Dogs for squaring the rail and fence on MFT/3

[Dennis Clark]

Hello Everyone,
I've been reading posts on the FOG for the past year to get a general background on Festool tools, and to help me decide which tools to purchase. I now have the MFT/3 and the TSC 55 track saw, and I could use some assistance. Specifically I want to square up my fence and guide rail using the procedure that half-inch shy demonstrates in his video viewable at:


In this video he uses Qwas dogs which are no longer being manufactured or sold, so I want to find an equivalent substitute. It appears there are now numerous dogs available with many different characteristics for varying applications. I'm hoping that you can tell me which dogs you are using in the 20mm holes on an MFT style table, the purpose for which the dog is being used, and what you like and perhaps don't like about the dogs you are using or have tried. I realize this information should be easily obtainable by simply googling MFT dogs, but I am blind so gathering accurate information about products pictured on the internet is challenging. My computer has speech output which works well for text on web pages, but for videos I have to decipher what I can from the audio track accompanying the video.

I should add that I did purchase the  TSO GRS-16PE Parallel Edge Guide Rail Square to use for squaring the rail and fence. Unfortunately, the top edge of the TSO square is rounded,  so the edge of the square that is in contact with the fence is buried in the crevice between the fence and square and not "reachable" with ones  fingertips. This is why  the squaring method shown by half-inch shy using Qwas dogs looks like a workable alternative for me.

Thanks for  taking the time to read my post. I look forward to hearing about your experiences with the assortment of dogs on the market.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Hi, Dennis,

You could use other dogs that are of a consistent size. TSO Dogs and Parf Dogs for example.

TSO Dogs:https://tsoproducts.com/workholding-accessories/doublegroove-20mm-large-dogs/
Parf Dogs:http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=71185&cat=1,41637

 

[Dick Mahany]

As another possible option, I use a pair of Lee Valley small aluminum dogs for securing my MFT3 fence.  They have a flat face and were easily cross drilled through the face to take an M6 machine screw and nut which fit perfectly into the MFT fence t-slot.  It won't offer the max cross cut capacity, however it works better (for me) to maintain squareness than using a pair of the Festool fence clamps which used to slip slightly thereby throwing the squareness off.

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[Birdhunter]

I have a vast amount of admiration for the Halfinchshy videos, but I think there is a far simpler way to get square cuts on the MFT using the TS55.

I drop 2 dogs into holes along the top edge of the MFT then butt a Woodpecker framing square or the Woodpecker MFT square against the 2 dogs.

I then drop the rail down and check it against the square. I’ve only seen it out of square once over many years.

I then butt the wood against the same 2 dogs, drop the rail, and saw.  I do use a SlopStop to eliminate any looseness.

Any of the upper end dogs work, but I favor the Parf Dogs. There are cheaper large squares available but the Big Box squares are mostly stamped and seldom really square.

 

[Mario Turcot]

I think the most important when using dogs to square, is to use a pair of the same dogs. No matter the brand use two of the same.

 

[Roachmill]

Also, check your top is flat and not sagging. A sagging top can knock things out slightly if you use dogs to align along and across the top. Using 2 dogs along the back and a good big square to align the rail to them mitigates that fairly well. That's my experience anyway!