Dust extractor comparison - is the Festool worth the money?

[cambournepete]

Has anyone used both the Trend T30AF and Festool (probably CT22) dust extractors?

I'm going to get the saw and MFT, but am wondering how far down the FRTFR (Festool Road To Financial Ruin) I want to go...

For example, the CT22 is £345 and the smaller Rotex sander is £280 (total £625). However the Trend vac is £150 and Metabo ROS £150 (total £300). I know people here rate both the Metabo sander and the Trend vac and use the Trend vac quite happily with both the Metabo sander and Festool saw so I guess the question is really what would I gain by buying the CT22/Rotex (apart from a bigger credit card bill**)?

Pete

PS This Festool lark can get really expensive...
They do the MFS routing template system that costs £235 + £55 for extension bits to make it the same size as the new varijig system from Trend that looks like it does the same for just £55! And I thought Trend could be expensive...

**In reality the bill would probably end up the same size, I'd just have more toys...

 

[Neil]

Glad you asked this, Pete - I've been wondering about the same thing...

Big considerations for me are:

- Capacity & price of dustbags
- Ability to fit onto my existing TS55, Metabo ROS + routers without having to use the dreaded NUMRED adapter from Axminster

I'm leaning heavily towards the Trend at the moment, the Festool is just too expensive once you get up to the models with decent capacity.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[andrewm]

Pete,

I have both the Trend T30AF and the Metabo ROS (in its Mafell guise) I have no complaints from either but then I have never (well not yet) used anything by Festool so cannot make any comparisons.

If you wish to pop over and try either or both though you would be more than welcome and I am only a couple of miles down the road.

Andrew

 

[Anonymous]

Pete

I have used the Festool and Metabo Duo sanders and wonder why the Festool costs so much. It is no better than the Metabo in use and neither exhibits any vibration, whilst the metabo has adjustable orbit radius as a useful bonus. Both are 'pro' rated too.

I bought a Metabo (not the Duo) after trying both

 

[Alf]

the dreaded NUMRED adapter from Axminster

Dreaded? I bless every capital letter in its stock code - without it I'd be even more up to my neck in dust than I am anyway. But it would be soooooo nice if these ruddy manfacturers would all fix on a standard size. ](*,)

As for the original query: Trend? Festool? No experience of either here, but I've been quite impressed with the B&Q jobbie I got, fwiw... :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Scott]

I have T30AF and Metabo sander. I can't fault either. In fact I reckon Metabo sanders are the biz! Hard to beat! Although I've never used Festool I'm sufficiently satisfied with Metabos that I couldn't see any justification for the extra cost of Festool. They can't possibly be THAT good!

The T30AF gets used every day and I'm very pleased with it. The bags aren't cheap but then hoover bags in general seem to be a ridiculous price. I was actually about to post asking if T30AF owners actually use the paper bags. With the main filter and nylon pre-filter it hardly seems worth it. I've been using mine without a paper bag for a few weeks now. The manual isn't too clear on the subject.

The T30 plugs straight into all off my Metabo and DeWalt (and Trend) power tools

 

[Noel]

I've a couple of T30AFs. Never used a paper bag. With the fine filter and the pre-filter nylon bag a paper bag isn't necessary. I agree the manual isn't too clear on this but did read somewhere that Trend reckon it is ok. When it's full, pull off the motor unit, dump the dust and chips in the bin, a quick clean of the bag and filter and back to work again. The 5m hose and 5m flex are great. Best vacs I've ever used.

Noel

 

[Mcluma]

I have the Mafell Ros, and i use it quite often, and it does the job perfect, time after time, I juse it together with my henry ( I know, not the best combination, but haven't had the time to look for a better shopvac)

McLuma

 

[Waka]

Pete

I can't say anything about the Matebo or Trend because I use the festool mini.

Even with the samll capacity 7 ltrs it gets a lot of use before you need to change the bag, it is small and compact and has the automatic start.

I know what you mean about going down the festool road, its a very slippery slope, but IMHO well worth the slide. I'm hooked on this brand, why not have a trial run when you collect the saw.

 

[Anonymous]

On the subject of bags etc.

I use a 100mm chip/dust extractor on large machines but on small hand-held tools, one needs a high suction vac.

These days, I use a panasonic cyclone vacuum purchased specifically for the task. There are no bags required and it has a HEPA filter whcih ensures that it traps even the smallest particles. The suction is unbelievable and I am really pleased with it

Very easy to empty too - no bags you see :wink:

This is the latest version:

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/s...atalogId=3151&productId=137157&clickfrom=name

 

[Neil]

the dreaded NUMRED adapter from Axminster

Dreaded? I bless every capital letter in its stock code

I know, I know - it is handy... in fact I have two . 99% of the time it is fine, but when it does fall out it is always at the worst possible moment - particularly when using the TS55.

Re: the choice between the Metabo and the Festool ROS, I have to disagree slightly with Tony and Scott. I should qualify things first by saying that a) I chose the Metabo and b) I still would now but having used CYC's Festool as well, I would say that the Festool is significantly better - it has less vibration and even better dust extraction than the Metabo, and it is significantly lighter. Sometimes the weight of the Metabo is a good thing (nice big horizontal surfaces) but it ain't half tiring to use it on vertical surfaces. Having said that, it cost £100 (£125, minus £25 for the two free Besseys which I needed anyway ) and the Festool (3mm orbit) is £260 IIRC so IMO:

- The Festool is the best ROS
- The Metabo is the best value ROS

Glad to hear that the T30AF plugs straight into the Metabo, I think my choice is becoming easier...

Cheers,
Neil

 

[dedee]

Pete,
Have you considered the noise that the Trend makes?

When I went down this route I happened across the Numatic range of "super Silent Vacuums" designated by NVQ on their product numbers. I think I have a NVQ372 rated at only 50dBs. According to my Trend catalogue the T30AF is 72dB. which is very loud in comparison.

It is only a dry vac - will you ever use it wet?

I bought mine from www.rgk.co.uk (current cat price £135 +vat) and have been very satisfied - its quite enough to have sensible conversation while it is switched on.


Andy

 

[Chris Knight]

I use a Festool CT33 extractor on sanders, routers etc. Before I had it my extractor was a Fein and before that an Aquavac.

Unlike the Aquavac, the Fein and the Festool are both miles better at stopping dust escaping through the system into the air.

The Fein however suffers from a dreadful design fault that splits the inner felt bag and renders it useless after quite a short while.

The Festool by contrast is still perfection short of a waferfab clean room filtration system. It is very powerful, quiet and lets no dust through. Easy to empty as well, with re-usable or throwaway bags.

 

[Jake]

I got a demo CT44 off Ebay for the price of a CT11, so expensive but slightly less than astronomical. I used to use a Numatic NVQ. The festool is quieter, much more powerful and is just about as close to perfection as I can imagine.

 

[cambournepete]

Thanks for the quick and intelligent feedback.

I already have a very cheap very noisy vacuum that sucks the dust in but then spews the fine stuff out the back again, which is not ideal. It's OK if I'm outside but useless indoors or if I want to try and get the garage dust-free. I've got a chip extractor installed outside in the garden shed (pics to follow eventually) for the big stuff and an air filter hanging from the rafters.

Thankyou AndrewM and Waka for the testing offers - I think I'll take you up on them.

I was looking at the CT22 as that was the one the Festool dealer suggested, but the Mini is a far more sensible price. I hadn't thought about using a household vacuum, but I really want one with power take-off and want to be sure about the dust collection and filtration, hence thinking Festool or Trend.
One advantage of the Festool is being able to fit the systainers on the vacuum - do any of you actually bother or isn't it worth the effort?


Thanks,

Pete

 

[Chris Knight]

One advantage of the Festool is being able to fit the systainers on the vacuum - do any of you actually bother or isn't it worth the effort?

Pete,
I have one fitted with my sanding stuff in it. I think it depends entirely where you keep/use the machine. Mine lives under one wing of my bench and there is not enough room for more systainers.

 

[MikeW]

...The Fein however suffers from a dreadful design fault that splits the inner felt bag and renders it useless after quite a short while...

I've used the Fein for three or so years for the ROSs. I have replaced the felt bag once in that time (just recently).

I'll blame it on the wife, though . She had emptied the thing and did not ensure the bag was fully seated prior to clamping the top down. That did ruin the thing.

I agree one has to be careful in removing the liner (and obviously putting it back on).

But we would be broke using bags as the vac does get used for general clean-up in addition to collecting sanding dust.

However, if I were to purchase an additional vacuum, it would be one of the Festool ones and it would get used for only dust collection from ROSs.

The ability to have a variable suction as the CT series has not only lowers the suction to a minimum--important not to spin smaller pieces of wood around if one picks up the sander before the suction lessens (trust me <g>)--but by being able to lessen the suction it also lowers the sound volume as well.

 

[Chris Knight]

She had emptied the thing and did not ensure the bag was fully seated prior to clamping the top down. That did ruin the thing.

Mike,
Maybe this was what I did - three times?? In any event it defeated me!

 

[beech1948]

To answer the original question without comment

NO, NO, NO

 

[tim]

I am having this debate as well at the mo. I have an aging Karcher that works fine but its not brilliant and power take off would be really useful (run on I can live with out to be honest - just a nice to have)

Noise doesn't bother me because I always wear ear defenders when using routers/ CS etc

Do the hoses retract on both the Trend and the Festool? Also how ribbed are the outside of the hoses. One of the bugbears of my setup at the mo is that the ribs on the hose always catch on the edge of a panel when I'm routing or cutting and can if not spotted start to pull the router etc. When this happened yesterday I came straight in to order a CT whatever but got brought up short by the price. About to start a thread but Pete had got there first.

Cheers

Tim