Festool Longlife Bag vs Oneida Dusty Deputy

Steven Owen

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Oct 4, 2017
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This may not be hard question.  Some might say both.  If you had to make choice, which would you choose for a Midi Vac.  The Dusty Deputy or the Midi Longlife bag?
 
I used Regular CT Bags - Then a Longlife Bag - On my CT 33 - For a while.
As my collection of Festool and other brands of tools grew (and it will) -
I switched to hooking up my Festool CT 33 and CT 26 -
To two ONEIDA DUST DEPUTY: Industrial (ALL) Steel Deluxe Cyclones.
The DD cyclones and their collection container cans are ALL METAL - NO PLASTIC.
Each ALL METAL Dust Deputy cost about twice what the “plastic” Dust Deputies cost.
You’ll probably have to go to Oneida’s web site to find this model DD.
The one hooked up to my CT 33 - Sits stationary - Directly on my shop’s concrete floor -
And the one hooked up to my CT 26 - Sits in a wooden “roll around” - With a copper wire - Attached to a DD’s METAL bolt - Dragging two large metal washers on the concrete shop floor.
I hook up all of the tools you see in my “signature block” - Including my jointer and planer - And they really SUCK (in a good way) more than sufficiently.
When the DD collection container cans fill up - I just open/empty ‘em.
I haven’t bought a CT collection bag (of any kind) in over a decade.
Yes. It did cost more “on the front end” to go “ALL METAL” - But I’ve more than “broke even” versus buying bags.

And... I’m probably going to “step on a lot of toes” here -
But in considering the “plastic” versus ALL METAL DD decision - Consider this:
I’ve NEVER had any of the multitude of problems posted on the FOG - Regarding Festool CT’s electronics (or tool holding woodworkers) getting “zapped” by “plastic” DD grounding problems.
Hurrah for those woodworkers who’ve never had a problem with the “plastic” DD’s.
I read enough to decide to completely avoid: Me, my tools, or my CT’s getting “zapped”.

 
Like Joe, I also have two steel Oneida cyclones sitting on top of 15 gallon steel paint/grease cans, I also have an Ultimate Dust Deputy sitting on top of a Midi.  Been using mine for years, have never cleaned or needed to clean the filters.  My Midi bags probably doesn't have enough dust inside that you would consider needing to dust your table off.
 
Joe Felchlin said:
Dearest, Dearest Mario:
... “pictures or it didn't happen”
A bit offensive.... Are you doubting my veracity?  [sad]

If I find the time, I’ll post some pictures.
If not... Believe it... Or not.
It’s a pretty simple setup - With/without photos.
https://www.oneida-air.com/inventor...&CatId={2C6BB449-99F9-4CB9-BC27-CAF1BB570002}
https://www.oneida-air.com/inventor...&CatId={A34256DD-0599-4A53-B7BA-EB8FB4C63260}

I’m still leaning pretty hard on getting the Dust Deputy instead.  The Longlife bag doesn’t  do a great job of protecting the filter from fine dust forcing you to buy the standard bag anyway.

It’s rather puzzling the Longlife bag wasn’t designed with fine dust filtering given it’s price tag.
 
Joe, thanks for the info, I had forgotten that Oneida had a metal cyclone. Did all your hoses fit up or did you have to make adjustments? Not a deal breaker just curious. Are you using anti static hoses also or just letting the metal cyclone take care of the static?

I was happy to see you report that your jointer and planer are handled by this system. I am using a similar planner and a dust rite system with an old craftsman 6 hp vac. It does very well with 2.5 inch hose.

From the various "scientific" youtube test I have seen I think the dust deputy beats my rockler dust right so I was planning on converting over and using the dust right in a dedicated system for my cnc. Nice to read about the metal system. I have been shocked but nothing more than annoying.
 
I use Festool 27/36/50 mm anti-static hoses (what I bought, originally) depending on the Festool in use.
But, I also use 4” non-anti-static hoses (Rockler/Woodcraft) with my jointer, planer, band saw, belt/disc sander, and Jessem router table.
I also use/like Rockler’s Dust Right® Universal Small Port Hose Kits.
The ALL METAL Dust Deputies seem to handle the grounding issues just fine.
Remember, they’re grounding to a concrete floor.

Fittings for the Dust Deputy are “challenging” (a pain in the butt) - Whether the cyclone’s plastic or metal.
Some guys use duct tape, but that’s a little too “dedicated” (permanent) of a setup for me. I’m usually changing hoses/tools, depending on what I’m doing.
With a little trial and error - And fittings from Rockler, Woodcraft, and the plumbing department at HD - I “cobbled together” a “swap out system” that’s quick and functional.
With any of 6-8 different size connection fittings, I can quickly adapt any hose to the DD intake ports. I just keep ‘em sitting on top of the DD’s collection canisters - And grab the one for the hose I’m going to use.
The hoses from the DD’s outlets - To my Festool CT’s - Are done with short Festool 36mm AS hoses - Connected by Rockler connector fittings.
Virtually no material is actually going into the CT. It went into the Dust Deputy.
So... This hose connection is really just to create suction from the CT vacuum.
Again... The ALL METAL Dust Deputies seem to handle the grounding issues just fine.

As Sedge says: “I hope this helps”.
 
If you connect the AS hoses from tool to metal DD to Festool VAC... the DD is grounded by the hose to the vac ground, right?

Static buildup will differ vastly depending on what climate you live in. Low humidity is a big factor.

[member=66154]Steven Owen[/member]; depends on what volume we're talking about and if mobile or stationary use. My CT 22 / 26 fits under the CS50. I don't see a DD next to / on top of it in that location. I would love to save the 8 bucks per bag, but it would cost me a long time to break even. I would definitely hate to empty a bag over emptying a can. All in all I have spend more on buying the vac than buying bags. With just DIY use it takes a while to fill up a bag. The 8 bucks per bag is a pita, but not using the vac is [...] dust everywhere and three days sick due to allergies and probably shortened life.

If you don't have the vac under a CS50 and it's stationary use; the DD, definitely.
 
I just use the standard bag. I go thru one bag once a quarter. The cyclone would take up real estate that I use on top of the ct or shop floor space. I have no problem paying the 5-10 bucks a bag to get space back. Also it would take me 3-5 years to see a return on any secondary system.
 
I would have definitely agreed with Blaszcsj...
Had I been using only the hand tools he has listed in his “signature block”.
“Early On” that was my situation, too.

Once I was using my jointer, planer, band saw, router table, etc. -
And doing woodworking several days a week - I started creating a LOT of wood waste.
Continuing to use bags would have been way too expensive.
Going to my ALL METAL Industrial Dust Deputy setup was a “no brainer”.

Again... Most importantly for me - I went to the ALL METAL Industrial Dust Deputy -
Due to all the people/tools/CT’s getting “zapped” problems - That I was reading about on the FOG. The Ultimate DD is a good space saver - But Oneida’s “retro fix-it” solution - And the other FOGers’ improvised fixes (copper tape/hose bridging) -
That I read about in post after post on the FOG - With Festool CT’s getting “zapped” and failing - Just wasn’t for me and the large investment I had in my tools.

The initial cost of the ALL METAL Industrial Dust Deputy WAS more expensive...
But... My Return On Investment was much less than a year - And it works.
In the end, I suppose the decision is really based on...
The kinds of tools you’re using - And how much you use “em.

 
Adding a cyclone (irrelevant the model, as long as it works) makes sense when youcreate lots of chips and fast.
So should you use planers, routers or ZOBO bits on a regular basis... it'll pay for itself within a reasonable timeframe.
 
The only real drawback of the Festool CT Dust Deputy is the price.  It’s silly that is priced at $349 Canadian/$299 USD for what essentially is a plastic box.

It beats paying $90 bucks a pop to replace HEPA filters on regular basis.
 
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