Starmix Vac?

[PapaLazarou]

First post so hello.

We’ll be getting a Mafell MT55CC track saw shortly. Main use will be cutting Dibond, acrylic and other signage type materials. We want to minimise any dust as much as possible due to other equipment in the environment we’ll be using the saw in so are looking at vacuums.

Looking at a Starmix 1635M for £500 + vat.

Couple of questions...

1) As this is 1600W and the saw is 1400W does this present a problem powering this through a domestic socket? I’ve read the max is around 3200W so this seems pretty close to me.

2) The H version of this vac is only about £60 more which doesn’t seem like a lot. Worth the price increase?

3) I know there are various versions of this sold by different brands. Is this version of the Starmix £100-150 better than the 1400 watt Metabo equivalent (which I think is very similar apart from the wattage)?

4) Also does anyone know if these vacs have a U.K. plug socket for onboard power for the saw? Or is it a euro socket with an adapter?

5) Sorry one more question... if you were buying tools for commercial workshop, not site use, is 240v the way to go or should we be opting for 110v?

Thanks.

 

[Sideways]

Hi, the only question I can reply to is the voltage one. If you are working in a regular workshop I would choose a 240v tool not 110v.
110v is not required by regulation in workshops where hazards are more predictable and controllable than on building sites so I would choose 240v and as a matter of general safety have RCD breakers in your switchboard to reduce the risk of shock from electrical faults.
If you do go 110v you will have the added cost of a fixed or portable 110v transformer in your workshop.
Starmix machines are reputed to be high quality but not very common in the UK. The Metabo branded one is the most common here and seems good. I think mafell do / did have a rebranded starmix vac in their catalogue.
You will probably get away with running everything off a 13amp uk plug. If you find yourself blowing fuses at all often, consider fitting a blue 240v CE industrial plug on the power cable of the starmix and if you don't have one already, get a 16amp circuit fitted in your workshop with a socket outlet to plug the vacuum into. The starmix vac was PROBABLY designed with the common european 16 amp round pin plug, so it SHOULD be perfectly safe to do this.
I suspect cutting dibond etc won't work your saw very hard and you'll be fine with a 13A plug and socket.
There's a half decent chance the starmix has a european outlet and the mafell saw has a european plug, so no need to change anything and no need for adapters.

 

[MikeJhn]

I would be looking at this: https://www.axminster.co.uk/numatic-nvd ... r-ax782721 2800 watts far more poser than the Starmix and only a little extra, run it off a remote infra red socket and you can switch it on and off at will

 

[Sideways]

Aye Mike but the Starmix is already M class which the big fella isn't, the Axy/Numatic lacks a power tool outlet and auto filter clean which the better starmix vacs offer and as all it's extracting is one tracksaw, you really don't need twin motors as one can create plenty of airflow down a 27 or 32mm hose. There isn't even going to be all that much debris to justify the big can
I like the NVD750, I bought one, but don't think it's the best choice here.
A starmix, bosch GAS, metabo ASR35, Fein dustex, Festool, Nilfisk Attix 44, any of these would be broadly similar in performance and price and perfectly well suited to use with a tracksaw.
Remote control on a vac is cool though

 

[MikeJhn]

Not quite Sideways, the NVD750 has a 32mm inlet on the front in addition to the 100mm inlet from the side, the front inlet is able to take a Hepafow filter bag which also takes the filtration a stage further than the standard L class, with the addition of the cut bag as shown in the uses manual, this takes the filtration even further, notwithstanding all of that the amount of dust going into the atmosphere from a track saw negates any class of filtration you have, my point was that buying a more powerful vacuum would allow some kind of redundancy for later tools.

Remote on the vac and chip extractor is very convenient, especially when the NVR for the CE is nearly on the floor, why did Axminster put it there?

Mike

 

[PapaLazarou]

Thanks for the suggestion MikeJhn but I think I’m going to stick with the more traditional route of Starmix, Festool etc

I asked the same questions as I have above to Allsaw who sell the Starmix. I’m not too knowledgable about electrics and to be honest now I’m even more confused.

This was their reply...

—————

The way to use the Starmix Pulse with the 32 amp plug is to use a 5kva transformer which have 32 amp plug sockets which will mean that you can use Band Saws / larger power tools with a power output of up to 2200 watts. If there are no 5 kva Transformers available on site, the second best option is to change the 32 amp plug to a 16 amp plug.

We have provided a 16 amp plug as an optional extra in the Starmix Pulse Product Box and this has a warning label on it which explains that by using a 16 amp plug the 2200 watt power take off will be reduced (to approximately 800watt). In theory, this means that you can run a tool/saw up to 800 watt off the power take off only. However we have found that you can plug tools in that are over 800 watt and they still run O.K but this is dependent on minimal extension leads, no splitters and sufficient power running to the transformer or generator being used. We would advise against changing the plug as this will increase the amps running through the vacuum and would mean the motor is under greater strain which can in worst cases result in motor failure, (a common problem with 16 amp Vacuums in the market).

—————

Does this mean we have to buy a transformer regardless? And then hardwire it to the mains? Or connect to a single phase socket? Or 3 phase? Totally lost now. Seems like a lot of devices in a chain just to power and extract a saw.

 

[MikeJhn]

They have assumed you are site based at 110Volts by the look of their reply.

Have a look here: http://festoolownersgroup.com/other-too ... stool-ctm/

Mike

 

[PapaLazarou]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm still umming and ahhing about H vs M. Allsaw have said that if we're going to be cutting any MDF then they'd recommend H class but the bags all seem to be M class anyway. We don't use a lot of MDF but there will be the odd bit here and there. I'm thinking H would cover us if we do cut anything more toxic in the future. Or am I just overpaying for something unnecessarily? We won't be going anywhere near asbestos.

Is there any downside of going with the H model?
Can I put M filters in the H and make it an M and vice versa?

Just quite a lot of money to get buyers remorse and wish we'd bought the other one.

Thanks.

 

[mbartlett99]

Seems a lot of money to extract from a track saw - #overkill. Nilfisk Alto aero will deal with it happily, are available with HEPA filters and have a power take off. Oh and its less than £200.

 

[Doug71]

I don't know anything about H class extractors but the only difference between the Festool M class and L class is that the M class has a sensor which beeps when the flow rate drops, for example if the bag is getting full. They both use the same filters and bags.

 

[Sideways]

Festool have autoclean variants (look for the AC suffix) of the L and M class extractors. You pay a fair bit extra for the feature.
Starmix have a system for alternately shaking their two flters to do the same.
Need to compare like with like when comparing prices.

Nice to have maybe but unlikely to be as essential on a tracksaw as on a drywall sander.
I use a commercial vacuum with my tracksaw very successfully and lots of folk connect up to a Henry.

The nilfisk aero seems to be a very good value machine.

 

[PapaLazarou]

OK so is the consensus that an H class vac is overkill even for MDF?

The Nilfisk Alto Aero looks good value but doesn’t seem to have any classification. Nilfisk do seem to do M and H models but they’re considerably more money. Where do I find an Alto Aero with a hepa filter?

 

[Sideways]

Here's the Nilfisk website link for a HEPA filter.
There's a huge list of models that it is compatible with.
Pick one from the list that you like and upgrade it with the HEPA filter....

https://www.nilfisk.com/en-gb/products/ ... =302001095

I got to that filter via the Aero 21 vacuum

https://www.nilfisk.com/en-gb/products/ ... roductInfo

 

[mbartlett99]

I buy a lot of gear for work - £100k worth - think I've bought a dozen Nilfisk vacuums, still had one to crap out. They're also wet and dry - which matters when a numpty trys to use the lovely festool unit to dry out a bilge, or the interior crews brand new miele.

I'm sure the starmix is very good but a tracksaw doesn't need a whole lot of suction - spend some money on spare filters and a nice little cyclone jobbby.

 

[PapaLazarou]

Thanks everyone . I’ll give the Nilfisk some consideration.