Hey, Festool, here are some suggestions for improvement

[Peter Kuhlman]

Hello Ellen
You may want to spend some time on the FOG - Festool Owners Group forum for tips and tricks. Many professionals who are heavily invested into the brand. Sure there are some fanboys but for the most part you will get honest feedback and like Shane said earlier, Festool does monitor the forum.

I have the Midi - a Mini with a slightly larger bag capacity, as well as the larger CT22 with the boom arm. As to the hose, I have never had issues hooking up to any of my sanders as long as I push it on a couple inches or more. It is a very snug fit and can be hard to get the hose end on the sander. The Festool regular hose - not the supplied anti-static one - is far more flexible. Also you can go to either of the big box stores and their hoses fit the Festool vacs just fine for very low cost if you would like the larger diameter hose. I have done that. I agree with others that the hose garage is kind of a pain - should be an inch or so deeper. And yes some of the sanders might benefit from having a flatter top to ease paper changing. I agree that an upright handle would be nice at times. The cord issue I guess is a result of our 120volt system in the US versus the 240volt system in Europe where they can get by with a much lighter smaller power cord and again I agree with you that a simple hose wrap would be nice. I don't use the top garage at all but my Midi stays put most of the time.

The thing with Festool as they say is the system. I never understood that until I ended up owning much of what they sell. Now it is very frustrating to go use other big name tools as they just don't work together like you get used to with Festool. Obviously you can achieve the same results with other brands for less investment. For people who appreciate quality stuff and don't like to be frustrated when using tools, Festool as well as a couple other premium high dollar brands have much to offer.

[Todd Brewer]

The Mini/Midi sacrifices function for small size and light weight. I recently bought a Midi, which is perfect for some of my uses, which is mainly on yachts. The Mini/Midi is small enough that there is no room for added features, which would only add to the weight and make it poorer for its intended use. I do think anyone looking at a Festool Vac should be steered away from the Mini/Midi unless they understand what they are gaining and loosing by making that choice instead of a CT series vac.

The Festool catalog shows that all dust extractors have the same size hose except the CT36AC, same noise level, same suction, and same maximum vacuum. So if you need to add boom arms etc. then maybe you need the more expensive models. For me the Midi works just fine. I added the Ultimate Dust Deputy and it is amazing! No need to pay an additional $110 (Midi vs. CT26E) or more for more dust storage capacity as the Dust Deputy captures almost all of the dust. Other than the ability to add a boom arm and ?, what do you get for the added expense? More dust storage is all I see. If you need to attach boom arms and such then maybe it makes sense, but I am happy with my Midi and if I had it to do over again I would still buy the Midi. The midi is only $50 more than the Mini, but step up to the CT26E and that adds $110, Id rather buy the Midi and put the savings toward an Ultimate Dust Deputy. The Ultimate Dust Deputy removes the need for dust storage capacity. Save the $110, buy the Midi with Ultimate Dust Deputy ~$200 and in the long run you will be ahead, you will save on buying new filters as the DD will capture most of the dust. Disclaimer: I am no fan of Oneida, but I do like the Dust Deputy.

[johnny means]

Ellen, I've been flogging my sander/vac combo for the better part of a decade. My hose actually has holes worn through, yet the connector/sander junction is still very tight. In fact, at this point, the hose/connector junction is worn out and routinely comes unscrewed. My point is, that if your connection seems to be inadequate, I would suggest that your connector may be defective.

On another note, I think your missing the genious of the Festool connector. Remember, it wasn't necessarily meant just for you sander. The form of the connector alloes it to fit a fairly wide range of ports. I use mine without any adapters to connect to at least five other brands of tools that use a different size port. A locking connector, in all likelyhood, wouldn't allow much flexibility.

[Larry Fox]

Interesting thread and I love my 150/3 but op did touch on something that I find VERY annoying which is that the ribbing on the hose causes it to seem to want to get caught on everything. The edge of the bench is perhaps the most annoying. I use a boom arm which does cut down on it a bit but it still happens.

[Sam Murdoch]

Larry - I have read that people use this product to overcome the hose ribs catching thing - http://www.cabletiesandmore.com/ExpandableSleeving.php
I might do this someday but it is an extra expense that always gets bumped to the bottom of my list in favor of more urgent needs.

[Julian Tracy]

Yep - a better outer hose housing would be the ultimate match for those fancy tools. Even the silly hose guide for the rail is only half-useful. For instance, if the TS saw's dust port was locking or allowed to be tightened, most of the hose management issues would go away as the angle of it could help to clear the hose of any obstructions.

I always think it's funny that though the Festool's really shine for jobsite use - most folks who use the boom arm probably use it in their home shops in pretty much stationary positions. Heck a $1 bungie cord hanging from ceiling will give you 85% of the functionality of the boom arm, and I'll be you can even find them in Festool green!

Though I appreciate good quality tools and have quite a few of the green and black ones, I do require the cost/value proportion to be highly weighed to the value side. But then I might be working with a slimmer wallet than most Festool aficionados... no doubt that aside from skilled tradesman, their target demographic is well-heeled hobbyists.

Jt

[Greg R Bradley]

Ribbing catching on edges is pretty much universal for vac hoses. The only one I've seen with a smooth outside is the one on my Jamco. It definitely seems to make it less flexible. You solve one problem and create another. It makes sense on the Jamco, which is a 35amp commercial unit designed to pick up wet messy stuff as well as dry.

I tried the sleeving and found it worked well for some uses. I think if you have one vac hose, you are likely to remove it. It makes it much less flexible. It now scratches fine finishes. I do like the ability to dedicate one Festool power cord and tie it permanently to that hose. I assume when Festool gets all their tools converted over to the PlugIt system, there may be a hose that includes the power cord, just like many air sander hoses do including Festool.

I use the sleeve in the one place I have my version of a boom arm. It's way more expensive than Julian's $1 bungee cord at $6 since we used three $2 rubber bungee cords. I would say it is ten times better than a boom arm. I would say the boom arm could be justifiable in a semi-portable setup.

If somebody thinks that the boom arm option is the main justification for a CT over a Mini/Midi then I have to assume they are reading specifications online and have not used both at the same time. Festool seems to work at having dealers that know their products and can advise you well. If you have to buy online, there are still several excellent dealers that can give you excellent advice. Just one of the reasons for the CT series is the OP's complaint about rolling it around. If cost is a justification to go with the smaller unit, then a Fein bought onsale makes more sense for most uses. I paid around $300 each for the last two, a Turbo II HEPA, and a Turbo III.

[Todd Brewer]

Yep - a better outer hose housing would be the ultimate match for those fancy tools. snip

Jt

I couldn't agree more. Did Festool intentionally design this vacuum hose to hang up on edges of material? I think they want to sell you the boom arm (and a vac bigger than the Midi to support it). More $$$ to Festool. I curse Festool every time I use the vacuum because the hose is constantly hanging up. They have to know this is an issue. Yes there are after market fixes, but at these prices that shouldn't be necessary.

Don't get me wrong, I love some of my Festools, but not everything is the cat's meow.

[johnny means]

Has anyone actually ever seen a vac hose thats not corrugated in some manner. Seems to me there aren't a lot of ways to make a light, flexible hose that doesn't collapse under suction. We're supposed to be the handy crowd, right? Not every single issue can be solved with a gadget or product. I drape my hose around the forearm once, no more snags and didn't cost a dime.

[Andrew Joiner]

I drape my hose around the forearm once, no more snags and didn't cost a dime.

I searched Festool and they don't make a forearm. Great idea Johnny.