That $400 vacuum bag system I bought was a complete waste of money

I dropped $400 on a Festool dust extractor bag setup thinking it would save me time on cleanup. Problem was the bags kept tearing at the seam after like 3 uses. I lost probably $80 just on replacement bags before I gave up. The shop I bought it from in Portland said I was using it wrong but I followed the manual exactly. Idk maybe I just got a bad batch but I went back to my old shop vac with a cheap filter. Has anyone else had this issue with those bag systems or did I just get unlucky?

2 comments

2 Comments

jason1121mo ago

Three uses and the bags tear? That sounds like you got a bad batch or you're cramming them full. Those Festool bags are overengineered paper, not indestructible superheroes. I've seen guys on job sites fill them to the brim with drywall dust and they hold fine. Maybe your shop vac has a sharp edge inside the canister that's catching the bag. Check for burrs or rough spots. Or you could have just gotten a Monday morning batch from the factory. Still, $400 is steep for something that feels like it should be tougher.

the_lisa1mo ago

Ugh, that's so frustrating... I totally get why you'd be annoyed after dropping that much money. Sounds like you really gave it a fair shot too.