Trying to vent outside in apartment with CTL 26 E or CTM 36 E

[andrey.]

I'm located at 6th floor apartment and I need to drill holes in the concrete. I want to use Festool drilling dust nozzle (D 27-BSD) and I also can rent Festool dust extractor: either CTL 26 E or CTM 36 E. The problem is they don't have exhaust air outlet like CT Mini/Midi so I can't vent outside easily.

The drilling site is located near a window, and apartment has windows on opposite sides of the building, so with wind blowing onto the other side of the building (which is the most frequent wind direction here) the airflow can be created through the apartment and out of the window near the drilling site.

I can't place the dust extractor completely outside, but I could place it partially out of the window with exhaust vents being outside of the window. I contacted Festool and they told me that CTL 26 E and CTM 36 E have exhaust vents on the back and on the side of the unit, so all vents basically on the rear near the big wheels. It looks like I could place the dust extractor with those vents completely located outside of the window, with the front part of the unit still inside of the apartment. But I'm wondering if there're also other spots on the unit which can emit dust during operation:

- what is the purpose of the front plastic grille (under the control panel and above the hose port)? Does it sucks air in, or can it also exhaust air?

- can the sealing between the top lid and the bottom part of the unit emit dust during dust extractor operation? I understand I need to be opening the lid outside of the apartment and wearing a mask, but I'm wondering if it's possible for it to emit dust while closed and operating

- otherwise, it looks like there's no other spots on the unit which can possibly emit dust and my plan can indeed work?

 

[P_K]

The CT 26 / 36 dust extractors are full-unit HEPA certified. They don't need to be vented outdoors.

 

[andrey.]

I'd still exhaust outside if possible, especially with rented unit with unknown history, as still not everything gets filtered out. My asthma doesn't like silica and other stuff

Reading about HEPA, it appears like lid seal should be indeed impenetrable by HEPA standards. But for the front grille it is still not clear as to how it functions. Considering the air is coming from the hose, through the filter, into the motor and outside via rear vents — the air can't come out from the front, but I'm not sure

 

[luvmytoolz]

I've used my CT's for large area concrete grinding and as PK said, there is zero need to vent the CT.

 

[andrey.]

I'm hesitant, but I'll ask anyway. Why there are dust classes on these extractors then? And why H class for Midi recently came out?

 

[six-point socket II]

- Festool dust extractors CONTAIN the dust. They do not emit dangerous particles.

- Every class has different requirements on filtration, function/warning & disposal.

- A Festool L class dust extractor will offer the same filtration grade as M class generally, it only lacks the obstruction warning function that is required for M class certification.

- When used correctly, no Festool dust extractor will spill any dust/ particles through the “vent”.

- For your task at hand, any Festool dust extractor will do.

- Use a filter bag when concerned about disposal.

In your case, I highly recommend to NOT rent such a unit unless you can vet the place that rents the units, as you will not know under which conditions the unit you ultimately get has been used and if it has been properly cleaned/ decontaminated. The dust extractor will, generally and when in usable condition, not spill what it takes in, but if it is a uncleaned, contaminated or broken unit, your concerns would indeed be valid.

Another word of caution, especially stay as far away from renting H class units as you can, unless, again, you can vet the place you get it from.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[andrey.]

I can say that very probably the worse about the unit can be assumed. I highly doubt there would be anyone interested in any cleaning, let alone proper cleaning.

My initial plan was: if all things go wrong with rented unit, can it still be okay because I used it like described in the original posting. I thought that with sufficient draft coming outside the window in which I could place the unit, with exhaust holes completely out — this could be OK even with no filtering at all. But probably it's not that simple

 

[six-point socket II]

Seriously, what are we talking about here? You specified the D27-BSD, that is good for drill bits up to 12mm in diameter.

So a couple of holes for wall plugs? Buy literally any shop vac at a big box store, buy any drilling dust nozzle if the big box store has one - or the Festool one - and you’ll be fine. If this is a one time job, you can even use your regular household vacuum (+ drilling dust nozzle if you must) and you’ll be absolutely fine as well. It’s what people have done and still do without spending big bucks on equipment or overthinking the drilling of a couple of holes. I grew up holding the household vacuum’s nozzle when my dad hung something that required drilling holes …

No need for open windows, consideration of draft or anything. Really!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[andrey.]

20 holes for 10x80 mm anchor bolts

 

[luvmytoolz]

I grew up holding the household vacuum’s nozzle when my dad hung something that required drilling holes …

When I grew up we used to dream of owning a household vacuum! ;-)

 

[six-point socket II]

20 holes for 10x80 mm anchor bolts

Get a shop vac and whatever drilling dust nozzle from a big box store.

No need for anything else.

When I grew up we used to dream of owning a household vacuum! ;-)

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[semenza]

Festool vacs use separate air from the hose for motor cooling. Hence the front grate / vent is for that purpose.

Seth

 

[P_K]

20 holes for 10x80 mm anchor bolts

 

[Michael Kellough]

View attachment 378716

This, with a plastic bag taped to the wall just below the hole.

Another trick when using a corded drill that has a fan on the shaft and blows air out of vents and will blow the drilling dust around is to simply tape cardboard to the drill to deflect the wind.

Most of the time drilling in concrete you only need dust extraction for holes in the floor when you have to use compressed air to bow dust out of the hole for proper clearance of the anchor. Even in that case you can just make the hole deeper as a reservoir for the excess dust.

 

[Imemiter]

When I grew up we used to dream of owning a household vacuum! ;-)

You had dreams???

 

[luvmytoolz]

You had dreams???

In between the 16 hour shifts at the mines we'd have visions of getting a new pair of shoes, or maybe a nice stick or rock!

 

[Crazyraceguy]

This seems like way overthinking. CT extractors are HEPA, so the only dust getting loose would be when you open it to swap bags. If you do that outside, you're good.

 

[mino]

I'm hesitant, but I'll ask anyway. Why there are dust classes on these extractors then? And why H class for Midi recently came out?

Do not ask Festool ... the /European/ vac classes are an EU regulatory framework. Nothing to do with Festool.

Case in point, the CT26/36/48 series predates the regulation .. the only reason something like CTL/CTM exists is because those EU regulations require a flow sensor for M/H classes .. which is pointless for many use cases, especially woodworking. Hence Festool just offers their vacs without a sensor (so €100 cheaper) as "L class" as that is the only way a vac without a sensor can be /legally/ offered in the EU.

In other words, ALL Festool Vacs have their fundamentals (sealing, motor cooling) designed such they can match up to H class. What changes is the presence of a flow sensor /M and H class/ and employment of better filters /H class/.

None of these regulations are applicable in the US, hence Festool does not even offer sensor-equipped vac over there and instead goes for HEPA compliant main filters as an option instead. /IMO HEPA is pointless unless one has an AC mode vac ... the bags are where it is at and they are the same/.