I did a search saw some postings from two years ago, but nothing more recent. Now that people have tried and used the Dust Deputy, is there any reason I shouldn't get one to use with my Mini? I'm going to be doing more router work in the upcoming months, and this seemed less expensive than upgrading my dust extractor.
Dust Deputy on a CT Mini?
- Thread starter ScooterX
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Electric Trim
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Are you hoping to attach it to the top of your mini or just set it on the floor next to your vacuum?
Both or either (whichever does the best job of collecting the chips and saving me from replacing those tiny bags every few days). I have a very tight workspace and the Mini is under the work table, so having the Dust Deputy beside it would be nice. At other times I might have one of the tables folded out of the way, and being able to stack the DD on top of the MINI might be a nice option (so I can roll things around more easily), but it isn't essential to me.
If I didn't already own the Mini, I'd probably buy the CT26 for the chip bag option. I'd rather not buy a $550 dust collector when I already have a $385 one that's working just fine in every other respect. Spending $199 on the Dust Devil seems like a fair tradeoff, if it does what I need.
If I didn't already own the Mini, I'd probably buy the CT26 for the chip bag option. I'd rather not buy a $550 dust collector when I already have a $385 one that's working just fine in every other respect. Spending $199 on the Dust Devil seems like a fair tradeoff, if it does what I need.
In my opinion you should absolutely use some form of pre-separator. I see no reason not to. The only downsides (as I see them) are a little more cumbersome mobility wise and slightly less suction. I don't have a CT yet and use a pretty big shop vac and have been amazed at my dust deputy's effectiveness.
I stuck mine on a Home Depot bucket:
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I filled the home depot bucket full and a bit more and here's the shop vac and filter afterwards. (The shavings were in there before hooking up the dust deputy.):
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The deputy quite literally paid for itself in filter savings on my shop vac in 1 month. I got mine for I think $40 on amazon plus $2.50 for the bucket.
I stuck mine on a Home Depot bucket:
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I filled the home depot bucket full and a bit more and here's the shop vac and filter afterwards. (The shavings were in there before hooking up the dust deputy.):
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The deputy quite literally paid for itself in filter savings on my shop vac in 1 month. I got mine for I think $40 on amazon plus $2.50 for the bucket.
Cableaddict
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Personally, I use bags. I have bad lungs already from past concrete work, so I'm very concerned about ever breathing dust. With a Dust Deputy, everytime you open it you're staring at a big open pile of the stuff. No thanks! Bags are relatively cheap.
Also, the bags catch everything down to abut 3 micron, so your HEPA filter last a bloody long time.
The design of the Festool self-cleaning bags is literally the reason I chose a Festool vac over the (in many other ways superior) Bosch AirSweep. The Festool bags fill the whole cannister (unlike the bosch) and have an anti-caking property, so you can actually let them fill up. Of course, I have the CT 36. The mini may make less sense with bags.
Another thing: The systainer-type DD is mighty bulky. Have you seen it? I wouldn't want to ever take even a mini out of the shop, with a DD attached. I know some guys who use the regular (separate) DD, so they can easily take their Festool vac elsewhere, where they use it without the DD.
For me, just plain using bags makes the most sense, by far.
Also, the bags catch everything down to abut 3 micron, so your HEPA filter last a bloody long time.
The design of the Festool self-cleaning bags is literally the reason I chose a Festool vac over the (in many other ways superior) Bosch AirSweep. The Festool bags fill the whole cannister (unlike the bosch) and have an anti-caking property, so you can actually let them fill up. Of course, I have the CT 36. The mini may make less sense with bags.
Another thing: The systainer-type DD is mighty bulky. Have you seen it? I wouldn't want to ever take even a mini out of the shop, with a DD attached. I know some guys who use the regular (separate) DD, so they can easily take their Festool vac elsewhere, where they use it without the DD.
For me, just plain using bags makes the most sense, by far.
greenMonster
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Been thinking of this myself.
Instead of getting another DC for bigger jobs, I was thinking of just using my mini with a DD.
I rarely use the DD other than in the shop because it's not very mobile.
I'm wondering if there's a way to come up with a good method of easily attaching it.
Going to give this guys systop a try http://festoolownersgroup.com/classifieds/tools-accessories/
With a couple of clamps...
Instead of getting another DC for bigger jobs, I was thinking of just using my mini with a DD.
I rarely use the DD other than in the shop because it's not very mobile.
I'm wondering if there's a way to come up with a good method of easily attaching it.
Going to give this guys systop a try http://festoolownersgroup.com/classifieds/tools-accessories/
With a couple of clamps...
First I had a wall mounted shopvac that clogged regularly and didn't have much suction. I bought the Dust Deputy and a new filter for the vacuum. This was a very nice upgrade for the underpowered vac, but needed more power. Having already purchased a Dust Deputy it was perfectly clear to me that the CT Mini was the best yet cheaper option for dust collection.
I attached the dust deputy's second bucket to the top of the CT Mini using 1/2" birch plywood, and use that bucket to hold the first bucket for all collecting. Simply set the lid aside and life the dust bucket from the "holster" bucket and dump. I used the clip locations on the bottom of a systainer to take measurements and spacing of the attach points. The CT Mini's built-in clips can take 1/2" tabs cut into the ply. My next task is to cut two 1/2" mdf disks with holes in the center to mount to the top and bottom of the Dust Deputy's lid to keep it from flexing under pressure. Even with the argument that the self cleaning fleece bags will prolong the life of the HEPA filter, but with the DD the filter will last the life of the vacuum (I hope anyway). I filled the bucket up once and checked the bag and there was only a slight discoloration from dust in the bag port, otherwise nothing there.
For all interested the Festool Clips accept 1/2" tabs. Each pair of tabs are 3/8" wide with a 1/4" gap between them. The socket is 1.5" wide in all.
The whole setup. Both buckets are used from the dust deputy kit. One is bolted to the plywood and the other is easily removed to dump.
Only three of the four green clips fit on the plywood tabs I cut. I'm not worried about the fourth, it's plenty secure just with three tabs. The tabs were drawn in and cut out using a bandsaw and cleaned out with a coping saw and triangular file.
The 27mm hose on the CT Mini fits perfectly in the top port. The blue hose was purchased at Lowes and I believe the connector was already attached to the hose, don't hold me to that though. I am looking to replace the blue hose with a non antistatic festool hose later.
Two and a half inches of dust and chips collected so far. The bucket was dumped twice since getting the mini and was half full both times in a span of about a month of ownership.
The brown discoloration in the bag's port and three minor chips are all that's in the bag after about four to six weeks of daily (minor) usage. With so little making it into the bag, I imagine that the one bag (self cleaning type) installed with the unit can last years. I may never get the chance to use the second bag that came with the unit.
I attached the dust deputy's second bucket to the top of the CT Mini using 1/2" birch plywood, and use that bucket to hold the first bucket for all collecting. Simply set the lid aside and life the dust bucket from the "holster" bucket and dump. I used the clip locations on the bottom of a systainer to take measurements and spacing of the attach points. The CT Mini's built-in clips can take 1/2" tabs cut into the ply. My next task is to cut two 1/2" mdf disks with holes in the center to mount to the top and bottom of the Dust Deputy's lid to keep it from flexing under pressure. Even with the argument that the self cleaning fleece bags will prolong the life of the HEPA filter, but with the DD the filter will last the life of the vacuum (I hope anyway). I filled the bucket up once and checked the bag and there was only a slight discoloration from dust in the bag port, otherwise nothing there.
For all interested the Festool Clips accept 1/2" tabs. Each pair of tabs are 3/8" wide with a 1/4" gap between them. The socket is 1.5" wide in all.
The whole setup. Both buckets are used from the dust deputy kit. One is bolted to the plywood and the other is easily removed to dump.
Only three of the four green clips fit on the plywood tabs I cut. I'm not worried about the fourth, it's plenty secure just with three tabs. The tabs were drawn in and cut out using a bandsaw and cleaned out with a coping saw and triangular file.
The 27mm hose on the CT Mini fits perfectly in the top port. The blue hose was purchased at Lowes and I believe the connector was already attached to the hose, don't hold me to that though. I am looking to replace the blue hose with a non antistatic festool hose later.
Two and a half inches of dust and chips collected so far. The bucket was dumped twice since getting the mini and was half full both times in a span of about a month of ownership.
The brown discoloration in the bag's port and three minor chips are all that's in the bag after about four to six weeks of daily (minor) usage. With so little making it into the bag, I imagine that the one bag (self cleaning type) installed with the unit can last years. I may never get the chance to use the second bag that came with the unit.
greenMonster
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Inspired by NoBreyner, here's my version (same thing)...
My general issue seems to be attaching the hose to various NON-festools, sure seems like a pain in the butt as everything has varying sizes. blergh
My general issue seems to be attaching the hose to various NON-festools, sure seems like a pain in the butt as everything has varying sizes. blergh
greenMonster
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NoBreyner said:
Ha! Didn't even occur to me to remove the 90 and just jam it in!
*incidentally, other than the few more conveniences on the larger models...my mini is JUST as good with the DD setup. And in the long run significantly cheaper!
I'll actually use this additionally as a shopvac, then what I was originally thinking that it would be relegated as just a dust collector for my power tools
[thumbs up]
