This is an esoteric adaptation/cannibalisation of a Festool CT-VS to create a switchable inlet for two vac hoses.
[attachimg=1]
In my “project workshop”, I use a CT26 for everything:
- power tools including Kapex with a 27mm hose
- Inca bandsaw and Inca planer with a 50mm hose; this works quite well and handles the mostly light chips from the planer (I don't have space for a big extractor as in the “main workshop”).
But I find it a pain to bend down and swap over the hoses (when I remember); so I have planned for a while to work out a blast gate arrangement that would leave both hoses connected.
I found a cheap CT-VS and I already had an old Y-piece adapter that I have never used. The CT-VS is described as a “Sealing Slide” intended to shut off the vac inlet port when changing or shaking the bag/filter - incidentally it seems complete overkill for that purpose. However, I figured it could be hacked about to do what I wanted, as shown above.
I have scribbled out on the parts diagram roughly what I did which might be self-explanatory for anyone sufficiently interested. The challenge was how to join the bits of plastic - this is PP, which is difficult to join except by welding - I only had my little butane micro soldering iron that just about did the job - it ain’t pretty and it might be a bit fragile, so if the new spigots break off, I will try a heavier-duty weld.
[attachimg=2]
I inserted two strips of Delrin to help the full-length slide:
[attachimg=3]
With a bit of fettling, this works rather well. It may be of interest to others, but really I would like Festool to make a proper one - this could be done fairly easily using the existing patterns for the CT-VS slide.
[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=5]
[OK, I still have to remember to slide the blast gate over to change hoses, but less unsnaking hoses around on the floor.]
Cheers
PS
In case you are wondering about the integrated bluetooth module, which keeps the spare outlet port free for another module, I wrote this up years ago - it has been very good.
[attachimg=1]
In my “project workshop”, I use a CT26 for everything:
- power tools including Kapex with a 27mm hose
- Inca bandsaw and Inca planer with a 50mm hose; this works quite well and handles the mostly light chips from the planer (I don't have space for a big extractor as in the “main workshop”).
But I find it a pain to bend down and swap over the hoses (when I remember); so I have planned for a while to work out a blast gate arrangement that would leave both hoses connected.
I found a cheap CT-VS and I already had an old Y-piece adapter that I have never used. The CT-VS is described as a “Sealing Slide” intended to shut off the vac inlet port when changing or shaking the bag/filter - incidentally it seems complete overkill for that purpose. However, I figured it could be hacked about to do what I wanted, as shown above.
I have scribbled out on the parts diagram roughly what I did which might be self-explanatory for anyone sufficiently interested. The challenge was how to join the bits of plastic - this is PP, which is difficult to join except by welding - I only had my little butane micro soldering iron that just about did the job - it ain’t pretty and it might be a bit fragile, so if the new spigots break off, I will try a heavier-duty weld.
[attachimg=2]
I inserted two strips of Delrin to help the full-length slide:
[attachimg=3]
With a bit of fettling, this works rather well. It may be of interest to others, but really I would like Festool to make a proper one - this could be done fairly easily using the existing patterns for the CT-VS slide.
[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=5]
[OK, I still have to remember to slide the blast gate over to change hoses, but less unsnaking hoses around on the floor.]
Cheers
PS
In case you are wondering about the integrated bluetooth module, which keeps the spare outlet port free for another module, I wrote this up years ago - it has been very good.
