Vac Then CTL Midi

[tom46]

HI Guys,

Few question really regarding festool dust extractors.
I've had my CTL Midi for 2 years now and use it mainly with my the TS55 and OF1400. Everything I cut is MDF so you can imagine wear a mask all the time and want the most amount of dust possible taken away.

I've always used a 50mm hose on my CTL however at the moment just don't seem to be getting as good dust extraction as I used to. Has anyone else noticed this after 2 years with the CTL Midi?

Are the larger dust extractors the same as the CTL Midi where after the bag is 40% full the extractor looses 50% plus of it's power?

If I wanted to upgrade and wanted much better extraction could anyone recommend or have had experience with the TS55 and OF1400 on MDF?

Any help appreciated, Thanks Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

When is the last time you have changed your filter? Over time it also clogs up with dust. With my hobbyist use I change my filter once a year.

The bigger vacs do not lose suction as quickly as the small ones. I have a Mini and a 26, and the 26 is clearly stronger and with normal use keeps its suction til the bag is full. The Mini's suction on the other hand does diminish slowly as the bag gets fuller.

 

[Holmz]

Those Airbo brand ones in the UK seem like they have the flow needed for a router... maybe with an Onieda Dust Deputy on it, which will only decrease the flow.

Then the Midi can be reserved for portable and sanding work, where you need less flow anyhow.

My CT-26 for routing, sawing, dominoing, Lamelloing, and it does well except for the routing. I get flocked like a XMAS tree with the stuff it misses.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Those Airbo brand ones in the UK seem like they have the flow needed for a router... maybe with an Onieda Dust Deputy on it, which will only decrease the flow.

Then the Midi can be reserved for portable and sanding work, where you need less flow anyhow.

My CT-26 for routing, sawing, dominoing, Lamelloing, and it does well except for the routing. I get flocked like a XMAS tree with the stuff it misses.

That's not the fault of the vac, it's just the nature of routing.

 

[ear3]

The motor of the Mini and Midi are rated at 130 CFM vs. 137 for the 26-48, so there is a slight difference in extraction power.

[member=5277]Alex[/member] Regarding filter change, does blowing out the filter with a combination of pressurized air and another vac achieve the same results, or is it best to simply change the filter altogether?

 

[AlexThePalex]

[member=5277]Alex[/member] Regarding filter change, does blowing out the filter with a combination of pressurized air and another vac achieve the same results, or is it best to simply change the filter altogether?

Edward, cleaning it does some good and prolongs its life. But eventually there comes a point where changing is the best option because the filter becomes saturated with very fine particles you can't remove.

With a Hepa filter replacing is expensive, for me in non-Hepa land it only costs me 16 euro for the Mini.

I believe it was also advised not to clean the Hepa filter because you'll damage it.

 

[ear3]

Got it, thanks.  I guess it's probably time to change my filter then, since I've been working off the same one for a year and a half.

[member=5277]Alex[/member] Regarding filter change, does blowing out the filter with a combination of pressurized air and another vac achieve the same results, or is it best to simply change the filter altogether?

Edward, cleaning it does some good and prolongs its life. But eventually there comes a point where changing is the best option because the filter becomes saturated with very fine particles you can't remove.

With a Hepa filter replacing is expensive, for me in non-Hepa land it only costs me 16 euro for the Mini.

I believe it was also advised not to clean the Hepa filter because you'll damage it.

 

[tom46]

[member=5277]Alex[/member] Regarding filter change, does blowing out the filter with a combination of pressurized air and another vac achieve the same results, or is it best to simply change the filter altogether?

Edward, cleaning it does some good and prolongs its life. But eventually there comes a point where changing is the best option because the filter becomes saturated with very fine particles you can't remove.

With a Hepa filter replacing is expensive, for me in non-Hepa land it only costs me 16 euro for the Mini.

I believe it was also advised not to clean the Hepa filter because you'll damage it.

Yes thanks for that Alex mine has been 2 years. I've never changed it as when cleaned with a vac it looks as good as new. May have to change this and consider a new Vac in the long term especially as they don't loose so much power as the bag fills up.

 

[kixnbux]

My midi seems to lose power at 50% or more full also. Bought it in October or so. Only on third bag. Used mostly for sanding. Guessing it's the vac and not the HEPA filter

 

[tom46]

That exactly what mine does and i got through about a bag a week. Thinking of the CTL or CTM 26 at the moment.

 

[bharat]

Hi,
Have you considered a dust deputy (vortex catcher), your filter & vac will stay clean therefore max suction as all (95%) wood dust gets caught by dust deputy...
Just a bit inconvenient having extra bucket & vortex device...
Some have mounted on roller caddy for both vac & DD...

 

[Woodwork Wizard]

If you use a bag every week on your CT-midi I would definitely recommend the Ultimate Dust Deputy. I've used the same CT-midi dust bag for about 2 and a half years and there's maybe a couple of spoonfuls of dust in the bag. Even better still buy a CT-26 or CT-36 as the UDD fits on top much better.

 

[Vipa]

Bharat beat me to it...  look at a dust deputy

 

[Holmz]

Bharat beat me to it...  look at a dust deputy

The only issue is that the dust deputy impedes the airflow, so it will not suck as well out at the tool.

On the other hand it should suck the same as the bag is not getting clogged and losing suction at the vacuum.

And sanders do not need airflow like routers and other tools.

So there are two extremes with high flow and lots of chips, and lower flow and finer dust. Those two extremes are more ideally addressed with two vacuums... Maybe a midi and some larger/noisier job with a dust deputy.

 

[JimD]

I use a dust deputy on a Rigid shop vac, not a Festool.  But I do not think the airflow is affected much, even versus the vacuum with a clean filter.  I have a quasi-HEPA filter on it and a cart to hold everything including an auto-on switch.  My Rigid only flows about 88CFM but that works fine for me.  Virtually nothing makes it to the vacuum but the filter does need to be cleaned a bit every 3-5 buckets of dust.  My clearstream is washable but I usually just tap it a bit and put it back on.  I should thoroughly clean it one of these days.

I plumbed the connection between the shop vac and the cyclone with 2 inch PVC.  I think that helps some.  Flex hose restricts airflow. 

 

[Holmz]

[member=45813]JimD[/member] it is hard to from perception.
But there are tools to measure ithttp://kestrelmeters.com.au/

It could also be that the Rigid is not as affected. There were some airbo and Starmix measurements done that I saw that showed the loss w/ and w/o the dust deputy and with a new bag and a full bag.

That info, plus noise, and other factors is usually a good starting place.
On the otherhand most of the vacuums these days are pretty good, so there is less drama. (The Karcher lasted 2.5 days, before it got binned and I got the CT-26.)

 

[tom46]

That would be my issue with a dust deputy the noise factor. Certainly will consider getting one though because for some reason my midi filter bag clog with dust and all suction is lost.

 

[MGB]

Glad I read this, I currently use a turbo 1 for dust extraction. It has no noticeable loss in suction until the bag is absolutely PACKED with dust. Like I literally can't get the bag out...

I love the form factor of the midi, the foot brake, systainer integration. But at double what I paid for my fein I don't think I could live with a lesser performing machine.

 

[Gary in Texas]

Bharat beat me to it...  look at a dust deputy

The only issue is that the dust deputy impedes the airflow, so it will not suck as well out at the tool.

[member=40772]Holmz[/member] - sorry, but I will have to politely disagree on your statement above.  I have the dust deputy mounted on my CT26, there isn't any adverse affect on the suction whatsoever.  Reason being, the dust deputy uses short 50mm hoses to connect from the CT to the dust deputy, and then from the dust deputy to the 36mm hose attached to the boom arm. As such, the larger diameter hose and dust deputy has a larger flow area, and any restrictions to airflow is realized at the 26mm at the tool.  At the end of the 36mm boom hose.  It's really the best combo you can have, especially if you fill/change your bags a lot.  The dust deputy, as another poster mentioned, captures almost everything going through the hose, and after 2 years, the contents in my CT bag is totally negligible...and the filter looks brand new!

I do notice a decrease in my 4" dust collector that is rated at 1200cfm, when I add the separator and additional 8 foot sections of 4" hose, as opposed to only one 8 foot length of hose going direct to the collector.  Makes me realize I need to proceed with modifying my 4" system to run a 5" or 6" hose from the collector to the separator to improve performance, to mirror the dust deputy design!