Ct midi (pre 2019) vs ct midi 1

[luvmytoolz]

To be clear, for a CT I would never suggest "home-made" bags. There is just no way to even approach the filtering of micro-dust the SelfClean filters do.

And yes, treating the "normal" bags as reusable is absolutely feasible /when one does not employ a cyclone/. Especially so with the CT 26/36/48 series bags which are as high a quality as I can imagine a bag to be. They are just out there by at least a class over anything else, including the MINI/MIDI bags.

When I hear people asking for 3rd party bags for a CT 26 I cringe. You buy those vacs for the bags along with the horizontal main filter interface enabling the SelfClean to work, not the other way round .. Festool does an absolutely atrocious job at (non)marketing this, to be fair.

All my CT's are so old none have self clean. I use the genuine Festool long life bags for most of the small CT's, as well as in my CT36 that lives connected to my CNC via a Dust Deputy.

I think I've emptied the CT36 maybe twice, possibly three times, in the last 15 years or so. The DD just works so well for the CNC collection, could not imagine working without one.

 

[Biggambi]

I know Festool states it is not recommended to use the longlife bags for fine dust. I am assuming this would include sanding wood, finish coats, paints, etc. My question is what happens if you do use it with fine dust. Is it that they do not filter the fine dust well, it is too difficult to empty and clean, or it greatly shortens their lifespan?

 

[Cheese]

I know Festool states it is not recommended to use the longlife bags for fine dust. I am assuming this would include sanding wood, finish coats, paints, etc. My question is what happens if you do use it with fine dust. Is it that they do not filter the fine dust well, it is too difficult to empty and clean, or it greatly shortens their lifespan?

I think the issue is how do you remove the fine dust from the long life bag? With the regular bag you just toss the bag…problem solved.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I know Festool states it is not recommended to use the longlife bags for fine dust. I am assuming this would include sanding wood, finish coats, paints, etc. My question is what happens if you do use it with fine dust. Is it that they do not filter the fine dust well, it is too difficult to empty and clean, or it greatly shortens their lifespan?

I have several long life bags in use, in the Midi's I use them for sanding mainly, and have never had any issues with suction or emptying the bags into larger rubbish bags and then given a gentle walloping to clean out the finer dust lining. Mine don't have the self clean option though, so that might make a difference as Mino mentioned earlier in this thread.

After using Festool extractors for 40+ years, I've found they are practically indestructible, and will keep sucking even when the bag is so full and hard it's like a massive brick. It's when the dust starts backing out the nozzle end you realise it's apparently full! ;-)

I wouldn't be concerned about fine dust in the long life bag at all, yes it's probably not recommended, but in practical use you'll likely find it makes zero difference, that's what I've found over the years.

 

[Biggambi]

I have several long life bags in use, in the Midi's I use them for sanding mainly, and have never had any issues with suction or emptying the bags into larger rubbish bags and then given a gentle walloping to clean out the finer dust lining. Mine don't have the self clean option though, so that might make a difference as Mino mentioned earlier in this thread.

After using Festool extractors for 40+ years, I've found they are practically indestructible, and will keep sucking even when the bag is so full and hard it's like a massive brick. It's when the dust starts backing out the nozzle end you realise it's apparently full! ;-)

I wouldn't be concerned about fine dust in the long life bag at all, yes it's probably not recommended, but in practical use you'll likely find it makes zero difference, that's what I've found over the years.

Glad to hear this, coming from a dust collector that had a permanent reusable filter bag, nice to know it will be money well spent in the long run.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Glad to hear this, coming from a dust collector that had a permanent reusable filter bag, nice to know it will be money well spent in the long run.

Out of all the brands I've used over the years (never had a Fein one though), the Festool CT's really are in a class of their own. Brilliant robust units that just keep chugging along!

 

[Cheese]

Out of all the brands I've used over the years (never had a Fein one though), the Festool CT's really are in a class of their own. Brilliant robust units that just keep chugging along!

FWIW...I've had a couple of Fein vacs...can't really say anything bad about them other than the ones that the bag has to curve around the motor assembly don't fill completely and are difficult to remove. Other than that they are durable, quiet and work well. However, interestingly enough, I've since replaced the Feins with Festool vacs.

 

[luvmytoolz]

FWIW...I've had a couple of Fein vacs...can't really say anything bad about them other than the ones that the bag has to curve around the motor assembly don't fill completely and are difficult to remove. Other than that they are durable, quiet and work well. However, interestingly enough, I've since replaced the Feins with Festool vacs.

I have (and had) some Fein power tools and without exception they are all superbly engineered and have given me great service and value over the years, so I'd always imagine the dust extractors would be really good but they were never really as available as the Festool's, certainly early on anyway.