Using a CT26 for sanding drywall compound

[abgoto]

I use my CT26 primarily for woodworking, but I have the occasional need to sand drywall compound.  Not enough to justify a Planex anc CT36 AC combo, but enough that I would prefer to avoid the amount of dust generated by hand sanding.  To protect the CT26, I ordered a new main filter element (496170) that I will use only for drywall and the disposable dust liners for the CT36 AC (496215).  I also purchased the DTS400.  I understand that the tools are rugged and well designed, but the way I justify purchasing Festool for DIY work is my assumption that if I take care of these tools, they will last for my lifetime.  My care and use questions are:

Question 1:  Will the dust liners fit in the CT26?  The catalog indicates that they fit only the CT36 AC.

Question 2:  If the dust liners fit, should I use one in addition to a self cleaning bag or instead of a self cleaning bag?

Question 3:  The main filter element is a 1 micron filter which is the same size as the CT AC High Performance Filter.  Would the CT AC High Performance Filter be a better choice, assuming it fits in a CT26?

Question 3:  Will drywall dust shorten the service life of the DTS400?

Question 4:  Do you have any care or maitenance tips for using the DTS400 for drywall?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Saskataper]

I use my midi all the time with my DTS. The selfclean bags are fine the liners are only for the autoclean and if you use them and not a selfclean the filter will just clog. I've even used my midi with my planex with decent results.
I'd cancel the liners but the filter is a good idea so you don't clog the HEPA.
The sanders are all designed to handle dust so I wouldn't worry, plus with a vac attached they stay pretty clean.
Have fun that DTS is an awesome little sander.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

 Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

    I don't see why the liners would not fit the CT26, I think they would just be too large and you would have extra to trim off or fold or something. BUT  using the non-autoclean with the liners instead of a regular bag is probably a bad idea. The AC has an automatic filter cleaning feature that keeps the filter from clogging even though the "bag" (liner ) is open to the filter.  I think in a non-AC CT26 you will have a pretty big mess and clogged filters.
   
   If you are only doing a fairly small amount  of drywall sanding occasionally, I think you would be better off just using the CT26 in the normal bag configuration.  The extra set of filters might still be a good idea though.

Just my thoughts.

Seth

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Welcome to the forum. I'll add to Scott's response by specifically answering your questions.

Will the dust liners fit in the CT26?  The catalog indicates that they fit only the CT36 AC.

It's possible that they would fit, but you should NOT use the liner with your CT 26. It's not designed to work with liners and requires the bag, which functions as a preliminary filter. Without that, you will clog your HEPA filter and lessen its service life.

Question 2:  If the dust liners fit, should I use one in addition to a self cleaning bag or instead of a self cleaning bag?

No need to use a liner. Just use the filter bag.

Question 3:  The main filter element is a 1 micron filter which is the same size as the CT AC High Performance Filter.  Would the CT AC High Performance Filter be a better choice, assuming it fits in a CT26?

Save yourself the money. No need to use a different filter. The standard filter will be fine. If you decide to clean it, do not use a compressor. Just remove the filter and tap it and/or feather the pleats to clean.

Question 3:  Will drywall dust shorten the service life of the DTS400?

No. The DTS will not be adversely affected by drywall dust. In fact, I would highly recommend the DTS (and have) for drywall tasks.

Question 4:  Do you have any care or maitenance tips for using the DTS400 for drywall?

The manual will have some maintenance tips. Aside from that, you could use your compressor to periodically blow out the inlet ports on it. Also, you could periodically remove the pad and clear any dust build up or debris. But, I doubt you will see any.

Shane

 

[abgoto]

Thank you for the quick responses.  I cancelled the liners, and will use the self cleaning bag along with the standard filter for drywall.  My thinking was that if I used a liner in conjuction with a self cleaning bag, cleaning the inside of the CT26 would be easier than using the self cleaning bag alone.

 

[Holzhacker]

The dts400 works well enough. I use it sometimes but prefer the ets125. good easy all around sander, doesn't seem to care about mud dust
I don't know how much experience you have but would say don't forget to down grade your paper grit. If you normally use 100 or 120, try using 120 or 150 instead

 

[jlyons]

I bought a DTS400 and Ct26 this winter for some drywall.  Worked great for most of it.  i did a final sand by hand it was terrible i was wild about the dust.  It wasn't that good for the large flat areas a Ets150/3 i think would be a great compliment.

 

[abgoto]

Thank you for the suggestions. I bought 120 and 180 grit Granat for the DTS400 and I have the same grits for my ETS150/3. I've used a Pocket Stickfix while holding a vacuum hose underneath and that significantly reduces the amount of dust. As an upgrade, I may purchase the 80x130 hand sanding block, but given how little drywall work I do, I'm not sure it's worth the investment.