ONE HOSE TO RULE THEM ALL

[Wood_Slice]

I have bought some Festool products over the past 6 months and one issue I came across is that smaller dust requirement tools do well with the 27mm hose provided with all dust collectors but the larger power tools (example: routers, track saws) perform better with 36mm hoses. Additionally, the larger tools have larger power requirements (16g cords) vs. smaller (18g cords) and I am not a fan of having to swap hoses or cords for each power tool. Furthermore, I wanted a longer hose to sort of setup as a boom arm type of a solution since there is no boom arm product for my CT MIDI. Finally, I wanted the newer anti-static hose that were lighter compared to the ribbed ones.

I came up with following solution:
[list type=decimal]
[*]Festool Plug-It Cord 16-Gauge x 7.5M (203926) $63
[*]Festool Antistatic Hose w/ Sleeve 1-7/16" x 21' (36mm x7m) (204926) $250
[*]Festool DC-D 36/27-AS Reducing Sleeve (768135) $30

[*]Solution total cost $343- as of May of 2021[/list]

I would combine 1 and 2 and wrap numerous velcro ties throughout its length to keep together. The vacuums come with a 3.5 meter length hose so I figure doubling that would be sufficient for a boom arm type solution but attaching a plywood piece on a corner of my MFT Cart to hold the hose. I would use 3 whenever I wanted to use the smaller dust port power tools.

Does anyone have another suggestion?

 

[tsmi243]

I get around this by having two vacuums.

Most of the sawdust volume for me comes from the TS55 and the table saw.  I use a Craftsman vac with a Dust Deputy for these two.  The TS55 gets a 36mm hose, the table saw uses 2.5", and I swap the hose manually at the cyclone. 

The CT26 w/ 27mm hose handles everything else.  It also fits the overarm on the table saw, so with both vacs running, I can get really good performance.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

Hi there!

I have the newer sleeved 36mm AS hose, and while I appreciate it for general on-site clean-up and connecting to tools with larger air requirements, it's WAY overkill for smaller tools, particularly "finesse" tools like sanders where you want maximum dexterity. In these cases, even 27mm can be a bit much, I wish I had acquired some of the 22mm hoses back when Festool was selling them.

I generally travel with a 27mm and 36mm hose. The 27mm hose gets used 90% of the time, with the 36mm hose generally only seeing use with my Erika 70, concrete grinder, and end-of-day clean up.

If you're looking for an all-in-one solution, I'd take a look at the Nilfisk 32mm hose. It allows you to swap nozzles/ends and does a decent job of bridging the gap. That being said, my strong recommendation is to plan on a small (

 

[guybo]

Hi, I like the 36mm w/768135 for most everything even my 1010,I agree w Tom G. 7m is overkill w/ a boom arm,in the pic that's about 1.5 m left, even reaches on my stm1800.good luck guy[attachimg=1]

 

[AlexThePalex]

I can't work with the 36 on tools. Too big and too bulky. I tend to use it only with the EHL65 planer when I know I'm making big chips. I use it rarely like that.

The 27 mm is the hose I always use with tools. The 36 does get a lot of use with me, but for clean up.

 

[mino]

I would consider a "half boom arm" setup.

Here is what I am planning:
- a 2,5m 50mm hose to go from the vac to the top of the boom arm (452888)
- a general 3m extension cord again from the vac to the top of the boom arm

- use existing 27/32 hose I got with the vac to attach to the boom arm, OK for 99% tools when combined with the 50mm going to the vac (no suction loss from the 50mm one)
- use existing 4m plug-it I got with tools and bundle the 27/32 hose
- use the existing CT-VA 20 I have and put it before the vac

Overall, this gives me a "bundled" 27/32 hose which I can use with the vac off-shop if needed and which will be mostly fixed on the boom arm (with a couple velcros).

I also have a 36mm 3,5m hose which I use for cleanup, I plan to switch to that one in those cases when the CT-VA + boom arm will not cut it and more airflow is needed. In that case I anyway need to bypass the CT-VA, so it is not really a problem.

In my view, a boom arm is most useful for the regular tasks - sanding, sawing etc. while for (heavy) routing I can live with the hose being free or hang it by one ad-hoc velcro on the boom arm, should the need be there.

 

[Wood_Slice]

I am glad I posted this as it gave me a good idea of what to expect if I were to buy the option listed in OP. Thank You for the input, I guess I will stick with my stock 27mm hose for the time being. I did forget to mention that the bulkiness of the 36mm hose was a concern of mine as I have some of the ridgid heavy duty orange ribbed hoses and they are bulky and heavy for finesse work.

 

[Dr. P. Venkman]

..the bulkiness of the 36mm hose was a concern of mine as I have some of the ridgid heavy duty orange ribbed hoses and they are bulky and heavy for finesse work.

The 36mm AS hose from Festool isn't going to feel anything like the ridgid hoses, especially when suspended from a boom arm above your work.  That boom arm should relieve a fair amount of the "bulk" of the hose.

I'll agree with others, though - for domino, sanders, etc., I much prefer the 27mm hose.  I love my 36, but there's no benefit to it on those smaller tools - only the downside of the size.

I bought the reducing sleeve you mention, thinking I would simplify by using the 36mm hose for everything, and I just don't like it as much on those smaller tools.

Honestly, I think Festool has done a pretty terrific job getting the hose/tool combinations right. 

• On the tools where the 27mm hose connector goes over the dust port (and the 36mm isn't natively compatible), they're essentially saying "don't use the 36mm hose with this tool," and I think they're right - there's no benefit, and the size and weight of the 27 is superior.
• On the track saws, OF 1400, etc. where either hose is compatible (27mm inside the port, 36mm over the port), I think they're acknowledging that there is a benefit to the larger hose, and that's been my experience, too.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I swap a few around. I use the AS 27mm hose that came with the CT for most of the tool work. A separate gray non-AS 27mm hose is connected to the router table and the big hose is mostly on the OF1400 when making bigger chips or the router table when the hose is in the fence instead of under the surface. I only use it for clean-up on installs, which I don't get involved with too often.

 

[Cypren]

I found the 27mm x 5m hose to be the ideal size for the boom arm. Like Alex, I find the 36mm hose is just less pleasant to use with most tools than the 27mm: there's a reason the slimmer one is the included hose with most of the dust extractors.

I also keep a 36mm x 3.5m hose coiled up on the tool hook for cleanup or direct connection to heavyweight tools like the HL 850, OF 2200 and Kapex. When using that, I tend to bypass the CT-VA cyclone because it strangles the airflow and negates all the benefits of using the larger hose. Very unfortunate, since tools that throw off tons of chips are exactly where the cyclone would be most useful.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

For use in the shop I have the 36mm on a CT36 boom arm with 16ga power, and a short adapter that will allow it to connect to the Domino, sanders and other tools that take 27mm.  This works well for what I do. 

For outside the shop I have been using 27mm hoses on the Mini, this is fine for most things. 

When I am using the TSC-55 for breaking down sheet goods I just use the bag, it doesn't hold much but it is enough for a few 8' rips and a crosscut or two, much handier with no hose or power cord.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I found the 27mm x 5m hose to be the ideal size for the boom arm. Like Alex, I find the 36mm hose is just less pleasant to use with most tools than the 27mm: there's a reason the slimmer one is the included hose with most of the dust extractors.

I also keep a 36mm x 3.5m hose coiled up on the tool hook for cleanup or direct connection to heavyweight tools like the HL 850, OF 2200 and Kapex. When using that, I tend to bypass the CT-VA cyclone because it strangles the airflow and negates all the benefits of using the larger hose. Very unfortunate, since tools that throw off tons of chips are exactly where the cyclone would be most useful.

It really makes that much difference to the air flow? I have been on the fence about a cyclone for quite a while, just for this reason. I have heard some say it doesn't make that much difference and others say it does. None were using anything other than the original 27mm hose though, as far as I know. It really is unfortunate if it doesn't work well with the bigger hose, that would seem to be the ideal time for it.
I generally use my CT at full speed, only slowing it down for the ETS EC. I find that full speed doesn't negatively affect either of the RO sanders in rotex mode and I don't use the CT at all when polishing plastics.

 

[Cypren]

It really makes that much difference to the air flow? I have been on the fence about a cyclone for quite a while, just for this reason. I have heard some say it doesn't make that much difference and others say it does. None were using anything other than the original 27mm hose though, as far as I know. It really is unfortunate if it doesn't work well with the bigger hose, that would seem to be the ideal time for it.

If you look at this thread, I posted a chart of measurements taken with an anemometer for various types of connections on my CT26:https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/ctl-26-suction-not-quite-what-i-expected-(brand-new)/msg642548/#msg642548

The tl;dr version is that putting the CT-VA-20 into the chain, no matter how you hook it up, cuts your airflow down to roughly the level of the 27mm hose. With that said, there is still a benefit to using the 36mm hose: the larger radius should mean debris is less likely to jam in the hose and clog it before it makes it into the cyclone dustbin.

 

[woodbutcherbower]

The cyclone definitely reduces the airflow, no question. But since mine sits on top of a CT26 which has plenty of power, the suction availability is still more than adequate for pretty much everything I do - and the fact that I can easily fill the CT-VA’s bin 2 or 3 times in a day, still makes the slight compromise a no-brainer. To respond to the OP’s post, almost all of my work is site-based, so the need for an all-in-one power/suction feed is limited in my case - except for my Mirka sander, that is ....... I’ve tried everything to tie a Festool 27mm hose to a power cable - Velcro, zip ties, 3D-printed clips, the whole nine yards. Nothing worked well. But since I also have a need to coil this up and store it in a Sys4 - my ‘system’ now consists of the hose and cable fixed together with duck tape at various points along its length. It’s not elegant but it works. I too would love to find a better solution if anyone can suggest one.

 

[Cypren]

I too would love to find a better solution if anyone can suggest one.

I've seen sleeves of this kind used to secure the power cord to the hose, but haven't used it personally. Others may be able to comment from firsthand knowledge:https://www.techflex.com/heavy-duty/gorilla-sleeve?set_unit=metric

 

[squall_line]

To respond to the OP’s post, almost all of my work is site-based, so the need for an all-in-one power/suction feed is limited in my case - except for my Mirka sander, that is ....... I’ve tried everything to tie a Festool 27mm hose to a power cable - Velcro, zip ties, 3D-printed clips, the whole nine yards. Nothing worked well. But since I also have a need to coil this up and store it in a Sys4 - my ‘system’ now consists of the hose and cable fixed together with duck tape at various points along its length. It’s not elegant but it works.

I too would love to find a better solution if anyone can suggest one.

This may be a conversation worth reading; tons of back and forth about different options and proposed solutions and their efficacy:
https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/how-do-you-like-your-sleeved-hose/

 

[Crazyraceguy]

It really makes that much difference to the air flow? I have been on the fence about a cyclone for quite a while, just for this reason. I have heard some say it doesn't make that much difference and others say it does. None were using anything other than the original 27mm hose though, as far as I know. It really is unfortunate if it doesn't work well with the bigger hose, that would seem to be the ideal time for it.

If you look at this thread, I posted a chart of measurements taken with an anemometer for various types of connections on my CT26:https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tool-problems/ctl-26-suction-not-quite-what-i-expected-(brand-new)/msg642548/#msg642548

The tl;dr version is that putting the CT-VA-20 into the chain, no matter how you hook it up, cuts your airflow down to roughly the level of the 27mm hose. With that said, there is still a benefit to using the 36mm hose: the larger radius should mean debris is less likely to jam in the hose and clog it before it makes it into the cyclone dustbin.

I guess that was my question. I mean it certainly makes sense that there would be some effect, but is that reduction enough to be a deal-breaker? Sounds like not.

 

[rst]

I've been using an Oneida for Festool cyclone for as long as they've been available as the upgraded antistatic version.  I also use two steel Oneidas on 30 gallon grease cans and have the ct-va on top of my CT 36 AC.  I have never had an extraction issue.  I use 50mm, 36mm and 27mm hoses in various functions.

 

[mino]

I guess that was my question. I mean it certainly makes sense that there would be some effect, but is that reduction enough to be a deal-breaker? Sounds like not.

It is not a deal breaker - as mentioned. What I observed (all hoses 3.5m):
27/32 hose => 100% air volume
36 hose => 150%
36 + 27/32 hose => 90%
CT-VA + 27/32 => 90%
CT-VA + 36 hose => 100%

If the tool in question is OK with 27/32 hose, it will be OK with CT-VA to the point you do think about it.
You can use the 36 hose - e.g. with a planer - but really only for the chips to have an easier way as the narrow point will still be the cyclone.

The CT-VA cyclone is really optimized for sanding/sawing with low to mid air volume. It is VERY efficient with such scenarios. We would regularly empty it 20-30 times, before the CT36 bag gets full.

This works well for us - we have the cyclone permanently mated with a 27/32 hose+cable setup and if there is something that -requires- more, we plug the 36 hose directly to the vac. That is still pretty rare so a non-issue.

IMO much better than the Oneida for fine dust and sanding/sawing but also worse for high-air-volume usage like big router work or a planer.

 

[fritter63]

My setup: I pilfered the 36mm hose from my "Cleaning Set" and swapped it in place of the 27mm hose on the boom arm. Then I 3D printed an adapter that goes into (50mm??) end of the hose that normally plugs into the vacuum. It accepts a 27mm connector. Because apparently Festool can't figure out that it would be good join two hose segments together sometimes.

So now I can use the 36mm on all the tools, and if I want to use 27mm, I just put the extension on and use that. It also allows me to reach the entire corner of my shop and the tablesaw for cleaning up any dust that has settled on the systainers, etc.