CT26 snap

[Foghat]

I have a CT26 vac which I baby. It looks like new. I was bringing it in from working outside, and had my kapex balanced on the top. As I lifted jut the front wheels to clear the doorsill to come in, I held on to the hose cover at the front by the name plate. As I lifted, that piece just snapped off in my hands?!
Has this happened to anyone else? I just tipped it up, didn't lift the whole machine off the ground. I've had several systainers stcked on the vac, like the ads often show, and never an issue.
It's not under any warranty, so it'll cost me over $80.00 to get a new part and ship it up to Canada. That's a lot.
I was told I'd get the redesigned hose garage which has been reinforced. Which makes me think this has happened to others, since they beefed it up.
I'll have to be really careful about hauling anything on top of it, I guess.

 

[peter halle]

Get the replacement part.

Peter

 

[sancho57]

I found ya can’t stand on them either.  [eek]

 

[TomGadwa1]

The hose garage is made out of very very very thin plastic and is NOT meant to be used as a handle. I found this out for myself the other day. If it is not totally ruined I would buy some Epoxy glue and try to repair it. Hopefully the newer ones are thicker than the old ones!!!

 

[AlexThePalex]

that piece just snapped off in my hands?!
Has this happened to anyone else?

Happens all the time. That plastic is just too brittle for a tool like this. Numerous complaints on this site.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

You'd think that a part of a tool that's designed to take systainers and their contents, anchored to it, would have a bit of substance wouldn't you?
The newer garage is a big improvement, albeit still plastic though.

To be fair though, trying to to get it over a threshold with your Kapex on top, probably isn't what it was designed for.  [doh] We all do things we shouldn't though, well at least I do 

I would get the updated part, it has the T lock too  [thumbs up]

 

[AlexThePalex]

To be fair though, trying to to get it over a threshold with your Kapex on top, probably isn't what it was designed for.  [doh]

It should be designed to be banged around in a professional environment like a carpenter or a painter who is on the road all day. Like all professional tools should (and mostly are).

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

To be fair though, trying to to get it over a threshold with your Kapex on top, probably isn't what it was designed for.  [doh]

It should be designed to be banged around in a professional environment like a carpenter or a painter who is on the road all day. Like all professional tools should (and mostly are).

Yes Alex, it probably should be designed to be banged around but the fact that it's thin plastic, tells me it isn't. I've mentioned in a tongue in cheek way a few times on this site, about the amount of plastic used in the construction of premium tools nowadays. The general opinion was that plastic is the way forward, personally I'm still not quite convinced. If they put an alloy or carbon fibre top on these extractors, it would hold up much better, especially when stuff is stacked on top. The price would increase, probably past an acceptable threshold. So they use plastic but, still charge a premium price. Crazy eh? or are we crazy for paying big money for plastic? 

 

[AlexThePalex]

Yes Alex, it probably should be designed to be banged around but the fact that it's thin plastic, tells me it isn't. I've mentioned in a tongue in cheek way a few times on this site, about the amount of plastic used in the construction of premium tools nowadays. The general opinion was that plastic is the way forward, personally I'm still not quite convinced. If they put an alloy or carbon fibre top on these extractors, it would hold up much better, especially when stuff is stacked on top. The price would increase, probably past an acceptable threshold. So they use plastic but, still charge a premium price. Crazy eh? or are we crazy for paying big money for plastic? 

Mostly when people speak about "plastic tools" they talk about hand held power tools which in the past were metal and now are almost always plastic. And plastic is fine for that application, it is not weak at all and makes the tools much nicer to hold and work with. If you use the right type.

But on a Festool vac it is different, as the hose garage is a separate part and not enclosed on all sides like you have with the shell of a power tool. Further more, Festool decided to make this part out of simple ABS, same stuff as the systainers, and it is a different plastic than the grey parts, which is the stronger tool plastic they use for all their tools.

I found out it is a different plastic when I was cleaning my vac and wanted to get rid of paint stains. I typically use paint thinner for the difficult stains, and to my regret I noticed it started to solve the black plastic of the hose garage, but not the lower grey part. So a stronger plastic is available for the hose garage but Festool deliberately chose not to use that. And the result is a large thread here on the FOG with many broken hose garages.

And a bit astonishing as Festool always claims their tools deserve a higher price than the competition because their tools are made the most rugged.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

I'm not sure plastic replacement parts for former metal parts, are always fine or a good idea? I've seen new plastic parts fail, where their predecessor never did. It was common for parts in triggers and switches to fail unlike the metal parts previously.
Sure, plastic has it's place, and it's durability probably has more to do with it's design, than the actual plastic?

I've had trades pick up one of my cordless drills, and comment that they're heavy (metal gearbox) yet, admit that their cordless drills with plastic gearboxes give up quite quickly. If it's a bit heavier but, more durable, I'll take that.

You're saying that the older extractor garages are too thin, and flimsy, and I totally agree, so why such a high price? apart from a motor and circuit board, it's a mainly plastic, glorified vacuum cleaner, with a Kirby price tag? The newer type are an improvement, by how much remains to be seen.
IIRC power tools with a PA-6 rating, indicates that any plastic parts used, are of a strong, and well designed plastic? As there are still many pro tools out there, that seem to be made from chocolate or cheese 

 

[peter halle]

There are several version of the CT26.  The hose garage was redesigned in the latest version. The handle is there for lifting and is re enforced.

Peter

 

[demographic]

I have nothing against plastic parts, as long as its the right type of plastic for the use its put to.

Glass reinforced plastics would be a much better choice in my opinion but that wears the molds more so each mold can't be used to make as many parts.