using ts55 with ctl midi

[robski]

can anyone help? i bought a ctl midi extractor for use on site ( i dont have or need a workshop ) as its small and very portable and it works very well with all my festool tools, jigsaw, sander, planer etc but it is absolutley useless with my ts55. i went against good advise from many of you long term members and now im stuck with a extractor which performs poorly with the tool i use the most! has anyone got any ideas on how to make it more effective with the ts55?your advise/opinions are most welcome (promise ill listen this time!)

thanks

 

[jmbfestool]

can anyone help? i bought a ctl midi extractor for use on site ( i dont have or need a workshop ) as its small and very portable and it works very well with all my festool tools, jigsaw, sander, planer etc but it is absolutley useless with my ts55. i went against good advise from many of you long term members and now im stuck with a extractor which performs poorly with the tool i use the most! has anyone got any ideas on how to make it more effective with the ts55?your advise/opinions are most welcome (promise ill listen this time!)

thanks

I got the TS 55  also have the Festool CTL22 and a cheap vacuum which i been given by the company i work for to use with my tools to keep it dust free because I only use the CTL22 for home use. Any way using the cheap vacuum bright yellow round thing it works fine with the TS55 it does fill up really quickly so i do reuse the bags couple times then throw away and but a new. Getting to the point its a cheap vacuum so sucking is just like any other cheap vacuums so seen as the Midi isnt a cheap extractor the sucktion should be better or equal so I dont understand why the midi isnt good enough to do the job for the TS55. Tell me more, is it that the midi fills up to quickly but my opinion the planer would be the one to fill it the quickest so it isnt it that. Is it beauce it aint sucking the dust fromt he tool well enough?

 

[Forrest Anderson]

can anyone help? i bought a ctl midi extractor for use on site ( i dont have or need a workshop ) as its small and very portable and it works very well with all my festool tools, jigsaw, sander, planer etc but it is absolutley useless with my ts55...  has anyone got any ideas on how to make it more effective with the ts55?your advise/opinions are most welcome (promise ill listen this time!)

The CT Mini comes with a 27mm diameter hose. You may find that the 36mm diameter hose works better when using the TS55 saw.

Although both hoses can fit the TS55, the manual for the TS55 recommends a 36mm hose:

A Festool dust extractor with an extractor hose diameter of
36 mm or 27 mm (36 mm recommended due to the reduced
risk of clogging) can be connected to the rotating extractor
connector

Forrest

 

[robski]

thank you jmbfestool and forest for your input, unfortunatly the ctl mini and midi wont take  d36 hose, i checked on the accesories page on the festool website, it was one of the many reasons i knew to buy the ct 22 as well as the long life bag etc, it was the small size that made me buy the midi, putting the ts55 issue i have aside, to anyone concidering a festool extractor, if sanding makes up the bulk of of anyones work and light planing and cleaning the midi is fantastic and i highly recomend it but if your sawing and routing pay the extra ?60 and get the ct22.

 

[jmbfestool]

thank you jmbfestool and forest for your input, unfortunatly the ctl mini and midi wont take  d36 hose, i checked on the accesories page on the festool website, it was one of the many reasons i knew to buy the ct 22 as well as the long life bag etc, it was the small size that made me buy the midi, putting the ts55 issue i have aside, to anyone concidering a festool extractor, if sanding makes up the bulk of of anyones work and light planing and cleaning the midi is fantastic and i highly recomend it but if your sawing and routing pay the extra ?60 and get the ct22.

return the midi! or sell it and get the ct 22. I was making the same descision  either midi or ctl 22 cus midi is good for the size and the 22 is bit big but like you said defuntly well worth it for performance. but still i would of thought if all your other tools work with it the TS55 would but now i know!!!

 

[robski]

forest was spot on, the ts55 manual says quite clearly you need the d36 hose but i just ignored all the reasons for buying the ct22 and like an idiot bought the midi. its too late to return it and ill get next to nothing selling it so i guess ill have to grin and bare it. an important leason to all future festool owners-the tools are second to none for quality and userbility but they can also make for expensive mistakes when you dont think your purchase through first or ignore the sound advise of fog members!

 

[Dan Clermont]

The Midi will take the 36 mm hose but it won't have the right angle adaptor. My suggestion would be to buy a 36 mm hose and use it on the router and TS 55 which tend to pull larger volumes of ships compared to the sanders.

The Midi is a great portable dust extractor it just doesn't suck like the CT 22 and CT 33

Dan Clermont

 

[robski]

thanks Dan, do you know if the hose comes with a connector to fix into the midi? or will i have to fashion something together myself?

 

[Brice Burrell]

I have the CT 22, CT Mini as well as both the D27, D36 hoses and the TS 55. I use the Mini quite a bit with my TS 55 on site with the D27 hose, works perfectly. In fact, there is no noticeable difference using any either vac or hose. From my experience the D27 works just as well as the D36 (forget what the manual says) and the Mini as well as the 22. If you are getting poor results there may be something else going.

The TS 75 with it's larger depth of cut may improve it's dust collection with the larger vac and hose, I don't have the 75 so someone else can comment on that.

thanks Dan, do you know if the hose comes with a connector to fix into the midi? or will i have to fashion something together myself?

The D36 fits in the Mini/Midi as is, no other parts needed.

 

[Dan Clermont]

thanks Dan, do you know if the hose comes with a connector to fix into the midi? or will i have to fashion something together myself?

The connector is the same diametr as the 27mm. Just not a right angle connector and I don't think festool makes a right angle connector for the 36mm hose

For what it is worth, a friend of mine is very deep into dust collection systems and he recommends avoiding right angles on dust fittings. The Midi and Mini come with right angle fittings for the dust port and this may restrict air flow slightly. If at all possible buy a straight fitting for the smaller diameter hose and it may help reduce the dust not collected from the saw.

The right angle fitting works well for coiling the hose in the hose garage and keeps the unit compact.

Dan Clermont

 

[Forrest Anderson]

unfortunatly the ctl mini and midi wont take  d36 hose, i checked on the accesories page on the festool website,

Whilst the 36mm hose may not be officially listed as an accessory for the CT Midi or Mini, it seems to be quite possible to connect the two together (the 36mm hose sticks up vertically, rather than going through a right-angle adapter and lying horizontally)

See the following threads which describe and/or illustrate the procedure or mention that they can be connected:

http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=755.msg6919#msg6919
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=646.0

Forrest

 

[nickao]

Any hose can work with any vac just make an adapter for it to work if you have to, it's not very difficult even if you want to keep the AS.

 

[EcoFurniture]

I'm working my TS55 , sander and OF1400 with my mini vac. I have no issues at all when I use it with the saw and sander. The router is a different story...
I would recommend you check the hose for dust build up inside.

 

[nickao]

I think maybe one person is thinking 100% effective when another may think 90% collection is perfect operation.

My 75 with a CT 33 gets about 80% at best. To some that is perfect operation, to others that is not total collection like the hype indicates or they think it should be for the cost. The TS saws with a CT do not collect 100% of the dust, they just do not.

Also most guys saying they get perfect results know to use the foam under ply when cutting it and even to cover the side of the saw with a plate, both these things dramatically increase the effectiveness and someone having trouble may not realize this.

One thing I know is that using a bigger hose in these operations can never hurt.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I think maybe one person is thinking 100% effective when another may think 90% collection is perfect operation.

My 75 with a CT 33 gets about 80% at best. To some that is perfect operation, to others that is not total collection like the hype indicates or they think it should be for the cost. The TS saws with a CT do not collect 100% of the dust, they just do not.

Also most guys saying they get perfect results know to use the foam under ply when cutting it and even to cover the side of the saw with a plate, both these things dramatically increase the effectiveness and someone having trouble may not realize this.

One thing I know is that using a bigger hose in these operations can never hurt.

You're right Nick, the TS saws don't get 100% of the dust, I don't believe Festool has ever claimed they did. Again, you're right about a person's perception of how a tool "should" work is sometimes different from the manufacture's claim. The TS55 collects between 80-90% of the dust, that's pretty darn good.

If you aren't getting 80% or better these a chance you have a problem with the hose or vac. Maybe a clogged hose or you don't have the vac up to full suction. A vacuum bag that is full can also reduce the suction reducing the dust collection.

 

[nickao]

I am happy with the dust collection on all my stuff and do not get how some people are not.

I always get near 100% with my routers too and some don't so I am not sure why that is. I mostly use the DeWalt 618 and the hose goes straight up with no curve so maybe that helps?

 

[Warrior]

I have used the midi and you can remove the right angle adapter and plug the 36mm hose directly into the port. It sticks straight up but that is fine, even better for DC with not having to take the turn at the end of the hose. I never understood that design.

Eiji

 

[vteknical]

I have the CT 22, CT Mini as well as both the D27, D36 hoses and the TS 55. I use the Mini quite a bit with my TS 55 on site with the D27 hose, works perfectly. In fact, there is no noticeable difference using any either vac or hose. From my experience the D27 works just as well as the D36 (forget what the manual says) and the Mini as well as the 22. If you are getting poor results there may be something else going.

The fact is the D36 move mores air than the D27.  Most of my work is done in finished showrooms, there is no way this is an apples to apples comparison, not even in the same ball park.  I agree with the manual based on my own experience. 

My Miele vacuum has more suction power than CT22 and better filtration/emissions. I've used them many times when I wasn't packing my 22.  In fact I may use the smallest one in conjunction with a Dust Deputy. 

 

[Peterm]

Just to add to all the above (I have the TS55 and the Midi vac, and it's also my most used combination) using a cover plate (491750) helps improve the dust extraction in some situations; there was a thread here a while back (I searched for it and couldn't find it) where someone taped over the holes in the blade cover and found it also improved things!

I've also tried the D36 hose and found that for me, it was more awkward to handle for not enough of an improvement, so have stuck with the D27 which works 'well enough' - though I have been hankering after a second vac, so a CT22 (26??) may well be on the cards for later in the year...

Cheers, Pete

 

[robski]

thank you everyone for all the great advice especially the links, you have given me loads of ideas to try. got a feeling nickao has me down to a tee- im probably expecting far to much from a vacum.