My wish/to get list ( got a little shorter today)

[Bill Wyko]

My wish list would have to be a Kapex. I have a Dewalt 12"csms and it's great. It's just too big for my shop. The next thing would be any Festool router. I use all my routers pretty regularly and I'd like the use of my ct33 with a router it's designed to work with. My shop is only 12x20 and it fills with dust fast if you can't extract it. :-[ The systainer also allows me to put 1/2 a dozzen tools in less than 4 sq ft. What kind of Systainer does the Kapex come in? ;D One(or more) more thing on my to get list is more Festool sanders. Talk about dust extraction. The sanders are great with the CT33. Clean air is a wonderful thing.

 

[Bill Wyko]

One wish came true today. I got the ROS150FEQ along with a few boxes of sandpaper. I've never used one but I've only heard good things. That's why I posted "wish/to get list" At least now I don't have to carry that big heavy wallet any more. ;D

 

[nickao]

Bill my wish is something with way more capacity then the 33. Bring them to NA please Festool I have seen them in Australia.

I just do not see how anyone can recommend getting the 22 over a 33 for a 75.00 difference. I filled 6 bags in two days using the 33. I must do a lot more cutting, sanding and routing then most. These things have nowhere near the quietness or capacity of the Fein Turbo III,. And the Fein Turbo III are better all around, hepa or not. I still get dust in the shop when I use the Ct's with the router and and drum sander and NONE with the Fein.

The Fein can handle my Performax 22/44, the Festool can not get all the dust and it is aggravating. After a month of using the Festool vacs I am convinced  the Fein's are better all around if you only look at dust collection. Some people complain the Fein are messy to change, with the Fein bags I have no problem at all.

I would get another Festool because with the Rotex  and other sanders the Festool vacs are totally dustless, but only one with a much larger capacity then the CT 33. Hopefully someday my wish will come true too.

Nickao

 

[Michael Kellough]

....the Fein Turbo III are better all around, hepa or not.

Nickao

Does the Turbo III have variable speed?

 

[nickao]

No and I do not care.

In my shop I find that I always have the festool(I have two Ct 33) on full power. I never have had the problem some guys have with to much suction. Probably because my bag is only empty for a really short period of time and the suction is therefore reduced. Or not to be an ass, but I know how to use these sanders. They DO NOT run themselves and there is skill required to run them. If I do have more suction I get over it with a certain touch, I never notice to much suction very often.

Plus when I am able and the bags are empty I use an open Y connection to two tools so I do not get full power anyway. Once the bag is about 1/4 full I can not use the open Y  and must close off one.

I think the variable speed is overrated. It definitely does not get much use by me, in my shop, doing what I do. Some guys swear by it, I just do not get it. It is quieter on low I like that.

nickao

 

[Bill Wyko]

My BIL made a mini cyclone to go on top of his ct22, it works great and holds more than 10 gallons. I'll be making one of those for myself someday. BTW I checked dust in the air with a particle counter to see how much dust got past the filters. It only went from 300ppm to 350ppm. The CT works very well. The other thing for me is my shop is so small that I almost have to have the ability to stack on top of the CT. Then I have the Boom to help too. |I have a Fein Multimaster and I will say, their quality is right there with Festool but the organizational ability of Festool tips the scale for me. I just need more room

 

[Bill Wyko]

BTW since this picture the systainer collection has grown by 4. They go on the right of the drill press.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Bill my wish is something with way more capacity then the 33. Bring them to NA please Festool I have seen them in Australia.........

Nickao

Hey, Nick, while in Henderson Ned Young and myself were having a conversation Michael Williams (Festool's marketing VP) about the CT 44 and CT 55. Festool didn't know how well sales would be for the large vac so they decided not to bring them here. Michael asked us if we were intersted in the 44/55, right off, I wasn't.  All three of us came up with the idea of maybe just bringing in the 44/55 without the motor units, so if you already have a 22 or 33 you could take the motor from them drop it on the body of the 44 or 55 to increase capacity. I really liked the idea, I'd be able to leave the body of a 44 or 55 with the boom arm attached in the shop and when I wanted the 22 for the job site just swap the motor out. What to you think of that?

 

[nickao]

That would be fine. Do the 44 and 55 have a larger CFM? If  not there would be no difference at all between doing what you suggest and purchasing a new 44 or 55.

I just wonder how well the Ct33 would work when the larger bag is used. It seems that the larger 44 and 55 should have bigger filters too.

I only fear that the performance would drop off long before the bigger bag was full due to the filter being designed for a smaller amount of total dust going through it, before needing replacement. Possibly the 44 or 55 need more power to run efficiently with all the dust in the filters caused from the larger bag and longer run time between cleanings.

In short, if the CT 33 can keep its current efficiency when the larger 44 or 55 bag is 1/2 or 3/4 full I would love to purchase the body and no motor.

Nickao

 

[Brice Burrell]

Nick, its my understanding that the CT 22, 33, 44  and the 55 all use the same motor.

 

[nickao]

Wow then there sure is a premium on the size difference, looks like almost triple for the  CT 55 if I read it right.  1632.00 USD just for a bigger housing? No wonder they did not thinkthey would sell any at that porice I think they are right.

CT 55 1721 AUD

I can get a 3HP grizzly cyclone for that and still have enough to hard pipe two or three tools with professional quality metal pipe to boot!

Grizzly Cyclone

 

[monte]

hey Nick,

but you get the handle & a cleaning kit included for that. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Scope of delivery:
? 1 fitted filter bag
? suction hose ? 27 mm x 3.5 m long, anti-static
? handle
? cleaning attachment set

 

[monte]

actually something's off, their ct22 comes in at about $976 after converting from Aussie dollars.  ??? ??? ???

$490 stateside.  ;D ;D

 

[nickao]

Well we do pay less than anyone else here in the US, but there is nothing else to compare it too until they offer it here.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

        I had been (still  am) very interested in getting a CT55 for the shop.  I went as far as  getting a price quote with shipping from the UK, and they were willing to sell it to me.  It was going to be something like  $2,100 USD. Ultimately I went with a CT33. But if a CT55 were available in the US I would buy one.

    I also thought about ordering the parts to expand the 33 to the size of a 55. I did not get as far as figuring a cost.  It does seem like it would not be too hard to just get what is needed to add in two "sections " to a 33. Then you would just have to get the bags from outside the US.  Shipping on the bags might not be too bad.

Seth

 

[semenza]

.  All three of us came up with the idea of maybe just bringing in the 44/55 without the motor units, so if you already have a 22 or 33 you could take the motor from them drop it on the body of the 44 or 55 to increase capacity. I really liked the idea, I'd be able to leave the body of a 44 or 55 with the boom arm attached in the shop and when I wanted the 22 for the job site just swap the motor out. What to you think of that?

Hi,

        It seems like swapping the motor in out  would get to be a nuisance.  Is it really that  quick to do?

Seth

 

[Woodenfish]

Nick,

I looked into the Fein Turbo III and compared it to the CT33.
The Fein specs out at 126 CFM airflow and 99" water lift while the CT33 specs out at 134 CFM and 90" water lift.
Are you saying that the Fein has stronger suction or that the Fein has better filtration or ???

In my shop there is so much fine dust generated by the tablesaw, jointer and planer going un-captured by my cyclone collector in general wood machining, let alone the stuff flying off the router table, that when I do use my TS55, Domino or ETS150, particle collection through the CT is very much indeed noticeable.  I really appreciate what these tools can do for me in reducing dust contamination but my shop is still a mess.

I will have to disagree with you on the usefulness of the variable speed. I use that function all the time to tune down the suction which helps the sand paper last longer, creates a better finish and is much easier on the ears. When using the CT on tools such as the Domino or attached to the Kreg K3, the ability to lower the suction which lowers the overall volume, helps me concentrate a little deeper than when the machines are blaring loud.

Now knowing that you have 2 CT33's, have you ever hooked them in series?
How does that affect overall performance?

I ask only because my $79 Ridgid has 3 times the CFM rating than my CT and find it much more better on the mitersaw than the CT.
Somehow the CT reportedly performs outstanding with the Kapex.
Maybe some green or black magic?

 

[nickao]

You know I do not care what the specs say. I am going by real world experience having two Fein and two Festool side by side in my shop and the Fein are better to me. If you look up some reviews even Fine woodworking places the Fein 1st by a nice margin and so do many other reviews. I do not know if there is mathematically more suction they feel the same, the Fein just sucks at high power longer than the Festool. I notice the Festool losing power at least 2 hours before the Fein and I am not exaggerating. I have tested them one after another and this is the case here in my shop with the vacs I have. And I have two of each so nothing is faulty.

Well I said the variable speed is useless for me. If that bag is 1/2 full or more I guarantee it gets turned it up, if not I just do not understand it.  I actually never turn the collectors down. All my statements are my own personal observations. I have a Grizzly cyclone which I use as a standard and of course it blows both the Fein and Festool away on ALL of the big machines, planer, drum sander, etc, but it is just to much electrical power when I am only sanding so I rarely use it for that. I have the grizzly in another room and even 40 feet away it eats up the little vacs.

I stand firm on my experience that the adjustable speed I do not need. I find the CT's are crap for the tables saw, miter box, planer, jointer and drum sander. But they are  great when using the sanders and pretty good on the smaller routers. I base this on comparing the Grizzly as the reference. Someone who has no large shop cyclone might think the Festool CT's were good on a table saw, once they get a shop Cyclone they will change their mind.

Nick

 

[Brice Burrell]

Hi,

         It seems like swapping the motor in out  would get to be a nuisance.  Is it really that  quick to do?

Seth

Seth, just to be clear, the whole upper assembly, it comes off fast and easily. Dan Clark posted pics in the Henderson thread, reply #26 of the upper assembly removed from a 22.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I notice the Festool losing power at least 2 hours before the Fein and I am not exaggerating. I have tested them one after another and this is the case here in my shop with the vacs I have. And I have two of each so nothing is faulty.

Nick

The bag is the first filter and the surface area of the filter determines how long it takes to clog up and reduce the cfms.
And, no surprise, the Fein bag has a much larger surface area.