Metabo ups the Amp's on them Batt's.

Thanks Chippie.

I just can't quite imagine using a bag on the exhaust of a rolls royce plunge saw.. begs the question why we've been using dust extractors at all!

I have been intrigued for a while on how the 'on the fly / auto mode' works. Guessing it's some type of sensor that detects power being drawn? Anyone have any insight. 

I've had a quick look at the Festool options. Looks to me it's early days all around. Could be wrong but the bluetooth festool option only pairs with one battery at a time. So new pairing required every time you change battery, otherwise change tool battery to battery previously paired.. seems a bit long winded. Plus you're limited to festool kit..

I like the idea of the manual button on the hose. But since I've just chopped in my 240v xcact sym for a 110v capex so I had on the fly dust extraction with my 110 dust extractor, again I can't see the attraction of hitting another button to get dust extraction per cut..

Can't help thinking we're in a similar era to early mobile phones where every charger had a different connection.

Credit where due - the cross compatibility of rail systems has been a good step forward.

Yes, you have to pair each battery to the Vac, one at a time. The reason is that the Vac would be starting if you were running another Festool nearby, say a drill, with a paired battery. It would be pretty irritating if every machine around triggered the vac. Then again, pairing them up one at a time is a little iffy too if you change batteries.

Gary, you're aware that the Metabo vac only has a charge-life (on the biggest 8.0 AH batteries too) of only about 20 mins? Maybe a bit more on the low setting....

That would personally drive me bananas. OK for intermittent sawing, but useless for sanding, my most frequent vac task.

Plus, on the "sys" vac there's only a foot or hand operated switch on the tool's body. Only the (as yet unreleased?) Starmix-style cordless vac has the hose-end switching. Having twin battery operation also makes the latter a much more powerful & versatile iteration.

Great thanks for reply’s guys , I would only be using it for small clean up jobs / cutting probably not long drain like sanding . Do we know when the starmix type twin battery is released ? If imminent I will hold off , the little metabo is quite affordable and might be ok “ blimey I’m doing it again thinking of buying something I might use “! Where as the starmix one sounds like it could be your main vac “ corded and cordless it’s probably gonna come at a hefty price ? Or have I got that wrong it’s probably twin battery only and not corded as well ? Thanks again .

That’s a shame seems like makita seem to be the only ones doing dual voltage I’m sure many will follow . I’ve just finished a big garden building “man cave ,she shed type thing , my colleague and I worked on it for two weeks and the only mains we used were to charge batterys . The array of cordless tools between us was staggering , my fellow worker has got into the DeWalt flexvolt , some good some not “ cordless tablesaw and cordless compressor both excellant we ran second fix nail guns off the compressor , I’m 54 now quite frankly cordless is brilliant ! I never thought for a minute when I started work all those years ago tools would have no leads . Downside we on one perticular day we running six battery platforms , there is no one do it all company sadly but battery power certainly rocks !!