CT33 newbie mistake - forgot the bag!

[Brad Gobble]

I got a great deal on a CT33, boom, and sander from a pro getting out of the business. LOVE this vac!! I hooked it up to my Jessem router table, sanded down some face frames on site, and knocked down 5 sheets of melamine with my TS55 ... love this system.

The problem ...
I went to empty the bag since I figured I'd gone through enough to be concerned and ... no bag. Lots of dust and bits (bin 1/2 full), but no bag.

What sould I do?

Apparently the 2 rectangular filters are .3 micron, so I assume that I should take them out, blow them off with compressed air, and go  buy some bags ... sound like a plan?

Thanks in advance

 

[tbellemare]

I'd try just tapping the filter first and see if that clears it. Compressed air might harm it.

Tom

 

[Alan m]

bummer.
not too that bad thow
vac out the vac and put in a bag. then blow out the filter with low velocity air(compressed air will ruin it)

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Brad, we don't recommend that you use compressed air to clean a HEPA filter. The pressure could compromise the integrity of the filter. The better option is to just tap it. Also, the CT 33 has a filter agitator on the rear of the machine that will "strum" the filter folds. That may help loosen the debris also.

If you insist on using compressed air, use a very, very low PSI.

Shane

 

[Timtool]

I bought my CT22 from a guy who i found out, had been using it for drywalling and redoing the electricity in his house without a bag! It was filled with crap and the filters were clogged. I blew them out with the compressor at full PSI which created a thick cloud of dust. To me it was a no brainer, that's how we clean the air filters of our tractors and combines sometimes daily which is the prescribed procedure. This can't be done forever however, some mention that you can do it 5x max and then you have to discard it.
Been doing it like that each time i change bags, and it's still the original filters in there about 6 years old...  [embarassed] ok i'll change them... soon

 

[PaulMarcel]

Great setup, Brad.... now that you filled it without a bag, you can look forward to someday bricking the bag so full it's difficult to remove  [embarassed] (I've heard...)

 

[Brad Gobble]

thanks guys. .. I'll pick up some bags later this week at Woodcraft (and gloat a bit ...  [cool])

They get enough of my $$ that I don't feel too guilty buying elsewhere every now and then.

I can not express adequately how much I love this vac ... I have a Fein Turbo 3 that does a fine job but the integration w/the boom arm make the festool almost worth full price!!

 

[BJM9818]

I usually forget the bag every now and then.  My new thing has been forgetting the sanding disk on my RO150 and RAS.
Vacuum out the filter and I usually just hide out the bottom of the vac and let it dry.

 

[Steve R]

You will also have times when you vacuum up something sharp like a screw or sharp wood... and it puts a hole in the bag and then you sand/vacuum some sheet rock and open it up to find outside the bag and the inside of the Ct covered with 1/2 inch of sheet rock dust.... [eek]

Clean it out and knock out the filter and your good to go!

Cheers,
Steve