Are the newer style fein turbos still quality tools?

[richard poitras]

I have an older Fein and it is very quieter more in the 66 db range, But as the test shows the new ones are louder. I hate buying things now a days as they always seem to change good tools once established and cheap em then up.

[Rob Sack]

I have a shop full of Festool tools and would not argue about their obvious quality. The shop vac I am using on my Festool Kapex is not getting the job done. I talked with the folks at Festool during the most recent AWFS. As far as the Kapex is concerned, the only complete set up that works with the Kapex is their most expensive "dust extractor" which comes with the 27 mm hose. All the Festool vacs run at 130-137 cfm. the Kapex works best with the 27 mm hose, which means unless you buy the top model, you will have to buy an addition 27 mm hose. I ran the numbers and it totals with tax between $800+ and almost $1,000. And when you need replacement filters, you'll need to visit your local loan officer first.

Ridgid makes a vac that is rated at 203 cfm for just over $200. They also have a model for less that is rated at 187 cfm for even less. Using their 1 1/4 hose, the units should be at least as good, if not better than any of the Festools. There is also a device that can be clamped to the Kapex power cord that the vac plugs into and will come on automatically when the saw is turned on. If anyone has tried any of this, or something similar, I would be interested in their observations.

The only downside to buying a Festool "dust extractor" is spending upwards of a $1.000. The downside of buying the Ridgid is shopping at Home Depot.

[richard poitras]

[QUOTE=
Ridgid makes a vac that is rated at 203 cfm for just over $200. There is also a device that can be clamped to the Kapex power cord that the vac plugs into and will come on automatically when the saw is turned on.

The only downside to buying a Festool "dust extractor" is spending upwards of a $1.000. The downside of buying the Ridgid is shopping at Home Depot.[/QUOTE]

You are right about Home Depot but threw in a shop built sound cabinet and you are at 1/3 ish of the cost and the same DB'S

[Rob Sack]

You are right about Home Depot but threw in a shop built sound cabinet and you are at 1/3 ish of the cost and the same DB'S

Not to mention 50% higher cfm.

[Bill Dufour]

How does a Miele compare. I wish they made a true shop vac. I have a canister floor vac, bought used, and it is good.
Bill D

[Curt Harms]

There was a thread on a woodworking Board don't recall which one -- about shop vacs. I wish I had bookmarked it. It turns out that most of the sound attenuation from the 'R2D2' Feins is due to sound deadening foam in the black shell. My foam deteriorated a few years ago and I was able to get acoustic foam with adhesive backing from Ebay. While I had it apart I partially reassembled and turned it on. It was nowhere near as quiet without the foam as with the foam though I don't have a sound meter to quantify. The other thing I remember from the above mentioned thread is that the Fein motor is made by Ametek who seems to make a LOT of vac motors. That thread had the model number of the Ametek motor which would be handy to have. What else is there to wear out on a shop vac except the motor?

[Dave Sabo]

I talked with the folks at Festool during the most recent AWFS. As far as the Kapex is concerned, the only complete set up that works with the Kapex is their most expensive "dust extractor" which comes with the 27 mm hose. All the Festool vacs run at 130-137 cfm. the Kapex works best with the 27 mm hose, which means unless you buy the top model, you will have to buy an addition 27 mm hose.

Unfortunately, this is erroneous info. You either:

-misheard
-mistakenly typed the wrong info
-or-
- talked to a salesweasel that had no idea what they were talking about.

First - any of the wheeled vacs will work and have roughly the same performance with regard to suction. The mini/midi/15 share the same 130cfm turbine and the entire rest of the lineup share the 138cfm one. The 8 cfm really isn't gonna show up to the end use without some airflow measuring device.

Second - you are correct (almost) in that all vacs come with a 27mm hose. The AC units are the exception; they ship with a 36mm hose.

Third- the 27mm hose is not the ideal, recommended , or go to hose for a kapex. Matters not whether it's connected to the most expensive or the entry level ct15.


Kapex runs better with a larger diameter hose regardless of whether it's attached to a CT "extractor" or a Craftsman 5hp "shopvac" Festool has been advising to use a 36mm hose since kapex's early days for better collection with some advocating the 50mm. The other constant has been to keep the hose's length as short as possible. Most guys were cutting the 36mm hose in half and have long complained that festool never saw fit to sell a short version for use on the kapex.

The small nugget of fact in the story told you was that the most expensive vac would be best. That's because it does ship with a 36mm hose. But the same suction (relatively) could be achieved with their entry level vac and a 36mm add on hose for roughly half the cost. Less than that if you sold on the included hose. You could also achieve the much same performance with say a DeWalt vacuum and add on hepa filter. $275 plus tax.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-1...305506376-_-N&

Or any other number of setups that used a large diameter , short hose.

How does a Miele compare. I wish they made a true shop vac. I have a canister floor vac, bought used, and it is good.
Bill D

It doesn't. It's a ridiculous comparison. Incompatible hose because of the rigid wand , extremely short hose , and minuscule capacity.
They do make a shop vac - it's called festool

What else is there to wear out on a shop vac except the motor?

Hoses, and sometimes wheels. Switches and electrical sockets go on occasion too. Filters wear out too, but you many put those under consumables. And if you have a festool - the hose garages frequently broke.

[Rod Wolfy]

My old Fein Turbo II bit the dust a few months ago after 20 years. It was a great vac. I loved how quiet it was and the bucket like felt like filter meant that it didn't need any bags, just pull the filter and dump. I've read the reviews on the ones that came out about 7 years ago and I wasn't impressed. The filter is pleated, but tiny. They seemed to have taken a great product and unimproved it for $$.

I don't know why so many manufacturers (Rigid, Shop Vac, Craftsman, etc) think that suction over noise control is so important. I can't stand my loud Rigid and would love a quieter vac, without all the bulk.

[Dave Sabo]

I don't know why so many manufacturers (Rigid, Shop Vac, Craftsman, etc) think that suction over noise control is so important. I can't stand my loud Rigid and would love a quieter vac, without all the bulk.

That’s an easy one.

Their customers don’t want to pay the additional cost that feature would require.


Here are some decent vacs that are reasonably quiet and aren’t crazy money:
https://www.industrialvacs.com/Aero_.../107406622.htm

already mentioned:
https://feintools-online.com/9203523...yABEgLdrvD_BwE

not widely known :

https://www.kaercher.com/us/home-gar...-cleaners.html

[Jason Evans]

For future vacuum hunters. I bought the ct15 before returning the fein to compare the two. The festool is better in every way, very well built. The fein seemed cheaply made. When connecting the top to the bottom it didn’t seal tightly. It had an annoying high pitch whine. After adding a hepa filter the fein cost more too.

I’m using a dust deputy with a 6ft hose between it and the ct15 and 26 feet of hose attached to the DD. The suction is really great. It is also quieter than the fein. Fein lied on their decibel level and their suction. I’m so glad I replaced my dying shopvac(my third one in a few years)it was in a large sound reducing box and the deputy was on a twelve gallon canister from the shopvac that died before that one. They took up so much space. Now I have a five gallon bucket and the ct 15. The shop feels much more open. I love it.

I highly recommend the ct15. It is worth every penny in my opinion now.

[Dave Sabo]

For future vacuum hunters. I bought the ct15 before returning the fein to compare the two. The festool is better in every way, very well built. The fein seemed cheaply made. When connecting the top to the bottom it didn’t seal tightly. It had an annoying high pitch whine. After adding a hepa filter the fein cost more too.

I’m using a dust deputy with a 6ft hose between it and the ct15 and 26 feet of hose attached to the DD. The suction is really great. It is also quieter than the fein. Fein lied on their decibel level and their suction. I’m so glad I replaced my dying shopvac(my third one in a few years)it was in a large sound reducing box and the deputy was on a twelve gallon canister from the shopvac that died before that one. They took up so much space. Now I have a five gallon bucket and the ct 15. The shop feels much more open. I love it.

I highly recommend the ct15. It is worth every penny in my opinion now.

Glad you've finally found a suitable vac for your needs.

Re: the cost diff - it's rather difficult to compare like for like. In order to gain the capacity of the HEPA/Turbo I , you would need to select a CT- MIDI. And that would cost $250 more bit gain you a BT triggering option. festools first vacs were not HEPA filtered and no one really mentioned the oversight or noticed the "increased" dust production. Mainly because there wasn't any unless you had sophisticated equip. to measure micron sized particles. Even then, the diff. wasn't anything to get excited over.

In fairness , they all "lie" about their specs.

[Jason Evans]

Re: the cost diff - it's rather difficult to compare like for like. In order to gain the capacity of the HEPA/Turbo I , you would need to select a CT- MIDI. And that would cost $250 more bit gain you a BT triggering option.

I guess for some capacity is important, but for me capacity is meaningless with a dust deputy. Same motor as the midi though, so same suction afaik.

To replace the the ridiculously expensive BT trigger option, I use a shop lamp plugged into the tool outlet with a $10 outlet remote from amazon. This also lets me know when I’ve actually turned it off, which is good with the delayed off.

Maybe they all lie, but the fein was nowhere close to their listed specs.

[Darrell Bade]

Have you looked at the Bosch? I have one I really like but you never hear much about them.

[Jason Evans]

Yeah. I like the Bosch, was considering it, but it’s big and expensive. I wanted compact and less expensive.

[Rick Potter]

What size hose is that 26 footer Jason?