VAC SYS DISCONTINUED?

[ridgenj]

I received my quick connect fittings yesterday after 2 months of waiting:

I'm waiting on some new ear clamps to put them on. Prevost is the manufacturer of the Festool fittings. It took what I consider an unreasonable amount of digging to track these down but I wasn't willing to pay Festool prices for a re-badged fitting on principle.

I'll save the long winded story of what I had to do to get these imported to the US from a French company. If anyone wants to follow my lead the process should go much smoother now that they're in the Prevost USA system (although they aren't a stocked item and will still require a lead time from France). The distributor I ordered from was Air-power USA https://www.airpower-usa.com/

PV ERG 071809VALV
PV ERP 076808P2
PV ERP 076152P2

All in I paid ~$126. You could also go a different route as has been mentioned in this thread. I just wanted OEM fittings. Those push fit valves are $50 or more each from Festool.

Matt

Thanks Matt, I spent the morning trying to locate the parts in their shop without any luck. The published SKU's just render several items. Any advice?
Cheers
Luis

 

[DynaGlide]

I received my quick connect fittings yesterday after 2 months of waiting:

I'm waiting on some new ear clamps to put them on. Prevost is the manufacturer of the Festool fittings. It took what I consider an unreasonable amount of digging to track these down but I wasn't willing to pay Festool prices for a re-badged fitting on principle.

I'll save the long winded story of what I had to do to get these imported to the US from a French company. If anyone wants to follow my lead the process should go much smoother now that they're in the Prevost USA system (although they aren't a stocked item and will still require a lead time from France). The distributor I ordered from was Air-power USA https://www.airpower-usa.com/

PV ERG 071809VALV
PV ERP 076808P2
PV ERP 076152P2

All in I paid ~$126. You could also go a different route as has been mentioned in this thread. I just wanted OEM fittings. Those push fit valves are $50 or more each from Festool.

Matt

Thanks Matt, I spent the morning trying to locate the parts in their shop without any luck. The published SKU's just render several items. Any advice?
Cheers
Luis

You're going to have to call them. I used their Salem branch. It's all over the phone.

 

[rmwarren]

I've been surprised how this topic took off, but it got me thinking. I've had the basic system with one head for 3-4 years but rarely use it because I have to haul everything off shelves and hook it up. FOMO prompted me to grab a SE2, which is sitting in the house right now.

Separately, I seem to spend half of my shop time reorganizing to try to fit another cubic foot of new tools in, and I just slid down that slope in a major way. My main worksurface is the MFT/SYS cart that I rattled on about a couple of years ago, it sits against a wall dedicated to storing the CT26, UDD, air compressor, TS55 and the unused VacSys. Every cubic inch is used pretty efficiently, but it's not the most functional setup and frankly that wall is a little oppressive to the shop's, ahem, fung shui. [unsure]

[attachimg=1]

[attachimg=2]

So, what I'm thinking is to relocate the CT/UDD/compressor/VacSys/TS55 under a new (smaller, @ 30" by 46", 37" tall) cart that will have a MFT style top for cutting. The stuff stored in the old cart will move to the wall and I'll clean up the area. (And the black worktops are history, seemed like a good idea at the time.)

I just did a blocking plan to see if everything fits and it looks like it will work, there's even room to bury the Triton router in it to boot. Rather than pay the penalty of square inches of lost space to use 15 series 80/20 I think I'll weld up 1" by 2" box tubing/flat bar and just screw on 3/4" ply panels for most of it.

[attachimg=3]

Now I'm going full OCD with the extractor hose in its own "garage", power, air and vacuum outlets, the TS55 in a cubby, dogs/fence/rails, etc.

Fun way to spend a winter weekend.

RMW

 

[rmwarren]

I received my quick connect fittings yesterday after 2 months of waiting:

I'm waiting on some new ear clamps to put them on. Prevost is the manufacturer of the Festool fittings. It took what I consider an unreasonable amount of digging to track these down but I wasn't willing to pay Festool prices for a re-badged fitting on principle.

I'll save the long winded story of what I had to do to get these imported to the US from a French company. If anyone wants to follow my lead the process should go much smoother now that they're in the Prevost USA system (although they aren't a stocked item and will still require a lead time from France). The distributor I ordered from was Air-power USA https://www.airpower-usa.com/

PV ERG 071809VALV
PV ERP 076808P2
PV ERP 076152P2

All in I paid ~$126. You could also go a different route as has been mentioned in this thread. I just wanted OEM fittings. Those push fit valves are $50 or more each from Festool.

Matt

Matt, I'm interested to see how you are going to reconfigure everything. I just looked at my new SE2 and realized there is around $150 bucks (Festool prices) in QD fittings with it.

Relative to my post of a couple minutes ago, re-plumbing the heads is a future project, replacing with foot pedal with hand levers as [member=73094]afish[/member] posted.

RMW

 

 

[grobkuschelig]

…

Relative to my post of a couple minutes ago, re-plumbing the heads is a future project, replacing with foot pedal with hand levers as [member=73094]afish[/member] posted.

RMW

FYI: the Festool foot pedal lends itself perfectly as a hand lever if mounted upside down…

Was even in some Festool Video, IIRC…

 

[dalep]

…

Relative to my post of a couple minutes ago, re-plumbing the heads is a future project, replacing with foot pedal with hand levers as [member=73094]afish[/member] posted.

RMW

FYI: the Festool foot pedal lends itself perfectly as a hand lever if mounted upside down…

Was even in some Festool Video, IIRC…

Yes, 494977 - Adapter VAC SYS AD MFT / 3 comes with the hardware to do so, this is what Festool use:

474050 Screw x 1
403033 Flat head screw x 1
465079 Lever x 1
474051 Clamping bolt x 1
219098 Square nut M8 x 4

Regards

Dale

 

[Stan Tillinghast]

Well, Lee Valley just told me they cannot supply the Festool vac pump. They just say that Festool discontinued it. But we knew that months ago, and they continued to list an expected arrival date.
I'm not sure how that works.

I guess I'll be calling Joe at Veneer Supplies.

 

[JINRO]

Well, Lee Valley just told me they cannot supply the Festool vac pump. They just say that Festool discontinued it. But we knew that months ago, and they continued to list an expected arrival date.
I'm not sure how that works.

I guess I'll be calling Joe at Veneer Supplies.

I purchased Excel 5 and had few hiccups. But Joe was kind and prompt to give me help and advise. Pump is great and I highly recommend it!

 

[jgrout]

A few random responses follow:

Any high vacuum pump will work just fine either Venturi or a dedicated vacuum pump. The key is to create the best seal you can so it does not exceed  the draw on the pump.

Joe woodworker has a perfectly functional foot switch, I have been using it for a few years now it works exactly as expected.

I use closed cell silicon rope to make my seals on shop constructed vac supports and while the pump runs constantly, I have yet to be able to make a workpiece release under vacuum.

Having the ability to create fixtures is one of the most satisfying achievements in my experience, the OTS solution may be more convenient but the workaround is in my experience just as effective.

 

[feckman]

Well, that escalated quickly...  As noted above, Tool Nirvana (which is fantastic, BTW) does -- or did -- have the SE1 kit in-stock so I ordered one up.  So, I now have what I wanted: SE1, SE2, Excel 5 pump and a spare round head.  It also leaves me with an extra round head and an extra Vac Sys SE 2 kit.

In the interest of paying it forward, I'm happy to offer the SE2 and round head at cost + shipping here if anyone wants them.  Just PM me.  I prefer to sell together for shipping purposes.  I definitely don't want to break any forum rules, so let me know if this is not allowed and I'll delete right away.

Once again, thanks to all for their input on this topic -- I am very happy to have gotten in on the system and think it will be very helpful for my woodworking.  Now it's on to cutting up hoses and adding quick connects!

--Jim.

 

[papester]

BIS website shows the SE2 in stock.

No idea if that is accurate.

I ordered the SE1, SE2, pump combo but only receive the pump and SE2 today. I hope I am getting the SE1 that I already paid for and need the foot pedal from.

I'm in the same situation. I ordered the complete set with the accessory set and MFT clamp. I received the pump, SE2, and accessory kit, but not the SE1 and MFT clamp. I emailed BIS asking if I would be receiving the SE1 with foot pedal, and if not, what is their return policy. I have not heard back from them yet. My order was placed on 12/21/21.

Same thing happened to me. Waiting on an update. Ordered on 12/16/2021. Missing the SE1.

Still no SE1 or any responses from BIS!

 

[Runhard]

BIS website shows the SE2 in stock.

No idea if that is accurate.

I ordered the SE1, SE2, pump combo but only receive the pump and SE2 today. I hope I am getting the SE1 that I already paid for and need the foot pedal from.

I'm in the same situation. I ordered the complete set with the accessory set and MFT clamp. I received the pump, SE2, and accessory kit, but not the SE1 and MFT clamp. I emailed BIS asking if I would be receiving the SE1 with foot pedal, and if not, what is their return policy. I have not heard back from them yet. My order was placed on 12/21/21.

Same thing happened to me. Waiting on an update. Ordered on 12/16/2021. Missing the SE1.

Still no SE1 or any responses from BIS!

I talked with BIS yesterday and I believe they said they had 40 SE1’s that would coming in and shipping next week. They had no update or timeline on the MFT brackets. The lady was very nice and helpful. She offered to call Festool to ask about the bracket, but I said that wasn’t necessary.

 

[papester]

BIS website shows the SE2 in stock.

No idea if that is accurate.

I ordered the SE1, SE2, pump combo but only receive the pump and SE2 today. I hope I am getting the SE1 that I already paid for and need the foot pedal from.

I'm in the same situation. I ordered the complete set with the accessory set and MFT clamp. I received the pump, SE2, and accessory kit, but not the SE1 and MFT clamp. I emailed BIS asking if I would be receiving the SE1 with foot pedal, and if not, what is their return policy. I have not heard back from them yet. My order was placed on 12/21/21.

Same thing happened to me. Waiting on an update. Ordered on 12/16/2021. Missing the SE1.

Still no SE1 or any responses from BIS!

I talked with BIS yesterday and I believe they said they had 40 SE1’s that would coming in and shipping next week. They had no update or timeline on the MFT brackets. The lady was very nice and helpful. She offered to call Festool to ask about the bracket, but I said that wasn’t necessary.

Thanks for the information. I was planning on giving them a call today.

 

[ridgenj]

Thanks you!

 

[DynaGlide]

 

[grobkuschelig]

@DynaGlide Looking good!
Had not thought of putting the Fittings directly on the unit, good idea.

 

[DynaGlide]

[member=65062]DynaGlide[/member] Looking good!
Had not thought of putting the Fittings directly on the unit, good idea.

I don't think you're seeing it right. I put the 'plug' on the Vac Sys and the push/pull fittings on the hoses.

 

[Shane Holland]

Good evening, Festool friends. We just received a very small number of the Vac-Sys today. Please ignore the message on our website about it being discontinued. If it says "IN STOCK" in green, we still have these. I expect them to go quickly. While supplies last.
https://www.toolnut.com/festool-203148-vac-sys-vacuum-clamping-system.html

Hope this helps anyone who's still looking for one.

Shane

 

[peter halle]

Good evening, Festool friends. We just received a very small number of the Vac-Sys today. Please ignore the message on our website about it being discontinued. If it says "IN STOCK" in green, we still have these. I expect them to go quickly. While supplies last.
https://www.toolnut.com/festool-203148-vac-sys-vacuum-clamping-system.html

Hope this helps anyone who's still looking for one.

Shane

Thanks for the info.  Order placed.  My other attempts to find one failed.

You Rock!

Peter

 

[Shane Holland]

Thanks for the order, my friend!

Well, these went very quickly. We have only 1 left as of this posting. I expect us to be sold out any moment.

Shane