Is this all I can expect?

[rnt80]

It's only been within the last year that I jumped into the Festool world and for the most part I've been really pleased with my purchases.  The idea of a system has fit well into what I do.  However, I've never really been impressed with the dust collection capabilities of my CT22.  I've included a picture of my Kapex after making 5 cuts in solid stock that was on average 3/4" thick and 2-3" wide.  I'm using a 2" hose that's 10' long and my 22 is on full suction.  The dust collection that I've got with my 1400 has always been okay.  I don't notice any appreciable dust when sanding but the inside of my 150 has quite a bit of dust in it when I'm done.  I wouldn't be skeptical except for the fact that many have touted the dust collection capabilites of the whole system.  Are my expectations too high or could my CT22 not be up to par.  Incidently, it seems like there is hardly any suction when I disconnect it from the Kapex.  Certainly not enough to use it as a vacuum in the general sense.  I've changed the bag and knocked the filters.

 

[Wonderwino]

Have you turned the suction all the way up?  If you take the hose off, does it suck better at the inlet?  I've had to knock big chips out of my hose on occasion, especially after doing some aggressive routing while the hose was curled. 

 

[rnt80]

I've tried that.  The suction is all the way up and I just banged the hose around this afternoon.  No real difference.  Do you have any of the sanders?  If so, do they typically collect a lot of dust on the inside?

 

[Warrior]

russ,

did you make sure that the vac is set to rabbit? I have a CT22 and love it. I find it much more powerful than my fein T3. I use a fein T1 for my kapex and get much better collection than you are experiencing.

 

[Warrior]

I do have some fine dust from sanding finishes but generally all the wood dust gets to the vac. One annoying thing with the festool hoses is that they tend to collect dust at the end of the hose so when you pull the hose to pack up a bunch of dust falls out onto the floor you just vacuumed    There must be some turbulance or a vortex created where the hose connects to the vac.

 

[rnt80]

Yup, it's all the way to rabbit.  Like I've said I've never been really impressed with the suction.  I can't imagine using this with the clean up set that Festool sells.  Maybe I'm too used the suction that I get from my shopvac.

 

[Wonderwino]

I've got the CT33 which is essentially a CT22 with a larger bag.  I have the same dust problem where the hose connects to the inlet.  I just leave the vac running and pull the hose off far enough to clear it. 

I can't help but think you've got a "furball" somewhere in that hose.  Does the vac labor more when you attach the hose while it is running?

If it is that obvious that it is lacking suction, try calling Festool for service.  They should stand behind it.

 

[nickao]

Although I have always like the Feins better you have a problem.

The suction on a new CT is unbelievable and even stronger than the Fein suction initially.

If the CT is not producing the most suction you have seen out of the same type vac your machine is broken.

I can stick the end on the floor or the table and it stays stuck to the table. I have been using the CT as a vacuum hold down device and it works great, , I can route and the piece do not move.

Yes the dust sticks in the ends of the hose, that is common.

Something is wrong.

 

[nickao]

Check the suction with NO hose, if it is weaker or stronger than with the hose on you will know where the problem is.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Something's definitely not right with so much dust shooting forward (towards the users), it's clogged or you've got a bad vac as Nick said.

 

[erikfsn]

Both of my Festool vacuums have really powerful suction, so I would also agree yours is experiencing difficulties of some sort.
Suggestions above are good ones.

 

[thender]

[I tend to agree that you may have a furball.  If possible visually confirm there's no clog - stretch it out and check with a flashlight. 

Or try to roll a small ball through the hose...  or blow it out with compressed air.

Getting a long hose straight enough to look through can be tough...

The other thing (forgive me if it was already mentioned) is to put in a new bag.  Even if the old one doesn't seem to be full.  Can't hurt, and it eliminates a big variable...

-TH

 

[mattfc]

The only time I have this is if I cut wrong on my KAPEX, e.g. lower the blade onto the work but haven't pulled the slide far enough out so get lazy and cut a little pulling it toward me before pushing back.. that tends to bring the dust forward. If I start at the front pushing the blade back it works much better.

Stating the obvious, but a fairly full dust bag also causes a significant drop in suction

 

[peter halle]

I recently had the same sort of problem with my ct22.  Decreased suction - wondering if something was wrong.  Changed my bag.  same thing.  Pulled the hose and checked both ends.  Nothing showing.  Then I tried pulling the hose with the ct22 running.  Hard to do.  Put hose back on and with unit running straighteneed out the hose and inserted a piece of shoe molding.  Clog in the middle of the hose.  Cleared out and works great.  Don't know what the clog was but I suspect it was a scrap of wood kicked up by my non-Kapex mitersaw that got stuck somehow.

Might try this.

Peter

 

[gckc117]

I had a similar problem with my 33, which I use regularly for sanding, sawing and cleaning and typically works great.  There was little to no suction at the end of the hose and at the vacuum itself.  I had gotten lazy and the bag was full, but even after changing there was low suction at the hose.  I checked for clogs and couldn't really find anything but eventually after fumbling around for a while a mass of fine dust (really a lot) comes out of the hose.  I think it must have gotten stuck at a point and accumulated more dust and density, but was still soft and kind of hard to find.  The 33 is fine now and like I said, I use it for cleaning and its great, I do have a little residual dust in sanders but generally speaking, with a ts55, ro150 and cleaning attachments the collection is great.

 

[daves1996]

I have seen in a video somewhere, that a guy took a sander with the vacuum attached and on high then placed it on a board to be sanded. Lifted it in the air and swung it around for awhile. Just to demonstrate the suction of the CT22. Yours should be able to do the same thing but you don't need to hurt yourself trying it.

Dave

 

[Toolpig]

Something is wrong with your vac.  The CT22 is the most powerful vac I've ever used.

Jason

Yup, it's all the way to rabbit.  Like I've said I've never been really impressed with the suction.  I can't imagine using this with the clean up set that Festool sells.  Maybe I'm too used the suction that I get from my shopvac.

 

[tbellemare]

I've plugged up hoses on a CT 22 with a router and also with a planer. It sounds like it's the hose. And though it was already stated, it's easy to tell. Take the hose off and compare the suction at the outlet on the machine.

I sell CT's and Shop Vacs. CT's are stronger (and quieter, and better).

Tom