Festool and Dust Collection

[lloyd morris]

Anyone have any opinions on how good the dust collection really is on a Festool TS55 Saw and 6" dual mode 150 Sander with their Dust Extractor System? From their website video is looks pretty amazing and effective.

Thanks,

Lloyd

[Cecil Arnold]

Good enough that LOML lets me use it in the house. Seriously, it is about as good as you are going to find. Perfect? No.

[Frank Pellow]

I have that sander and the older Festool circular saw. The dust control on both is better than I ever thought I could get with a hand hekd power tool. By the way, the dust control is not nearly as good with the Festool routers.

[Dave Falkenstein]

Dust collection on the sanders is extraordinary. The only time I see any sanding dust is when sanding narrow pieces, where a portion of the sanding pad is hanging in space. Dust collection with the plunge saws is quite good. There might be some dust at the end of a cut, when the blade exits the material. Using a backer piece can minimize that dust. If you run one of the plunge saws without the dust extraction in place, you will very quickly see just how much of the dust does get picked up - most of it.

[Ed Labadie]

Dust collection with the Festool Circular saw is excellent. I recently cut up a sheet of 3/4 MDF for a new router table top. About 8 cuts & you could have put all the sawdust on the floor in a Dixie cup.
The sanders are also excellent, as others have said.

Ed

[Jim Becker]

From their website video is looks pretty amazing and effective.

It's amazing and effective. I'd not hesitate to use these tools in my living room if the need were to arise.

[Tyler Howell]

Very happy with the Rotex, Scroll saw and Csaw. Haven't seriously worked with the router yet.

[lloyd morris]

Thanks for the thumbs up on Festool dust collection. Does it matter which Festool Dust Extractor System you get?

[Peter Pedisich]

Been using my ATF55/MFT/RS400/CT22 lately in my basement/office just a few feet from my computer. No problems.

It has changed where and when I can work with wood (plywood!;) ), in a very positive way.

The dust collection and build quality of Festools are the features most often talked about, but the ergonomics are first rate.

Pete

[Robert Waddell]

Lloyd,
I just bought the 150/5 sander and I'm using it with a Fein Turbo II. No dust at all except on narrow peices as someone else said. I would think you would want to go toward the larger size vac with a circular saw. If for nothing else the larger capacity for the chips coming of the saw.
Rob

[Dave Falkenstein]

Thanks for the thumbs up on Festool dust collection. Does it matter which Festool Dust Extractor System you get?

The Mini is aimed at portability, and has a smaller CFM rating for moving air. The CT22 and CT33 are the same specs. The CT33 has a larger dust holding capacity. I use a CT22 in my home shop, and find the bag capacity is plenty for my needs. The bag is actually quite large on the CT22, and seldom needs changing, unless you use it on tools that generate huge volumes of chips, like a planer.

[Paul B. Cresti]

Anyone have any opinions on how good the dust collection really is on a Festool TS55 Saw and 6" dual mode 150 Sander with their Dust Extractor System? From their website video is looks pretty amazing and effective.

Thanks,

Lloyd
LLoyd,
When I was doing installations I was able to use my ATF55 right inside my clients home with the CT22. It created a bit of dust but no where near what it does with out. I also sanded in those same homes with little or no dust spill over. Like someone els said as long as you keep the sander down on the surface, I would say darn near 100% is picked up. The routers and jigsaws are another story though...very hard to work with those cleanly. I would say for shop work the Ct22 is best. The Mini is really sized as an installers dc and the CT33 is just a bigger capacity version of the Ct22

[Frank Pellow]

The CT22 is by far the most popular Festool vacuum and it's the one I have. It is great in the shop and is portable enough that I don't mind (too much) taking it to job sites.

[Scott Brihn]

I've got the Festool saw and CT22 vac but use the smaller ES125 Sander.

I built a portable cutting table for sheet goods and this winter have sliced up a couple sheets of baltic birch in my finished basement right next to my home theater gear with minimal cleanup. I find the dust collection on the saw does not work as well when just "trimming" the edge of a board (straight line ripping or cutting down a door). I'm not surprised and execute these types of cuts in the shop or garage.

Like others have mentioned Festool sanders when hooked up to a vac are basically dust free. I'm not sure I needed Festool to acheive this as my trusty PC 333VS was basically dust free when hooked up to the Fein Turbo II. I do like the variable suction capability of the CT22 and reduced vibration of the ES125. Together they have enabled me to damper down the suction, noise and my hand no longer turns into a "claw" after an extended sanding session.

[Jim Becker]

Scott, the abrasives will last a little longer on the Festool sander because of the DC design with the center hole. This elminates the build-up that gets "cooked" onto the disks with many other sanders.

[Mark Singer]

Sanders work terrific! ...the saw and routers are so-so...better than nothing though

[Mike Wilkins]

I just wish Festool would use a round port where the dust vacuum hooks up to the saw, instead of the rounded square port. I do not have a Festool vac since I already had a Porter Cable tool triggered vac prior to purchasing the Festool saw.
If the Festool folks are monitoring these forums; can you make an aftermarket vacuum hook-up that will work with round hose connections???

[Tyler Howell]

I just wish Festool would use a round port where the dust vacuum hooks up to the saw, instead of the rounded square port. I do not have a Festool vac since I already had a Porter Cable tool triggered vac prior to purchasing the Festool saw.
If the Festool folks are monitoring these forums; can you make an aftermarket vacuum hook-up that will work with round hose connections???
Mike,

The Festool hose is sold seperately and fits great in Fein Vac. My PC hose fits the festool vac...... got all that:confused: . So you should be able to get a good fit some how.;)

[Jim Becker]

Mike, the new saw has a different format for the hose connection...it should make it easier to deal with, but it's still best to use a Festool hose, even if you are working with a Fein or other brand vac. The rubber end on the Festool hose is made to adapt to all the tools exactly.

[Rob Blaustein]

Mike, the new saw has a different format for the hose connection...it should make it easier to deal with, but it's still best to use a Festool hose, even if you are working with a Fein or other brand vac. The rubber end on the Festool hose is made to adapt to all the tools exactly.
I have the new saw (TS55) and I use it with my Fein Turbo II. I do have a Festool hose, but I tend to keep the Fein hose on for general use and it actually mates quite nicely with the saw. If I recall, it also works well with the router--it's my sander (150/3) that seems to need the Festool hose end.

I have not yet used my Festool router (1400) for anything other than edge routing with a flush trimming bit. For that application, using the lower and upper dust collection attachments, I get essentially no dust.

With the TS55 circ saw, I always seem to get a spray of dust at the end of the cut, but hadn't thought of putting a sacrificial backer piece behind as mentioned above--that would probably eliminate that last spray.

Has anyone used the new optional additional dust attachment for the TS55?

[Bob Marino]

I have the new saw (TS55) and I use it with my Fein Turbo II. I do have a Festool hose, but I tend to keep the Fein hose on for general use and it actually mates quite nicely with the saw. If I recall, it also works well with the router--it's my sander (150/3) that seems to need the Festool hose end.

I have not yet used my Festool router (1400) for anything other than edge routing with a flush trimming bit. For that application, using the lower and upper dust collection attachments, I get essentially no dust.

With the TS55 circ saw, I always seem to get a spray of dust at the end of the cut, but hadn't thought of putting a sacrificial backer piece behind as mentioned above--that would probably eliminate that last spray.

Has anyone used the new optional additional dust attachment for the TS55? Rob,

The dust cover works quite well, as the earlier cover worked on the ATF. It doesn't eliminate that last puff of dust, but otherwise does make a difference.

Bob

[JayStPeter]

Rob,

The dust cover works quite well, as the earlier cover worked on the ATF. It doesn't eliminate that last puff of dust, but otherwise does make a difference.

Bob

I can vouch for that. I have the optional dust hood for the ATF and it really helps. The secret to superb collection is that hood and keeping the blade buried during the cut. I make my cuts on a sacrificial styrofoam panel. With the optional dust hood, the only real dust is a small puff at the beginning and end of the cut when the blade isn't fully buried. No dust mask (or even broom) required unless you have to have the blade exposed during part of the cut (ie shaving an edge).

Jay

[Rob Blaustein]

Rob,

The dust cover works quite well, as the earlier cover worked on the ATF. It doesn't eliminate that last puff of dust, but otherwise does make a difference.

Bob
Thanks Bob. MINOR RANT: Festool is clearly committed to quality tools and to dust collection. So why don't they just include that cover with the saw, the way they include those dust collecting attachments with the router. Just seems funny that on an expensive saw like that you'd need to spend a little extra to acheive something that in a sense is integral the system. RANT OVER.

[Scott Coffelt]

I wish the cover for the ATF was still available though, it was not available when I bought mine.

Hey Bob, a birdie told me the Rotex was hitting the close out bin tomorrow..... any insider peek into this?

[Bob Marino]

Thanks Bob. MINOR RANT: Festool is clearly committed to quality tools and to dust collection. So why don't they just include that cover with the saw, the way they include those dust collecting attachments with the router. Just seems funny that on an expensive saw like that you'd need to spend a little extra to acheive something that in a sense is integral the system. RANT OVER.

Dust collection is integral to the TS saw. On the TS 55, the dust cover isn't used with the outboard splinter-guard. Most folks would rather have full use of that splinter-guard than use the dust cover for that extra 5-10% difference.

Bob

[Bob Marino]

Hey Bob, a birdie told me the Rotex was hitting the close out bin tomorrow..... any insider peek into this?[/quote]


Yes, Scott, that birdie was correct. Staring February 1, the Rotex is being "closed out" - $420.00 to $350.00. The repacement Rotex has no current date of arrival - totally dependent on the sale of the current model. I am surmising it will have many of the same features and basic design of the RO 125.

Bob

[Frank Pellow]

Bob, I assume that you are talking about the Rotex 150 being closed out. That's a great sander and it will be interesting to see what imprivements they are making to it. A connector that holds onto the hose better is my primary wish -actually it my only wish.

[Bob Marino]

Bob, I assume that you are talking about the Rotex 150 being closed out. That's a great sander and it will be interesting to see what imprivements they are making to it. A connector that holds onto the hose better is my primary wish -actually it my only wish.


Yes, the Rotex 150 (6"). Not sure, haven't held, let alone seen the new sander, but it will be a round, rather than oval dc port.

Bob

[Rob Blaustein]

Dust collection is integral to the TS saw. On the TS 55, the dust cover isn't used with the outboard splinter-guard. Most folks would rather have full use of that splinter-guard than use the dust cover for that extra 5-10% difference.

Bob

Thanks for clarifying, Bob, I didn't realize the guard and cover couldn't be used at the same time. Still would be nice if they threw the dust guard in with the package (for cheapos like me).

I assume the Rotex replacement will still use 6" pads. It would be nice to not have to have 2 different collections of discs.

--Rob

[Bob Marino]

Thanks for clarifying, Bob, I didn't realize the guard and cover couldn't be used at the same time. Still would be nice if they threw the dust guard in with the package (for cheapos like me).

I assume the Rotex replacement will still use 6" pads. It would be nice to not have to have 2 different collections of discs.

--Rob

Yes, I am sure the hole pattern will be the same.

Bob

[Scott Coffelt]

Bob, I put my best sales pitch on Roy Wall today, so hopefully I was successful and a order comes your way. He'll probably be by my shop this Friday to check out the other Festool horses in the stable.

[Roy Wall]

Bob, I put my best sales pitch on Roy Wall today, so hopefully I was successful and a order comes your way. He'll probably be by my shop this Friday to check out the other Festool horses in the stable.

:cool: :cool:

[Scott Coffelt]

So??????????????????????????

[Bart Watkins]

I've been selling Festool for almost 3 years and customers are always thrilled with the amount of dust you can catch with the Rotex sander. Practically "0" dust even when sanding solid surface. It also works very well with the plunge saw but you will probably catch about 75 percent on the saw as compared to probably 97 or 98 percent on ther sanders.