Thread: Mirka sander meets Festool Vac

Can I suggest -- partly tongue in cheek -- that you purchase a Festool hose with included "click-it" power cord and dedicate the existing 27 mm Festool hose to the Mirka sander.

Hi Ian

I do not know what the "click-it" power cord is - can you elaborate?

I could get another Festool hose ($70 for the bare hose), and then add a hose connector to it ($59.50). This is cheaper than the Mirka hose ($143). I have heard, but no direct experience, that the Mirka hoses are stiffer than the Festool hoses. EDIT: the Festool hose is 1m in length; the Mirka is 4m long.

Any thoughts?

Regards from Perth

Derek

My mistake Derek.
Festool call it "plug-it" https://www.festool.com.au/products/...on-hose-with-c


as in post #2, I'm very much "tongue in cheek" when suggesting this option

Originally Posted by derekcohen

I could get another Festool hose ($70 for the bare hose), and then add a hose connector to it ($59.50). This is cheaper than the Mirka hose ($143). I have heard, but no direct experience, that the Mirka hoses are stiffer than the Festool hoses. EDIT: the Festool hose is 1m in length; the Mirka is 4m long.

Any thoughts?

Hi Derek
The Festool hose is sold by the metre, so a length equivalent to the Mirka's would cost $282.

Hi Derek

I long ago gave up on the anti-static Festool hoses because they are a) ridiculously expensive and b) poorly behaved because of the copper wire coil (which makes them AS).

Secondly, you'll get HEAPS more suck from a 36mm hose which fits over the dust ports, not into them. The internal dia of the 27mm hose is 19mm at the connection, which makes it a choke point. The 36mm hose will therefore move close to 4x the volume of air because of that choke point, and this in turn will capture more invisible dust at the source.

So, I would suggest a 36mm grey hose from Festool. I use a 7 metre one on the end of 4 metres of 60mm water pipe to get to the CT 26 AC vac and it still has enough suck to vac the deck outside the shed.

You can jimmy up connections so that you can use 36mm hose on everything.



This is pretty old now (the granite slab is still shiny ) but it shows the length more or less:

I had my CEROS permanently fixed to my vac, the port screws directly on to a 27mm hose, but I had the luxury of multiple vacs. Honestly though, it takes 60 seconds to take the festool fitting off and screw the hose in, so unless you're swapping tools a lot it's really not a problem.

I also found that a 36mm hose on the CEROS completely ruins the balance of the tool, which is one of the biggest reasons to get one in the first place; I was really fighting to hold it where I wanted it and it's a killer on the wrist. A 27mm hose works just fine with it for dust collection, especially if you're using mesh abrasives

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

I also found that a 36mm hose on the CEROS completely ruins the balance of the tool, which is one of the biggest reasons to get on in the first place.

That's a fair point Elan, but it may also depend on which version of the Ceros. As I recall you had the one with the external variable voltage box which made the sander very light, but they are now made in various forms, so it may depend on which one Derek has. Also, my comments are based around using the 36mm hose with a Festool ETS EC 150 which is pretty similar to the non-box type (which are heavier I think).

There's only one Ceros (with the separate transformer), the other one is the Deros, which has it all built in like the ETS EC.

The Ceros is sub-1kg, so the chunky hose has a more noticeable effect.

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

There's only one Ceros (with the separate transformer), the other one is the Deros, which has it all built in like the ETS EC.

The Ceros is sub-1kg, so the chunky hose has a more noticeable effect.

Exactly Elan. The whole point of purchasing and using a Ceros is because it is the lightest sander available, and the point of this is feedback, low fatigue, and control. I have a couple of the little hand sanders. I was using them with the 27mm Festool hose, and this felt too heavy. I have ordered the Mirka 20mm hose, which is designed for it.

I did have a concern how to deal with the Ceros transformer, then had an idea, and it looks like it is going to work well ...

This is the Festool CT26E vacuum cleaner with a Dust Commander. This model is anti-static, and the 50mm connecting hose is also anti-static ...



Incidentally, I have the 27mm Festool hose as well as a 35mm version from Bosch. This is half the price of the Festool and differs only in colour.



For interest, this is the sander I have used for 20 years. Before Festool, it was Festo. This is the forerunner of the ETS 150. It is large and heavy, but still works well ...



It is the complete opposite of the Mirka Ceros, which is light and nimble. Here is the Ceros with the Festool 27mm hose attached (screwed in) ...



How did I deal with the transformer? Well, the Dust Commander is attached to the CT26E with a systainer that came with a drill. This is just deep enough to fit the transformer ...



I can close the lid, and you would not know it is there ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

Interesting solution for the transformer, I do wonder if heat will become an issue in a closed container. My transformer came with a thin braided steel cable attached to 2 of the screws on the bottom, so I hung it off one of the cord wrapping lugs on the back of the vac (CT33). It didn't look as neat as having it in a box, but if you find that the sander randomly stops working it's probably getting too hot.

Elan, this transformer also has the cord. I am not sure what its purpose is.

I have also wondered about possible heat issues. The top looks like a large heat sink. If the transformer does heat up, I will open up the systainer for more ventilation. I thought I would wait and use it in a typical build before doing so. My use of a sander is likely much less than even the few who use it less, since I prefer dimensioning/finishing with hand planes and card scrapers. Some surfaces do benefit more from sanding.

I ordered the Mirka hose last night. $95 (including shipping) for a 4m long 27mm diameter antistatic Mirka hose on UK eBay. The local agent wants $145 before postage.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I suspend vacuum hose from the roof on a bungie cord over the sanding station. Eliminates drag and weight, keeps the bloody thing from wrapping around your leg and it matters not what type of hose you use.

RN, I do something similar. My ceiling has wooden joists, and I have a couple of large hooks attached, and can drape a hose directly over the bench. This has been very handy for routing and sanding.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Good Morning Derek

Really like your vacuum/cyclone set up - so neat, and functional. Does the switch on the Mirka sander autoconnect with the switch on the Festool vacuum? Or does the transformer negate that function?

Originally Posted by derekcohen

.....I have also wondered about possible heat issues.

Would it be feasible to drill a few ventillation holes in the systainer? Possibly boost it with a small fan?

....I ordered the Mirka hose last night. $95 (including shipping) for a 4m long 27mm diameter antistatic Mirka hose on UK eBay. The local agent wants $145 before postage......

Yeah! many agents want you to buy from overseas; saves them a lot of trouble such as dealing with pesky customers....



Fair Winds

Graeme