# Dustless HEPA vacuum



## StevenH (Sep 7, 2009)

I am wondering anyone here own one? 
http://www.dustlesstechnologies.com/hepavacuum.htm


I am leaning toward to the dustless HEPA vacuum, because it has more holding capacity. However I would like to use festool sanders in the future. Their RO 123 FEQ Rotex sander. So I am kinda between.

For those who own Festool Midi or mini, would you consider a larger vac for sucking scraped lead paint?


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Steven 

We are in the process of switching our sand and dust collection systems over. Just started this week. If you are planning to use Festool sanders, I would absolutely go with the vacs too. The connections are made for each other and you lose the usual crap of cobbing hoses and ports that werent designed to work together. The Fes vacs are fully hepa rated. The entire unit.


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## mpminter (Mar 21, 2011)

I have a Dustless HEPA, although I haven't used it on a job yet. I got it on a great sale and then haven't done any RRP work since! seems like a well built machine though, and it is pretty big


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

vermontpainter said:


> Steven
> 
> We are in the process of switching our sand and dust collection systems over. Just started this week. If you are planning to use Festool sanders, I would absolutely go with the vacs too. The connections are made for each other and you lose the usual crap of cobbing hoses and ports that werent designed to work together. The Fes vacs are fully hepa rated. The entire unit.


1st - in the blog, you said, "consult professional colleagues from around the country". Who the hell are THEY ? 

2nd - You are absolutely correct that one must have connections between tools and vacs that FIT and are not held together with chewing gum and bailing wire (to put it in "up country" parlance ). But even with that goal, you may not necessarily be married to a particular system. Many systems have connections that do fit other systems well.


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## Paintuh4Life (May 20, 2009)

I use this one, and I like it. http://www.certifiedrenovatorstore.com/GroupInfo/GroupID/23411


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## StevenH (Sep 7, 2009)

vermontpainter

Which vac do you have?


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT WHAT ONE TO BUY! THE CT 36 HEPA OR THE MIDI 3.96 GAL . THE ONE I LOOKED AT TODAY IS THE NEW CT 36 9.6 GAL . I THINK IT IS TO BIG . I AM REALLY DONT THINK I NEED ONE THAT BIG , MAYBE IF I COULD SELL A RRP JOB . MAINLY I DO CABINET JOBS AND INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS , DRYWALL REPAIRS . SO I AM STARTING TO LEAN TOWARDS THE MIDI CT 26 ..WITH THE ROTEX 90 SANDER ..:whistling2:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

TERRY365PAINTER said:


> I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT WHAT ONE TO BUY! THE CT 36 HEPA OR THE MIDI 3.96 GAL . THE ONE I LOOKED AT TODAY IS THE NEW CT 36 9.6 GAL . I THINK IT IS TO BIG . I AM REALLY DONT THINK I NEED ONE THAT BIG , MAYBE IF I COULD SELL A RRP JOB . MAINLY I DO CABINET JOBS AND INTERIORS AND EXTERIORS , DRYWALL REPAIRS . SO I AM STARTING TO LEAN TOWARDS THE MIDI CT 26 ..WITH THE ROTEX 90 SANDER ..:whistling2:


 
Click Caps Lock buttom on left of keyboard, please:blink:


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

StevenH said:


> vermontpainter
> 
> Which vac do you have?


Ct Midi and Ct26E


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## TERRY365PAINTER (Jul 26, 2009)

Sorry capp ers , I just get so excited About.tools they are my drugs of choice . I think for for my operation . The smaller more compact midi ct 26. . But I want the instant gratification . The ct 36 is just down the street . Its a beast big 9.6 gal the ct 48 their biggest unit comes out in October . 
That's a RRP master rig . 
Ct midi and the ro 90 it's on !


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## Rob (Aug 9, 2009)

Nice video and comparison, thanks
http://topcoatreview.com/2011/08/13...collection-for-paint-contractors/#comment-490


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

TERRY365PAINTER said:


> Sorry capp ers , I just get so excited About.tools they are my drugs of choice . I think for for my operation . The smaller more compact midi ct 26. . But I want the instant gratification . The ct 36 is just down the street . Its a beast big 9.6 gal the ct 48 their biggest unit comes out in October .
> That's a RRP master rig .
> Ct midi and the ro 90 it's on !


I just saw a video this morning of a RO90 attached to a midi. Sweet looking finish prep setup. The 90 is just downright s e x y.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Rob said:


> Nice video and comparison, thanks
> http://topcoatreview.com/2011/08/13...collection-for-paint-contractors/#comment-490


Agree. Thanks Scott! :thumbsup:


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## StevenH (Sep 7, 2009)

I noticed this vaccum has a class rating. It is the rating used in Germany.

Festool 583493 CT 36 E Cleantex Dust Extractor is Class L.


http://www.acetoolonline.com/Festool-CT-36-HEPA-Dust-Extractor-583493-p/fes-583493.htm


Copied from another forum.



> Staubklasse L and Staubklasse M are German standards relating to health in the workplace from an organization called BIA.
> 
> To achieve Class L an extractor must not allow more than 1% of extracted dust to pass out of the filter to a "maximum allowable concentration" (MAK value) greater than 1 mg/m^3.
> 
> ...


Strange that other 3 doesn't have a rating.

Anyone know about this?


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## StevenH (Sep 7, 2009)

I just got a responese. 



> In europe, the festool vacs are available as either class L (eg CTL26) or class M (eg CTM26).
> 
> In the US, only the CTL versions are available, and Festool dropped the 'L', so you just have the CT26 instead of CTL26.
> 
> I think Festool do make (or at least, rebadge) some class H vacs, but I'm not 100% certain of that.


I find it intresting that In the German standards it doesnt meet Class H, but in US EPA it meets 0.3 microns with 99.97% efficiency.


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## Clay_F (Dec 21, 2010)

*I own that vac.*

StevenH - I own that vac in your first post, I just used it for a rather large (for me anyways) RRP job. I used it connected to a Paint Shaver setup. There were a few things that suprised me about the set up - 
Cons -
1- you really need to have the bags/prefilter in the tank when using it. The bags are almost like a pillowcase size. But we used the two bagss that came with the unit up and tried it without the bags, there was a considerable loss of suction after just a few minutes. They are not cheap either, about $18 a bag as I recall. If you plan ahead, which I suggest, you can order them off Amazon for much cheaper.
2 - I really wish this thing had a power connection that you could plug your tools in to. I know that is an option on some model they have, but mine is without it, its a real drag having to go back to the vac constantly to turn it on or off.
3 - The cord did heat up after extended use, wish it was a little heavier gauge.
Pros- 
1 - Great power when everything is cleaned and working right. I have several shop vacs, standard stuff, but this by far beats them all it seems. (but why do I have to feel like a I have a glorified shop vac? cant they make it look a little different???)
2 - love the stock hose. It comes with a stock 10' hose that really is good. It doesn't feel cheap and ready to break like so many others.

This unit worked well for me, I have no huge complaints, just some gripes. Also, check the price of the HEPA filters before buying. I am hoping to get a lot of life out of mine before plunking down 140 dollars for a new HEPA filter. 

Just my 2cents.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

Just a quick update on this issue. I spoke extensively with Festool this week. 

At this point, there are no "epa certified" hepa or rrp vacs. The epa doesnt even have the equipment with which to test the units. They have merely put out ambiguous specs that manufacturers can try to meet and make their own claims. Some might meet them, if formally tested. Others might not. Meanwhile, its kind of like the wild west. Imagine that.


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## AbsolutePainting (Feb 9, 2011)

Glad you pointed that very important, no so widespread, fact!


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

AbsolutePainting said:


> Glad you pointed that very important, no so widespread, fact!


Just another side to the quagmire of this legislation. Its important before laying large cash for something, to know the reality. Like everything else related to rrp, there are alot of scare tactics being used by people selling things with the implication of being epa approved. There are hepa filters and units out there with good hepa ratings, but not formally epa/rrp approved at this point. 

That said, if you are doing rrp work, make sure you are using a good hepa rated unit.


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