My $600 vacuum bag setup just gave out mid-job

I was finishing up a kitchen install in Denver last Thursday when my Festool CT36 just quit pulling air. The hose was clear, the bag wasn't full, but it sounded like a dying hair dryer. Turns out the rubber gasket on the motor housing had cracked and let dust right into the fan assembly. I had to stop everything, drive 45 minutes to the nearest dealer, and drop $200 on a repair kit I didn't plan for. Has anyone else had a vac crap out on them at the worst possible time?

3 comments

3 Comments

simonp761mo ago

Pretty sure the CT36 uses a foam seal, not a rubber gasket.

robin6281mo ago

Mark's story is basically @simonp76's point with extra steps.

lilyp371mo ago

My buddy Mark had a CT36 he used for like 5 years straight on job sites. He swore it had a rubber gasket until one day he peeled it off and it was definitely foam, just really worn down. He felt pretty dumb about it.