CT33 vs. masonry dust?

[Brian.ca]

I have a rock outcropping (coated with a thin layer of cement) along the back wall of my basement that I need to knock down a few inches in some spots before I can level it off and start framing some rooms on top of it.  Everyone I spoke to so far has suggested that I'll probably end up having to cut a grid pattern on the high spots then knock the rock out with a chisel hammer.  This isn't the first time I've needed a demo/rotary hammer and I'm sure it won't be the last so I figured I'd go ahead and buy one of those & just rent a gas powered saw with a cart and water hose hose attachment to handle the cuts.  While at a Hilti centre though, looking at their combihammers, I noticed their DCH 300, an electric diamond cutter with integrated dust extraction/port.  The price doesn't seem too bad, but that's assuming I can use my CT33 in place of the vacuum that Hilti would want to sell me along with the saw. 

My concern is that since the North American Festool tools (I'm in Canada) are geared primarily towards woodworking, the CT33 might have trouble dealing with the large amounts of masonry dust I'd imagine cutting numerous long, 3"+ deep slits is bound to kick up.  How do the CT33/22s stand up to masonry dust?  Anyone have experience hooking them up to diamond cutters/grinders/etc for periods of extended us?

 

[grobin]

I used my CT mini while cutting up some green board (concrete between sheets of paper) for remodeling and it worked fine.  Not being HEPA it left some fine particulate in the air and I wore a 3M particulate mask while using it.  When done I took the about 1/2 full bag and discarded it.  Wear eye protection and I would recommend a disposable coverall as well.  Some older concrete had asbestos in it and some rock is high in heavy metals.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brian, the vac itself will do fine, however, the filter bag can clog fairly quickly with fine dust so you may go through a few bags. 

 

[harry_]

Although I don't own one I have used one before for sanding sheetrock with a regular shop vac. they do a pretty good job of keeping the dust out of the vac filter.

Maybe it would work for the application you have in mind. If you are planning on doing a lot of stone cutting it will pay for itself in no time as compared to the vac bags.

To go it a step further, you could probably make a better one for about the same money. that would allow you to use bigger hoses. Careful though, CT vacs are strong enough to collapse 5 gal buckets. doubling them up helps quite a bit.

 

[Rob Z]

Hi Brian, 

I already wrote about this , so you might find something more to read with a search...but we used our CT22 along with a Makita concrete saw, and cut about 220 lineal feet of concrete in a basement.  We were cutting the concrete in preparation for jackhammering it out around the perimter of the walls.  I was surprised how well the vac performed and the HEPA filter stayed remarkably clean.  We changed the bags frequently, but I don't think we used more than 4 bags. 

I recently wrote a review in JLC magazine about the Hilti vac with one of their chipping hammers and one of their grinders, and my conclusion was that the Festool vac was better than the Hilti vac, for a variety of reasons and at about half the cost.

 

[Holzhacker]

If the CT couldn't handle masonry dust ...
- mine would already have died a long time ago
- I wouldn't own it, would have bought another Fein
That being said, I use my CT from time to time when cutting various concrete or brick openings. I or a grunt hold the CT hose with extension tubes up against the edge of the grinder to suck in all the dust. Works pretty well actually. Sure would be nice to have that Protool from a recent thread.
Use to CT and don't worry about it.

 

[tjbnwi]

The best method for spliting boulders is to heat them with a torch, throw ice cold water on the heat line and strike it with a sledge hammer. It will split along the heat line. 

Tom

 

[Tinker]

A word from experience:  Be sure the heating system is not hot air.  If that dust gets into any of the ductwork, it will permeate nearly every nook in the house.  Cement dust will find places wood dust does not even think about.  Be sure to tape any openings from the room you are working in such as around doors.  Unless your DC is collecting 100% of the dust, you can be in for some big surprises.
Tinker