HowardH said:
After 10 years, it's time for a new CT. It still works pretty well but the capacity is small and by no small measure there is a want a new one factor. My decision is whether or not to get the 36 or 48. With the 36, I can get the reusable bag. I didn't see that as an option for the 48. I understand the guts are the same, it's a capacity difference. The price points between the two are negligible. The bags are $10 each but I figure it would take a pretty good while to fill one up. I do plan to connect my CMS to it so those chips tend to be pretty big by comparison. Can you empty the bags to get more use out of them? I haven't done that with the 22. Any comments either way? Is bigger necessarily better?
rvieceli said:
[member=396]HowardH[/member] let me preface this by saying that I have a CT22 and have for a long while . Mine doesn't even have one of those fancy hose garages on it., which is fine by me. [wink]
I'm going to be a bit contrary [eek] the new one while being all new and shiny isn't going to work significantly better than the one we currently have. It is after all a just a vacuum, all be it one that costs around $800 plus consumables. Consider adding a Dust deputy to your set up and then change those bags instead of the expensive Festool ones.
Take that money you had earmarked for the vac and buy another couple of tools that are considerably more sexy than a vacuum. A Domino perhaps, an ETS sander, an RS2 or two somethings.
Having said all that, I have always felt that the 20 series vacs were a good sweet spot. The 30 series always seemd too big and the 40 series feels like a boxcar. As mentioned I think a full CT22 bag is heavy enough.
Ron
Why buy a new one? The new vacs aren't really any better. In fact their sheer bulk & size makes them a whole lot less convenient than your old Kraenzle CT22 is. If it's getting tired, replace the brushes ($12). If it's getting wheezy then replace the motor/turbine unit with a brand new one ($50). Remember that Festool, Kraenzle, Nilfisk, Stihl, Starmix, Mafell, Metabo, Eibenstock, Kress, Milwaukee, etc. etc. don't make their own motors: Ametek do, so they'll (as original OEM suppliers) be significantly cheaper than a "branded" replacement part. With a new moto or even just brushes, you've already got a "brand new" vac, as apart from the usual consumables of bags, filters & hoses you've just replaced the only moving?motive parts already!
As already mentioned by my astute colleagues, you'll also be saddling yourself with one of those silly, ridiculously bulky & notoriously fragile hose garages if you purchase a replacement machine. I too bought one for my CT22 in a moment of temporary insanity. It lasted a day, making the delightfully compact CT22 into a tall, unwieldy & (with extra systainers fitted) dangerously unstable top heavy behemoth! It's yours free for the price of postage if you want it!
You mentioned inadequate capacity: so buy an Ultimate Dust Deputy. Yet, it makes it taller & potentially top-heavy when filled, but no more expensive bag replacements & greater capacity than any any Festo/ol owner could wish for in their wildest wet dreams. You'd need to trade up to a Mafell S200 high capacity vac for more!
I personally think the CT22 was probably Festo/ol's best ever vac. All parts, including those fantastic wet swarf/water buckets are still available. Apart from the remote control capacity, replacement would otherwise be a backward step. You'd be getting a big, fragile, unwieldy vac with little if any other tangible benefits for your money.
The price of a new Ametek or Domel motor, new "slippery" Electrolux-style hose, Ultimate Dust Deputy & aftermarket remote will run to less than half the replacement's price, so why would you bother?
From a practical point of view, that's right. However, as some wise man once said, "don't confuse me with facts, my mind is made up!" I currently use a DD cyclone into a 5 gallon bucket. It works pretty well but I don't know how much loss of suction there is using this setup. It's also a bit cumbersome with multiple hoses laying about that don't quite fit snuggly so I have to use duct tape to try to seal up the connections. That's a big reason I'm considering upgrading to a much bigger unit. 
