1400 router setup

[justinh]

I recently purchased the 1400 for a built in project.  It was used to run the dado for the bottom shelf on 6 cabinets for a pair of window seats as there was no room to run full sheets across the table saw on site.  I laid out the dado and was using bench hooks and a couple of combination squares to mark all of the cuts.  I use the same techniques to lay out repetitive cut with My 55. 

I marked the sides of the dado cut lines and positioned the rail using the squares.  I found that I had to tweak the router to the line +/- a 1/16" with each new set up even though nothing on the router had moved and the measurements were held with the squares. I set the squares to hold the measurement to the back of the rail and not the rubber splinter strips. I squared the sheets before starting and am positive that they were perfect and the squares where kept out of the way so they couldn't accidentally get knock. 

It didn't cost me much time but I but I wasn't expecting to have to do this.  I was hope one of you would be able to shed some light on the problem.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.  If anyone has any experience with operating this router for cabinet construction I would also appreciate hearing about the techniques you use and the applications in which you use it.

Thank you in advance.

Justin

 

[brandon.nickel]

I have found the same thing with using the MFT guide rail and the sliding stops to hold each piece of cabinet carcass.  This allows me to reference all of the dados off the top of the piece.  I just assumed that my cabinet sides were not quite square and I was in error.  I haven't gone through the rigorous checking that you've done.  I've wondered if there's enough slop in the fine-adjust router sled assembly to cause this motion (even though everything remains tight throughout).

Anyone else have similar problems?  I'm not sure where it comes from.

 

[Jerry Work]

Hi Justin,

I do a lot of guided rail routing and have never experienced what you describe.  If the gibs are set tight to the guide rail so the sled can't wobble and the rods are held tight at both the sled end and at the router, then the router will always follow the same path relative to the front edge of the guide rail.  That suggests there is something amiss in your layout technique.  Try making a 1/2" deep dado cut in a scrap piece.  Remove your set up and place it down on the same piece a second time.  Now make a 1/4" deep dado cut.  Any error will show up as a step grove on one side of the dado.  That will tell you whether the error is in front of or behind the reference edge.  A 16th of an inch is a big error so you should be able to deduce the source from this test.

I always work from center lines rather than edges as I find it much easier to lay out and less error prone.  I also always place the guide rail directly on top of the work piece so the weight of the router plus my pushing down will maintain the same depth all the way across the cut.  In two of my manuals (the MFT and the MFS manuals, both available for free download from the Festoolusa.com web site) I describe a number of layout techniques that work for me.  They may be helpful.

Jerry

I recently purchased the 1400 for a built in project.  It was used to run the dado for the bottom shelf on 6 cabinets for a pair of window seats as there was no room to run full sheets across the table saw on site.  I laid out the dado and was using bench hooks and a couple of combination squares to mark all of the cuts.  I use the same techniques to lay out repetitive cut with My 55. 

I marked the sides of the dado cut lines and positioned the rail using the squares.  I found that I had to tweak the router to the line +/- a 1/16" with each new set up even though nothing on the router had moved and the measurements were held with the squares. I set the squares to hold the measurement to the back of the rail and not the rubber splinter strips. I squared the sheets before starting and am positive that they were perfect and the squares where kept out of the way so they couldn't accidentally get knock. 

It didn't cost me much time but I but I wasn't expecting to have to do this.  I was hope one of you would be able to shed some light on the problem.  Any input would be greatly appreciated.  If anyone has any experience with operating this router for cabinet construction I would also appreciate hearing about the techniques you use and the applications in which you use it.

Thank you in advance.

Justin