Do I need a Festool Dust Extractor and if so, which one?

[Bit_Fiddler]

Starting down the slippery Festool slope - Looking hard at the RTS 400 finish sander to replace my latest dying Dewalt 1/4 sheet finish sander.  I currently have a Fein Turbo II  (without speed control) connected to a Dust Deputy that I really like and performs very well.   This is used almost exclusively in my shop, I would not be hauling it around to different sites.

A lot of what I am seeing online says to bite the bullet and get the Festool Extractor to go with the Festool Sander which raises a few questions I could use some experienced opinions on -

1) Can I use the Fein vacuum but get a 2nd hose for it and drill some vent holes at the sander to reduce the vacuum pressure?  Obviously not ideal, but dramatically less expensive....  $45 vs. $700 to 900 for a Festool & Dust Deputy.

2) Get a CT Mini, Midi or 26 to go with the RTS400 (and Pro 5 sander) .   I would add the Festool compatible Dust Deputy to whichever extractor I purchased, so I'm not terribly concerned about how big of a bag the vac has.  I would also only be using the Festool for sanding - I'd plan on using my Sears shopvac or the Fein for doing the floors, etc.   The Mini and Midi's performance is pretty close to the 26 (130 CFM vs. 137, same static lift).   I realize the mini/midi hose fiting is on top, but I wonder how much of an issue that is?  Which model would you recommend and why?

I'm curious if anyone has successfully used a vented hose on the Fein vac with the Festool sanders?   Having both the Fein and Festool vacs in the shop is a lot of money tied up in vacuums, but I'm on the fence if it is worth it or not....

Thanks!
Dave

[cpolubin]

Dave,

I have a Fein hooked up to a Dust Deputy that I use with a RTS 400 and they work together fine. I have the Fein hose first in line and then the Rockler small port universal hose on the end. The Fein hose has an adjustable vent and the Rockler hose has a port that fits the Festool. Haven't had any problems with the setup.

Cliff

[Mr Eddie]

Dave,
I have 2 Festools - both purchased at roughly 50-60% of new.  My wife uses the Midi as a vacuum cleaner in the house and I use the CT26 in the shop.  The CT26 was still in the box!  The advantage of the 'hose in front' setup for me is the ability to add a 'Y' connector.  Here's the funny part - I used a Fein 'Y' connector!  It was more compact than the Festool and only cost $12 vs $37 for the Festool.  Having the 'Y' connector lets me keep my sander hooked up and ready to go and still have another port for other tools.  But, back to your original question, your Fein will work just fine.  I just wanted to point out that there are occasional deals on Festools if you're so inclined.

Lonnie

[EvilTwin]

You can use any decent vac, doesnt have to be a Festool brand.  I posted about using a Nilfisk in this thread  Nilfisk thread  .  Its probably about half the price of the Festool and better built than the Fein.  

  

[Robert Adams]

You can use any decent vac, doesnt have to be a Festool brand.  I posted about using a Nilfisk in this thread  Nilfisk thread  .  Its probably about half the price of the Festool and better built than the Fein.  

  

          If i were going to buy a pricey vac itd probably be the bosch. I like that it has the pulse bac feature to it. Not sure if its licenced from pulse bac or a different style but it is nice that it self cleans the filter. 

          I remember looking at a fein at the woodworking shows many years ago and it might have been a great vac but the construction and cheap plastics made it look like something you would buy in harborfreight. 

           The nilfisk is very interesting and not a bad price.

[fredhargis]

Your option #1 will work just Fein. I did just that for years before I got a Fein with variable speed.

[KLaz]

I have the CT26 with Ultimate Dust Deputy.  After two cleanings of the dust deputy, there is still no debris in the Festool vac bag!

For me, it was one the best purchases I've made for the shop.  Being able to reduce the amount of vacuum is handy too.

I also have a Fein Turbo II hooked up to another dust deputy for the miter saw and it does a wonderful job too, but I really like being able to mount the DD on top the Festool.

I personally would not hesitate to purchase the Festool CT26.

[Jack01]

Dave

Use following blast gate to control the airflow from Fein . I have used this on my previous Fein and worked well.

https://www.woodworkingshop.com/search.aspx?q=wk42240

Rockler and Woodcraft also have this.

[Bit_Fiddler]

Thanks for the input everyone - based on some of the feedback here, I ordered a Bosch hose VAC005-05 5 meter long hose for $39.95.   The vacuum end is the same diameter as the the Fein vac hose, so the same adapter (2 1/4 ID to 1 3/4 OD) that I used for the Dust Deputy slips over the hose and into the DD.   Snug fit - doesn't pull out easy.  The Bosch hose is a little larger diameter than the Fein hose, but is still very flexible.   It is not anti-static if that matters to anyone.   The tool end of the hose has another swivel connector on it that reduces down and slips nicely onto the Festool hose fitting - no adapter required.  The hose connector is ribbed inside and did not fall off over an hour of sanding on some bookcase modules.  I ended up drilling 3- 5/16 holes in the flared portion of the hose's tool connector to bleed off some suction.  2 were not enough, 3 seems right.  Since I drilled them into the flare, they don't interfere with the swivel and are very quiet - no whistle at all. 

Dust collection with the RTS 400 is very effective with this set up.   I was shocked at how much quieter this sander is than my Dewalt finish sander - I can sand without ear protection if I choose. The Festool measured 85-86db vs 90 db for the Dewalt. Sound meter on a towel about 2 feet from the sanding surface and the Fein Turbo II vac about 10 feet away.)  Dramatically less vibration, and the sandpaper lasts much longer - not sure if that is due to a harder pad on the Festool or what.

I am initially pleased with this setup after an hour or so using it and would recommend it to someone else in a similar situation without hesitation.

Dave