Cool idea!!!  There's always another way to get things done, and it's great to have input from others to learn from  Thanks!!! 

 

Paul,

At a Festool event in Mpls. all the guys found your review and how to set up the table very helpful.

Thanks for your great reviews.

Cheers,
Steve

Paul, great videos and great reviews!  You may consider quitting your day job. 

Sparktrician,

Thanks for taking the time to take Paul's work and applying it to the MFT/3.  Paul's video are great as it shows you how, but the still images are nice to have as reference while I do this mode to my MFT/3. My below question maybe me over thinking the thing as my table is on location and I wait (going on 3 weeks) for my back ordered Qwas dog's due to a supplier problem to the place I ordered them from.

I understand why you use the mini-square to aline the fence to the miter gauge. Well maybe I don't. I reason that we want the taller portion of the rail in contact with the miter gauge, as apposed to the lower trimmed part of the fence is there any other reason?.

I also don't understand how that alignment, will "ensure" as you state in the next image "This will provide 1 1/8” clear space between the end of the fence and the cut line in the MFT."? My Miter gauge can attach anywhere along the back rail of the MFT/3 (let's not talk about day one with the toy that I nipped into the top of the fence because it was past the cutting edge of the rail). There is only the stop in the back tack at 8 3/4' from the right (when looking from the front) that the trail hinge bracket uses. As you don't have a tape attached to fence it is not really an issue during your set up as long as the rail end in not in harms way of the TS blade.

So did you just pick 1 1/8” as what you wanted to use. Or is that a measure that if I get the fence closer to the cut line I could loose some functionality?

I see mostly using the fence for 90 degree cuts. I will also be adding the Starrett measure to the fence as Paul did, to speed up cuts. To achieve placing the fence both square and accurately aline the tape quickly. I see that if I mount the tape so that the 24" MDF will just stick out 1 1/8” (or the measurement of my choice?) from the end of the fence and use that. I do see that if I do use the miter and move the fence to make the swing, using the mini-square will give me a fast alinement of the scale back to accurate and then use the bock to double check.

I will also be adding the offcut fence as Paul did latter. He has that fence set at 7/8" from the blade. I can't tell from his video or from his blog how close he put the fence to the blade from the left side of the TS blade. Having a shorter block that will set completely on the MFT top to get first set up is going to be easier and can be used on either side to do a quick check.

I'm really looking forward to the offcut fence. From the first day when I want to cut off several 1.5" strip of material to use as shims and had to add 2.5mm for the cut and wanted repeatability. Also bought the table from Rockler and was told to set up the table by sliding the rail holders in from the right side... as in the short side...  Not the correct left side... Ahhhhh

Thanks guys doing the heavy lifting on this setup.

Cheers,
Steve

First of all, thanks Paul for yet another great review!

Next, just as an FYI:  To those who own the older MFT 1080 or 800, the clamps used by Paul to secure the fence to the rear rail (originally used on the end of the fence...) are not in the Festool catalogue, nor are they shown as an assembly on Ekat.  The individual components are shown, but not the assembly.     A quick call to Chris at Festool Service reveals that there IS indeed a part number for the assembly.  Order part #120 (yep, that's all) and the service dept. will assemble the components and send it out, all for a grand total of $6.00

Hope that helps somebody...

I received my MFT/3 TS 55 combo from Bob just yesterday.  I used the two rails connected to trim the rubber strip in the middle then connected the uncut ends to finish it off.  I used my two Qwas dogs and a true cut 1.5" wide and 36" long poplar to square the guide rail to the holes then used just the dogs to square the fence to those holes and I could not believe how accurate my initial cuts were.  I bought the poplar lumber from Lowes and the ends looked very rough.  My first use of the saw was to trim a little off the ends and WOW the cut was smooth enough to seem as if the ends were sanded to 150 or so.  I also intend to use the kerf in the top as a reference line to make future cuts.  My first job for the saw/table was to break down the workbench the MFT is replacing.  The legs were laminated 2x4s and cut through one side 1mm into the bottom 2x4 flipped lined up the kerf lines the run again to cut through 3" material, and very little guessing and it ended up perfect (for dumpster fodder).  Just for S&Gs I made a rip cut down the edge of one 2x4 removing a 1/8" scrap piece.  And just WOW; the edges were perfectly crisp and a super smooth cut overall. 

Just because of this video review I have the Starrett R to L  Imperial/Metric tape on its way for late next week.  Oh on a side note I already cut 2mm into the back v groove on the second use not keeping track of the relation between the plunge stop, rail height and stock thickness.  After that I'm going to be alot more conscious of how I do things.