Reuse bags from dust extractor???

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05-28-2021, 6:51 PM
mike johnston

Reuse bags from dust extractor???

I just purchased a dust extra/ shop vac. Never owned one before. I have a clear view cyclone and craftsmen shop vac. Guess I will use extractor on routers, chop saw, sander, so forth. When bag is fulll do you empty or throw away???
05-30-2021, 7:49 AM
tom lucas

I reuse. I've used the same bag for the past 5 or so years. I can because I have a place to put the dust: in a wooded ravine. I wouldn't do it if I had to put out with the trash. Wear breathing protection. That dust is dangerous to your lungs.
05-31-2021, 10:44 AM
Rod Sheridan

Hi mike, if you're talking about a shop vacuum I use a new bag each time.

I have a Festool CT26 as the shop vac, there's no point paying for, and wanting HEPA level dust abatement and then standing in a cloud of dust emptying a bag......Regards, Rod.
05-31-2021, 1:10 PM
David Walser

Mike -- Ron Paulk discusses his method for reusing the bags for his Festool dust extractor in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SjP5EWTXdE. In the comments to the video, some of his viewers share their own method.
05-31-2021, 4:59 PM
John Lanciani

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rod Sheridan

Hi mike, if you're talking about a shop vacuum I use a new bag each time.

I have a Festool CT26 as the shop vac, there's no point paying for, and wanting HEPA level dust abatement and then standing in a cloud of dust emptying a bag......Regards, Rod.

I agree with Rod, trying to save the bag defeats the whole purpose of using the vac. It also amuses me that people will spend $500+ on a vac and then fret over the cost of the consumables to use it.
06-02-2021, 7:41 AM
George Yetka

If you put a small cyclone inline you get alot more use out of the bag. It is neccessary to throw out the bag as it is part of the filtration. If you reuse it the pores become clogged and filtration/vac performance suffer
06-03-2021, 6:39 AM
Curt Harms

Quote:

Originally Posted by George Yetka

If you put a small cyclone inline you get alot more use out of the bag. It is neccessary to throw out the bag as it is part of the filtration. If you reuse it the pores become clogged and filtration/vac performance suffer

The small cyclone would get my vote if you're able to integrate one into your system. I reuse the plastic bag on my dust collector, I can't see emptying the bag on a shop vac type device.
06-05-2021, 9:14 AM
Julie Moriarty

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Walser

Mike -- Ron Paulk discusses his method for reusing the bags for his Festool dust extractor in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SjP5EWTXdE. In the comments to the video, some of his viewers share their own method.

If the shop vac he's using to suck the waste out of the Festool bag has a filter, wouldn't he have to be cleaning that shop vac filter along with emptying the shop vac canister? It seems Paulk's method would make more sense if the shop vac had a cyclone attached.

But it still seems like a lot of fuss to save a few bucks.