Festool 20mm router bit

[JCLP]

I used Festool's 20mm bit, 491072 and instead of Parf dogs I bought Qwas dogs from Ultimate Tool in Vancouver BC and the dogs fit perfectly. No play. It's fits so nice that with Woodpeckers 1218 square they are exactly 90 degrees to each other with no play in the dogs.
Cheers,
JC

 

[bertv]

I am just finishing my build of a Moxon-style workbench that sits on top of an MFT/3 (using Benchcraft hardware) and I used my OF1010 with a 20mm Festool bit to bore holes, as well as the 20mm Zobo with an electric drill (held in a spindly-ish Wolfcraft drillstand).

I currently own Parf dogs and Precison dogs. I tested these on my homemade holes and compared the experience to the MFT/3 tabletop and a new replacement top that is waiting for the old one to go to Festool heaven.

Both the Parf and the Precision dogs have an ever so slight wiggle in all three. So, in my opinion all methods mentioned here are acceptable, even though going the CNC way should result in smaller tolerances and a tighter fit.

BTW  I have some Qwas custom dogs on order, that will hopefully arrive within the next two weeks. These are meant to be used as ‘Connect Dog’, to securely connect the settop to the MFT/3. I will add my experience with those!

 

[Ivanhoe]

This might not exactly apply here but on my last order from Steve,  (Qwas)  asked me specifically when my MFT was made as there were some slight variances of the hole diameters between current production and earlier models.

 

[Qwas]

Someone say Connect Dogs?  [smile]

[attachimg=1]

The MFT/3 seems to have a hole size that is staying consistant each year, but varies by 0.1 mm  on the same table top. The older MFT-1080 or 800 had holes sizes that varied each year but were the same size within 0.01 mm on the same table.

The ideal hole size should be 20.1 mm so any 20 mm diameter object can fit in them. 20.2 mm will feel very sloppy. Several years ago, a customer was kind enough to have me test the Festool router bit 491-072. Back then it measured 20.0 mm and made holes of 20.1 mm when the router speed was right (I don't remember the speed any more) and 20.2 mm if you didn't have the speed right and held the router very firmly.

 

[Qbic]

Hi if any one is interested I have a cnc machine and can cut mft replacement tops and bespoke ones. Based in the UK. I also sell the dogs to fit.

Mft/3 replacement £40 plus shipping.
Set of dogs (4 small 2 large ) £30. Plus shipping.
Guide rail dogs 100 mm - coming soon.

 

[Cheese]

[member=49728]Qbic[/member]
You say you're based in the UK while your address says you're in the USA.  [scratch chin] [huh]

 

[joiner1970]

[member=49728]Qbic[/member]
You say you're based in the UK while your address says you're in the USA.  [scratch chin] [huh]

Yeah I spotted that too

 

[Qbic]

Not sure but I'll check. I can assure you I'm in the UK. Would prefer to be in USA lol

 

[Cheese]

Not sure but I'll check. I can assure you I'm in the UK. Would prefer to be in USA lol

OK, now you're squared away.

 

[Tayler_mann]

Find a friend with a CNC or come to North Dakota and I'll help you out. I've used all the 20 mm cutters before but no mft turned out as well as when I did it on my CNC. If you take the mdf to a machine shop (sometimes even a larger cabinet shop) they will have a CNC. It's usually $1 a minute and my machine (which is a beefy machine) can drill the 20 mm holes and cut a 4'x8' square around it perfectly in about 45 min. So an average machine should be able to do it in 1.5 hours tops. That is my suggestion than all of your holes are an exact size and usable with zero room for slop. By the time you buy a cutter and take the time to drill it is worth it to have a machine shop make it. Figure your time at $60 an hour and do the math. Even if you aren't in it for business think of the time spent on projects versus drilling 100 some holes. Also, if you do decide to let a machine shop make it take the dogs there and let them test there holes. The mdf expands and a lot of times they will be tight if you do a perfect 20 mm hole.