New from Festool for Europe - September 2018: CT pre separator with cyclone tech

[Scorpion]

Thanks!......But as I said in an earlier thread, I can't take the credit for the original idea. I just developed the idea based on someone else's Cyclone Systainer. It did however, make sense to invert the Cyclone and store it inside the ply drop box when not in use, due to its odd shape.

Regards, Tim.

Yeah, inverting the cyclone for storage is the slick part.  [emoji41]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Scorpion]

Now I’m wondering is the hose length will work with a CT Clone stacked on top of a CT SYS.  If it could, then the CT SYS could play a much bigger role in my workflow while never leaving the Sys Port.

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone. 

 

[Master Carpenter]

Now I’m wondering is the hose length will work with a CT Clone stacked on top of a CT SYS.  If it could, then the CT SYS could play a much bigger role in my workflow while never leaving the Sys Port.

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

I was thinking along these same lines. Wondering if the separator will work with th CT SYS?  Will definitely cut down on how often I have to empty it. Was going to wait for my local dealer to have one on display so I can play around with them.

 

[Svar]

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

I don't get it. You only need one hose that pulls air from cyclone into the CT. What's the problem?

Anyway, I always said the whole vac system has to be modular in sys sized blocks. You buy one motor (sys2), then snap in dust bag compartment of your choice (sys 1 through 5). Than you could have cyclone section in between designed to avoid external connecting hose. All goes on sys cart. Easy to reconfigure for the job at hand.

 

[Scorpion]

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

I don't get it. You only need one hose that pulls air from cyclone into the CT. What's the problem?

Anyway, I always said the whole vac system has to be modular in sys sized blocks. You buy one motor (sys2), then snap in dust bag compartment of your choice (sys 1 through 5). Than you could have cyclone section in between designed to avoid external connecting hose. All goes on sys cart. Easy to reconfigure for the job at hand.

You’re right, one hose not two.

 

[guitarchitect]

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

I don't get it. You only need one hose that pulls air from cyclone into the CT. What's the problem?

Anyway, I always said the whole vac system has to be modular in sys sized blocks. You buy one motor (sys2), then snap in dust bag compartment of your choice (sys 1 through 5). Than you could have cyclone section in between designed to avoid external connecting hose. All goes on sys cart. Easy to reconfigure for the job at hand.

It's great in theory but ultimately to get a proper cyclone you need something the size of the DD... Which I think needs a sys5.  If you have another sys 5 for your bin and a ctl midi to get good CFM airflow, the whole thing is pretty tall and likely easy to topple. A thien baffle design (like the CT cyclone) would help but at a huge CFM loss - most reports I've seen reduce airflow by about half.

I cut and chiseled a piece of plywood to sit on top of my ct26, thinking it would form the basis of a ride-along collector with a baffle, but for my situation I think side by side under a bench with extra hose/pipe to get the corners of the shop will be much easier... 98% of what I do is in my small shop so I might as well optimized for it!

Sent from my SM-G920W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Gregor]

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

You could put the CT SYS ontop of the pre-separator (possibly without the hose garage), should be no problem then to lead the hose (even with a straight connector end). A SYS ROLL would make this mobile, the CT is quite light so it shouldn't get that top heavy and you would have easy access to the bag to unclog / clean out the fine dust (that the pre-separator will not be able to catch as of it's design).

 

[Scorpion]

Edit:  after looking at the CT SYS, I don’t think it will work.  The CT SYS only has a big enough hole for a hose to leave its Systainer housing.  No room to get the hose in from the SYS Cyclone.

You could put the CT SYS ontop of the pre-separator (possibly without the hose garage), should be no problem then to lead the hose (even with a straight connector end). A SYS ROLL would make this mobile, the CT is quite light so it shouldn't get that top heavy and you would have easy access to the bag to unclog / clean out the fine dust (that the pre-separator will not be able to catch as of it's design).

I think you might be right.  Would be really compact if it worked setup like that.  I’m hesitant to pre-order but I’ll probably get one after the early adopters start to post up their opinions.

 

[sancho57]

just gave the notice for Xmas list hehehehe

 

[GavsterUK]

its been a while...
Having now had a play with the new toys i thought id post a few "real" pics.
Will certainly be a useful bit of kit to thos who generate large volumes of dust and is pretty robust and well thought out as usual, we are flooring specialists so will be putting them to test with some serious dust generating machines.. ;D ;D

 

[sancho57]

[member=14860]Distinctive Interiors[/member]

Thanks for the info. Its a very cleaver set up u got

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

[member=10147]jobsworth[/member] 

Thanks, you're welcome.

I got to try out the new Festool CT Cyclone on Monday. My local rep brought one in for me to try out. I only got to try it for a few minutes so not an extensive workout, but it seems to work very well.
I don't think it's any more efficient than my own homemade set up though, so until I get a chance to do a direct comparison, I am reserving final judgement.

 

[jmbfestool]

[member=10147]jobsworth[/member] 

Thanks, you're welcome.

I got to try out the new Festool CT Cyclone on Monday. My local rep brought one in for me to try out. I only got to try it for a few minutes so not an extensive workout, but it seems to work very well.
I don't think it's any more efficient than my own homemade set up though, so until I get a chance to do a direct comparison, I am reserving final judgement.

I had a quick go with it sanding plaster dust. 
It did catch a lot of the dust but also a lot still got through into the vacuum.

If your were using for wood dust and shavings I think efficiency would be greatly increased.

Plaster dust is far finer especially the filler plaster.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

One thing that I  noticed whilst looking inside it, the various components all seemed to fit together quite loosely.........Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that for a Cyclone to work properly , everything had to be completely airtight or the efficiency of the separation was compromised significantly.
I mentioned the fact that all the components were loose to the Festool Rep, but he said it was for ease of taking it apart for cleaning....?!!

Another thing that struck me was the transparent drop box. I made my own from ply and fitted it inside a Sys5 coz I had read that someone previously had tried to mount a Cyclone directly to a Systainer and when the vacuum was applied, it started to crush. The transparent drop box didnt look or feel any more structurally rigid than a Systainer, if anything it felt more flimsy.

These are just my observations, not criticisms as the unit obviously works as it was designed to do, but it has got me thinking that perhaps my own set up is far more heavy duty than it needed to be. I made my Dropbox out of 18mm ply and the weight of that along with the Dust Commander  and a Sys5, is heavy in comparison with Festool's offering.

 

[jmbfestool]

One thing that I  noticed whilst looking inside it, the various components all seemed to fit together quite loosely.........Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that for a Cyclone to work properly , everything had to be completely airtight or the efficiency of the separation was compromised significantly.
I mentioned the fact that all the components were loose to the Festool Rep, but he said it was for ease of taking it apart for cleaning....?!!

Another thing that struck me was the transparent drop box. I made my own from ply and fitted it inside a Sys5 coz I had read that someone previously had tried to mount a Cyclone directly to a Systainer and when the vacuum was applied, it started to crush. The transparent drop box didnt look or feel any more structurally rigid than a Systainer, if anything it felt more flimsy.

These are just my observations, not criticisms as the unit obviously works as it was designed to do, but it has got me thinking that perhaps my own set up is far more heavy duty than it needed to be. I made my Dropbox out of 18mm ply and the weight of that along with the Dust Commander  and a Sys5, is heavy in comparison with Festool's offering.

It’s funny you mentioned about the loose parts.

When the rep showed me inside it had sealant around the joints it was first thing I noticed and thought that was rather messy as it didn’t look like it was done from factory but rather some one with a bit of spit on their finger rubbing it in.

I assumed it must have been because it might have been a prototype

 

[Scorpion]

I wondered how the unit was sealing to the collection containers.  I assumed there was some kind of faster inside the top but it’s now sounding like that’s not the case.  Can anyone confirm if there’s a gasket or not?

Guess it would be interesting to see the results of a suction test on a vac with and without the collector.  A little loss of suction may not matter when sanding but it might matter a lot during other activities...or would it matter at all?

 

[Cheese]

1. I wondered how the unit was sealing to the collection containers.  I assumed there was some kind of faster inside the top but it’s now sounding like that’s not the case.  Can anyone confirm if there’s a gasket or not?

2. Guess it would be interesting to see the results of a suction test on a vac with and without the collector.  A little loss of suction may not matter when sanding but it might matter a lot during other activities...or would it matter at all?

1. When the Festool Roadshow came to town, Steve Bace demonstrated it for me. After using it with a Planex, he unlatched the 2 modules, removed the clear plastic tub of drywall dust and then latched the 2 halves back together and said it could be used in that more compact manner without the plastic tub. He then unlatched the 2 units and reinserted the plastic tub between them and went back to drywall sanding. I know there's not a gasket in the lower unit and I don't remember seeing a gasket on the plastic tub. Possibly there's a gasket on the upper unit?

2. There's already an excess of suction when using Festool sanders so that's probably not an issue. The only possible exception could be when using it attached to the Kapex. Any decrease in suction may compromise the dust collection of the saw. If so, maybe it's in the same realm of using the 27mm vs 36mm hose on the Kapex?

 

[ear3]

Would having this separator make a specialty vac like the CT36AC less necessary when doing larger amounts of drywall sanding, because it would reduce the amount going into the main body of the vac and the filter?

 

[Gregor]

Would having this separator make a specialty vac like the CT36AC less necessary when doing larger amounts of drywall sanding, because it would reduce the amount going into the main body of the vac and the filter?

It likely won't massively reduce the amount of very fine dust going into the filter and the fine stuff (that's just coarse enough to not pass through the filter) is what's clogging it quickly, ending good airflow.

Thus the CT AC likely won't be obsoleted.

 

[Cheese]

It likely won't massively reduce the amount of very fine dust going into the filter and the fine stuff (that's just coarse enough to not pass through the filter) is what's clogging it quickly, ending good airflow.

I’d take the opposite tack, from what I saw, this thing collects 90% of the drywall dust which would leave the CT 36 AC in a rather neutered position.