I'm already in a big shop with plenty of random sound going on, so the quiet aspect means nothing to me. The ability to hold small parts, fully exposed on the edges, is attractive though.
Most of what I do is large or oddly shaped.
Edgebanding of typical parts gets done on a machine that costs more than my house. It does straight, simple stuff very quickly, but it cannot do angles or curves. That kind of stuff has to be done by hand.
I do have access to a Cantek portable unit, that can do radius edges, but even that can't do 45 degree clipped corners. However, it only applies the edging, you still have to flush trim it off.

Suspending production until parts are available would seem to be a more appropriate response, unless sales are so low they can't justify keeping it in the lineup and are taking advantage of the pandemic to sideline the item. Maybe there is an economic or tax-savings angle to doing that now vice keep it active with minimal sales numbers.

Either way if there is still a market for a tool like this someone will step up and fill the void with a similar product.

So I've done a little research and think I found something similar that will work (at least for me) It's the Virutex multiple fastening system, it uses compressed air instead of a vacuum, but is a very simple and affordable design that tilts and swivels.  You can also add multiple head units and get an option so you can vacuum it down to a work surface, it also uses a readily available rubber seal on the head.

Festool is permanently phasing out our Vac-Sys

Interesting word choice, there.  Perhaps the folks in Lebanon didn't translate the translation ?

Quote from: DynaGlide on December 03, 2021, 06:07 PM

I'll hold out for the discontinued discount @Cheese 

Nicely played Matt.. 

If they actually are marked down.  If not you might just miss the boat and have to buy one on the secondary market.  For more $$$.

I wonder what the support situation is now. If they can't source enough parts to build new where will they get parts to maintain systems previously sold.

Very good question.  They're required by german law to carry parts for a specified amt of time, but I'm not sure if a out clause exists.   Even so, stocking up only works for some parts.  Old rubber is still old and stiff even if it hasn't been used.

I noticed the vac sys was mia at the festool live on Friday.   I wonder if that means they have to go back to a time without.   My understanding of discontinued tools is they keep a supply of parts for repair for some time.

Not surprising.  That's an advertisement.  No sense pitching something you don't sell.

but I find it hard to understand the given reason for the discontinuation of this product. Supply chain issues affect all kinds of products including automobiles, and I know of no other products going into retirement with supply chain difficulties, a temporary condition, being stated as the justification. There should be more behind the story, which, of course, we probably won't know in the end

Between the lines it seems like "we don't sell enough of these to deal with the hassle and growth potential is practically nil.  Just tell em it's Covid or Supply Chain issues - they won't argue or complain " 

Does anyone know if they source this from an outside company like they do with the quick clamps and multi tool   I always assumed it all came from their sibling co. Festo, who's entire biz is pneumatics.

I mean, they were still selling it in a Classic Systainer,

The reason for this was discussed years ago and IIRC had to do with electrical regulations and certification.  T-loc wasn't feasible for whatever reason.




     

As with any large co. The real reason is the bottom line. I think the VAc sys while its really loved by some is a pretty slow seller.  I remember reading here some people had bought a brand new unit and the mfr. date was already several years old.  This tells me its been sitting on some shelf for years.  The cost vs. reward for the tool is hard to justify for most.  Coupled with increasing hard parts to source it was probably just decided to pull the plug and focus on other items.  If it had been a top seller Im sure they would make every effort to continue.

I have found that to be true even in some of the more popular items too. Off of the top of my head, the only thing (date coded) tools that I have which were purchased it the year they were made, are my DF500 and the RO125.  The RAS115 was already 3 years old when I bought it and the TS75 was 2, everything else was at least the previous year, and most of it was purchased in Sept of 19, so most of that year was gone. That is well before the supply chain issues came up.
I just figured that this was rather standard for a lower volume product/brand.

I ordered the complete set (pump and both heads) from TN a couple of weeks ago. Arrived a couple of days later. Glad I did. It's already seen a lot of use in my little shop. So far, I love it.

The venturi-vac would definitely be the way to go for me. In the big shop there is an unlimited supply of air. Maybe I should just be looking into the module and heads? The long skinny one could be very useful at times.

The venturi-vac would definitely be the way to go for me. In the big shop there is an unlimited supply of air. Maybe I should just be looking into the module and heads? The long skinny one could be very useful at times.

The long skinny one is what I was wanting too.  I was just looking at this stuff probably monday or tuesday.  From what I could find its only available in the kit.  I could not find it individually.  I had recently found out that the drawer back for the 89mm drawers I use are just a little narrower than the one I made.  It just fits between the epdm cord.  Here is a couple pics of the proto types I made.  The only thing I changed was making the cup part out of plastic.  The plywood works but you need to seal it up with some wood glue.  I already had the plastic so I just remade them but its kind of pricy so If I didnt already have it I would have just kept the plywood.   

Its not as robust as the vac sys since the frame work is plywood not metal.  I wouldn't try to hand plane with it but it works fine for laminating, routing etc. The cup suction is probably stronger than the plywood.  The heads are interchangeable by just pulling them off and tilts 180° and spins 360° I think I prefer the toggle switch to the foot pedal.  One less thing on the floor and its always right there but to be fair I haven't tried the pedal but looked at them originally and decided on the lever.  using the push to connect fittings makes it easy add or adapt.  The push connect fittings do tend to leak a small amount so I ran 3/8 tubing with barb fittings.  (These are much more leakproof) to several spots in the shop and terminate with a ball valve and push connect fitting.  This way I can just plug into which ever is closest and keep the others closed.  when done its easy to disconnect the the small 1/4" line from the push connect fitting and put it all away.  The compressor you see in the one photo is the one that is switched to vacuum pump prior to finding its permanent home in the shed. 

Quote from: Crazyraceguy on December 04, 2021, 01:55 PM

The venturi-vac would definitely be the way to go for me. In the big shop there is an unlimited supply of air. Maybe I should just be looking into the module and heads? The long skinny one could be very useful at times.

The long skinny one is what I was wanting too.  I was just looking at this stuff probably monday or tuesday.  From what I could find its only available in the kit.  I could not find it individually. 

The cups are all available individually.  The long skinny one is around $160, PN 580065 and the medium oval is $110, PN 580064.  The larger oval that comes with the SE2 is $130, so the total for all 3 individually would be $400. The kit with all three of those pads plus the classic Systainer is only $380.

I already have two large ovals, so I've been debating the kit vs the individual skinny and medium cups for the last two weeks or so.  I'm still on the fence, honestly, but since the prices go up at the first of the year, I'll pull the trigger one way or the other before then.

The heads are interchangeable by just pulling them off and tilts 180° and spins 360° I think I prefer the toggle switch to the foot pedal.  One less thing on the floor and its always right there but to be fair I haven't tried the pedal but looked at them originally and decided on the lever.  using the push to connect fittings makes it easy add or adapt.  The push connect fittings do tend to leak a small amount so I ran 3/8 tubing with barb fittings.  (These are much more leakproof) to several spots in the shop and terminate with a ball valve and push connect fitting.  This way I can just plug into which ever is closest and keep the others closed.  when done its easy to disconnect the the small 1/4" line from the push connect fitting and put it all away.  The compressor you see in the one photo is the one that is switched to vacuum pump prior to finding its permanent home in the shed.

Very cool!  If and when my pods break, I may look at this again and ask if there are any carving plans for the plywood pieces.

Funny thing about "foot pedal", the instructions for the Vac Sys MFT mount actually include mounting the "pedal" upside-down under the right hand side of the MFT and activated by pulling up with your hand rather than pressing down with a foot.  The recommended spot is pretty much the same location as the switch gear on the CMS table.

While I have two complete sets and heads, before Festool made them available, I had been using two Virutex units that I installed on bar swivels...which reminds me that I really should sell those.

Quote from: Crazyraceguy on December 04, 2021, 01:55 PM

The venturi-vac would definitely be the way to go for me. In the big shop there is an unlimited supply of air. Maybe I should just be looking into the module and heads? The long skinny one could be very useful at times.

The long skinny one is what I was wanting too.  I was just looking at this stuff probably monday or tuesday.  From what I could find its only available in the kit.  I could not find it individually.  I had recently found out that the drawer back for the 89mm drawers I use are just a little narrower than the one I made.  It just fits between the epdm cord.  Here is a couple pics of the proto types I made.  The only thing I changed was making the cup part out of plastic.  The plywood works but you need to seal it up with some wood glue.  I already had the plastic so I just remade them but its kind of pricy so If I didnt already have it I would have just kept the plywood.   

Its not as robust as the vac sys since the frame work is plywood not metal.  I wouldn't try to hand plane with it but it works fine for laminating, routing etc. The cup suction is probably stronger than the plywood.  The heads are interchangeable by just pulling them off and tilts 180° and spins 360° I think I prefer the toggle switch to the foot pedal.  One less thing on the floor and its always right there but to be fair I haven't tried the pedal but looked at them originally and decided on the lever.  using the push to connect fittings makes it easy add or adapt.  The push connect fittings do tend to leak a small amount so I ran 3/8 tubing with barb fittings.  (These are much more leakproof) to several spots in the shop and terminate with a ball valve and push connect fitting.  This way I can just plug into which ever is closest and keep the others closed.  when done its easy to disconnect the the small 1/4" line from the push connect fitting and put it all away.  The compressor you see in the one photo is the one that is switched to vacuum pump prior to finding its permanent home in the shed.

This is pretty sweet looking. I do like toggle switch idea!

im pretty sure its a law that mfr. have to make parts for X amount of years. 7 years rings a bell but im not 100% on that.  however this whole supply chain issue who knows. Im not sure why festool decided to make the cups the way they did. I much prefer the easily replaceable epdm cord that costs pennies to replace if needed. I dont want to call it an industry standard but its a very popular method for vacuum sealing. 

I think the parts availability thing is 10 years here in the US too, but I have no idea at what point that applies? Certainly that doesn't mean everything? There has to be some criteria, $$ amount or something?

Sounds like if you own a vac sys and are looking to sell it…you’ll have no problem…like a good used truck or house these days….