Reasons for Festool vs. Fein Dust Extractor

[Mike Cutler]

That is a nice setup you have Dan.

When I bought my Fein Turbo II many years ago, most everything else "affordable" was just these banshee screaming, plastic junk, dust pump, boxes that required hearing protection. I see now that Rigid and the others have tuned into the consumer to make them quieter, and more efficient. Noise was my overriding selection criteria for a shop vac back then.
I'm waiting for my 20 year old Rigid screamer to die, so I can buy one of the newer quieter models. I think If I keep using it to blow leaves, and clean gutters, I can accelerate it's demise.

[Julie Moriarty]

I purchased a Fein to use with my Domino and I like it quite a bit - excellent suction, autostart, hose fits the Domino out of the box. However, I find that I often wonder if I should have gotten a Festool vac and mounted a Dust Deputy on it.

There was a thread on Festool Owner's Group a few years back where someone with a Festool vac and a Dust Deputy experienced a failure of the control board on the vac. Festool reps said the board failed because of static that failed to discharge due to the DD placed in between the machine and the vac. There was a lot of conversation after that but Festool made it clear, if you insert any non-Festool devices in between their tools and their vacs, their warranty is void.

I wondered, if undischarged static can ruin the Festool vac's control board, why does Festool sell non anti-static hoses? I have used their non anti-static hose with a Dewalt router and track saw many times and I also use it for final floor cleanup. After two years, no problems.

[Larry Edgerton]

From a general functional perspective, either machine is great for the job. The Festool is the better choice if you want/need to "embrace the system", such as being able to attach Festool systainers and other accommodations on top of the extractor or utilize the hose-garage feature that Festool provides. One thing...at least for the Festool, but maybe for the Fein, too, but I'm not familiar with it...I don't prefer to use this kind of vac for "shop cleanup" because of the bags and their cost. I only use my Festool extractor for off-the-tool collection. I keep a small shop vac for general cleanup (a 4 gal Ridgid in my case) since I can just dump that into the trash after a thorough shop cleanup.

I do the same thing Jim, but the thought has crossed my mind that its kind of shooting yourself in the foot a bit being as the fines on the floor are just as bad as the fines off the tool. I use Shopvac bags, not as good but better than nothing.

I keep looking for generic Festool/Fein bags, but have not found them yet.

[Larry Edgerton]

I actually do have the setup that Dan mentions here, but with a Dust Deputy and it works very well for cleaning up the shop and even works well with the Domino, circular saw and the router. The sander dust extraction is really what I'm not happy with. When I'm finished sanding a board with this setup there is still lots of fine dust left on the board and in the air, I'm sure. With the Festool or Fein I'm really counting on that dust being collected. I believe it's the Water lift or Static pressure that differentiates the dust extractor from the shop vac and does so well at collecting fine dust at the tool. Am I correct about this?

If that is the case look at the small Festool suitcase vac. I have one mounted over the bench, and even with its small size it will do a lot of sanding before it is full. The bags are relatively cheap, and I vacuum them out with the shopvac a couple of times. Picks up the dust well, and the small size is nice for the odd occasion when I have a really small job to do in house. At $375 its not breaking the bank.

[Josh Kocher]

Bag changes are so infrequent... "vacuuming out with a shopvac"... just buy a pack of bags if you need it it won't break the bank...

[Peter Kelly]

I have a DominoXL and just purchased a Festool sander and now want to get a dust extractor. According to the specs, they both have auto start, suction adjustment, HEPA and are quiet. The Fein has more CFM and higher water lift. So is there any reason to buy the Festool at almost $300 more? I don't really care about the collection size as I will be using with a Dust Deputy.

I am looking at the Festool C26 and Fein TurboII HEPA.

I'm seriously looking for answers. If there is a reason Festool would be a better choice I want to know, but I can't find it?

Thanks!

The Kaercher WD5 can be had for about $152 from Home Depot and other retailers. I've also got a C26 which is great but not dramatically better than the aforementioned one and considerably more expensive.

[Larry Frank]

I have the CT26 and it is a HEPA rated vacuum and the Kaercher is not. There are quite a few backs that have HEPA rated filters but the vac are not HEPA rated.

I use mine on my scroll saw, Sanders and other tools that make fine dust. Being older, the HEPA rating is important to me.

[Brian W Evans]

There was a thread on Festool Owner's Group a few years back where someone with a Festool vac and a Dust Deputy experienced a failure of the control board on the vac. Festool reps said the board failed because of static that failed to discharge due to the DD placed in between the machine and the vac. There was a lot of conversation after that but Festool made it clear, if you insert any non-Festool devices in between their tools and their vacs, their warranty is void.

I wondered, if undischarged static can ruin the Festool vac's control board, why does Festool sell non anti-static hoses? I have used their non anti-static hose with a Dewalt router and track saw many times and I also use it for final floor cleanup. After two years, no problems.

My DD came with a self-adhesive metallic strip that you run from the cyclone intake to a bolt (and therefore to the metal dust bucket). They say this eliminates static. Not sure if the Festool-specific DD comes with something like this.

You can see the strip in the picture below:

IMG_20170902_083024(1).jpg

[Mike Henderson]

My DD came with a self-adhesive metallic strip that you run from the cyclone intake to a bolt (and therefore to the metal dust bucket). They say this eliminates static. Not sure if the Festool-specific DD comes with something like this.

You can see the strip in the picture below:

IMG_20170902_083024(1).jpg

You could easily make something like that strip with the metallic tape that many of us use to seal our DC ducting. It's metal and it has an adhesive side. Just have to make sure the metal part was touching what you want to conduct and not insulated by the adhesive.

Mike

[Peter Kelly]

I have the CT26 and it is a HEPA rated vacuum and the Kaercher is not. There are quite a few backs that have HEPA rated filters but the vac are not HEPA rated.

I use mine on my scroll saw, Sanders and other tools that make fine dust. Being older, the HEPA rating is important to me.

I've a large Blue Air HEPA filter that takes care of the room.

[Julie Moriarty]

My DD came with a self-adhesive metallic strip that you run from the cyclone intake to a bolt (and therefore to the metal dust bucket). They say this eliminates static. Not sure if the Festool-specific DD comes with something like this.

You can see the strip in the picture below:

IMG_20170902_083024(1).jpg

That was addressed in the FOG conversation. The guy who fried his Festool control board had continuous grounding in place when the board fried. Festool"s position remained that if you put any non-Festool device between their tool and their vac, the warranty is void.

[Mike Heidrick]

I like the boom arm and the ultimate dust deputy for the festool.

[Bradley Potts]

I've had a Turbo II for a good 20 years and it works so well that it's hard to see where or how Festool could make the $300 price difference worth the $300. I've made my own Thien separator from a 5-gal bucket and a cannibalized Ridgid screamer base whose motor died (bottomless bucket drops into the base for a tight seal). The separator works stunningly well, so the next step is to create a cart like Brian Evans' cart in order to eliminate the insanity of the Siamese pieces.

I remain dubious of the Ridgids, but you could always buy one and try it out risk-free. If it fails you, then return it and step up to the Fein or the Fester if you're feeling especially flush with cash. If you opt for the Fester, I would suggest looking at one of their extractor-tool combo's simply to save yourself 10% off that ridiculously expensive combo. That said, I resisted the Fester call for 15-years and finally nearly caved in when I bought a Makita track saw -- wow, I was an idiot for putting that off even for a day, yes, even for a $400 track saw setup, gasp. Better decide quickly, as March 15 is when Festool bumps its prices by their mandatory annual 10%!! (yet another reason to avoid Fester)

BTW, that HEPA rating is a BIG deal: It allows you to meet OSHA and other regulatory guidelines for hazmat removal, it costs a lot of money to get that regulatory clearance, and most manufacturers who sell true HEPA rated products generally tack on a minimum $150 premium for that feature -- this matters if you use the vac professionally, even for handyman services. Slapping Ridgid's HEPA filter onto one of their vacs does NOT turn the vac into a HEPA unit, it just eliminates an indeterminate amount of additional dust of an indeterminate size, and reduces the vacuum's performance.

[Larry Edgerton]

Bag changes are so infrequent... "vacuuming out with a shopvac"... just buy a pack of bags if you need it it won't break the bank...

This is my business, by vacuuming them out a couple of times I save $11.42 x 5 =$57.10 per package of bags. Low overhead is the key to a small woodworking business, have been in business for 32 years. I think I will just stick to my regularly schedules program.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Tis has been an enlightening thread. The things I learned:
- Festool vacs require a bag. I didn't know this. So glad I did not buy one, as that would be a hassle.
- The Fein will hold systainers according to a YouTube video I watched after reading this thread.
- Festool is succeptable to static discharges.

This is thread has made me want a Fein. My Ridgid is doing me just fine for now, but if it ever dies I will get a Fein.