New dust extractor / vacuum cleaner - purchase decision time - hurrah!

#1

At the March meeting we agreed to purchase a new M class vacuum cleaner. M (for medium) class vacuums are now the minimum legal standard on construction sites and are recommended for hardwood dust.

This site has a good explanation of the classes and what the differences are http://www.protrade.co.uk/dust-extraction-classes-explained.aspx

From doing more research and looking at various forums, it looks like the two best options are Metabo or Festool.

Metabo:

+ives more powerful suction, cheaper
-ives more basic machine, noisy when its cleaning its filters, more awkward to store(?)

Festool
+ives more versatile accessories if we want to also use it to extract dust at source from hand power tools. Cable and hose store neatly on top so no trip hazard.
-ives More expensive, smaller capacity (26L vs 35L), have to buy floor attachment separately

They both have self-cleaning filters.

The best prices I’ve found so far are £460 for the matabo and £670 for the Festool. (But could we get it half price?? Did we ever find out the answer to that question?)

https://www.ffx.co.uk/tools/product/Festool-Ctm26Eacgb240V-4014549285169-240V-26L-M-Class-Ac-Mobile-Dust-Extractor?gclid=Cj0KCQiAuP7UBRDiARIsAFpxiRK6qEU27jsWvvLumQXYAXqxqLB0Md8Tp8-nIzHKatCzr8y3dDSPrsYaAsw6EALw_wcB

Thoughts? Other considerations I’ve not mentioned? A volunteer to get a definitive answer about half price Festool stuff?

I’m calling suppliers to get prices on replacement filters and bags and how often they need to be changed and will post that info below.

I’m leaning towards the Metabo because it seems to be the machine of choice on building sites, which makes me think we would have a hard time killing it.

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#2

Metabo every time.

But that’s just predudise

#3

either would be good, the metabo has option for tool extract

i think it is down to the cost of the bags

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#4

If we choose this tool I can do this as I have the contacts via OWL.

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#5

£3 v £6

Quick look on ebay

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#6

fanboy in me says festool.

However, the metabo is cheaper to buy and run. So long as what Mark says is correct and you can use it to extract from the hand power tools, then go for it.

EDIT

The pics on toolstop show a guy using some sort of handheld grinder/plunge cutter with it attached to the hose. So let’s make sure we get it with all the relevant attachment bits and bobs.

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#7

Do we also get half price on bags from festool?

#8

I don’t think so based on how we get the discount but I can ask if we go for that.

My understanding from the meeting last night was that we would be using the vacuum for cleaning, and that we’d have a different solution for hand tools.

I don’t think it’s a good idea to use it for power tools as we’ll end up with another vacuum cleaner broken in the workshop when we need to make sure there is one for the cleaner when they come in.

#9

I think these ones will be able to cope with both jobs. It won’t be huge volumes of dust from the hand tools but extracting it at source would definitely help with the dust problem.

I guess then the question for the group is, if we could get the Festool for £440 (half the list price) would we choose it over the Metabo?

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#10

Yeah if you settle that then I can go to them more seriously.

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#11

@AdamH has some expertise in dust extraction & cleaning. Adam, what do you think we should get? And do you think we need separate vacuums for the clean room and for dust extraction from hand power tools in the woodwork room?

It would be great to get recommendations from someone who has worked on this professionally because it’s a lot of money to spend and we want to be confident that whatever we buy will meet our needs.

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#12

It would be great to make a decision soon so we can buy something ready for our spring cleaning weekend.

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#13

I think the hepa model that has also been suggested is the best option.

To control the dust we have to start with the members. The materials they use and the way they choose to process them is the cheapest but probably the most difficult way to reduce the air particle count.

Hand tools at most need a down draught table but usually just a clean up afterwards.

Power tools are obviously the biggest issue. Well designed LEV and then onto an appropriate filter system. Also air cleaners to match room volume would be good.

In my opinion, job specific equipment is the only effective way. The vacuum should be used for cleaning, separate to the extraction system.

We really do need our lungs :slight_smile:

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#14

Ok great. So your proposal is that we get this https://www.safetyshop.com/numatic-hepa-filter-vacuum.html?LGWCODE=23886;144151;6391&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3NC_0ura2QIV6QrTCh3SLQ2lEAkYAiABEgLQzPD_BwE

basically Henry on steroids, with a similar level of filtration to the m class ones I was looking at, for hoovering the clean room, and we look in more detail at dust extraction and control in the woodwork room, instead of getting something that’s trying to do both jobs.

What about the messy workshop? Should we say this one is for hoovering clean and messy? In theory there shouldn’t be more dust to deal with in messy than in clean.

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#15

There could be metal swarf that we need to vacuum up but this shouldn’t be an issue as there will be a motor filter.

#16

My only concerns with the numatic is would it be as tough as the metabo, and would the filters get clogged.

#17

I don’t know anything about it’s build quality but it’s unlikely to be as good as the Metabo.

However the filtration is to a higher standard. You would have to jump up to the h class Metabo for the same level. Is this an option?

#18

Numatic is Henry, they’re usually well built.

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#19

numatic/henry are probably the most successful unconscious marketing campaign.

they are also not up to the job!

the metabo is a site ready tool

it also has a power take off which is ideal for hand power tools.

(you plug your tool into the metabo, when you power the hand tool on it automatically turns on and off)

please don’t even consider the numatic

#20

Metabo for hand power tool extraction and vacuuming in the woodwork room, plus numatic for vacuuming the clean and messy rooms only? Then there is a commercial grade vacuum always available for the cleaner to use, and something that can do everything we need in the woodwork room that stays in there.

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