Reusing CT bags -- Anyone try this or have a better method?

[ChuckM]

If the binder clips failed, I'd seal it with duct tape, then strips and clips.

 

[NiteWalkerGR]

I see comments about "so cheap why bother re-using", maybe in the US, but in OZ they certainly aren't cheap. Some of them go around $25-$30 for each bag. Yeah we get ripped off here!

Yikes. In that case I'd add a separator for sure.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I see comments about "so cheap why bother re-using", maybe in the US, but in OZ they certainly aren't cheap. Some of them go around $25-$30 for each bag. Yeah we get ripped off here!

Yikes. In that case I'd add a separator for sure.

I've got 3 DD's and they are worth their weight in gold so far as I'm concerned, but one is permanently hooked up to my CNC, the others are in the sheds, but there's lots of times I need to move my old SR5E around and lugging the DD with it is a bit cumbersome and not real practical, so clamping the end of the bag is a great money saver. At @$20 per bag minimum, I reckon I've saved countless thousands over the last 40 or so years of use.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I see comments about "so cheap why bother re-using", maybe in the US, but in OZ they certainly aren't cheap. Some of them go around $25-$30 for each bag. Yeah we get ripped off here!

Ouch, yeah I see your point. Here in the US, you can get 5 pack of Power-tech (off-brand but they work fine) for less than you are paying for 1. It's about $4 each and that delivered.
The genuine Festool ones are a little over twice that, about $9 each, still delivered.
It's gotta be the shipping that's costing you guys. Take an already expensive thing, then make it worse  [unsure]

 

[Packard]

For many years, I sold hardware to bag house filter manufacturers that existed because the replacement filters were so expensive from the original manufacturer.

Baghouse filters, are huge versions of shop based dust collection filter.  They use they use highly specific non-woven fabric for this.  The shops that I sold to, were basically “cut and sew” operations.  That is, the startup cost to start one of those businesses is a sewing machine and a commercial fabric cutter.

Some of the baghouse filters cost upwards of $1,500.00 and cannot be cleaned and re-used. Most can be cleaned, but they eventually wear out.

There are major industries that would have to cease production if they could not get the required baghouse filter. 

For example, drug companies grind up components and mix them together.  If the airborne medications were not captured, the employees would get sick or die.

Concrete manufacturers cannot produce the lime mix without filtration for the same reasons.

You would probably have to order 50 bags at a time to approach one of these aftermarket vendors.  If you could get together a bunch of users, you could share the expense.

That would beg two questions:

1.  Is the design patent protected and is it legal to replicate it?
2.  Would soliciting other FOG members to join you get you kicked off this site?

In any event, sewing is the single best way to seal these seams.  Having access to a sewing machine can elevate your wood work, especially if you make padded benches or chairs.  The machines are not very expensive, and are no more difficult to use than a band saw (with similar skills required).

I could probably get the name of a aftermarket baghouse filter manufacturer if anyone is interested in that approach.

 

[grbmds]

Performance and price aside, how is this different from the long life bags? I'd still be wearing a dust mask and some goggles for either.

Well, because, regular CT bags aren't made to be reused, I think. If they were, they'd be sold as reusable bags.

 

[ChuckM]

Anyone interested in buying reusable CT bags (CT15, CT26, etc.) may check out the eBay, such as this:https://www.ebay.com/itm/174575086052

 

[JINRO]

I hust got this few weeks ago and seems to work great. Much easier to empty the bag compared to Festool one.
(Reusable dust Bag for Festool Mini and Midi dust extractors (MIDI-2)https://a.co/d/atXrCwP)

 

[luvmytoolz]

I see comments about "so cheap why bother re-using", maybe in the US, but in OZ they certainly aren't cheap. Some of them go around $25-$30 for each bag. Yeah we get ripped off here!

Ouch, yeah I see your point. Here in the US, you can get 5 pack of Power-tech (off-brand but they work fine) for less than you are paying for 1. It's about $4 each and that delivered.
The genuine Festool ones are a little over twice that, about $9 each, still delivered.
It's gotta be the shipping that's costing you guys. Take an already expensive thing, then make it worse  [unsure]

Believe it or not, because the bag costs are so high, they usually qualify for free shipping with some vendors!

I bought a L/L bag for my CT36 which was around $300 on special, and one for my wifes midi which was around $275 from memory. This pic is the current price for the CT36 bags, which aren't much more expensive than the midi's.

Bearing in mind the cost for my 40+ year old SR5E for bags is so eye watering I'd need to sell a kidney to fund a pack!

 

[sancho57]

not 100% sure but i think ya can wash the reusable bags. I personally just turn them inside out beat them a bit and maybe blow them with compressed air to clean them out

 

[ChuckM]

Performance and price aside, how is this different from the long life bags? I'd still be wearing a dust mask and some goggles for either.

Well, because, regular CT bags aren't made to be reused, I think. If they were, they'd be sold as reusable bags.

Correct. The CT bags do not have the reusable feature such as a zipper, and hence aren't sold as reusable bags. That, however, doesn't mean the bags themselves can't be reused (to a certain extent) from a dust collection/filtering point of view..

 

[TinyShop]

Sorry for joining this party so late - I was under the impression that I'd already commented but it must have been another thread.

As mentioned earlier, the slice-one-end-open, add-a-quick-stich and close-with-a-length-of-slotted-conduit is an option:


For a more elegant solution, however, there's an ebay seller in the UK (or you can fabricate the same yourself in a jiffy with a standard sewing machine, a zipper foot and an appropriately length'ed zipper) named zippybags who sews zippers into standard Festool fleece bags (all models) and sells the new and improved versions individually (at an upcharge, obviously). They ship worldwide. For the DIY'er this is a straightforward sewing project and the zipper can potentially be reused again and again in future bag-mods. I only suggest the DIY option given that the shipping charge to North America for the pre-made bags is nuts especially for folks ordering a single bag. Larger orders will make the shipping charge more palatable.

 

[luvmytoolz]

My patent pending bag clamp ver 2.0! With the fancy threaded knobs instead of el cheapo wingnuts!

I reckon the old one has saved me hundreds of bags over the last 4+ decades of use.

 

[Coen]

I can't believe who much dirt people are willing to expose themselves too just to save a few bucks.

Yeah pretty much where I'm at. My ct midi is my mobile vac, so it's got sawdust from cutting, sanding, routing, spackle dust, cobwebs, unidentifiable dirt and grim, mouse poop, dead insects, etc.  I want none of that back in the air.
If I was using up bags fast enough to the point of thinking about reusing them, I'd invest in a separator, as I did with my workshop vac.

Mouse poop! [scared]

Yes, a regular staple when renovating houses with cavity walls and wooden floors. Mice walk up through the cavity, then next to the floor beams onto the ceiling. You can clean it up together with the 1970's cigar butts from when they last opened the floor hatches to replay cotton-insulated wiring with PVC.

Fill the cavity with EPS pearls; end of mice-highway and a more comfortable home.

Run a quick seam with two rows of stitches on your wife’s sewing machine. 

Yeah, with a dusty bag? No way that would fly here.

I can't believe who much dirt people are willing to expose themselves too just to save a few bucks.

#Houtkachels

 

[peter halle]

Well, if you are one of those who would take the risks involved with emptying bags, here is an image of a product from Amazon that I installed tonight that grips well.  You cut what you need, spread it, insert a folded over bag end and mash it shut with a hammer or other object.  Of course the only reason I am trying this is to be helpful to the community.  Will report back in a few days...

[attachimg=1]

Peter

 

[ChuckM]

Well, if you are one of those who would take the risks involved with emptying bags, here is an image of a product from Amazon that I installed tonight that grips well.  You cut what you need, spread it, insert a folded over bag end and mash it shut with a hammer or other object.  Of course the only reason I am trying this is to be helpful to the community.  Will report back in a few days...

[attachimg=1]

Peter

Please do!

Regarding emptying the dust bag, it's more "risky" to dispose of dust from a Dust Deputy bin or pail as it's harder to trap all the dust during the emptying with a yard waste bag.

 

[NiteWalkerGR]

Regarding emptying the dust bag, it's more "risky" to dispose of dust from a Dust Deputy bin or pail as it's harder to trap all the dust during the emptying with a yard waste bag.

This is not an issue if you use a bag in the DD bin. I use the eagle 14 gallon tub and 20 gallon compactor bags fit perfectly.

 

[ChuckM]

That's a good idea to put a bag in the pail. I'll see if I can find some compostable bags for the 5g. buckets.

To continue where I left off last time with the CT15 bag, I cleaned out this morning the canvas bag for the dust collector and two DD buckets. Same procedure as last time -- Seal the paper bag by hand around the bag or bucket to keep any dust from escaping into the atmosphere. No mess.

[attachimg=1]  [attachimg=2]  [attachimg=3]

The yard waste bag is placed in the Green Bin waiting for the next scheduled pick-up. I took the opportunity to fire up the air compressor and gave the dust collector some deep clean (outdoors, of course).