CTL 26 AC in order and now I read this review...

[Mauri Motti]

I used to order online from Germany but since I've moved between cities there's a festool dealer here in town. I'd like to support the local dealer so went to talk to the shop salesman. They are dealer in many great heavenly tool brands and meanly sell to businesses (and I'm not). I think that therefore I good get a really, really great deal on a number of festools. In order are:

FESTOOL FSZ 120 Nr. 489570
FESTOOL FSZ 300 Nr. 489571
FESTOOL FSV Nr. 482107
FESTOOL MFT - SP Nr. 488030
CARVEX PS400 EBQ-Set Nr. 561488
TS 55 EBQ-PLUS-FS Nr. 561166
CLEANTEX CTL 26 E AC Nr. 584017
MFT 3         Nr. 495315
FESTOOL FS 800/2 Nr. 491499
FESTOOL SC FIS-CT 26/5         Nr. 496187

(both 55 and the carvex+ acc. in T-locs as I had wished for cause they fit my other festool, I just love the T)

The price we agreed upon is even sharper then my previous online dealer who has bottom prices!
The disadvantage though, ordering from this dealer is that they don't have all information about their festool products from first hand experience. Lucky me that I have FOG!  [big grin] I did lots of research here before I took the plunge for a big purchase. But about the CTL 26 AC information here is scarce. I yesterday read a review from the festool uk website and it made me doubt about the Auto Clean function a bit. Please read the (good) review at the bottom of the page here: Link

Have to mention that I have nothing to compare to as it will be my first dust extractor.

Any comments or suggestions are welcome!

Kind regards, Mauri

 

[AlexThePalex]

Personally, I don't see the advantage of the AC vac. I've used my CTL22 for 1,5 years and I have never found a spec of dust on the filter. Now that that reviewer mentions you can't use it with a bag installed it's even less interesting. If it's correct then that's a huge omission from Festool not to mention this in advance.

If I were you I'd change my order to get the normal CTL26 instead of the AC.

 

[mattfc]

Personally, I don't see the advantage of the AC vac. I've used my CTL22 for 1,5 years and I have never found a spec of dust on the filter. Now that that reviewer mentions you can't use it with a bag installed it's even less interesting. If it's correct then that's a huge omission from Festool not to mention this in advance.
If I were you I'd change my order to get the normal CTL26 instead of the AC.

In the demo I saw first hand from a Festool rep, the idea was that for large chippings like router table or planer you wouldn't use a bag at all, just the vac, and then use the AC fuction for the filter

 

[AlexThePalex]

In the demo I saw first hand from a Festool rep, the idea was that for large chippings like router table or planer you wouldn't use a bag at all, just the vac, and then use the AC fuction for the filter

That's odd, because that's completely against the position Festool has held for at least the last 10 years, trying to make every operation as dustless as possible. 

 

[Mauri Motti]

Hmm,

@ Alex, after reading the review it was my first thought to change it to the 26 E too. It's confusing isn't it? I even ordered replacement dust bags that I thought to use for giving the selfclean bag a break when needed.

@ mattfc, I don't know about extraction without bag but then again if the festool rep. demo'd it...

Don't know what should I do...

Thanks for the replies!

Maurice

 

[Laminator]

That review answered some of my questions and just about killed my interest in the auto-clean function.  I can also relate to the "smacked" fingers when disengaging the brake on my 26... its a real bummer.  Now I just use my foot to disengage the brake.    If the new bags had a zipper or something of sorts to open and close it, It would make a pretty good long life bag itself.  I guess you can just turn the AC feature off?    Hope it works out good for you!

 

[AlexThePalex]

It's confusing isn't it?

Sure is. Thank God for User Reviews, because manufacturers mostly tell only 1/4th of the story.

Now I just use my foot to disengage the brake.

I think it was intended to use with your foot and not your fingers. But I don't like the break either, not because it's awkward to engage or disengage, I don't think that's the problem, but because it is simply too small to effectively stop the vac in it's place. It's a design inherited from the CTL Mini and the small block works great on a small vac but not so on a BIG vac.
 

 

[peter halle]

We don't have the AC model over here yet, but after reading the review it seems to me that the AC model offers the following options:

1.  Use the self cleaning bag - the new bag that replaced the old paper style bag without the AC on - Filter won't get much dirt in normal use
2.  Use the long life bag - the cloth bag that can be emptied that was designed for large particles and chips - without the AC on - Filter will only get dust on it that goes thru the bag
3.  Don't use either of the above and turn on the AC mode which will clean the filter during use and then dump the debris out of the tub into a receptacle

I personally could see a use for number 3.

Peter

 

[ossietim]

As far as I know this is the nilfisk extreme clean mechanism which is sold under license to many vacuum manufacturers.
I have a copy of the patent.
Also the machine doesn't use bags just the pleated heap filter.
It can vacuum a whole bag of cement and not loose suction.

I would have this machine as this is the future of vacuums

Check nilfisk extreme clean animation on youtube

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

To the best of my knowledge, this is not licensed from another company. I know that our engineers in Germany were working on this for a number of years. If it were licensed, it would have been plug-and-play essentially.

Also, another correction... It's my understanding that the AutoClean will not work with HEPA filters. You must use a standard filter instead.

 

[mattfc]

That's odd, because that's completely against the position Festool has held for at least the last 10 years, trying to make every operation as dustless as possible.  

The rep made it preety clear to me that it was an option for large chips.. not for use with a sander or fine dust beacuse he said it would prematurly wear out the filter.. so for me the main two benefits seem to be around no bag for large chips, or for the reusuable bag which may not filter quite as well as a disposable. BTW the AC function is quite dramatic, big pop sounds and you can see the whole case of the vacum flex in and out!

see the video here Festool Autoclean

and how it works here
Festool Cleantex AutoClean

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Matt,

Why would the AC model be for large chips only when it's made to be used with the drywall sander because it's better able to keep the drywall dust from reducing airflow through the bag?

 

[shoe maker]

you will also get much better suction without a bag when using it for large chips. with the bag in there i do not see the need for auto cleaning filters because with the bag in there i have never seen my filters get dirty. the only time i ever saw my filter get dirty is when i got a hole in the bag. i reuse my bags, i cut the bottom of the bag then tyvek tape it back up again and use the bags at least 3 times before dumping them.

festool sells the container for the vac dont they? so they must be okay with you not using a bag for large chip material

 

[Mauri Motti]

Went to see my dealer this afternoon and decided to go for the 26 E instead. We agreed on the price we'd set for the 26 E AC and I'll get a long life bag (496120) included. I'm a happy man, Friday my goodies will arrive  [cool]

Thanks to all for a great source of information.

Kind regards, Maurice