CT MIDI I + CT-VA (CYCLONE) vs CT26 standalone as first Festool dust extractor?

[RHymc4qH6sg7]

Assuming that $$$ isn't a consideration variable which one would you prefer as a first owned dust extractor for do-it-all kind of jobs? Fully aware that a MIDI + Cyclone will run a few hundred more than the CT26 + Bluetooth add-on.

For home shop work, and occasional on-site work the portability/weight and included bluetooth for the MIDI seems to be a big win-win.

I assume that a CT MIDI I + CT-VA together is more than good enough for Kapex mitre, and Saw stop table saw work when in the garage? ... and for the heavier on-site work you just bring the cyclone with you too.

I stumbled upon this thread yesterday that really has me thinking:https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/...t-size-do-you-use-onsite/msg595686/#msg595686

Many seem to be saying that if they had the option to start again they'd just go with the MIDI first and throw in a Cyclone for the heavier work? Is this a commonly shared opinion now?

 

[ChuckM]

Snip.
Saw stop table saw work when in the garage?
Snip.

My choice would be a midi + cyclone (any kind) because in practice, I find a cyclone (a Dust Deputy in my case) great in eliminating the need to change bags and filters.

If it's a SawStop compact or jobsite saw, fine. The CT isn't good enough for the PCS and ICS for sure.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

The simple answer is that it's totally dependent on how much debris you're going to generate, and how often. I do this for a living, and often spend weeks at a time in the shop building doors, windows, and furniture which involves a lot of heavy-duty routing, and the bin on the CT-VA fills up amazingly quickly - I'm sometimes emptying it 3-4 times a day. Mine paid for itself inside 9 months in bag savings alone. The photo below was taken on the day I bought it a few years ago, and I discovered (around 30 seconds in) that the clear plastic bags are a hopeless waste of time - just throw them away and go straight into the CT-VA's bin. Plus - there's enough spare space inside the cyclone lid to store most of your small cleaning tools - crevice nozzle, dust brush etc. But my case (50-60 hours a week, every week, when compared to my greatly respected hobbyist friends here) is a pretty extreme one I guess.

I'm a big fan of the CT-VA for the above reasons. But - it reduces suction. Not by a monumental, deal-breaking amount which makes a huge difference in real-world everyday use, but there's definitely a significant and noticeable airflow drop. I get round this by occasionally disconnecting the CT-VA, using my (CTL26) extractor 'neat' for tasks such as post-job site cleanup which needs the highest level of suction possible. I also use it 'neat' for tasks such as mitre sawing where dust control isn't great at the best of times. I also bought a 36mm hose which is a very worthwhile upgrade over the 27mm.

So if I was new to Festool extraction and looking for a catch-all ?? I'd go straight down the CTL26 route (which is exactly what I did, with the CT-VA coming along a little later). It has big capacity, it's not that much heavier than a MIDI (unless the bag's packed 100% full), it will suck up water if you occasionally need it to, and it's a brilliant all-rounder. The much-bigger wheels are a definite bonus for site work. If you find you're filling it up too often, you could go down the CT-VA route as an add-on sometime down the line, and end up with the best of both worlds. One thing I've often done to assist with weight reduction and site portability, is to take out a heavy, three-quarters-full bag from the machine and put in an empty one when I'm going out to do an install. The heavy one then goes back into the machine for shop work when I get home, the lighter part-filled one gets put aside for the next site job. Changeover takes 2 minutes.

One final thing I'd strongly recommend whichever machine you choose = the optional handle. It's a godsend, especially for site work, since you can pile the whole day's Systainers on top of your extractor, and just wheel in your weapons like a shopping cart. My record was a 7-foot-high stack (including the extractor) in one trip, on a job where the closest van parking was 100 yards away from the entrance door.

Hope you get fixed up.
Kevin

EDIT = That's a heck of a username !!! (Betcha can't remember it)  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

Also (just in case you were wondering) - the work-in-progress object next to the extractor was this;
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/gothic-victorian-break-front-kitchen-dresser/

[attachimg=1]

 

 

[RHymc4qH6sg7]

The simple answer is that it's totally dependent on how much debris you're going to generate, and how often. I do this for a living, and often spend weeks at a time in the shop building doors, windows, and furniture which involves a lot of heavy-duty routing, and the bin on the CT-VA fills up amazingly quickly - I'm sometimes emptying it 3-4 times a day. Mine paid for itself inside 9 months in bag savings alone. The photo below was taken on the day I bought it a few years ago, and I discovered (around 30 seconds in) that the clear plastic bags are a hopeless waste of time - just throw them away and go straight into the CT-VA's bin. Plus - there's enough spare space inside the cyclone lid to store most of your small cleaning tools - crevice nozzle, dust brush etc. But my case (50-60 hours a week, every week, when compared to my greatly respected hobbyist friends here) is a pretty extreme one I guess.

I'm a big fan of the CT-VA for the above reasons. But - it reduces suction. Not by a monumental, deal-breaking amount which makes a huge difference in real-world everyday use, but there's definitely a significant and noticeable airflow drop. I get round this by occasionally disconnecting the CT-VA, using my (CTL26) extractor 'neat' for tasks such as post-job site cleanup which needs the highest level of suction possible. I also use it 'neat' for tasks such as mitre sawing where dust control isn't great at the best of times. I also bought a 36mm hose which is a very worthwhile upgrade over the 27mm.

So if I was new to Festool extraction and looking for a catch-all, I'd go straight down the CTL26 route (which is exactly what I did, with the CT-VA coming along a little later). It has big capacity, it's not that much heavier than a MIDI (unless the bag's packed 100% full), it will suck up water if you occasionally need it to, and it's a brilliant all-rounder. The much-bigger wheels are a definite bonus for site work. If you find you're filling it up too often, you could go down the CT-VA route as an add-on sometime down the line, and end up with the best of both worlds. One thing I've often done to assist with weight reduction and site portability, is to take out a heavy, three-quarters-full bag from the machine and put in an empty one when I'm going out to do an install. The heavy one then goes back into the machine for shop work when I get home, the lighter part-filled one gets put aside for the next site job. Changeover takes 2 minutes.

Thanks for the detailed reply! You've convinced me to keep my new CT26 for now as my go-to and maybe I'll grab a second MIDI or the new cordless MIDI further down the line when I'm ready for it.

EDIT = That's a heck of a username !!! (Betcha can't remember it)  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

It's a privacy thing I do by default. I also work in cybersecurity [wink] [tongue]

Also (just in case you were wondering) - the work-in-progress object next to the extractor was this;
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/gothic-victorian-break-front-kitchen-dresser/

That is bloody gorgeous! Well done!