I need a vac

[jeep jake]

Hey guys I'am looking to purchase a vac soon I really want a mini, however I was told I should go with a ct26 cause I will be used with a track saw, miter saw a router, hopefully a domino soon. What do you guys think? Other people have told me a mini will be fine. I do mostly site work so the smaller the better.

 

[Timtool]

For site work i have a mini because in the workshop it is the only one i could get to fit under the kapex bench.
On site you need to be cutting sanding and routing steadily to fill the bag more than once, i never managed to!

 

[peter halle]

The suction is the same between all the models.  For a contractor who will have only one dust extractor I would recommend a CT26 due to the Hepa Certification.  You never know when and if.  If you never think that the need will arise for a full certified unit, then get a mini and an add on Dust Deputy to collect debris before the unit.

Peter

 

[ccarrolladams]

Hey guys I'am looking to purchase a vac soon I really want a mini, however I was told I should go with a ct26 cause I will be used with a track saw, miter saw a router, hopefully a domino soon. What do you guys think? Other people have told me a mini will be fine. I do mostly site work so the smaller the better.

As far as suction goes, a current Mini or Midi has the same capacity as a CT26, CT36 or CT48. All current Festool dust extractors sold in the USA and Canada are HEPA certified. Older models of the Mini and Midi did not include HEPA filters.

The difference is the capacity of the bag. Obviously a Mini or Midi weighs less and has a slightly smaller footprint. Often the economics has to do with the amount of dust to be collected and the nature of that dust.

In my extensive experience the tract saws handle easier using the 36mm hose. The connection is direct and the same as the 27mm hose on the larger CT. However, with a Mini or Midi, the 36mm hose must enter from the top, through the hose garage, meaning when using the 36mm hose you cannot place Systainers on your Mini or Midi.

You mention an interest in a Kapex. This also really needs not just a 36mm hose, but a shortened one. With the Kapex a Mini or Midi has an advantage when located under the Kapex. The 36mm hose goes into the vac from the top, which eliminates a bend in the hose. That in turn improves dust collection. The fact is that the Kapex generates a mall volume of dust and no chips, so the limited capacity of a Mini's bag is not extravagant with the Kapex.

However, with the OF1400 and OF2200 you absolutely need a 36mm hose and they fill bags quickly because the chips they create are large and do not compact. All routers also produce saw dust as well. The two smaller routers, the OF1010 and the MFK700 do not produce a lot of chips and only work with the 27mm hose, so they are practical with the smaller CT.

When people ask me for suggestions, I want them to consider how they wil be using their Festools. I own a large custom cabinet business and we do few installs, where many folks use the Mini. I have DIY pals who do not fill a bag on an old CT22 in a year. They would be happy with a Mini unless they want to use a boom arm, which requires one of the larger CT.

 

[TOOLTOWN]

There was another discussion on this recently.  Here is the discussion.

Ken

 

[3PedalMINI]

If your a mobil contractor I would go with the MIDI, Ive used it on my Kapex,TS55 and all of the sanders also drywall dust including vacuuming my clients rooms and  im about half full (got it early january) It is such a nice size. If i had to pull my CT26 in and out of the van daily I dont think i would be a happy camper  [huh]

If you mostly do shop work and the occasional site work then i would just go ahead and get the 26. My MIDI is Hepa Certified  [smile]

 

[Integrity_Construction]

I started off with just the CT 26 which is fantastic, but then I added a MIDI for site work because even the 26 can become lumbersome to constantly move around. Great thing is there no loss in performance between the models, just capacity, which for me isn't a deal breaker....I would rather have a lighter unit for site work.

David

 

[GPowers]

I started off with just the CT 26 which is fantastic, but then I added a MIDI for site work because even the 26 can become lumbersome to constantly move around. Great thing is there no loss in performance between the models, just capacity, which for me isn't a deal breaker....I would rather have a lighter unit for site work.

David

Plus one here I too started off with the CT22 and then 18 month later add a Midi. I have a boom-arm on the CT22, so the CT22 never leaves the shop. So the Midi is used for non-shop work and when not out of the shop it lives under the Kapex.

 

[skids]

I have a Midi and love it, capacity is excellent and it's HEPA. I will say I do want to get a CT26 because I find going in between my Kapex 36mm hose and then going to sanding with a 27mm AS hose is a PIA. It hasnt' been mentioned here, but swapping hoses on a 26 or higher is much more user friendly than on the midi or Mini. For that reason and adding a boom arm etc I would like to permanently use my midi  for my Kapex and get a CT26.

Midi is an excellent starting point and I do LOVE the portability of it. It's just the hose storage, cord storage that is inferior to the larger vacs. Overally I couldn't be happier with my midi.

 

[Integrity_Construction]

I have a 50 mm on my 26 which is pretty much dedicated to the Kapex, and use the Midi for everything else, unless I have a bunch of cutting to do with one of the tracksaws, in which case I hook up to the 26 just for extra capacity and boom arm

Dave

 

[Schmidt And Co]

If your a mobil contractor I would go with the MIDI, Ive used it on my Kapex,TS55 and all of the sanders also drywall dust including vacuuming my clients rooms and  im about half full (got it early january) It is such a nice size. If i had to pull my CT26 in and out of the van daily I dont think i would be a happy camper  [huh]

This is exactly where I'm at right now. I started out with a CT26 and its a great vac for larger jobs. But it's just to big to keep in the van all the time. I'm in the position where I find myself not using my kit to the fullest extent because I just don't have the truck space.

While picking up some abrasives today I took a good look at the midi for the first time and really like it. It's just the right size for me and I'm already planning the corner of the van it's going to get.

 

[truck90278]

Would you consider the midi adequate for general shop use, i'm considering one and also the shop cleanup set to use with it - i undestand the midi will take the 36 hose, but a bit of a fit

 

[ccarrolladams]

Would you consider the midi adequate for general shop use, i'm considering one and also the shop cleanup set to use with it - i undestand the midi will take the 36 hose, but a bit of a fit

As stated above, the Mini and Midi can accept the 36mm hose.

However, to do so tere may be no Systainers on the Hose Garage, because the 36mm hose goes through that to connect to the inlet port.

 

[Integrity_Construction]

Would you consider the midi adequate for general shop use, i'm considering one and also the shop cleanup set to use with it - i undestand the midi will take the 36 hose, but a bit of a fit

I wouldn't be afraid to do so.....it will do everything a ct 26, 36 and 48 will do, just with less capacity. I think the midi is a great all around size.

Dave

 

[TurnagainD]

If I could only have one vacation it would be the CT26 hands down. Sure it is bigger, but not so big that its a hassle.  Plus it is easier to hook the 36mm hose and has better cord storage.  If all you did was sand and occasionally saw, the midi is great, otherwise the 26 is the way to go.

 

[NERemodeling]

hey all,
I too am new to the Festool scene and am planning out my future purchases, i do 95% site work and always thought i would go with the CT36 based on the larger capacity and better $/volume of replacement bags  the specs show that's its only about 2" taller than the 26, is it really that cumbersome? 

i'm currently using a 12gal rigid so anything seems small and i have a trailer with a dedicated spot for my vac and the 36 just fills it up nicely

not sure if this is looked down upon but does any one use their CT for general remodeling debris cleanup?  i don't really want to keep two vacs in the trailer

 

[BMH]

The CT22 was my first vac the only complaint is that it is cumbersome to move from room to room and up stairs especially for short projects. I got the MIDI for my Kapex and it has become my favorite vacuum. Easy to carry around and has the same power as the larger models. Mobility of the vacuum is key in on site work with Festools.

If I had to do site large debris cleanup regularly I would buy an Oneida dust deputy that I can hook up to a large garbage can. A couple of people have done it and you can find different treads in this site about it.

Bruce

 

[semenza]

Personally I think the DD would be more cumbersome for site work than a larger vac. If you are not doing much routing or planning on site then the Mini/Midi  capacity will be plenty. If you are cleaning up large quantities of debri, routing and planning, then a CT26 will be a better all around site work choice. Compared to a regular round style shop vac ... none of the CTs (save maybe the 48) are cumbersome.

[2cents]

Seth

 

[TurnagainD]

I agree with Seth, none of the vacs are cumbersome but they do start to get heavy. Last summer we sanded the exterior timbers of a house we were building and the midi was always first up the scaffold. The CT26 went up too, just not as easily. I have no issue using either for general cleaning, except for the extra $150 for a cleaning set...

 

[Alan m]

i have a ct22. its great . but it is heavy whent he bag is full . i will get a midi for site use and leave the ct22 in the shop or only bring it on site on larger jobs.