I am enrolled in the Festool Essentials class in Indianapolis on March 3 & 4. It's my understanding that the VacSys System will be on hand for the attendees to use so, after that, I'm sure I would have more info. I know that's a couple of weeks away and after the March 1st availability, but only a few days. I will provide whatever information I get and hopefully some feedback on uses and its functioning.
New tool announcement: VAC SYS System coming March 1!
- Thread starter TylerC
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mike_aa
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[member=57769]TylerC[/member]TylerC said:
Great to hear! A visit to that sale just isn't complete without seeing Larry polish some wood! [big grin]
Thanks, Mike A.
ear3
Member
Was at the dealer today to pick up some blades I had left off for resharpening, and he had the Vac-Sys set up, so he gave me a product demo. This thing is legit. We clamped up a 3'x2' 2" thick panel, spun it around and tried to yank it off (not with all our force, but simulating the pressure one might apply during routing, sanding and dominoing). Held firm in every position. What I was particularly impressed by was that the motor only draws 1amp, so there's no concern about overloading a circuit if you're running it alongside, say, the 2200 hooked up to your CT. I wish I could come up with a good reason to justify the cost, but I'm pretty sure this will remain on the "nice-to-have-but-not-necessary" list for some time.
copcarcollector
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Edward A Reno III said:
The what-now list..?? [blink]
THANKS for the input. I saw a festool trainer do something similar to what Rick C showed, a long 2x4 held at one end. Not sure it serves any useful purpose, but it did demonstrate the holding power pretty clearly.
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I literally just came up from the workshop 30 seconds ago from a dining table project for my neighbor. We're making this huge 1-1/2" solid plank table with breadboard ends. I wanted a chamfer on the planks before gluing. Slapping them down on the VacSys was so much faster that dorking around with clamps.
If you ask me what tool I will fight to keep the most, the #1 tool is the ASA5000 boom arm, and the #2 is the Vacsys. You can take my other tools, but those 2 are gonna cost you.
If you ask me what tool I will fight to keep the most, the #1 tool is the ASA5000 boom arm, and the #2 is the Vacsys. You can take my other tools, but those 2 are gonna cost you.
nclemmons
Member
[member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member] - do you find that you typically can get by with only one clamping unit, or do you use two? Just wondering about the utility of the $1300 vs $1800 kit (before adding the pump and other accessories!
mouppe
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I was at my local dealer on Friday, and I had a look at the VacSys he had there. I had high expectations and they were still beaten. It really is well-designed and works flawlessly.
The hose fittings are very impressive and was what I was particularly keen on examining as I am looking to link the clamp head to my VacuPress pump.
Having seen the whole setup in person, I think the price is extremely reasonable.
The hose fittings are very impressive and was what I was particularly keen on examining as I am looking to link the clamp head to my VacuPress pump.
Having seen the whole setup in person, I think the price is extremely reasonable.
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neilc said:
I've been happy with just the one. If something was big enough to warrant using 2 heads, I wouldn't be vacuum clamping it in the first place.
[member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member] What head do you use most on the VacSys? It seems like you can't just get by with only the round head. So the question. . .Is it possible to get along buying just one additional head; meaning maybe the "narrow" head?
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grbmds said:
I'm sure it is something that will vary for person to person and the type of work you do. I think I've used the round head the most. Last night I switched over to the medium head (3 or 4 inches wide) so I could domino some thick breadboard ends for a large table. I've rarely used the little narrow head.
Rick Christopherson said:
[member=191]Rick Christopherson[/member] So you don't use the narrow head to domino frames for frame and panel doors or face frames? Since the piece must cover the entire VacSys head, very narrow pieces wouldn't not cover any but the narrowest oblong head. If you need at least 2 other head besides the round one, then it wouldn't make any sense to do anything but buy the whole set of heads.
nclemmons
Member
I stopped in today to take a look at the Vac Sys at Woodworld in Chicago.
It's smaller and lighter than I thought, and I recommend if you get a chance to check one out at your local dealer.
A few things I found out:
- the unit ships in a Classic Sys but the foam insert will fit in a T-Loc with a slight cut to remove a space for the ribs at the bottom of the Systainer.
- the pump is incredible quiet. A very muffled background hum is all the noise you hear
- the holding power of the circular head is amazing. Excellent for plywood panels, door fronts, and a huge benefit as we all have seen with the Conturo for edge banding.
- the other three smaller heads in the optional kit have much less 'grab' than the larger head. For 1x4 material (3.5" wide), I think the next to smallest head is probably the best, with lengths of less than 3' optimal for things like sanding or domino joinery
- the entire base of the unit sucks down to the table. That has not been clear in the videos or descriptions that I have seen. It won't adhere to an MFT table but will adhere to a piece of plywood or melamine on the table. I think making a piece with four dog holes in it might be a great option and then using dogs with threaded holes in the holes with optional Festool knob/clamps under the table will give excellent stability with minimal need for clamps. And a way to save $250 on the extra fold-down clamping unit.
- the foot pedal is only used to remove a piece. Placing a new piece on the base is simply a matter of pushing down on the green pin with a piece of wood.
- You can easily store the compressor on a Sys-AZ pull out drawer or a plywood drawer in the many SysPorts that we have all made. So the base unit is stored with a compressor in one space and one Systainer in another.
Hope this helps others get their heads wrapped around the new tool and it's features.
neil
It's smaller and lighter than I thought, and I recommend if you get a chance to check one out at your local dealer.
A few things I found out:
- the unit ships in a Classic Sys but the foam insert will fit in a T-Loc with a slight cut to remove a space for the ribs at the bottom of the Systainer.
- the pump is incredible quiet. A very muffled background hum is all the noise you hear
- the holding power of the circular head is amazing. Excellent for plywood panels, door fronts, and a huge benefit as we all have seen with the Conturo for edge banding.
- the other three smaller heads in the optional kit have much less 'grab' than the larger head. For 1x4 material (3.5" wide), I think the next to smallest head is probably the best, with lengths of less than 3' optimal for things like sanding or domino joinery
- the entire base of the unit sucks down to the table. That has not been clear in the videos or descriptions that I have seen. It won't adhere to an MFT table but will adhere to a piece of plywood or melamine on the table. I think making a piece with four dog holes in it might be a great option and then using dogs with threaded holes in the holes with optional Festool knob/clamps under the table will give excellent stability with minimal need for clamps. And a way to save $250 on the extra fold-down clamping unit.
- the foot pedal is only used to remove a piece. Placing a new piece on the base is simply a matter of pushing down on the green pin with a piece of wood.
- You can easily store the compressor on a Sys-AZ pull out drawer or a plywood drawer in the many SysPorts that we have all made. So the base unit is stored with a compressor in one space and one Systainer in another.
Hope this helps others get their heads wrapped around the new tool and it's features.
neil
Submitted a question to Festool re storage options.
They confirmed the vacuum head and foot pump (Vac Sys SE1) will fit in and are shipped in a classic systainer 4.
If you are looking for a systainer to store the pump itself, it will fit in a Sys 4 (it doesn't ship in one - you'd need to buy the systainer - part # 497-566)
They confirmed the vacuum head and foot pump (Vac Sys SE1) will fit in and are shipped in a classic systainer 4.
If you are looking for a systainer to store the pump itself, it will fit in a Sys 4 (it doesn't ship in one - you'd need to buy the systainer - part # 497-566)
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I am really curious to learn what federal OSHA or other regulation requires that no shop built equipment may be used in the workplace. Moreover, where does it specify who the approving agency is? - a NRTL Nationally Recognized Testing Lab like ETL or UL?ccarrolladams said:
Hooking up a vacuum source to a suction cup is no different than hooking up an air hose to a pneumatic clamp . What am I missing?
tjbnwi
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I can answer the "listing" question---it has to be an NRTL. The same comes up in electrical devices, the NEC requires all items installed to be "listed" but they do not limit which NRTL can issue the listing. My workmen comp also requires any tools/equipment that can be subject to testing be "listed". Again, no mention of the agency, just so it's be tested and "listed"
My brother had a flag on a home inspection because he had mixed brand of breakers in the service panel, this voided the listing. Worst part is he has at least one item a month at UL being tested, he should have known better.
Tom
My brother had a flag on a home inspection because he had mixed brand of breakers in the service panel, this voided the listing. Worst part is he has at least one item a month at UL being tested, he should have known better.
Tom
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tjbnwi said:
No it doesn't. Some of the members here like to bring this up frequently as a scare tactic, but haven't researched it. Only certain types of equipment need to be listed, and a vacuum clamp is not one of them.
Type of Products Requiring NRTL Approval
copcarcollector
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[member=57769]TylerC[/member] Anything yet on the new videos? It's been almost a whole day now since official release of the VAC SYS!!
[eek] [big grin]
[eek] [big grin]
TylerC said:
Just got mine (both clamps plus the full compliment of heads but no MFT mounts) and am absolutely thrilled with the system's performance compared to those goofy little HDPE "pod" clamps with the self-adhesive neoprene gaskets some other folks sell that can't even hold two fresh sheets of acrylic together. It grabs on to most any reasonably surfaced lumber (cheapo ply full of voids won't stick, but when do you ever need that to look nice enough to work on?) well enough to sand, domino or round over edges and is truly whisper quiet. I don't think I'd hand plane with it unless I had no other choice, but for just about everything else, it delivers what it promises in spades. I certainly don't think it's for everybody, but it is absolutely perfect for so many of the weird little mixed materials projects I tend to take on that I don't think I'll be missing that tax refund for long.
Things I do hate:
1. There's no clip on the end of the power cord to the pump. You can wrap the cord around the top of the thing, but once you're done, there's nothing to hold the end snug. They do give you a little velcro strap, but I already lost it.
2. Classic systainers. A first world problem if ever there was one, but seriously, why? That forces them to the bottom of any pile when they're likely one of the first things you'll want to grab and set up.
3. Big foam chunks in the clamp head systainers that have to be removed and replaced. I'm probably just throwing them away since I have no plans on shipping them anywhere.
4. The locking pin that holds the heads in is really difficult to grab ahold of with the head in the vertical position because there's a hose running right underneath it. It's also hard to see, causing me much more difficulty than I'd care to admit to when trying to figure out how to swap the heads.
5. The price tag on the heads is a bit insane. Given that very little engineering goes into the production of some ABS tubes compounded by the fact that their useful lifespan is inextricably linked to that of some very soft rubber, come on. This is gouging.
Things I do hate:
1. There's no clip on the end of the power cord to the pump. You can wrap the cord around the top of the thing, but once you're done, there's nothing to hold the end snug. They do give you a little velcro strap, but I already lost it.
2. Classic systainers. A first world problem if ever there was one, but seriously, why? That forces them to the bottom of any pile when they're likely one of the first things you'll want to grab and set up.
3. Big foam chunks in the clamp head systainers that have to be removed and replaced. I'm probably just throwing them away since I have no plans on shipping them anywhere.
4. The locking pin that holds the heads in is really difficult to grab ahold of with the head in the vertical position because there's a hose running right underneath it. It's also hard to see, causing me much more difficulty than I'd care to admit to when trying to figure out how to swap the heads.
5. The price tag on the heads is a bit insane. Given that very little engineering goes into the production of some ABS tubes compounded by the fact that their useful lifespan is inextricably linked to that of some very soft rubber, come on. This is gouging.
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