Festool CT-15 and Dust Deputy

[mackaygtrs]

Hi,
Has anyone used their Festool dust extractors with a Dust Deputy?

Right now I am using a Ridgid 6hp Shop Vac with a DD and today I purchased a CT-15. I'm wondering if I am defeating the whole purpose/functionality of the CT-15 if I added in the DD. Obviously it will prolong the bag and separate any chips from my TS-55 into the bucket but is it necessary?

I see they make a DD for the higher up Festools but that's another $300 plus about another $300 upgrade on the extractor.

I'm also wondering if I will see much of a difference from the Ridgid and DD setup vs the CT-15 or CT-15 with the DD.

Reviews are a bit mixed, some say they get the same results from a shop vac with an added HEPA filter.

Did I make a good choice in my purchase. I was not interested in the Bluetooth or Systainer tray option from the Midi so figured I would save the $240 for another tool.
Thanks

 

[squall_line]

There are a significant number of people on here using a Dust Deputy, a CT-VA 20, and other cyclonic separators.  The search at the top of the forum will show many returns about fitting a Dust Deputy or the other models.

 

[ChuckS]

I have a DD used with a shop vac (HEPA) filter for the Kapex. I also have a CT 15 used alone for DF500, Pro5 Ltd sanders etc. If you can wait, when it isn't too cold, I can hook up the CT15 to the DD to see if there's any difference.

Right now, here it's been freezing like h-e-l-l (outside -20C to -35C). I don't want to use lots of heat to warm up the shop.

 

[ChuckS]

Thanks to the Chinook winds, we're having a two-day break from the deep freeze. The shop was heated up (it was 15C something at the end of the shop session after 4.5 hours of work).

I used the DD with the CT15. Based on the brief use (90* and 45* bevels; standard rubber dust boot), there seemed to be insignificant difference between the CT15% and shop vac.

- vac 1.jpg & vac 2.jpg show the result after one of the cuts using the CT15 with the DD
- the last two, the shop vac with the DD (my standard set-up).

I also tried some edge cuts, and again, the difference was mild, with the shop vac /DD performing very slightly better.

May be the CT15 would perform better with a shorter hose connected to the DD.

 

[Steve1]

I'm wondering if I am defeating the whole purpose/functionality of the CT-15 if I added in the DD.

Huh ?  Don't really understand this

Obviously it will prolong the bag and separate any chips from my TS-55 into the bucket but is it necessary?

Sure, that is the purpose of the DD.    You know (or will soon know) those Festool vacuum bags are not cheap.
Most (all?) of the Festool dust extractors use the same motor/blower, its just the size of the bag that changes.  CT-15 is not all that big.
Usefulness of a cyclone depends on how you use your dust extractor. 
If you are just using the CT-15 on portable power tools, such as sanders and circular saws, you don't need a cyclone.  The added size of the cyclone would not really be worth the trouble.
But for me, my CT-36 is my shop dust collection system.  When I use my table saw, I hook up the CT-36.  The saw sends quite a bit of chips to the CT-36.  But a cyclone was not a necessity.
And then I bought a jointer.  The jointer can fill up my CT-36 in a few minutes.  No brainer - need to get a DD. 

Its pretty awkward to move the CT and the DD as separate pieces of equipment.  Better to mount them together, so they roll as one.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I know I'm resurrecting an older thread, but I've gotta say, Dust Deputies rock!

My son brought home a ute load of about 40L/M or so of really nice quality Jarrah flooring that'd been pulled up out of a job, so I hooked up the Midi to the thicknesser and took them all from 19mm to 14mm thick as I'll use them for whisky presentation boxes.

I filled 3 x 20L drums with the shavings, and when if was full each time the Midi sucked some shavings in. The second pic is when I emptied the long life bag which filled the drum about 1/3rd high.

The Midi easily kept up with the aggressive planing, and the DD is just such a massive time and effort saver! Having a long life bag is really worth the investment too!

 

[ChuckS]

I second...I have two DDs (one for the Kapex and one for the drill press/sanding station). I don't even bother to check how full the shop vacs are.

 

[waho6o9]

DD on a dust extractor is a great idea, a grounding wire is recommended, but some scoff at the idea.

 

[ChuckS]

DD lists it as an optional step:

https://www.oneida-air.com/question/how-should-the-dust-deputy-be-grounded-/

There's no harm doing the grounding, of course.

 

[Coffeehouse]

I use a cheap cyclone on a selfmade wooden box for my CTL Mini and am quite happy with the results. There is not much coming through the cyclone into the vacuum bag. The systainer latches are 3D printed and the cyclone has an OsVac adapter. Since I have a multitude of different brand machines, the hose connection often times doesn't fit so I print my own with the OsVac connector.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I second...I have two DDs (one for the Kapex and one for the drill press/sanding station). I don't even bother to check how full the shop vacs are.

I've had a CT36 hooked up to a DD sitting on a ~60L tank connected to my CNC the last 15+ years, I think I've emptied the CT maybe 3 times so far!

They're a game changer for sure and more than worth every cent.

 

[ChuckS]

I've had a CT36 hooked up to a DD sitting on a ~60L tank connected to my CNC the last 15+ years, I think I've emptied the CT maybe 3 times so far!

They're a game changer for sure and more than worth every cent.

That sounds about right because I had little to almost nothing to dump from my Kapex shop vac during the last check (which has been heavily used). I haven't checked the vac's drum since pandemic!

 

[luvmytoolz]

That sounds about right because I had little to almost nothing to dump from my Kapex shop vac during the last check (which has been heavily used). I haven't checked the drum since pandemic!

With light use I empty the drum, which is a cut down large gas tank, probably once a fortnight or so. If I'm doing a lot of machining it's emptied every couple days. So long as the tank doesn't overfill almost nothing ends up in the CT.