Can Parallel Guides Replace need for MFT/3?

[MrToolJunkie]

Hi everyone,

I have a TS75 and love it....bought the saw and rails to start a few months ago.  I am wondering if the new parallel guides can replace the need for an MFT/3?  I have a massive Maple workbench that I just completed 3 weeks ago for all of my hand planing, sanding, assembly, etc... and I have a very good table saw for most of my rips and smaller cross-cuts.  What I need is a solution to accuratley crosscut wider glue-ups and rough stock before it has been straight-lined, face jointed and planed.  So my question is would the new guides work well in this application with a more generic "saw table" that I could put together on saw horses, or would it be worth spening the extra for an MFT/3 and forego the parallel guides?  I do have a need to rip 1/16th in strips and this is one area where I feel the table saw is lacking, especially when you are starting with narrow widths to begin with.  With the new guides it seems like 1/16th in rips would not be an issue.  My main need is accurate and square cross-cuts to eliminate the need for a sled on the table saw.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Scot 

 

[peter halle]

Hi Scott. 

The parallel guides and the MFT/3 are designed to do two different things.  If you need to make repetitive parallel cuts off of an established straight edge then the parallel guides would be a likely tool.  If you want to make cuts square, or at a desired angle, to an established edge, then the MFT/3 would come into play. 

The normal workflow say for plywood would be to establish a straight edge on the panel.  then use that edge to make parallel cuts.  Then take these cuts to the MFT/3 to make the ends square and then cut to length.

By the sounds of what you wrote in the last sentence, it seems that the MFT/3 would fit your needs.

Just my .02.

Peter

 

[Brice Burrell]

Scot, I have to agree with Peter. The parallel guides aren't meant for making perfectly square (cross) cuts. I've found I make cuts that are pretty close to square with the guides but not perfect. The guides will make the 1/16" rips fairly easily. The MFT/3 once dialed in will make square cuts. That said, I wouldn't bother with the MFT if you already have a work bench you're happy with and suitable means to crosscut on the table saw.

 

[RonMiller]

Your application sounds ideal for a good crosscut sled. I do alot of sheet goods work and recently made a version of "the ultimate sled" from Fine WW #199 and it is extremely accurate. I've done everything from 8" cuts to 10 foot cutoffs with it. Yes, it's heavy but I have support for it and it's very quick with repeatable cuts. It sounds like you may have a sled already and don't/can't use it. Anyway, just throwin' my $.02 in.

 

[HowardH]

I have the older version of the MFT and the PG set.  Sawhorses are the way to go with the PG. I put my panels or boards across the sawhorses and its away I go.  I have to tell you, I really miss my table saw at times.  I am building some Adirondack chairs for Christmas presents and I will need to bevel a few of the seats slats towards the front of the chair so they stay close together.  The slats are about 2 inches wide and I might have to go to the band saw and tilt the table to safely accomplish this task.  I may be able to work with a wide board to make my initial bevels so the guiderail has something to rest upon.  It would be a lot easier to do with a good table saw unless someone can give me a better idea.  Like the others, I use the MFT to cross cut to length.  The PG set will work to do that too but you need to have a piece of plywood as a support across the saw horses.  I like the PG's but they are cumbersome to set up, especially if you have change them a lot. I suppose this is part of the learning curve and you would speed this up as you get better at it.  It's also a bit of a pain with the extensions attached to get the stops exactly where you want them on both sides.  Someone said to slide them together after one is set and match up the other.  Of course, when you do this, you have to loosen at least one of the guides, slide it down, square it up with the stop, then slide it back to the right width.  I made a series of .25 inch strips the other day and it worked pretty well.  For a 1/16th" strip, getting the unit calibrated to your saw is critical.  Brice wrote an excellent tutorial on this procedure.  There is also a video on this I believe out there somewhere.  This unit really shines at cutting plywood repetitively and accurately.

 

[MrToolJunkie]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.  I have decided to go the sled route as others have suggested.  I recalibrated my saw recently andthe slots moved from where they were so my previous sled no longer registered.  Replaceable strip is the way to go next time.  I will hold off on the MFT for now and see how things go using the guide rails and the DeWalt 90 degree attachment...I broke down about 30 BF of rough maple today using this set up with great results...I used to mill longer and wider planks before sizing, but with the TS75 and rail I am switching my workflow to rough coss-cut and straightline and then joint and plane the individual parts.  We will see how this goes -- I am not in any big hurry and a quality end result is all that matters.  Handling smaller pieces will be easier to move through the various stages, even if I end up handling each part more than I used to.  The PGs look pretty slick and so they are going on my list, but my current project is all solid wood and no sheet goods so this can wait awhile...besides, I really want a Domino as my next Festool.

Great info and feedback -- thanks!

Scot