Mirka Ceros dust extraction?

[David Kuzdrall]

I have read some mixed reviews on the dust extraction capabilities of the Mirka Ceros. I can only assume that this is related to the particular dust extractor being used.

For those folks getting good dust extraction and no pigtails from rogue abrasive not being collected, what extractor are you using?

Thanks

[Martin Wasner]

I actually just got mine today. Very awesome sander. Finest I've ever used in fact. I use a downdraft table, so I don't care about the extraction on the sander itself. I took the connection point off of mine before it even got plugged in.

My guess is that it's the owners who have unrealistic expectations and think there will be zero dust escaping.

It may have something to do with the abrasive used as well, as far as hole placement goes.

[John Schweikert]

I'm on my 3rd year using a Ceros with a Fein Turbo II. I use it regularly. It's been a superb sander, and really no complaints.

The only time I experience dust is at startup, both the sander and vac start at same time but the suction will of course have a slight delay, maybe a second or less, so you get some dust spun around. Not sure what ROS wouldn't do this.

I have no idea what this means: "no pigtails from rogue abrasive not being collected, what extractor are you using" so can't speak specifically to that.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I have no idea what this means: "no pigtails from rogue abrasive not being collected, what extractor are you using" so can't speak specifically to that.

I think he means that pigtails are the little curly scratch marks that ROSs can leave behind when some of the grit comes off of the sand paper (loose abrasives) and doesn't get sucked up by the dust extractor. You get pigtails when loose grit is left behind and you move to the next finer grit without removing it first.

[William C Rogers]

I have had mine about three years. We will just say my vac has a shop vac "6.5 hp" heart. It is running through a dust deputy. I have not experienced any problem with dust extraction. I only use Abranet pads. The only way I could see a problem is with non Abranet pads or very, very weak vac.

edit: I have the 5" Ceros.

[Peter Quinn]

I've been using them for going on 8 months with fein vacuums, no issues, dust collection is very good. I spin the sander briefly so the vac kicks in before I start sanding. I'm using 5 hole paper.

[Wade Lippman]

I used a dyson canister and a dust deputy. It was terrible, but I expect it probably was unrealistic expectations. My standard was the PC333, which we all know is the gold standard for dust collection. Fortunately the Bosch I replaced the Ceros with was able to meet it.

[Prashun Patel]

I'm using a Ridgid shop vac and a CV minicyclone. I am extremely happy with the results.

[Brian Tymchak]

I'm using a Ridgid shop vac and a CV minicyclone. I am extremely happy with the results.

+1. I just bought the Ceros last month, hooked it straight to a Ridgid shop vac and am quite happy with the dust collection in the limited amount of time I've used the sander.

[David Kuzdrall]

Hmm.. Mine is hooked to a large shopvac designed for 2 1/2" hose running through a dust deputy but my dust extraction on the Ceros with the abranet disc is much worse than 7-hole disc on my porter cable 390K. It looks to be a much tighter squeeze for the air to get through the Ceros and perhaps my shop vac dose t have the ability to pull through such a small area. It works great on my router fence with the full size hose but not so well on the Ceros.


+1. I just bought the Ceros last month, hooked it straight to a Ridgid shop vac and am quite happy with the dust collection in the limited amount of time I've used the sander.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I'm using 5 hole paper.

Peter - I have big $$ in my 5-hole inventory. I have been concerned about the Ceros' ability to collect dust with them. Looks like you are saying "no problem"???

Maybe you are in the same boat as me - would you prefer something else, given the chance?

[David Kuzdrall]

I definitely have more of an issue than a rogue grain or two, I have a really bad scratch pattern left from the 100 grit Abranet. Looking to the specs of my vac vs. those like fein and festool I see a large difference in static pressure. The nicer vacs have 50% more static pressure than my current setup and I wonder if that is preventing the grit and dust from being properly collected?

[JOHN GILLOTTI]

I have a Ceros that I've been using for about a year. I also use festool 125 with a 3 mm stroke. Both sanders will leave pigtails when only sanding to 100 grit. Isn't that the normal scratch pattern when using a ros? We sand all our projects to 150, if being stained 120 if painted ,And white woods ( hard maple ) to at least 180. The festools finer stroke is great for finishing but not nearly as fast as the ceros

[David Kuzdrall]

I actually started at 100 then went to 120, then 180, then sanded with a cork block with the grain. Now that I have a few coats of varnish on I see radiused scratches (not pigtails) spaced parallel to each other about 3/16" apart.

I am just trying to determine if it is likely user error or equipment issues.

[JOHN GILLOTTI]

What kind of wood are you working. I've found that the stroke of the ceros is rather large to use as a finish sander. Often I'll switch to the festool ets 125 to help eliminate any sanding marks. In most woods I haven't had any issue with this, but often in hard maple I'll need to hit it with 220 to get all the visible scratches out

[David Kuzdrall]

What kind of wood are you working. I've found that the stroke of the ceros is rather large to use as a finish sander. Often I'll switch to the festool ets 125 to help eliminate any sanding marks. In most woods I haven't had any issue with this, but often in hard maple I'll need to hit it with 220 to get all the visible scratches out

Black walnut in this case.

[Ken Krawford]

John, I get "pigtails" occasionally and only use Abranet as an abrasive so there goes the "grit coming off" theory.

[Ken Krawford]

I've had a Ceros for over a year and my only complaint is dust collection. I'm using a Festool vacuum and when I finish sanding a piece I can run my hand over the surface and it's covered with dust. This never happened with my Festool sander. I'm using Abranet abrasives so I should be getting optimum dust pickup vs holed sandpaper.

[David Kuzdrall]

I've had a Ceros for over a year and my only complaint is dust collection. I'm using a Festool vacuum and when I finish sanding a piece I can run my hand over the surface and it's covered with dust. This never happened with my Festool sander. I'm using Abranet abrasives so I should be getting optimum dust pickup vs holed sandpaper.

Are you using the pad protector? I am and I wonder if that has an impact...

[William C Rogers]

I am using the pad protector, but I do not have any problem with dust collection. I am using the Ceros hose and a modified shop vacuum.

[Ken Krawford]

Are you using the pad protector? I am and I wonder if that has an impact...

Yes I'm using a pad protector. I'll try sanding without it and see if it makes a difference. My guess is that it won't.

[Tom Ewell]

I've had a Ceros for over a year and my only complaint is dust collection. I'm using a Festool vacuum and when I finish sanding a piece I can run my hand over the surface and it's covered with dust. This never happened with my Festool sander. I'm using Abranet abrasives so I should be getting optimum dust pickup vs holed sandpaper.
I find that both Festool and Ceros tend to leave the extra fine dust on the surface, the Ceros perhaps a bit more but it's not a deal breaker for me.

I really don't expect the surface to be totally dust free, my primary expectation is to keep the dust 'under control' which both sanders do well with either my Fein or Festool vacs.

I use nine hole discs and/or mesh depending on the job.