Review of Festool Workshop Cleaning Set (Product No. 454767)

[ScotF]

It is hard to imagine getting excited about a cleaning or cleaning accessories, but as is typical with most Festool purchases, I was thrilled to add this kit to my growing collection of Festool tools.  I bought a CT22 a couple of months ago and realized that to fully take advantage of the awesome functionality of the vacuum, I needed to add some additional cleaning accessories.  I really needed something to pick up all the sawdust and debris off of my floor after a busy day in the shop.  I used to get out the broom and dust pan, but of course this often created clouds of dust that I wanted to avoid.  I also really wanted one of the bigger diameter hoses to use with my TS75 saw and other tools that produce lots of chips and shavings.  Buying one of the cleaning sets that Festool offers is a great way to get a bigger hose with other accessories, making it a better overall value.  I looked at some of the other sets that Festool offered and thought long and hard about which set would make the most sense for my situation.  Since I already had some crevice tools and an upholstery nozzle from a different vacuum that worked fine with the CT22, I decided that I really did not need some of the tools included with the other available sets.  What I was lacking was a good floor nozzle and a suction brush that fit the hoses (the suction brush is not included in the kit, but it is a very inexpensive accessory to add and so I picked one of these up too).

Let's take a look at what is included in the Workshop Cleaning Set: 

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Systainer 4
36 mm Antistatic hose (11.5') length
36 mm Metal curved hand tube
36 mm Metal extension tube (qty 3)
36 mm Metal industrial floor nozzle

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It comes with an insert in the Systainer that allows for easy storage of various other nozzles, including the brush nozzle, upholstery nozzle and crevice tools (the same insert as the one included with the Tradesman/Installer Cleaning Set).  This is nice since I added some other accessories and I can still fit everything in the Systainer for organized storage.

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The industrial floor nozzle is a first rate accessory.  The body of the nozzle is metal and it is very rugged and heavy-duty, built to withstand heavy use. The dimensions of it are 14 5/8 inches long x 2 inches wide, making it ideal to clean up sawdust and debris off the floor quickly and efficiently.

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One of the nicest features of the nozzle I think is the ability to quickly and easily replace the brushes and casters since these are really the only parts subject to any wear.  All you do to pop out the worn brushes is unscrew the knob on the back of the unit, flip up the bracket that holds the casters and slide the rear brush out.  There is a small tab that flips up out of the way for the front brush. The casters simply pop out by unscrewing the know and flipping the metal bracket up. 

The pictures below show the wheels and the brushes: 

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I use this nozzle predominately in the shop on a concrete floor.  However, if I were to take this inside the house or if I were working in a client's house, I might opt to pick up another set or two of casters to keep a clean set for indoor use or for use on wood floors.  While this has not been an issue for me yet, I can see the wheels picking up debris from the concrete floor that could scratch a hardwood floor if you do no take care to wipe them off before using it on the softer wood surface and having a set of clean wheels would prevent this from happening.  The wheels and replacement brushes are a low cost item too (part no. 452 935).

The extension tubes are high quality metal and fit to together smoothly and tightly.  One of the nice things about the way the tubes work with the nozzle is that the angle is just right to use the unit standing up in a natural position.  You do not need to hunch over to position the unit to work correctly.  This certainly helps your back, especially when cleaning up after a long day in the shop.  The tubes also work well with other accessories mounted on the end when you need extra reach.  Put together, the tubes are just over 48 inches long. 

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The floor nozzle is very easy to maneuver around the floor and it can get under some tight places:

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At the risk of sounding like a door-to-door vacuum salesperson , I decided to put some sawdust and chips/debris on the carpeted part of my shop to see how well the unit was able to vacuum up the mess.  The unit easily glided over the chips and I cleaned up everything in just a few passes.  It works equally well on the concrete floor.  The after picture was exactly what the floor looked like after taking a couple of passes over the debris.

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All in all this cleaning set is a very nice kit and certainly lives up to Festool's reputation of high quality.  I think that it provides good value, especially if you are looking to add a larger hose to your collection and it is certainly rugged and built to last.  My one complaint is that it can be challenging to fit everything back in the Systainer when you are done using it.  Although it comes in a Systainer 4, I think that Festool should consider offering this set in a Systainer 5.  The 36 mm hose takes up a lot of room and if you do not roll it up just right, it keeps trying to pop out of the Systainer.  A larger one would help solve this issue.  It's permanent home is going to be on my CT22 and the last picture is what the assembled unit looks like next to my CT22.

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I hope that this review of the Workshop Cleaning Set was helpful.

Scot 

 

[Corwin]

Nice review!  I made this same choice a couple of years ago when I wanted to upgrade to the larger D36 hose.  I certainly have not ever regretted that decision.

"The floor nozzle is very easy to maneuver..." seems like an understatement, as this truly is a very high quality floor sweep that does maneuver very well.

If a Boom Arm is in your future, you will like this set all the more, as the Boom Arm provides a place to store the metal tubes -- when joined together, the tubes will stow alongside the lower pipe of the Boom Arm.

 

[ajones]

v good [thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[ScotF]

Thanks, guys!

Corwin -- I would be curious to see how you store the tubes with the Boom Arm.  I do not have one yet, but this will be in my future.  I looked at the picture on the site but it is hard to see - do you just use some Velcro straps to secure it?  A picture of your setup would be great.  Also, I agree on the maneuverability -- I could not get a good picture, but I was able to get underneath my workbench by the full length of one of the tube sections which is about 12 inches.  This nozzle can turn tight corners too.

Scot

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks, guys!

Corwin -- I would be curious to see how you store the tubes with the Boom Arm.  I do not have one yet, but this will be in my future.  I looked at the picture on the site but it is hard to see - do you just use some Velcro straps to secure it?  A picture of your setup would be great.....

Scot

Scot, I don't have a picture of the tubes stored but I do have one of the back of the handle/boom arm mounted on the my CT. You can stand the tubes in the extra slot on lower section of the mounting bracket.

 

[ScotF]

Thanks, Brice!  That's exactly what I needed to see and it makes perfect sense.  I can feel myself starting to slide again...

Scot

 

[Corwin]

Thanks, Brice!  That's exactly what I needed to see and it makes perfect sense.  I can feel myself starting to slide again...

Scot

Scot,

Here's a little push.  [blink]

This photo is in my photo gallery.  Note that I have also added another cord wrap with cross support to the handle so that I don't have to bend down so far to wind up the power cord.  These extra parts are not included with the handle or boom arm, so normally you would only have the the lower cross support and cord wraps.  The extension tubes are actually harder to clip on and remove with this additional cross support, but having the additional wrap up higher works fine for me.

 

[ScotF]

Thanks, Corwin.  Appreciate the information.  Great gallery too...your V27 Incra squaring jig/miter gauge is very interesting.  How has it worked out for you so far?

Scot

 

[Corwin]

Thanks, Corwin.  Appreciate the information.  Great gallery too...your V27 Incra squaring jig/miter gauge is very interesting.  How has it worked out for you so far?

Scot

I did that as a visual aid to demonstrate how Festool might improve their Angle Unit.  While that V27 gizmo does work, I don't use it.

 

[chesterdad]

Corwin,
What is the connection between the wand and the hose that comes with the cleaning set.  36mm or 27mm?  If it is 36 is it a tight fit with the wand?

 

[Allen Akin]

What is the connection between the wand and the hose that comes with the cleaning set.  36mm or 27mm?  If it is 36 is it a tight fit with the wand?

Good question!  I have the cleaning set, and I've always found that connection annoyingly loose.  Furthermore, the hose-end of the connection is (after several years of use) beginning to split, making the connection even worse.

Allen

 

[Corwin]

The Reducing Sleeve (tool end) for the D36 hose fits snugly around the outside of the rubber-tipped end of the Curved Stainless Steel Extension Tube -- it certainly is not loose on mine.  The tool-end of the D36 hose will also fit the Curved Polypropylene Extension Tube, but fits snuggly into the inside of the end of the Curved Extension.  If using a D27 hose, the Reducing Sleeve (tool end) of the D27 hose will also fit into either of these Curved Extensions, but not as nicely as the larger tool end of the D36 hose.

 

[Brice Burrell]

The Reducing Sleeve (tool end) for the D36 hose fits snugly around the outside of the rubber-tipped end of the Curved Stainless Steel Extension Tube -- it certainly is not loose on mine.  The tool-end of the D36 hose will also fit the Curved Polypropylene Extension Tube, but fits snuggly into the inside of the end of the Curved Extension.  If using a D27 hose, the Reducing Sleeve (tool end) of the D27 hose will also fit into either of these Curved Extensions, but not as nicely as the larger tool end of the D36 hose.

My D36 tool end is also loosening up like Allen's.  I'd say the tool end is a wear item and you should expect to have to replace it at some point.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

I just bought the Workshop Cleaning Set and I must say I am very disappointed with how the parts connect.  They are either almost impossibly hard to connect (such that I was unsure if I was possibly doing the right things) or prone to coming apart when pressure is applied at an angle.  It seems like it would be just a matter of time before the flexible sleeves on the various parts would break or tear or loosen up. I don't see any benefit to the flexible sleeves as opposed to hard plastic sleeves found on cheaper vacs, in fact the latter would be a lot easier to work with.

This is maybe the first Festool product I've purchased where I found things just really awkward and unsatisfying to use.

Also, I found the hose to be quite inflexible, liable to kinking, and too short to use with the boom arm.  I guess a hose long enough to use with the boom would be way too large to fit in a Systainer.

 

[Corwin]

...
I found the hose to be ... too short to use with the boom arm.  I guess a hose long enough to use with the boom would be way too large to fit in a Systainer.

The length of the hose is the same as the D27 hose that comes with the vacuum -- and either hose will work just fine with the Boom Arm.  The Boom Arm does come with a shorter length of D50 hose that needs to be installed to make whatever hose you have long enough for use.  I don't see where you would desire a longer hose on the Boom Arm.  If too much longer, the hose would be on the floor -- getting the hose off the floor was why we purchased these Boom Arms to begin with.  And if you wanted it longer so you wouldn't need to install the D50 hose that came with the Boom Arm, then it would be more cumbersome when you go to remove the upper portion of the Boom Arm with the hose intact -- disconnecting the D50 from your hose at the connection point between the upper and lower portions of the Boom Arm is part of the design and how this works as a system.

 

[ScotF]

They are either almost impossibly hard to connect (such that I was unsure if I was possibly doing the right things) or prone to coming apart when pressure is applied at an angle.  It seems like it would be just a matter of time before the flexible sleeves on the various parts would break or tear or loosen up.

My set was a little hard to put the pieces together at first too.  However, after putting the pieces together and taking them apart a few times, they go together much smoother now.  I have not had any problems with them coming apart when pressure is applied -- it sounds like you might not have everything fully seated on the wand.  I have found that twisting and pushing them together at the same time allowed me to seat each tube properly.

Scot

 

[rnt80]

They are either almost impossibly hard to connect (such that I was unsure if I was possibly doing the right things) or prone to coming apart when pressure is applied at an angle.  It seems like it would be just a matter of time before the flexible sleeves on the various parts would break or tear or loosen up.

My set was a little hard to put the pieces together at first too.  However, after putting the pieces together and taking them apart a few times, they go together much smoother now.  I have not had any problems with them coming apart when pressure is applied -- it sounds like you might not have everything fully seated on the wand.  I have found that twisting and pushing them together at the same time allowed me to seat each tube properly.

Scot

I'd echo what Scot has said here.  I've never had a problem with the pieces coming apart.  They were a little difficult at first but the twisting action helps.  Actually, this set has become one of those "why didn't I do this sooner" purchases.  It has helped with jobsite cleanup on installs tremendously.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

...
I found the hose to be ... too short to use with the boom arm.  I guess a hose long enough to use with the boom would be way too large to fit in a Systainer.

The length of the hose is the same as the D27 hose that comes with the vacuum -- and either hose will work just fine with the Boom Arm.  The Boom Arm does come with a shorter length of D50 hose that needs to be installed to make whatever hose you have long enough for use.  I don't see where you would desire a longer hose on the Boom Arm.  If too much longer, the hose would be on the floor -- getting the hose off the floor was why we purchased these Boom Arms to begin with.  And if you wanted it longer so you wouldn't need to install the D50 hose that came with the Boom Arm, then it would be more cumbersome when you go to remove the upper portion of the Boom Arm with the hose intact -- disconnecting the D50 from your hose at the connection point between the upper and lower portions of the Boom Arm is part of the design and how this works as a system.

Ah, thanks, this helps some of my issues.  I forgot about several things.  First, I had an extra 5m D27 hose which I was using.  I also have the 3.5m D27 which, you are right is the same length as the D50 I just go with set.  I also forgot about the shorter D50 hose I had... which I also never had to use.

If I use the shorter D50 in addition to the Workshop Cleaning hose, I will indeed get about the same length as I had before.  

Now I have to figure out how to get the D50 hose onto the boom arm.  The wider clips I have seem to be too small to close onto either the D50 hose or the D36.  I checked the Festool website and I can't find a manual for the Boom Arm ?  Is there a trick to doing this ?

 

[Corwin]

...
Now I have to figure out how to get the D50 hose onto the boom arm.  The wider clips I have seem to be too small to close onto either the D50 hose or the D36.  I checked the Festool website and I can't find a manual for the Boom Arm ?  Is there a trick to doing this ?

First off, the D50 hose doesn't get installed onto the upper portion of the Boom Arm, so it doesn't need to fit into the hose clips.  Instead, the D50 plugs into the CT and is lead up to where the upper and lower portions of the Boom Arm connect.  You should also have a shorter/heavier power cord that gets plugged into the CT and is also lead to this connection point.  So, these shorter lengths of D50 hose and power cord that come with the Boom Arm provide the additional lengths needed, and both are installed at the CT end.

The clips that hold the hose to the upper tube on the Boom Arm will work with either the D27 or D36 hose.  The D27 hose will easily lead into these clips, but the D36 hose is another story.  To install the D36 hose, you will need to loosen the bolts that fasten these two-part hose clips -- these bolts are somewhat short and may actually need to be completely undone before you can get the larger hose installed.  So, once the bolts are either loosened or removed, you can install the D36 hose within the clip and tighten or reinstall the bolts.  It would have been nicer if these bolts were just a tad longer.
 
Because of this tighter fit, the D36 will not install/uninstall on the Boom Arm as readily as the D27 hose.  And yes, this is a pain if you plan to install/uninstall the D36 hose often.  So, you might plan on either leaving the D36 hose installed on the Boom Arm, if that is an option for you, or you might elect to not install the larger hose into the clips and instead just install the hose onto the Boom Arm using a rubber band at each clip that you would hook around the cord holder on one side of the clip, stretch around the hose and hook onto the cord holder on the other side of the clip. 

 

[NuggyBuggy]

First off, the D50 hose doesn't get installed onto the upper portion of the Boom Arm, so it doesn't need to fit into the hose clips. 

Sorry - I did mean the D36 hose, not the D50.  The D50 wouldn't make it very far along the arm.

Instead, the D50 plugs into the CT and is lead up to where the upper and lower portions of the Boom Arm connect.  You should also have a shorter/heavier power cord that gets plugged into the CT and is also lead to this connection point. 
If you're referring to the adapter cable I do have this, but not sure if you are.  I wish I could find a parts list for the boom arm.

The clips that hold the hose to the upper tube on the Boom Arm will work with either the D27 or D36 hose.  The D27 hose will easily lead into these clips, but the D36 hose is another story.  To install the D36 hose, you will need to loosen the bolts that fasten these two-part hose clips -- these bolts are somewhat short and may actually need to be completely undone before you can get the larger hose installed.  So, once the bolts are either loosened or removed, you can install the D36 hose within the clip and tighten or reinstall the bolts.  It would have been nicer if these bolts were just a tad longer.

I did remove one of these clips to try and figure out how to install.  Even with the bolts out, I couldn't see that they would be long enough to grab the other side.  I couldn't get it to work, I gave up pretty quickly and decided to just buy some longer bolts.