Festool’s CT Wings turn your shop-vac into a second set of hands

By Drew Prindle August 18, 2014

festools ct wings turn shop vac second set hands screen shot 2014 08 18 at 10 23 51 am — Image used with permission by copyright holder

No matter how savvy or skilled you may be as a builder, you’ll eventually encounter a job that simply can’t be done without a helping hand. It’s inevitable, and unfortunately, when that time comes it’ll likely be when you’re all alone and none of your friends or family are around to help out.

But not to worry — German toolmaker Festool has devised a clever new product that can act as a stand-in when there’s nobody else around. The Festool CT Wings, as its called, attaches to the end of the company’s dust extractors, and will anchor itself onto any surface using suction from the vacuum. Although it’s designed to work with Festool’s line of dust extractors, the attachment would presumably work just as well on any shop-vac equipped with a bypass motor.

Related: Bosch’s new laser rangefinder augments reality on your smartphone

The company hasn’t released details on exactly how much weight the wings are capable of holding, but but based on the videos we’ve seen, the attachment appears to be quite strong for its size. Check out the product demonstration below from master carpenter Gary Katz:

Pretty nifty, right? You’ll still probably need to pull in an extra body to help you hold up that marble countertop you’re putting in, but so long as the materials you’re working with aren’t terribly heavy, this thing would be a godsend — especially if your’e a DIYer who usually tackles projects solo.

Pricing has yet to be determined for the CT Wings (which are set to be released in Europe next month), but due to the product’s simplicity, it’s expected to be under $50. A North American release hasn’t been announced quite yet, but we’ll keep you posted on availability. In the meantime, you can find out more on Festool’s website.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Drew Prindle is an award-winning writer, editor, and storyteller who currently serves as Senior Features Editor for Digital…

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