How Do You Make a CT MINI Suck Water?

[williaty]

OK, for the purposes of this discussion, assume one of the new-style CT MINIs just released in 2011 that now has the same motor, blower, and filter as the big lineup. Second, assume that I have absolutely no CT-accessories (in point of fact, I don't  [big grin]).

So, I am a mechanic by trade and am picking up some Festools to be able to make basic things out of wood for myself. I want a CT MINI for dust extraction with the Festools I'll be getting but I also want to be able to use it for general cleaning around the shop. One of the things I do in the shop is engine building, which demands a HIGH level of cleanliness. I typically vacuum the floor and then spray it down with water, scrub the water around, and then vacuum the water up. The wet/dry vac I've been using to do this for the last couple of years has died which is why this duty will now fall to the CT MINI. So, if I start from just the CT MINI kit (583360), what do I need to add to make it suck water? Wet filter (which part number in light of the 2011 update?)? Floor nozzle (part number?)? Anything else I'll need?

I really am in your hands with this one since the Festool website, catalog, and CT supplement are all sort of in disarray and disagreement given the model update. Also, I was planning on buying the Tradesman Cleaning Set (497700) rather than the Workshop Cleaning Set since the Tradesman's is cheaper. Is that a good or bad idea in light of the water up-sucking?

Thanks.

 

[ajones]

Hi

The ct mini would be about the last vac I would buy for any wet clean up the tub is just to small and the vac to expensive for the purpose

I would buy a cheap wet vac and keep the mini for more suitable uses. [2cents] assured longevity [cool]

 

[peter halle]

I am going to move this into the Ask Festool Area.

Peter Halle - Moderator

 

[chrisrosenb]

All you will need are these 2 items.  Remember to remove the bag.

Wet filter

Compact cleaning kit

 

[paul_david_thomas]

The mini/midi is just fine for sucking water. Just ensure you allow any residue water to dry out (use an old rag to speed it up) before putting back in your half used normal vac bag.

Now, I use this to solve a common plumbing problem.

If you cut vertical water pipes that you then need to re-solder you have the issue where you still have water in the pipes. When you heat the pipe (to apply the solder) you end up boiling the water in the pipe and screw up any chance off getting the solder to run via the flux.

So, bring in your little vac and suck the water out before soldering. It's pretty rare you get these situations as you can usually drain the water out through a drain cock/valve.

I've used my mini to retrieve a 4" drain bung (used to pressure test pipes) after it slipped down my 4" soil pipe. Stick the hose down the hole, switch the vac on and pull lost bung out.

 

[Brice Burrell]

....I've used my mini to retrieve a 4" drain bung (used to pressure test pipes) after it slipped down my 4" soil pipe. Stick the hose down the hole, switch the vac on and pull lost bung out.

That's a good one but I've got you beat.  I've used my CT vacs to suck up money.  I used to do maintenance on a self service carwash.  Every wash bay had 1 3/4" metal conduit run underground to the control box/coin meter to collect the money (quarters).  The collection system would use a large four motor vac to suck the coins into a safe in the equipment room.  From time to time the system would clog up.  I'd use my CT vac with a section of 2 1/2" hose with a long piece of 1 1/2" light weight polypropylene piping that was flexible enough to snake it's way down the metal conduit.  I'd have to pull out the filter bag and use an old sponge cut down to act as a wet filter since I never bothered to buy the Festool version.  I needed the sponge filter because people would always end up spraying the control box, inadvertently (or deliberately just to see what would happen) so there always be some water in the conduit. 

Getting our polypropylene pipe in conduit from the equipment room side was easy since it was below floor and easy to reach.  Attacking the clog from wash bay end was much harder.  The control box was mounted at five feet so you'd have to hold this long pipe up over your head as you jammed it down the conduit.  The first five feet or so were easy but as you hit the curve underground it became much harder to force the pipe down.  Inevitably a customer's curiosity would be piqued and they would have to come see what was happening.  So there I would be holding up eight feet of pipe sticking out of the control box with the vac running at full speed trying to come up with a plausible explanation and still not let the cat out of the bag that the vac setting right next to me is filled with $500 in quarters. [big grin]           

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Since this was moved the the Ask Festool section, I will respond but the members have already given the answer. You'll just need the wet filter, which has not changed or been updated, and a cleaning kit of your choice. The main filters are replaced with the wet filter. Remove the bag for wet applications.

The compact cleaning kit would be the least expensive option.

 

[greenMonster]

Thought this was going to be a leadin to a joke...

 

[Alan m]

i wonder if a pre seperator (dust deputy) would be easier to empty.

 

[tiralie]

I'd use my CT vac with a section of 2 1/2" hose with a long piece of 1 1/2" light weight polypropylene piping that was flexible enough to snake it's way down the metal conduit. 

How the hell did you figure that out?
Pretty creative solution.
Too bad you weren't able to keep what you got [tongue]
Tim

 

[williaty]

Since this was moved the the Ask Festool section, I will respond but the members have already given the answer. You'll just need the wet filter, which has not changed or been updated, and a cleaning kit of your choice. The main filters are replaced with the wet filter. Remove the bag for wet applications.

The compact cleaning kit would be the least expensive option.

Which floor nozzles are capable of sucking up water? Is one better at it than the others?

 

[williaty]

The ct mini would be about the last vac I would buy for any wet clean up the tub is just to small and the vac to expensive for the purpose

The total amount of water I end up sucking off the floor when doing this is only about 3L. That's not going to be a challenge for the MINI

 

[AlexThePalex]

Which floor nozzles are capable of sucking up water? Is one better at it than the others?

One of these two wide nozzles below are the best choice. On the left the cheap solution with 3 inserts. Use the front most for water. On the right the expensive high quality nozzle with no inserts but the same functionality.

[attachimg=1]

 

[williaty]

One on the left is the Interchangeable Floor Nozzle (452906) and the one on the right is the Industrial Floor Nozzle (452908)?

 

[AlexThePalex]

That's a yups.

 

[Kev]

A little story ...

My son was helping me paint a bedroom. Being lazy, I'd normally shake a 4 litre can of ceiling white vigorously to mix it before opening the tin. So ... here you go son, hold it like this - shake it like this ... hold it tight. No sooner had I turned, there was a big bang and a yelp. YEP! He'd dropped the can on the carpet, the lid had flown off, and all of the white paint had made a pooled area about a metre in diameter, with some other interesting "explosion trajectories" decorating furniture, walls, electronics, etc.

The CT-Mini saved the day ... I kept wetting the paint (Good Aussie paint is as thick as honey) and sucking it up.

The cleanup took over two hours, but you'd never know it happened - read "my wife never knew it happened!" ... we broke down and told her in the end, so she went and cast her witchy poo eyes all over, but couldn't find a sign of the accident.

That little Festool paid for itself about four times over in just a couple of hours that day  [eek]

 

[paul_david_thomas]

Paint removal... Yes, I can see that working. Dabbing the stuff up, well, that just pushes it into the floor surface. Glad to see you got a 'wife does not know' finish. I hope your son was put on bread and water for a week!

Well, later on today, I think I might have to extract a saniflow (the work of the devil). It's got a 3m 50mm vertical rise from it, full of - water....

I will get my new CTL26 and see how it goes ...

I'm now waiting for the first surgeon who's using it for the extraction of blood during operations I know we've got to have a surgeon amongst us....

 

[Kev]

I'm now waiting for the first surgeon who's using it for the extraction of blood during operations I know we've got to have a surgeon amongst us....

LOL ... or a dentist ...

Dentist to assistant ...

"Mildred, please turn the suction down ... and be a dear and sort through the bag later - you'll come across Mr Jones tongue if we're lucky!"