Case for buying OF 1400

[Attn2Detail]

Hello fellow Festool owners!

I am a newer woodworker and have been setting up my shop with careful research and planning.  I have been using the TS 75, guide rails and MFT, producing some very satisfactory results.  I am now in the market for an all around router and am seriously considering the OF 1400.  Since I chose the plunge saw and MFT over a table saw, the router has to perform some table saw tasks the TS 75 comes up short on, such as making dadoes, rabbets and grooves.  My issue is the cost.  At $470, the router is significantly more expensive than others I am considering at $200 - $250.  I would appreciate input from anyone who was in this position before and what they decided to do and how they are faring now.  Thanks in advance.

George

 

[Bob Baker]

I am also new to woodworking and was in your position as well. I choose to spend the extra money and get the OF1400 and I have not regretted that decision at all. Especially since attending the Festool router class you really see how the router fits into the festool system and is worth every penney..

 

[GPowers]

I also bought the OF1400. It has Colletes for 1/4", 8mm and 1/2" bits. Also works with the Festool dust extraction, and the Guide rail with the optional guide stop. Soft start is nice as are the metric scales when setting bit depth.

 

[ccarrolladams]

Hello fellow Festool owners!

I am a newer woodworker and have been setting up my shop with careful research and planning.  I have been using the TS 75, guide rails and MFT, producing some very satisfactory results.  I am now in the market for an all around router and am seriously considering the OF 1400.  Since I chose the plunge saw and MFT over a table saw, the router has to perform some table saw tasks the TS 75 comes up short on, such as making dadoes, rabbets and grooves.  My issue is the cost.  At $470, the router is significantly more expensive than others I am considering at $200 - $250.  I would appreciate input from anyone who was in this position before and what they decided to do and how they are faring now.  Thanks in advance.

George

Of course there are many products on the market that cost less than Festools. The way I personally like to think is that Festool is a system, not just a single tool.

You already have guide rails. Hopefully you bought clamps to go with your rails and MFT. Assuming you were to buy a less expensive router, how would you create a perfect dado if it were far into a part, beyond the reach of an edge guide? With a Festool OF 1010, OF 1400 or OF 2200 you use the accessory guide plate with the rails you already own. Since you have the MFT, combine that with the OF 1400 and a guide plate and you have a very effective table router, sort of a radial arm router.

Many other brands of router can be attached to dust collection systems, but none collect such a high percentage of chips and dust as do the OF 1010, OF 1400 and OF 2200. The savings in clean up will soon justify the price of an OF 1400.

Most of us who have been using routers awhile own a huge number of bits. Perhaps we started off years ago with under-powered routers and 1/4" shank bits. One great feature of the OF 1400 is it comes with 1/4 and 1/2" collets, as well as an 8mm collet. That is not a popular size in the USA, yet, but it turns out to be a marvelous compromise between 1/4 and 1/2"  You will find that your bits will last longer and produce the best results with a Festool router.

Assuming your use of routers goes like most of us, soon the value of your bit collection will be greater than what you will pay for an OF 1400.

Sure, until the end of this month the Festool MFK 700 and the OF 2200 are on sale, along with their accessories. Personally I do not recommend the OF 2200 as a first router. It comes with a 1/2" collet for the valid reason that it produces so much torque that it can stress 1/4" shank bits until they break in use. Most of us also would not use our 8mm shank bits in an OF 2200 for the same reason. Probably it will be awhile before you start to buy many bits with 1/2" shanks. When you do you will find the OF 1400 has enough power for most of them.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Hi George,
The OF1400 is a great general purpose router.  And it uses the Festool system well.  Dadoes, grooves, etc. are simple and precise when you use the 1400 with the guide rail.  The dust collection is superior - good for your health and saves a lot of cleanup time.  I have had the 1400 for about two years now and I still get a kick out of the ratcheting collet - just way too cool!  The copy rings/template guides/ router bushings are fantastic.  The bushings go on perfectly centered, while other routers require that you fuss with adjusting screws until the bushings are centered - this makes jig work and pattern routing easy.
I guess the bottom line for me is that I have sold the DeWalt and Porter Cable routers I had ($250 range) because they just collected dust on the shelf after the OF1400 arrived.
Just finished a set of 6 dining chairs - 144 mortises - all done on the OF1400.  It worked precisely, cleanly, and never complained.
Hope this helps.

 

[grobin]

+1 on the 1400.  I plan to buy one when I have the money.  I have a Milwaukee that I bought for table use but haven't got the table yet.  I have used a friends 1400 quite a bit—I have used his 2200 more but he uses the 1400 a lot more than the 2200.  If you don't need to swing big bits in very difficult woods this is just the router for you.  It will not cut dadoes or rebates in lignum vitæ but it handles Osage Orange, Lyptus, Zebra wood and hickory just fine.  IMHO the drawback to the Festool routers (1400 and 2200) is that there is no viable router table with a lift available in the US  AFAIK.  That's why I bought the Milwaukee.  The question is do you need the router table at all given the Festool system?  I have the rails guide stop etc. and for light to medium work and don't see the need to have a router table.  But If you want to cut precision dovetails, multiple finger joints do panel raising, use the router as a joiner, … then a router table with a good fence is a must have.  I have a POS table with an Incra 25" fence,  that fence has saved the table from the trash heap.  When I get a new table I will more the fence to it.

But yes the 1400 is the way to go with a few odd exceptions.

 

[msw]

I think Triton router is one of the best router for any one who is starting in routing and the router is known for ease of changing the bits as well as one of the best router for router tables and it is around $225.00

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080240/27328/Triton-2-14-HP-Plunge-Router.aspx

Meezo

 

[Bob Marino]

George,

As a dealer, I'm responding with a different perspective hopefully, that may be of interest to you. Way back when, Festool was lacking a midsize router. They had the OF 1000 (replaced by the 1010) and the OF 2000 (replaced by the 2200). The 1000 was great in the hand, sooooooooooooooooo well balanced, but did not accept 1/2" bits; while the 2000, being more of a production router, was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay too large for general routing tasks. For many customers, there was a strong/intense/pentup desire for Festool to offer a midsize router that would be able to accept the 1/2" bits we Americans had already in our shops. So around 2006, Festool came out with the OF 1400; similar looking (but with many advancements) to the 1000. Sales were through the roof, way higher than expected and the 1400 was backordered from Germany.
Customer feedback in the last 4 or so years has been overwhelmingly positive, sold extremely well and if memory serves correctly,  I haven't had a return yet. Those last 5 words, IMHO,  speaks volumes.

Bob

 

[Holzhacker]

For someone ... I just looked on Craigslist Chicago today. A guy has a 1400 for sale for $425 with the guide rail attachment. Pics look in good shape. Just spent over $500 on the 850 so I can't do it. Good luck to anyone who's interested.
Markus

 

[Attn2Detail]

Thanks for the replies.  Some of you have brought up some great points I did not even consider.  This is a great site.  Keep the posts coming. 

 

[waho6o9]

+1 for the 1400. Not wise to stray from the flock grasshopper, Festool all the way.

 

[Coen]

Festool is a system. The system becomes worth more and more with every piece you add.

Go for the OF1400.

@grobin: What? No CMS in the US?  ???

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

yes.

 

[mavrick1903]

I think Triton router is one of the best router for any one who is starting in routing and the router is known for ease of changing the bits as well as one of the best router for router tables and it is around $225.00

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080240/27328/Triton-2-14-HP-Plunge-Router.aspx

Meezo

Meezo, I've got to disagree here. the Triton routers were once pretty decent, when they came with the blow molded case, with a bunch of guide bushing plates and such. these days, you're getting a cardboard box and no extras.

OP: Pass on the Trition IMHO, go for the OF1400. I just picked mine up. I've got a Dewalt 618 in a table, and a 616 in a sys 4 that will likely seldom leave the sys. it'll be my loaner. I've used the 1400 several times over the last three years or so and went in eyes open on the price and value.

 

[tbellemare]

George:

The fact that you are talking about the router you desire performing complimentary tasks to the TS 75 makes me question what those tasks might be.

I, personally, think the OF 1400 is a router for all tasks, if those tasks aren't repeated every day and multiple times. By that, I mean that it can handle almost any task that normal people ask of a router. It can even handle a lot of tasks that are above and beyond...

If I were wanting to cut big profiles in a single pass, especially in certain materials like ipe or solid surface materials, I would opt for the 2200. It can actually perform those tasks in one pass. The 1400 can do them handily in more than one pass.

If I did a lot of edge banding or other sensitive edge treatments, I'd opt for the MFK 700. The 1400 can also do those edge tasks but isn't what I would want to use for them if I did a lot of it.

That's pretty much my take...

Tom

 

[grobin]

I hope to sit corrected but Ɇ CMS in NA.  (Ɇ does not exist).

But remember that is not ≠not is!

 

[MrToolJunkie]

I would stay stick with the Festool and not another brand -- the dust collection and ability to use it with the rails provides value that will last the life of the tool.  You can also incorporate other accessories if/when you need them such as the LR32, MFS and edging accessories.  While I do not own a 1400 (yet), I did get a chance to use it last week in the router class and it is an amazing tool, typical of most other Festools I have used -- well thought out, well balanced and very, very high quality that is built to last.  I do not think you could go wrong with this purchase.  I did buy the OF2200 and this is my first Festool router and it is awesome.  Being able to use it with the system is a joy and I have no regrets whatsoever with the purchase and this is the router that fit my current needs.  Festool does offer the 30 day no risk so you could always buy one and try it out and see if the cost matters as much after you get a chance to use it.

Scot 

 

[extiger]

George I bought the combination of the OF 1400 and the MFT/3 as the last machine purchases for my new shop. This did away — for me at least — with the need for a router table and all that paraphernalia and all that clutter on the shop floor. Specifically I wanted a safe way to cut Dadoes without using a tablesaw.

Then, with the OF as a free handrouter, I can handle a bunch more jobs. It is highly addictive when you can accomplish making a joint so easily and well, and it justifies your buying decision.

All the choices and alternatives can get your head spinning. And who is rich enough to have it all? When you've got certain but limited tools you will adapt those tools to the kind of joinery you want. You reach a point where a so-called 'better machine' isn't needed. The OF 1400 and MFT/3 pack a powerful punch and are real flexible for lots of applications.

Gary

 

[Sean7a]

Thanks for the replies.  Some of you have brought up some great points I did not even consider.  This is a great site.  Keep the posts coming. 

I see you're in Mt. Vernon!  Swing by the store today or this weekend.  Try the OF1400 for yourself.  Rout a profile, dadoes, use the guide rail, edge guide, etc.  Put every point made here to the test and I guarantee you that you'll be blown away.  Just like the MFT and TS have proven to be far more valuable than you could have imagined when you plunked down the cash for them, the OF1400 will bewilder and impress you just the same...in my opinion even more.

And hey, myself and Dougie just got back from Festool HQ and 2 days of advanced router training, so for the next 48 hours or so I'm well versed in anything and everything routers  [wink]

 

[ccarrolladams]

Sean and George,

Absolutely the best way to appreciate the value of the OF 1400 is to try one with as many accessories as possible. I have owned an OF 1400 since they became available in the USA and I thought I knew all the benefits. Then last Thursday and Friday (11 and 12 Nov) I participated in the Advanced Router class in Henderson, NV. For sure I learned much more about all my Festool routers.

One thing I have always done with my OF 1400 you should try during a demo is using a 36mm AS hose instead of a 27mm AS hose. Sure, some jobs with smaller bits only create dust, handled well with a 27mm hose. However, larger bits also create chips. Chips can and do clog the 27mm hose.

My approach was to get used to dealing with the larger 36mm hose routinely. By now it is second nature and even when I am using maximum size bits on the OF 1400 I have not had a clog. The best way to see for yourself is to try both size hose with the same bit.