Fein or ct26

[mlfaber]

Someone may have already mentioned this but here is the link.  Looks like a good deal!

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=31839&site=ROCKLER

 

[polarsea1]

I have a couple of the Fein vacs - the newer one having multispeed. I can buy gore cleanstream hepa filters that fit this vac for ~$35 and disposable bags are fairly inexpensive. Overall economy dictated my choice, if money were no object I'd buy one of the larger Festool vacs because of the boom as well as systainer storage. Overall I'm happy with the Feins.

 

[upscale]

I am looking for a vacuum that will obviously be able to collect dust while using power tools but also one that will function great as a basic shop vac for cleaning out the car and little projects around the house.

I bought a CT22 that for shop work, but I haven't done much of that lately. So, it's been relegated to regular household cleaning in the meantime. The woman that comes over to clean my place prefers the CT22 to the other two household type vacs that I had. So, I was able to get rid of both of them. However, you did mention cleaning out the car. The picture of the Fein vac shows it to be smaller than any ot the Festool vacs. The CT22 is not what I'd call a portable vacuum, (such as carrying to a car). But, if you're able to wheel it out to the car without having to carry it down stairs, then it could still do the job quite easily.

One thing I do like about my CT22 for everyday household vacuuming is that in the two years of use, I have yet to fill up the initial bag. Compared to the little bags in the other two vacs which required replacement every two or three cleanings, the CT22 really shines.

 

[andy5405]

I wrote the following stuff about the CT26 on another thread about a year ago. Festool Australia sent me an email and asked if they could use it in a newsletter.

1. The fleece bags on the CT are awesome. The capacity is great and they don't lose suction over their life. I have used mine for 6 months and I'm always amazed when I open the unit how clean the Hepa filter is. I take this to mean that the bags as the primary method of filtration are doing such a good job that the Hepa filter hardly needs to be there. The whole unit always looks like new inside.

2. You can stack systainers on the CT and this can be really handy even if you only use it  to get tools in and out of a job. Clients are always impressed and it starts the job with a statement of intent. Without moving your lips you have told your clients that you have a professional approach.

3. There is somewhere to keep the power lead. It is a small thing but invaluable and so often overlooked on other extractors.  

4. On the same note the hose garage is invaluable. I love the fact that I can store the hose neatly when the tool is not in use.

5. You can lock off the front wheels easily so it doesn't slide around your van like a bumper car on crack.

6. The hose is the perfect length to go with a Plug-it cable and this is one tiny part of the extensive approach that Festool have towards an overall system.

7. On the system note, you can turn your CT into a work centre either with the Festool WCR or something home made.

8. The CT26 in particular also looks so damned cool compared to other extractors. It's comforting after you have just paid for it!

9. Again on the CT26, it is the perfect size for me working in domestic properties where space is limited. I have enough capacity though I can still carry it up stairs. It is still heavy particularly when the bags are close to full but is a good compromise between functionality and weight. I was going to get a Midi and I'm glad the Festool dealer talked me into having the CT26.

10. I had a meeting the other day regarding what could be lots of work for next year. The guy told me his installation manager is a Festool junkie and meticulous about his work. I had mentioned that I use Festool tools and dust extraction. He then told me that he knew my work would be good as no-one who buys Festool would do a rubbish job! His words not mine but I wasn't about to disagree! So owning CT26 in particular has probably secured my future for the whole of 2012.  

11. It is very quiet compared to other extractors/vacs that I have used and that really counts for a lot. I hate hate hat hate noisy hoovers and it is still possible to carry on a conversation when using the CT without having to raise your voice too much.

12. Customers are impressed by the CT. If I had a choice on spending £460.80 on either a CT or advertising I would always opt for the CT. Customers will tell their friends about you and you couldn't buy that amount goodwill or exposure with £460 through advertising.  

13. Finally the whole thing is just put together so well. It is an example of the Germans doing what they do best.

I don't think they included this bit though!

Edit:

I had an afterthought! The above was a long winded way to say the CT is good. Here's the short version. I was so so impressed with the CT/TS combination package on Thurs afternoon that I was grinning like a Cheshire cat at work. I really was in the zone and happy to be doing what I was doing and the tools were such a big part of that. It culminated in a bout of air guitar on my 4 foot level when Radio 2 played Summer of 69!
The customer was out!

 

[jonathan-m]

2. The suction is definitely less  the festool does have more suction power.   I my self have compared it with his Fein and my festool vacs and there is a noticeable difference.

I haven't used the newer CT models, my experience was with a CT33, but on that model the Fein & Festool were evenly matched, I couldn't notice much if any difference. So unless the newer CT's are more powerful than the old ones I can't agree.

On the numbers game, for whatever that's worth. I've long been trying to understand how vacs work.
CT vs Fein:
3900L/m vs 3600L/m. --> That's 108% for the CT vs Fein.
248mbar vs 270mbar  --> 108% for the Fein vs CT.

So as far as I understand the working of it all, the Fein has stronger suction at the nozzle than the CT, but the CT pulls in a larger volume of air.

Anyone with more knowledge on the subject who can explain further? If I'm incorrect about the workings, please correct me on this.

Either way, if I had to do it all over again, I'd be getting a CTL26E and additional HEPA filter (because it doesn't come with one standard in the EU  : ).