Thread: How good is Festool Dust Collection

Originally Posted by bueller

Love my Deros. Can be had wayyy cheaper from Axminster too if you're happy to import. Even after buying an AU power cable I was like $500 in front of buying local.

That is a hideous markup for Aus then

I just checked the Axminster site, the deros is $675 with currency conversion. Factor in shipping and GST on imports you're pretty close to the $889 it costs here.

MIRKA DEROS 650CV 240V Orbital Sander Solution Kit 5650CV | eBay

Mirka Deros Direct Electrical Orbital Sander | eBay

MIRKA DEROS 650 & DEOS 353CV (81x133) dual kit, inc MIRKA HARDBOX | eBay

Mirka Deros 5650 CV Exzenterschleifer 5.0mm Hub 125/150mm im Systainer | eBay

Mirka DEROS 650CV 150mm CV Orbit 5,0 Ponceuse Excentrique | eBay

Just some inexpensive examples..... There's bargains out there.

IMPORTANT CAVEAT HERE.......PLEASE NOTE...... Check operating voltage prior to purchase: UK sourced items are available in both 110 & 230V.

I personally saved quite a bit from privately importing a DEROS & DEOS twinpack from Germany with (I think) some 400 bundled assorted Abranet pads & discs, ten?? pad protectors etc. all in a bright yellow plastic Festobox. About $1400 or so I recall, plus $100 odd freight & about $150 odd Greedy Scumbag Tax.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I just checked the Axminster site, the deros is $675 with currency conversion. Factor in shipping and GST on imports you're pretty close to the $889 it costs here.

I thought the "sticker" price at Axminster already included GST?

That said, the remaining $200 would be easily chewed up in shipping, and the fact that you won't have an AU warranty.

Originally Posted by Midnight Man

I thought the "sticker" price at Axminster already included GST?

That said, the remaining $200 would be easily chewed up in shipping, and the fact that you won't have an AU warranty.

Just checked, you are correct. Total cost is $722.77 including air freight, so you're up $150.

Their warranty docs don't specify if it's global or country of purchase, so might still be covered. Interesting note is that the warranty is only 1 year for industrial use, not 3 years.

Yeah my example was for the full kit including systainer and a stack of abrasives.

Okay, so what I am hearing is that if I want as dustless a system as possible, I need a Mirka sander. That sander needs to be connected to a dust extractor. I don't have any Festool tools but do dream of one day getting a domino but really, I have no feeling oneway or the other. Is there much of a difference between the Festool dust extractors and the Mirka ones? Is the big issue for a very low dust sanding, the sander itself and either extractor would work just fine? Would I be setting myself up for endless trouble getting a Mirka sander and a Festool dusty?

Not at all.

Originally Posted by TongueTied

Okay, so what I am hearing is that if I want as dustless a system as possible, I need a Mirka sander. That sander needs to be connected to a dust extractor. I don't have any Festool tools but do dream of one day getting a domino but really, I have no feeling oneway or the other. Is there much of a difference between the Festool dust extractors and the Mirka ones? Is the big issue for a very low dust sanding, the sander itself and either extractor would work just fine? Would I be setting myself up for endless trouble getting a Mirka sander and a Festool dusty?

TT, Both Festool and Mirka vacuum cleaners are built for them by other makers. Mirka have theirs made by Nilfisk. They are some of the very best. Very probably better than Festool. Another excellent make is Fein, which cost much less.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Festool sanders with their multi-hole Jetstream pad (or whatever they call it) are just as good for dust as Mirka if you're using mesh discs, I just think the Mirka is nicer to use for less money.

The vac makes no difference really, as long as you get a decent one, I ran a festool vac and never had a problem.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Festool sanders with their multi-hole Jetstream pad (or whatever they call it) are just as good for dust as Mirka if you're using mesh discs, I just think the Mirka is nicer to use for less money.

The vac makes no difference really, as long as you get a decent one, I ran a festool vac and never had a problem.

Interesting that you say there's no discernable diff between Festool & Mirka pads. I'd have thought all those extra holes in the Mirka pads would've been more efficient. Do you think the large central Festo hole that bleeds air downwards makes it so?

Not disagreeing, just interested.

Originally Posted by Ratbag

Interesting that you say there's no discernable diff between Festool & Mirka pads. I'd have thought all those extra holes in the Mirka pads would've been more efficient. Do you think the large central Festo hole that bleeds air downwards makes it so?

Festool changed their pad hole pattern 4-5 years ago, presumably to remain relevant in the age of mesh. If 42 holes isn't enough, I dunno what to tell you
FYI, the central hole doesn't actually bleed air down, it's connected to the rest of the extraction through small tunnels in the foam.



Mirka has 48, but it'll take a lot to convince me that the extra 6 make a difference.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Festool changed their pad hole pattern 4-5 years ago, presumably to remain relevant in the age of mesh. If 42 holes isn't enough, I dunno what to tell you
FYI, the central hole doesn't actually bleed air down, it's connected to the rest of the extraction through small tunnels in the foam.



Mirka has 48, but it'll take a lot to convince me that the extra 6 make a difference.

That simply isn't true. There's two separate sets of airways in Festool's pads. One set has 8 internal radial airways connecting the large central hole to 8 exterior holes on the upper sides of the pad. These are "air bleed" lines, along which are a radial network of 20 small air-bleed holes in the pad. These function as an independent air supply to eliminate suction & stiction between abrasive & substrate, & to enhance extraction through the network of the 32 actual extraction holes.

This was explained far more succinctly than I'm capable of in an old Festo catalogue dating from the 90s, although at that time the pads only had the single central air bleed hole, & (I think) only four or so radial atmospheric airways to the pad edge. As I recall it was explained that introducing additional low-pressure clean atmospheric air into the pad significantly enhanced extraction with paper abrasives, as it allowed the extractor to be turned up "flat maggot" for extreme suction, whilst reducing pad stiction on the workpiece.

For those of us who've used unperforated paper abrasives on grinders & the like will have noticed the rapid accumulation of residues in the centre of the disk. These air bleed airways actively & positively reduce this tendency.

With a network of 20 + 1 air bleed holes & 32 extraction holes, Festool's pads are undoubtedly a better design for paper abrasives. Whether they're actually superior for mesh is I suspect rather a moot point. The porosity of mesh abrasive, the open weave that allows relatively free & unfettered air movement, seems to negate this requirement. Nevertheless, I notice that Mirka has a tiny radial network of 6 airbleed channels leading from the central hole to the pad edge.

Given that Festool makes an extensive range of paper abrasives & an extremely limited range of mesh, I'd assume that the Airstream Super pads are a compromise design to suit their whole variety of abrasives.

Mirka, with a whopping 50% more actual extraction holes, seems purpose-designed for mesh rather than paper-backed abrasives.

THIS link provides a diagrammatic illustration of the air intake & exhaust network in Festool Airstream Super pads.
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For the Mirka, I bought these 150mm pads from Smith and Arrow.

They are very good and cost effective @ $14 each: 6" 150mm Backing Pad for Hook Loop Velcro Discs - Orbital Sander