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Post by hecon5 on May 26, 2020 13:37:01 GMT -5
(Finally) decided on the Mafell S35. Since 90% of my work is not with drywall sanding / other cement & plan to use bags exclusively, & a Dust Deputy filter replacement cost shouldn't be a considerable lifetime ownership cost contributor, even if the thing lasts a long time.
Curiosity will probably have me breaking the "breaking this seal will void your warranty" stickers, but...whatever. Shipping to/from Timberwolf tools would probably exceed the repair costs, unless it's something major like the whole thing starting on fire.
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Post by kraftt on May 26, 2020 21:15:09 GMT -5
This is impressive...
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Post by hecon5 on Jun 9, 2020 12:25:50 GMT -5
So, quick update. I finally recieved it. Beefy as heck. Literally the only detracting thing I can see is that the cord is "only" a 16AWG, BUT, It's SJOW type instead of "appliance cord", so I'm going to leave it alone until it breaks.
It's also very quiet, even on "max". And suction (ten second comparison, so take with a grain of salt) seems quite impressive, even compared to my ShopVac's 2" line, I think it'll be higher, but haven't done a head to head comparison yet.
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Post by mafellme on Jul 20, 2020 14:48:41 GMT -5
I have exactly the same machine.
It's not beyond criticism, but I'm mostly pleased with it.
Funnily enough, I do try to run mine with fleece bags almost all the time, for exactly the reason you mentioned!
The expensive optional PTFE-coated filter cartridges probably shake caked dust off much more efficiently, but it's annoying that they are M-class, not H-class, and I really want H-class when I'm working with cementitious-type dusts, A) because it's extremely fine dust, by its very nature, and B) because it's often rich in silica, which (aside from asbestos) is one of the most harmful forms of dust you can possibly inhale.
I know the iPulse machines are more than capable of handling gallons and gallons of superfine cementitious dust, day after day, with an open-top plastic dust bag, but I just can't bring myself to expose those filter cartridges to dust any more than strictly necessary.
Only problem with doing this is that plaster dust clogs a fleece bag by the time it's just 1/4 - 1/3 full, and if you don't catch it in time, the bag will burst, and then the filters are instantly caked in a gallon of dust, despite your best efforts at avoiding that. With wood dust, it's generally not a problem.
I'm going to try my luck with a re-usable thick (3/32") fleece bag, but I know that even that is likely to struggle with fine plaster dust.
It may be that I eventually resign myself to using open-topped plastic bags with fine cementitious-type dusts (as Electrostar's designers originally intended), but I haven't given up on dustbags just yet.
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Post by aas on Jul 21, 2020 16:38:05 GMT -5
I prefer fleece bags, but for a lot of concrete grinding or plaster sanding, the open black bags are best. The problem is emptying them is always a mess, you need a mask to do this without inhaling it all... and 2nd vac to clear up the inside of the iPulse before putting it back together.
The filters clog in black bag mode... dog hair, saw dust etc., and soon enough everything else becomes a big mess, and you need a 2nd vac to really clean out the filters.
Fleece bags are well named, you feel fleeced each time you buy them, which if you work hard for a living will be often. I get it, it's part of the costings of a business, but I try to limit unnecessary expenses. For now I've found fleece bags with the CT-VA separator the best solution, it's easier to empty, and you have the vac on hand and working if you need to clean up a bit of dust spillage.
I could do with a second CT-VA, but they're not cheap, I'll make do for now. Been using the new Festool mini with remote and Mafell MT55 cordless, very nice vac and the remote on the end of the hose is a big step up in the work flow.
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Post by mafellme on Jul 22, 2020 10:06:07 GMT -5
I prefer fleece bags, but for a lot of concrete grinding or plaster sanding, the open black bags are best. The problem is emptying them is always a mess, you need a mask to do this without inhaling it all... and 2nd vac to clear up the inside of the iPulse before putting it back together.The filters clog in black bag mode... dog hair, saw dust etc., and soon enough everything else becomes a big mess, and you need a 2nd vac to really clean out the filters.Fleece bags are well named, you feel fleeced each time you buy them, which if you work hard for a living will be often. I get it, it's part of the costings of a business, but I try to limit unnecessary expenses. For now I've found fleece bags with the CT-VA separator the best solution, it's easier to empty, and you have the vac on hand and working if you need to clean up a bit of dust spillage.
Yes, I've found the filter-shaking on the iPulse works well, but only unclogs about 2/3rds of the pleat surface area on the filter cartridges. I'm not criticising it for that, as it's obviously designed to operate continually, quite happily, with 1/3rd clogged, but it doesn't sit well with me to leave them like that, ad-infinitum, so I do the same as you - manually clean the filters using a brush-nozzle on a 2nd vac (usually a Numatic Henry with a hepa filter bag), but I can't do this on-site.
I am tempted to buy some PTFE M-class filter cartridges, because, although I really want to stay with H-class, there is a logical thought process that an M-class cartridge which more thoroughly unclogs itself might actually operate better than a non-PTFE-coated H-class filter that's operating in a more severely clogged state, much of the time. Furthermore, a cartridge which more efficiently unclogs itself may mean much less need for manual cleaning with a 2nd vac, and thus less likelihood of personal exposure to the dust in the chamber and the filter pleats (even if wearing a mask during 95% of the procedure).
I'm still undecided, but you can see that there is a reasonable argument for investing in a set of PTFE-coated cartridges, for someone using an Electrostar (Starmix) variant machine.
However, as I said in my previous post, I'm going to try using a re-usable felt bag first. I'm not expecting miracles, and it will eventually clog, but it may get me a lot closer to success, without having to endlessly buy costly disposable fleece bags that I can only use up to 1/3rd full (with challenging cementitious-type dusts, I mean). These felt bags are about 3/32" thick felt (i.e. the complete bag is double that, given that it's 3/32" per side of the bag). I've never seen the expensive Nilfisk or Festool re-usable polyester bags, but the ones I am going to try are made in Poland, using industrial-grade felt, with a fairly smooth coating on the inside. It's not super-smooth, because it obviously has to be porous/permeable, but it's smooth enough to easily shed most of the collected dust. The smooth coating looks a bit like potato starch or rice paper, to my eyes (not that that's what it actually is, just that it has a similar appearance).
eBay item number:
312708966800
I did consider Festool vacs when I purchased my Starmix/Metabo. I like Festool's low profile design and the hose garage.
I decided to go with Starmix/Metabo because of the superior automated filter de-clogging, and because I'd read a few posts around the internet that pointed towards the Festool vacs being better-suited to wood dusts than cementitious dusts - I work with a wide range of different dust types. Although I try to view tools objectively, it didn't help that I already find Festool, as a company, obnoxiously arrogant. One day, I may still buy a Domino, though.
Price notwithstanding, the CT-VA is a nice option, as a site-sturdy version of a dust-deputy. I like the idea of a dust-deputy-type device, but I'm limited in how much gear I can take on-site, and it's just more bulk to drag around. I'm glad you like it, though, and I can totally understand the appeal.
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Post by aas on Jul 22, 2020 14:17:01 GMT -5
eBay item number:
312708966800
How does it connect?.. with string? |
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Post by mafellme on Jul 22, 2020 14:25:47 GMT -5
eBay item number:
312708966800
How does it connect?.. with string?
Haha.
No...
the string isn't really doing much at all. It just gets the neck of the bag-opening to sit still whilst you tighten a jubilee clip to do the job properly:
youtube.com/watch?v=YAZHPUY-MX0
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Post by aas on Jul 22, 2020 14:57:55 GMT -5
OK, seems like a faff. I get it for his 100€ Kärcher, but not for a proper vac. It's like buying a nice new car and gluing rubber doormats around the rims because they're cheaper than the fancy tyres!
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Post by mafellme on Jul 22, 2020 15:52:44 GMT -5
Surely no more of a faff than carrying around and assembling a big CT-VA when you're working on-site?
Or having to replace clogged disposable bags before they're even full, and suffering the cost with each one you install?
It's all pros and cons, whichever option you go for, really. In an effort to prolong the useful life of my filter cartridges, I'm going to give the above re-usable bag a try, and see how I get on. Maybe in a few months, I'll report back here and admit it was a waste of time. Or maybe I'll report back that it was a great move and I wish I'd done it sooner, and it's saving me a small fortune in clogged disposable bags.
Time will tell!
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Post by aas on Jul 23, 2020 12:32:35 GMT -5
The CT-VA stays put, I plug in the vac and main hose and ready to go... like you say, it's pros and cons - it was the jubilee clip that got me!
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Post by kraftt on Jul 23, 2020 15:46:38 GMT -5
I've never gotten a definitive answerer on intended use of those re-useable bags, meaning can I wash them?, are they really designed more for chip collection and less so for powder etc. Because I imagine if I used it for dust, even though I could empty it, the pores would still be clogged unless I washed and dried it (?) Here's a link where a member here, who mostly collects composite deck board shaving and only needs to periodically empty the bulk, uses a resealable PVC clip on standard fleece bags. (I've tried them too). mafell-users-forum.freeforums.net/thread/55/starmix-vacs?page=15If that's all you are trying to accomplish, dumping the bulk (when not using a separator), and you know there is plenty more life to the fleece bag then it serves the same function for a heck of a lot less. --------------------------------------- On my NilFlex I looked around at the cost of different separators and remembered I had one of those Dustoppers laying around. They're not bad at all and can be easily improved. So I did just that a while back and I'm pleased (prob gonna do a video or photos soon, but still experimenting). They used to sell for $34 but circumstances have driven cost up to $50+. And the whole setup stores in the 6 gal metal bucket I used (metal so it can't implode). It sets up very fast as well as breaks down as quickly. Working on anti-stat continuity & a few other details etc.  |
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Post by kraftt on Jul 23, 2020 20:10:54 GMT -5
Dustopper example: this is 3 cuts 50.8cm / 20” long each in 19mm / 3/4” exterior mdf going into a clean bucket (cutting atop & into cardboard). And the other photo is through abs adapter plugged into vac inlet (did both hard pipe and supplied flex hose versions). I pre cleaned abs & vac inlet but existing fleece bag is used. Seems to earn its keep. What’s interesting is the spiral pattern down the walls of the pleated bucket and how the bottom of the pail dust pattern settles and matches the pattern of the Thien ‘baffle’ above it.  edit - Used a 32mm hose. Once I add a cuff before separator inlet, to maintain a higher velocity, collection should improve. |
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Post by huntsgemein on Jul 24, 2020 3:44:12 GMT -5
What a bunch of suckers.....
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Post by kraftt on Jul 24, 2020 8:23:39 GMT -5
What a bunch of suckers..... …there’s a reason I left a few letters when I was wiping off the printing on that Charlotte Pipe abs hard duct - I realized this vac will suck anything.  |
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