Dust Extractor help me spend my money wisely- New to FT

[ajkoontz]

Decided to buy a FT dust extractor to replace my $60 shop vac. Use will be for domino, track-saw, possible router table (future), festool sander (future) and ???

Really liked the CT 15 because of price. BUT, I looked at adding the hose garage, and anti-static hose to the 15 and I'm close enough to  a midi that the BT puts the midi over the 15. I don't think the stock hose will be long enough because I want to rig-up a shop made boom arm. So I've landed on the midi and the bluetooth switch to go with it and purchase a longer hose as-needed, if-needed once I get up and running.

#1- If I go with the midi/ switch is this all I need? Any other accessories I should be looking at getting?

#2- If I get the 15 and NOT the hose garage, I can get the 16.5' longer hose only and be a few bucks cheaper than the midi. The difference is around $100, no hose garage, no BT, no foot-lock, and the 16.5' hose might not be quite long enough so I may still need to buy another hose.

I'm not super into systainers locking in on top. I wasn't too concerned about the BT but I'm pretty sure if I got it I would like it/ use it. I may, but probably will not, add a dust deputy at some point but I'm leaning towards I don't think this is necessary.

So before I pull the trigger I'm looking for confirmation that #1 is the way to go and I am not missing something else I should be considering.

 

[kiblerjd]

I literally just went through this exact same situation.  I had a CT36 and wanted something smaller that i could travel with.  This is all going to be a matter of preference, but to me the midi was by far the best choice.  The hose that comes with it is 1000 times better than the ct15, and you get the blue tooth if you need it, and the hose garage if you want a place to store the hose.

I have had it for a few months now and love it.  No personal experience with the 15.  I was lucky enough to be able to shop locally for the product.  I got to look at them side by side and also talk to an experienced rep.  He agreed the midi was the way to go.  I'm super happy with it.

 

[ajkoontz]

That reminds me..... I started thinking I needed the 26, mostly because I thought a cyclone separator was going to be a necessity and I wanted to buy the oneida one that locks in to the systainer. On-line reviews plus the guy at local woodcraft convinced me that the mini/ midi were the way to go for a 1-man weekend here or there ww'er like me. I gave the 15 a hard look based on some on-line reviews that it was the most bang for the buck to get into the FT dust extractor world and then I could add accessories later as-needed. Then I decided once I was all-in on what I wanted I was already at the Midi price and the 15 will never have BT.

 

[kiblerjd]

I wouldn't waste the money on a cyclone separator but that is just me.  With sanders/domino/router it will take you a long time to fill up a bag if you are just a weekend warrior type.  I noticed you said shop made boom arm.  Just something to keep in mind I don't believe festool makes a boom arm for the midi.

Again this all comes down to personal preference, but my main motivation for getting another dust extractor was that i have the boom arm installed on my CT36 which is in my basement shop.  I break down a lot of sheet goods up in my garage with my TS55 and it is an epic pain in the a$$ taking off the boom arm and lugging that thing up the stairs and out to the garage.  Just something to consider while planning.

 

[FestitaMakool]

The CT15 wasn’t available when I got my CTLMini.
It was my first Festool dust extractor, along with a CT-SYS. Doing woodworking and renovating home + moving them with me for mobile use on some occasions.
Thinking how much I like every feature of the Mini/Midi it’s my best dust extractor to date.
I later bought the Midi tub - now I can swap tubs and leave the handle on the Midi tub and go very compact and nimble with just swapping to the Mini tub. The bag fits both (and the CT15).
The way these extractors fill the bags to the point where you are lifting out a brick, not a bag is impressive. So there’s no joking about the capacity numbers..  [blink] [big grin]
I now have a CT26 stationary too, but no hauling this around..

 

[ajkoontz]

When I say shop made boom arm I am thinking of something attached to the wall where I can swing the hose in and out from my workbench. I imagine 90% of the time my dust extractor will sit in the same spot, so moving it around is not an issue but I can't justify the price or the space for a big one so the portability will be nice to have but not a primary concern. I plan to keep the shop vac around  for dirty jobs and general cleaning up messes and use the FT for mostly dust collection at the tools I will be using.

What really pushed me over the edge is I want a FT sander and I realized I really need a FT extractor to go along with it.

It sounds like everyone is confirming the midi is the sweet spot for what I need. I've convinced myself that's what I'll do unless someone makes a convincing case to talk me into the 15.

 

[Willy Eckerslike]

I have the M class Midi which I really like.  I also have the CT15 which I picked up virtually free when I bought a pre-owned Rotex 90.  They are both good machines but the extra features on the Midi make all the difference especially the BT.
I use the Midi for site work and the CT15 in my workshop where the vast majority of the work is using corded machines so the autostart is fine - I also swap hoses for some tasks.
Long story short - Midi wins

 

[HiCal]

For your use I would also recommend the MIDI. I have both the MIDI and the CT15 (as well as a Bosch VAC090). I use the CT15 dedicated to the Kapex miter saw. It is perfect for that application. No need for the BT or the extra cost features of the MIDI. I added a short 36 mm non anti static hose and a Home Depot Dustopper separator.
The only thing I might add to the CT15 is a cord wrap. That would be nice.

The MIDI gets used for track saw's sanders and all other small tools. I added the BT remote and have it on the tool end of the hose and love it! So easy to keep the work table clean as I go and for the occasional use with a battery tool.

This is for shop use mostly with occasional travel to job sites.

I don't use a boom arm or really feel the need for one, you can always add one later.

I use the Bosch mainly for floor cleaning with a floor wand. It has the most power and works great for that.

 

[semenza]

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

I wouldn't worry about the cyclone part of the decision too much right now. It is easy to add it later. Down the road you may find that the router / router table fills the Midi bags pretty fast. But it will fill CT26 bags pretty fast too. So get the vac that best suits your other uses and get the Cyclone separator down the road.

You may also want the D36 hose later for some operations.

Seth

 

[Mr Speaker]

+1 on the MIDI. or MINI if you use a Cyclone. The MINI MIDI is so much better than the CT15 for just a little more money. The 26 AC is also nice. Beyond that they become real specialist and pro vacuums. I am a big fan of using a cyclone. It saves so much on bags and the performance stays the same. I have a DIY solution on my CNC, I only empty the vacuum when I forget to empty the cyclone and it fills up. I have the FT cyclone for customer visits. The way I see it is that the DIY is cheaper but you pay a extra for much better portability, the fact that it is a systainer, much more compact and it looks more professional. But you can decide that later. But get one with Bluetooth