Fein Turbo II Dust Extractor with HEPA

Considering getting one of these. Been cleaning my basement shop and finding lots of fine dust on the lights etc that I believe is coming from sanding so my current system is not effective.

I recently purchased (couple of months ago) a dust deputy that I use with my old (1980's) shop vac. I do not believe the shop vac has the CFM to adequately capture the sanding dust.

Anyone have one of these dust extractors?
How does it work?
Are you satisfied with it?
What do you use for capturing your sanding dust.

Can't afford to add a Mirka or Festool sander and vac.

Thanks

I think, based upon ratings, that Fein makes a high end vacuum, equivalent to the best. But I am happy with my Rigid, equipped with a Clearstream quasi HEPA filter, dust deputy, and auto-on swith, however. You might want to try a new filter on your old vacuum. I doubt it can't handle the sander. Usually, if anything, shop vacuums need dialed down a bit for sanders.

I have a Turbo I which is identical to the II except for size. I strapped a small dust deputy to the top with a 3gal bucket and it works perfectly. The bag every time i check is empty. And because i like my hearing the Fein vacs are a no brainer compared to many of the cheaper units out there.

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Originally Posted by Jim Dwight

I think, based upon ratings, that Fein makes a high end vacuum, equivalent to the best. But I am happy with my Rigid, equipped with a Clearstream quasi HEPA filter, dust deputy, and auto-on swith, however. You might want to try a new filter on your old vacuum. I doubt it can't handle the sander. Usually, if anything, shop vacuums need dialed down a bit for sanders.

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I have a new HEPA filter in my shop vac and when I check it it is clean. I just think the vac is not providing the oomph to get the dust. There is little dust on the surface of what I am sanding or the work surface.

Bernie I think you previously posted some pics of your setup and it is awesome.

Does your shop vac include a bag or other filtration method before the HEPA filter? I threw in the towel and started using the paper bags in my Ridgid vacuum to get more life out of the blue filters (3-layer, one step below HEPA).

I have a Fein Turbo II that is not the HEPA version. In the ~1.5 years that I've owned it, it has been used frequently with sanders and saws. Overall I am quite happy with the product.

The suction level is adjusted at the tool connector by using a bleed port. Basically, you turn a barrel to open a window that reduces suction by allowing air to enter the hose. While this is a rather simple method of adjusting suction, at times it creates a whistle that is amplified in small spaces. The tool connector fits most sanders and also works on the dust port of a Porter-Cable 324Mag circular saw. When using the Fein Turbo II with a miter saw, I remove the tool connector and use a stepped adapter (costs about $15) connected directly to the hose.

The trigger-activated outlet on the Fein Turbo II is rated for 6-amps. While this is sufficient for sanders, when using the saws I plug a saw into one set of outlets and the Fein Turbo II into another set; each set of outlets being on a separate breaker. Then I turn on the Fein Turbo II manually before using the saw.

When working in a closed space I still wear foam ear plugs (~32NRR) while running the Fein Turbo II. This is because the slight whistle from the air moving through the tools or the tool connector gets to me after a bit of time. For short duration use or working in open spaces, I tend to not use ear plugs.

If you have time to make it to Hartville Hardware, they have the Fein and Festool extractors on display. The guys in the tool department there are nice and would most likely let you plug-in the floor model machines that often are used for show demos.

Unless there is a big problem with your old shop vac, you WON'T gain suction with a new Fein vac. I have a variety of different vacs in various businesses and think a lot of the old style shop vacs have every bit the suction of my 3 Feins and Festool.

Most sanders have to use less than the suction available from any of these so let's start with your sander. You are talking about a hand sander not a stationary machine, right?

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Originally Posted by Greg R Bradley

Unless there is a big problem with your old shop vac, you WON'T gain suction with a new Fein vac. I have a variety of different vacs in various businesses and think a lot of the old style shop vacs have every bit the suction of my 3 Feins and Festool.

Most sanders have to use less than the suction available from any of these so let's start with your sander. You are talking about a hand sander not a stationary machine, right?

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I am referring to both a ROS and a vibratory 1/4 pad sander.

George, don't forget that the nature of the sanders, themselves is going to affect the efficiency of dust collection. Some lend themselves to that; some do not. One of the reasons I use what I use for sanding is that that "system" was optimized for dust extraction by design and it does make a noticeable difference as compared to what I used previously for sanders. For small tool extraction, "CFM" isn't the primary measure because by the nature of small hose and small ports, it's a high-pressure (suction), low air volume situation, so the extraction has to be targeted much more carefully on the tool. In other words, your current vac may be fine...and the issue is at the other end of the hose.

Sanders would be my first guess also. If the shop vac works well for general cleanup, it should have the suction to work with sanders. Can you feel good suction at the sandpaper face? Sander not running, of course.

I haven't seen a 1/4 sheet sander that has decent dust collection. Does it have a tool to punch holes in the paper?

What ROS? There have been a few, but very few, that work well for dust collection that aren't built with that as a priority.

I have a Fein II and the outlet works well with my pad sander and track saw (Makita).

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Originally Posted by Greg R Bradley

Sanders would be my first guess also. If the shop vac works well for general cleanup, it should have the suction to work with sanders. Can you feel good suction at the sandpaper face? Sander not running, of course.

I haven't seen a 1/4 sheet sander that has decent dust collection. Does it have a tool to punch holes in the paper?

What ROS? There have been a few, but very few, that work well for dust collection that aren't built with that as a priority.

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The pad sander does have a punch to punch holes in the paper. It is a Milwaukee 6033-21 https://www.milwaukeetool.com/power-...corded/6033-21

The ROS is a DeWalt It is not the current model but is only a year or so old.

From my experience, unless you have a true sealed unit vac, (dust container & motor) there's a good chance you'll get some bypass dust. Installing a Hepa "rated" filter is no guarantee of a dust free environment, even a true Hepa filter won't eliminate this. Years ago, I felt I had beat the dust problem when sanding. I used a HD Vac with Hepa rated filter hooked up to a Dust Deputy and it worked well with my Makita RO sander, to the point of being able to run my hand or white cloth over a freshly sanded board with no dust indicated. When doing my usual clean up afterwards and coiling the vac hose, I visibly noticed really fine dust on top of vac's motor housing and lid. Apparently the motor and lid was not sealed sufficiently enough to stop the dust from exiting while running.

*The typical Vac also has an outlet which exhaust lot's of air, if there's any dust in your shop whatsoever, this will surely move it everywhere.

Shortly after I purchase a Festool dust extractor.

Mac

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Greg R Bradley

Sanders would be my first guess also. If the shop vac works well for general cleanup, it should have the suction to work with sanders. Can you feel good suction at the sandpaper face? Sander not running, of course.

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Just checked this. At the hose not connected to the sander the suction is very good. At the sander pad not so good. It will barely pull a piece of paper. I guess the issue is the sander not the vac.

Not sure what I will do. What sander would be an improvement other than a Festool or Mirka?

You missed the Festool Pro 5 sander promotion in Oct, it was only $99, terrific value. Pro 5 is an upgrade of the existing ETS 125 EQ random orbit sander, https://www.festoolusa.com/power-too...-sander-571817.

Maybe you can find a good deal on a used ETS 125 EQ, cause lots of people are selling ETS 125 EQ since they bought the Pro 5.