Replacement Parts

[RobWoodCutter]

I just notice a statement from the HEPA filter discussion thread that Shane posted:
The official statement on the 22/33...

Festool CT 22 and CT 33 dust extractor models were discontinued in 2010. These units were not designed, tested or marketed as a solution for the EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) regulations. Since 2006, both models have shipped standard with main HEPA filters, which offer filtration levels of 99.997% of particulates down to 0.3 microns in size. Festool continues its commitment to support discontinued power tools with the CT 22 and CT 33 Dust Extractors through the availability of spare parts, accessories, and consumables for a minimum of seven years after the date of discontinuance.

What does that mean in the real world? I have a CT22 that was purchased a year or so ago. Does that mean parts will start to become scarce in another 6 years?

Not a problem and I can understand it, but (a side story):

The company I work for bought two of the large format inkjet E-size sheet plotters 8 years ago and maintained service contracts on them. There was a absorbtion pad that would catch the ink when the plotter did a "test pen" function before each plot. If you did not replace it regularly, the ink would back up inside the unit and build up on a critical circuit board and cause it to short out. When HP stopped making the pad, it stopped getting replaced. When the company upgraded the plotters, I purchased the old ones from the company (pennies on the dollar). Since there are no longer spare circuit boards being made or stocked, I have a $8000 plotter that is crippled somewhat by a $100 circuit board that is damaged.

The point to the story is had we known up front that the pad needed to be replaced regularly and if it wasn't it would damage the circuit board, we could have bought several extra circuit boards and a dozen pads when it was still available and brand new as the HP650 plotters are built like tanks and run like the energizer bunny, it keeps going and going.....

So should we start buying up spare parts for the CT22, that are consumables and things that have the potential to break over a period of years? Because it looks like I may need to gradually start picking up a few extra bags and break open the unit and look for any plastic parts that would have the potential of failure. If this was just a Home Depot special $70 shopvac, I would just dump it and buy a new one.

Thanks. Rob

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Rob,

I think you may be a little too worried about the statement. Its intention is to let our customers know that we're not going to discontinue and strand you with no accessories or consumables. The key word in the statement is "minimum". Tools, like dust extractors for instance, will have continued support for bags for much longer than that because there's a large customer base with them. No need to start stockpiling bags for the impending Festool CT Zombie Apocalypse.  [big grin] [poke] We've got you covered.

Companies like HP, and I can say this because I've bought TONS of their products over the years including plotters, roll out new models every 3-6 months making it virtually impossible for them to support legacy products for long because of the sheer quantity of replacement parts that would be needed for all of the models. To the contrary, Festool spends the time to carefully and methodically develop a product intended to last far longer than the normal life cycle of competitors. For that reason, it's simpler easier to continue to support old models with replacement parts and the like.

I hope that puts your mind at ease.

Shane