FES-ing up

[Mark J]

Well I did it.  FES-ed up 

I’d been thinking about the 15% off sale Festool is running on dust collectors. I’ve been pondering it back and forth awhile.  Should I or shouldn’t I; it’s so expensive; everybody says it’s way better; it’s just a vacuum not something sexy; you gotta start somewhere and Festool never goes on sale; blah blah blah.   

Anyway I was kinda decided on buying -- I had even mapped out what other Festool delights I’d want someday in my shop -- but wasn’t ready to pull the trigger.   

Then I thought I’ll check Craig’s List. Haven’t had much luck there in the past, but, there it was a TS 75 EQ track saw with 42” track, local, and it wasn’t sold yet.  Few hours later and I’m  driving home with the saw and track, a second 52” track, 36 and 52 tooth blades, two screw clamps and two connectors.  Paid $620 which I think was a fair price.  Stuff is used, but not abused.   

Yes Shaneymack, you bet it came with a systainer!  And No Vinnyjojo, I have no idea what to do with the systainer.  Still I’m keeping it.   

Of course now I must buy the DC, after all the TC75 would be useless without it, right!  …and if I could swing a router then I could get the MFT table for 10% off… 

You know, I was just going to peak inside and now I’ve been sucked all the way into these FES-tivities, buy hey, I’m feeling warm and FES-y. 

[shaneymack]

This warms my hear Mark ! I love to see another guy taking the plunge into the abyss.

I recommend a ct mini or midi with a dust deputy.

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[Woodenskye]

And so it begins.  You should get at minimum the 75" track, I agree with Shane about the vac.  

[toddclippinger]

Congrats on the Festool score! I have the older version TS 65 and use it all the time, they are great saws. 

If you don't want to swing for a Festool vac, you can get just the hose which will plug into a standard shop vac or even onto a Dust Deputy. 

The Festool hoses also connect to several brands and models of various tools. 

Even though they are not grounded out to be anti-static like the Festool vac, I have noted that the hose still does not build up a static charge like other hoses. 

I use an electronic tool switch to act as the automatic on-off for the vac when I start and stop the tool I am using. 

 

[shaneymack]

Congrats on the Festool score! I have the older version TS 65 and use it all the time, they are great saws. 

If you don't want to swing for a Festool vac, you can get just the hose which will plug into a standard shop vac or even onto a Dust Deputy. 

The Festool hoses also connect to several brands and models of various tools. 

Even though they are not grounded out to be anti-static like the Festool vac, I have noted that the hose still does not build up a static charge like other hoses. 

I use an electronic tool switch to act as the automatic on-off for the vac when I start and stop the tool I am using. 

 

Way to ruin a perfectly good festool obsession thread Todd !!!!!

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[toddclippinger]

Dang...sorry guys! 

I'll call it "Festool Secrets You Never Knew"

-Festool hoses connect to lots of other tools.

-Festool hoses connect to other brands of vacs.

-Festool hoses are well worth the money, they outlast other brands of hoses.

 

[Chet]

34 minutes ago, toddclippinger said:

Dang...sorry guys! 

I'll call it "Festool Secrets You Never Knew"

-Festool hoses connect to lots of other tools.

-Festool hoses connect to other brands of vacs.

-Festool hoses are well worth the money, they outlast other brands of hoses.

 

And they are Green and Black.

[JosephThomas]

You can also get the bosch hose, I have that one it works just the same as far as connecting to the tools/vacs/dust deputies, and feels just as high quality. Can't speak to the longevity really yet, ask me in 5 years. Or perhaps Todd already knows from experience...

The anti-static one comes in blue and black, almost as good, lol.

[toddclippinger]

Just now, JosephThomas said:

You can also get the bosch hose, I have that one it works just the same as far as connecting to the tools/vacs/dust deputies, and feels just as high quality. Can't speak to the longevity really yet, ask me in 5 years. Or perhaps Todd already knows from experience...

The anti-static one comes in blue and black, almost as good, lol.

I have been wanting to try the Bosch hose. I have not seen the anti-static one, only the grey one. I know that one is a lot less expensive than the Festool. I will have to look for the Bosch anti-static version.

Currently, I have 3 Festool hoses and 5 Ridgid premium hoses. They have been pretty good. 

[bleedinblue]

I use the universal small port adaptor thingy kit from Rockler, fits right onto my one and only festool, the Domino.

[JosephThomas]

1 minute ago, toddclippinger said:

I have been wanting to try the Bosch hose. I have not seen the anti-static one, only the grey one. I know that one is a lot less expensive than the Festool. I will have to look for the Bosch anti-static version.

Currently, I have 3 Festool hoses and 5 Ridgid premium hoses. They have been pretty good. 

They grey one is pretty nice too, but is non anti static. I'll be honest, I don't really know when it's 'safe' to use that one vs the anti-static one.

[toddclippinger]

Just now, bleedinblue said:

I use the universal small port adaptor thingy kit from Rockler, fits right onto my one and only festool, the Domino.

The universal kit from Rockler was another thing I had thought of getting just to try out. The Festool hose fits a lot of various tools but not everything. I was thinking the Rockler kit might fit the few things that the Festool hose does not. 

[bleedinblue]

I've only tried it on the Domino and a Dewalt RO, it works well on both.  Each requires different adaptors that come in the kit, but they switch out easy enough.  I'd imagine the silicone will fit over most small tool dust ports.

[toddclippinger]

2 minutes ago, JosephThomas said:

They grey one is pretty nice too, but is non anti static. I'll be honest, I don't really know when it's 'safe' to use that one vs the anti-static one.

The biggest issue I have had with hoses that build up static charge is that they have shocked me hard enough to make my arm go numb clear up to my shoulder and make my chest tighten up. It was a bit frightening. 

Even when hooked to a Ridgid shop vac, the Festool hoses do not shock me at all. The Ridgid premium hoses seem to only gather a minor static charge that feels like getting pricked with a needle. 

The worst hoses have been the original ones that come with any shop vac. When ever I have purchased a new vac, I also just go ahead and get a premium hose for it and toss or give the original hose away. There is usually someone that will take it for free. 

1 minute ago, bleedinblue said:

I've only tried it on the Domino and a Dewalt RO, it works well on both.  Each requires different adaptors that come in the kit, but they switch out easy enough.  I'd imagine the silicone will fit over most small tool dust ports.

It seemed like I remember the kit being pretty reasonably priced as well. 

Do you have any issue with static build-up?

 

[bleedinblue]

The kit was $30 I think, or close to it.  No static issues yet, though I doubt it's an anti static hose.  Feels like good quality though.

[toddclippinger]

3 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

The kit was $30 I think, or close to it.  No static issues yet, though I doubt it's an anti static hose.  Feels like good quality though.

Thanks, for the feedback, I still see myself ordering a kit one of these days. I have several shop vacs for work and I have a variety of hoses so I can easily hook them up to a tool and leave it for the day. I think the Rockler kit still has a place in my shop.

[Mark J]

5 hours ago, shaneymack said:

This warms my hear Mark ! I love to see another guy taking the plunge into the abyss.

I recommend a ct mini or midi with a dust deputy.

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Abyss, oh you mean the FES-pool.  Come on in the water is fine.  Go ahead, go head first it's oh so so so deep.  

I missed buying the vac by ten minutes.  I thought Woodcraft was open later.  

Incidentally, the guy at Woodcraft told me that putting a cyclone in line would void the warranty.  I haven't independently confirmed that, just sharing what he told me.  The explanation was something about static build up potentially causing a fire in the CT unit.  Needs a call to Festool.

 

[shaneymack]

Abyss, oh you mean the FES-pool.  Come on in the water is fine.  Go ahead, go head first it's oh so so so deep.  

I missed buying the vac by ten minutes.  I thought Woodcraft was open later.  

Incidentally, the guy at Woodcraft told me that putting a cyclone in line would void the warranty.  I haven't independently confirmed that, just sharing what he told me.  The explanation was something about static build up potentially causing a fire in the CT unit.  Needs a call to Festool.

 

Of course they would say that. There used to be issues with static build up on the first model of the DD. It was resolved a long time ago. Festool doesn't want you using a DD because they lose your repeat business on consumables like bags and filters. Its been a year and a half since im running my ct26 with DD and i dont have a speck of dust in the filter or in the bag and I use that vac for everything.

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[Mark J]

9 minutes ago, shaneymack said:

Of course they would say that. There used to be issues with static build up on the first model of the DD. It was resolved a long time ago. Festool doesn't want you using a DD because they lose your repeat business on consumables like bags and filters. Its been a year and a half since im running my ct26 with DD and i dont have a speck of dust in the filter or in the bag and I use that vac for everything.

 

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Yeah, I have my doubts about their explanation, and a lot of people, including Marc have done it.  Just reporting what I heard.  

4 hours ago, bleedinblue said:

I use the universal small port adaptor thingy kit from Rockler, fits right onto my one and only festool, the Domino.

So it's possible to use  a Festool and not become addicted...

                      ....or is it?

[JosephThomas]

25 minutes ago, shaneymack said:

 

 

Of course they would say that. There used to be issues with static build up on the first model of the DD. It was resolved a long time ago. Festool doesn't want you using a DD because they lose your repeat business on consumables like bags and filters. Its been a year and a half since im running my ct26 with DD and i dont have a speck of dust in the filter or in the bag and I use that vac for everything.

 

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Do you have a normal dust deputy (the roughly $100 one), or the black square looking one that sits on top of the dust extractor?

[shaneymack]

Do you have a normal dust deputy (the roughly $100 one), or the black square looking one that sits on top of the dust extractor?

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[Chestnut]

5 hours ago, bleedinblue said:

I use the universal small port adaptor thingy kit from Rockler, fits right onto my one and only festool, the Domino.

I'm VERY close to hitting the trigger on a domino but i don't have a CT vac. Was this the kit? http://www.rockler.com/dust-right-universal-small-port-hose-kit
 

I also have my eye on a couple Used CT midi's on Craig's list that i might try and grab for a decent price the 15% sale makes the used stuff sit longer.

[bleedinblue]

2 hours ago, Mark J said:

Yeah, I have my doubts about their explanation, and a lot of people, including Marc have done it.  Just reporting what I heard.  

So it's possible to use  a Festool and not become addicted...

                      ....or is it?

Ehhhhh, I'd take a track saw, sander and a couple CTs if the boss looked the other direction, lol.

1 hour ago, Chestnut said:

I'm VERY close to hitting the trigger on a domino but i don't have a CT vac. Was this the kit? http://www.rockler.com/dust-right-universal-small-port-hose-kit
 

I also have my eye on a couple Used CT midi's on Craig's list that i might try and grab for a decent price the 15% sale makes the used stuff sit longer.

Yup, that's it.

[toddclippinger]

On June 12, 2016 at 4:12 PM, Mark J said:

Abyss, oh you mean the FES-pool.  Come on in the water is fine.  Go ahead, go head first it's oh so so so deep.  

I missed buying the vac by ten minutes.  I thought Woodcraft was open later.  

Incidentally, the guy at Woodcraft told me that putting a cyclone in line would void the warranty.  I haven't independently confirmed that, just sharing what he told me.  The explanation was something about static build up potentially causing a fire in the CT unit.  Needs a call to Festool.

 

I remember conversing with Dyami Plotke from the Modern Woodworkers Association on the issue. He said Festool won't honor the warranty due to the static potentially burning out the electronics in their machine, even when using the one designed for the Festool vacs. It did not seem to be as much of a fire issue, just burning out the electronics, that was what I got out of the conversation anyway. 

[Mark J]

On 6/13/2016 at 10:07 PM, toddclippinger said:

I remember conversing with Dyami Plotke from the Modern Woodworkers Association on the issue. He said Festool won't honor the warranty due to the static potentially burning out the electronics in their machine, even when using the one designed for the Festool vacs. It did not seem to be as much of a fire issue, just burning out the electronics, that was what I got out of the conversation anyway. 

Just took a peek at the Oneida site to see if they still had the unit that Shaneymack has (I like the way it sits on top).  They do.  The web page mentions the static issue then has a link to a product awareness page.  

http://www.oneida-air.com/inventoryD.asp?item_no=AXD000009&CatId={428A1AFA-E859-459E-8BF9-47817428D9AF}

http://www.oneida-air.com/static.asp?htmltemplate=static/ultimate-dust-deputy-and-festool.html

http://www.oneida-air.com/static.asp?htmltemplate=static/ultimate-dust-deputy-grounding-path.html

I think Oneida is on top of this issue, although that doesn't guarantee Festool warranty support.