CT22 Boom Arm

[Mick Zelaska]

I recently installed the handle and boom arm on my CT22. It's a great upgrade and it certainly does what it's supposed to do - keep the hose from getting in the way.

My only problem with the boom is when moving the unit around the shop the outriggers Festool provides to keep the unit from tipping backwards catches on anything that gets in its way. I'm considering removing the outriggers and mounting a counter-weighted systainer to the unit in hope of solving this problem. Am I on the right track or is there another solution to the problem that my engineering-challenged mind has not thought of.

[Chris Padilla]

Do you store/attach tool-loaded systainers on your vacuum? Might they be enough to keep the vacuum from tipping?

Otherwise, take a systainer and fill it with sand?

[James Hart]

Nick,

There was a recent post on this in the forum where Festool users hang out.

The consensus, it seemed, was that most people just take them off for the reasons you mentioned.

If you don't know where those people hang out PM me. There are rules about linking to other forums, I'm unsure how they work.

Jim

[Bill Wyko]

I have the CT33 with the boom. I never even put the outriggers on. I got no room No problem with tipping although I do have a large counterweight (a stack of festool on top of it)

[Daniel Thompson]

I left the outriggers on for about a week before I got tired of them being in the way. I haven't had any problems after removing them. Just be a little careful how you pull on the hose. It is possible to turn the vacuum over if you try hard enough.

Dan

[Dan Clark]

No outriggers for me. Just keep the boom arm roughly over the vac and you'll be fine. If you swing it far to the side or turn it around to point behind the vac, and then you'll need them.

Dan.

[Mick Zelaska]

I left them off when I first set the boom up and ended up tilting the vac over while sawing a sheet of plywood so I think I do need the weight. I move the CT22 between a sawing table, a clamping station, and a router table fairly often so I think moving it around the shop with a tower of systainers would be kind of awkward. I think maybe throwing a few sandbags on the now unused hose garage may be the ticket. Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

[John Scherzinger]

I've found that the outriggers are not necessary, at least for me. The vac itself is all the ballast that's needed.