Festool CT cyclone vac.

[Brice Burrell]

  There has been a few threads on the use of cyclones with Festool vacs in the last month or two. What if Festool made a CT vac with an integral cyclone. I'd buy one, would you?

 

[Corwin]

Yep, might be a good excuse for a second CT!  Sweet if they could eliminate the external hose from CT to cyclone too -- just one nice clean package.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Yep, might be a good excuse for a second CT!  Sweet if they could eliminate the external hose from CT to cyclone too -- just one nice clean package.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

That is a great idea, assuming it would be more compact than current stand alone mini-cyclones.  A modular unit designed to connect to the top of the CT 22 and CT 33 like a Systainer does would be excellent.  Leave some space under it so the Hose Garage can be accessed without having to remove the "Cyclainer.'

Dave R.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

        Oh that would be  8)  Maybe Jonny Round Boy would like to do a Sketchup model?     For a home made one how about a Systainer - V  with a bucket and lid type cyclone inside. Like the one Bru recently posted  http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=386.0    Maybe the bucket could be cut short enough to fit in the systainer.  No real purpose served , just kinda cool if it was in a systainer.

Seth

 

[Corwin]

Now we're talking!      ;D

 

[jonny round boy]

Hi,

        Oh that would be  8)   Maybe Jonny Round Boy would like to do a Sketchup model?  

Seth

Seth - I'd be happy to, but unfortunately I only have a CT mini, not a 22 or 33. Trying to draw festool gear from catalog pictures is near impossible, I always measure from the real item.

But if anyone's got a CT22 they want to send me FOC...... ;D

 

[Eli]

Just draw the mini and stretch it!

 

[greg mann]

Marrying a mini-cyclone to a CT makes a lot of sense , and, also negates a need for the larger size bags. To keep the overall height down I think a 22 is a better choice than a 33. True, it would work with either if it works at all but the whole idea is to keep the dust out of the bag as long as possible, right? A mini or a midi would work but at the sacrifice of some power. Perhaps this is one of those "What we would like to see from Festool" issues: A well-engineered mini-cyclone with big machine power on a lowest possible profile configuration.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'd like to see a whole new vac, without a bag at all.

 

[Bill in seattle]

I'd like to see a whole new vac, without a bag at all.

Brice
Have you taken a look at the dirt trap pt #452925/6 $90/105 for the ct's? It is a bucket that fits in the bag area and replaces bags. It has a stainless mesh lid to keep the bulk out of the filters but you'll have to clean the fine dust off the filters occasionally.
Most bag less vacs really are not that efficient because the filters get plugged up before any capacity of the vac is utilized. You also have to decrud the filters and replace them more frequently if they can't be washed. the dirt trap is the best choice for the ct if you want to go this way, or you could try the long life bags. It is a 180 dollar investment  but It equals about 6 boxes of bags. Mine is about 7 years old now, I think I got my moneys worth. Just have to ROI it to justify the expense. Most of the g.c.'s I know use it or the dirt trap. The dirt trap will also hold water too. Ct's are wet/ dry vac's.
Food for thought,
Bill

 

[Brice Burrell]

Bill, I was thinking a new bag less vac with a cyclone, no need for a bag.

I have and use the dirt trap as you described. Dirt Trap review.

 

[greg mann]

The cyclone mitigates the need for a bag but I don't think it negates the need altogether. Dust collection and air filtration needs to be done in stages, I think. The cyclones gets the dog and cats, the bag (even a small one) gets what gets through and protects the HEPA filters from premature clogging. As Bill says, take the bag out and the HEPAs are too vulnerable. That is why my old Rigid vac with no bag was useless. The filter was blinded off in minutes from fine dust and only the biggest dogs fell to the bottom of the unit. Now I use it with a mini-cyclone and it will run for hours without clogging the Cleanstream filter. The only time it failed in this regard was when I got arrogant about its capabilities and vacuumed up a bunch of handplane shavings. They were too big to drop out of the cyclone and got sucked through the cyclone outlet and into the Rigid. Even then it pretty much filled the Rigid before I heard that telltale increase in amperage going through the motor. The filter did not blind off until there was no place for the shavings to go! Cyclones rock.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Brice,
  If you were going to meld a vac with a cyclone you could just attach the blower and motor to the top of the cyclone like a stationary unit. It would be top heavy.

Here's Oneida's portable:
http://www.oneida-air.com/newsite/portable.php

Shrink this down and paint it green ;D. The yellow one is too big and heavy(350 lbs) for stairs.
Mike

 

[Gene Howerton]

I like the idea that is going on in this thread.  The older thread had the cylone on top the CT, but question about getting all the dust and chips from the lunch box planer was never answered.  I have a lunchbox planer and normally just plane boards with it out on the driveway, if they made it in a Festool box, and it worked with the planer I would buy it in an instant.

From the older thread does a Dust Deputy connected to a lunchbox planer then to a CT work, or does the whole thing just choke on the amount of material?  Just wondering because I have been looking at the Dust Deputy.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Or you could leave the blower and motor low where it is,aim it upward, feed a hose from the intake of the fan to the top of the cyclone and have the cyclone dump directly into the hopper where the bags are now. You would need a fan that could handle small chips that got thru the cyclone.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

Gene,
 

does a Dust Deputy connected to a lunchbox planer then to a CT work, or does the whole thing just choke on the amount of material?

Depends on what you're planing. I have a clearview and it works good for hardwoods/shallow cuts but if I take a full width/max depth cut on softwood it will clog the cyclone. I still try to use it as much as possible.
Mike

 

[Gene Howerton]

Thanks Mike, I am a hobbiest so I can take it slow and get the all the dust, I mostly just plane popular, maple or cherry.  It would be great if Festool did have something like is being discussed.  I am pretty must addicted to this stuff, I can never have enough of they green boxes.

 

[semenza]

Thanks Mike, I am a hobbiest so I can take it slow and get the all the dust, I mostly just plane popular, maple or cherry.  It would be great if Festool did have something like is being discussed.  I am pretty must addicted to this stuff, I can never have enough of they green boxes.

Hey, ya' know that smell when you open a brand new Systainer?    Ohhh, Maaaannn, I love that smell. 8)

Seth