Festool MFS Videos

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

Festool UK have very kindly let me borrow an MFS 700 for the last few weeks as I have had a number of requests to make a video about it. I must confess that I had never considered the MFS for router work preferring my home made jigs and templates but my view has been completely transformed since I started playing with it.

I have not checked with Phil but I am not sure if the placing of the brackets when doing hinges should utilise the scales on the MFS for accurate placement. I used a rule and made a pencil make to get the brackets in the right place.

A very thoughtful chap, Andrew Chantrill, told me about some plastic fillets designed by a friend of his and marketed through a 3D printing resource organisation called Shapeways. Shapeways sent me a set free of charge (normal cost just over $3) and I show them in use in the second video. Anyone with some bright ideas for Festool after market kit that they have made on a 3D printer can also join Shapeways to market their ideas.

MFS Video - Part 1:
Introduction, putting it together and doing a hinge -


MFS Video - Part 2:
Inlay demonstration, description of guided channels and trammel use -


Peter

 

[petersd]

Very good videos as usual.
I just finished ordering the last 400 set in Canada and the second last 700 set.
Can't wait to try them out.

 

[flair woodworks]

Sure, Peter.  Bring out your video AFTER we sell out of the MFS Sets.

Me [poke] Festool

 

[Stone Message]

Sure, Peter.  Bring out your video AFTER we sell out of the MFS Sets.

Me [poke] Festool

I am not sure why this is happening - perhaps if there is enough demand a few more can be sent to NA. I know a few dealers who will keep NA supplied if need be !

Does anyone know if they are going to be withdrawn in Europe at any point?

Peter

 

[Cheese]

Does anyone know if they are going to be withdrawn in Europe at any point?

According to Shane only the US is affected, but it's been quite the topic for the last 4-5 months.  [sad] [sad]
http://festoolownersgroup.com/ask-festool/has-the-mfs-router-temple-system-been-discontinued/30/

 

[Stone Message]

Maybe it is part of the Imperial in NA thrust - who knows.

I am glad that it is remaining in my part of the world and sorry that others will dip out.

Peter

 

[teocaf]

I am not sure why this is happening - perhaps if there is enough demand a few more can be sent to NA. I know a few dealers who will keep NA supplied if need be !
Peter

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]
I don't know the exact reason either for the discontinuation in NA, but it's been speculated that it may have been a combination of the cost/value perception coupled with the fact that not many dealers promoted them in the store through demonstrations, etc.

I do remember in the earlier days of the FOG, back when the forum was really great, wonderful contributors like Jerry Work did some extensive writing on MFS use that included some novel applications.  Does anyone know what happened to him?

I would like to know what specific dealers would entertain the idea of shipping MFS "across the pond".  I have a 700 that I use and had been pondering the longer extensions but have not run up hard against a need for them yet.  I would rather not restart an earlier habit of getting stuff "just in case", or "while still available", because there are so many tools that I can can get before that which I will start using within half hour of unpacking them.

In the end, I'm not too worried about the scarcity.  A similar system can easily be duplicated and expanded upon from something like 80/20.  I do find it amusing that there hasn't been as much of a forum backlash regarding the cost of these mfs extrusions.  Perhaps it's only when the aluminum gets anodized red, that people start foaming at the mouth...

Good refresher videos--keep up the good work!

 

[Stone Message]

That is an informative bit of background - many thanks.

If the MFS is discontinued in NA and there is no stock left there then I assume that no Festool dealer (outside NA) would be barred from offering them to NA customers.

Peter

 

[Svar]

I do find it amusing that there hasn't been as much of a forum backlash regarding the cost of these mfs extrusions.  Perhaps it's only when the aluminum gets anodized red, that people start foaming at the mouth...

Ha-ha-ha!!! Good one!

And indeed, the cost of MFS is high. Extrusions, even fabricated in smaller quantities, do not cost that much.
I imagine Festool has pretty high profit margin on them, but can't cut price now without undermining their pricing policy.

 

[promark747]

I bought my MFS extensions from a UK company (Engineering Agencies) after there was no more supply in the US, and actually paid about 30% less than the most recent USD retail price, including shipping.  So in a way, discontinuing them was a benefit to me (though it took a few weeks to get them, understandably).

Thanks for the videos as always, Peter.

 

[nickao]

I am not sure why this is happening - perhaps if there is enough demand a few more can be sent to NA. I know a few dealers who will keep NA supplied if need be !
Peter

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

I do remember in the earlier days of the FOG, back when the forum was really great, wonderful contributors like Jerry Work did some extensive writing on MFS use that included some novel applications.  Does anyone know what happened to him?

Jerry Works PDF on MFS
http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/MFS_Jerry_Work.pdf
http://thedovetailjoint.squarespace.com/

 

[teocaf]

[member=7714]promark747[/member]
thanks for the tip, I will look up Engineering Agencies

[member=3373]Dovetail65[/member]
On Jerry's website, you'll see under 'What's New' as well as on the dates of some of the pdf files, that he stopped posting/publishing around 2012.  I was just curious to see if anyone on here was a personal friend of his and may enlighten us as to his present situation.  I hope he's all right--perhaps he's taking a trip around the world in that GMC motor coach he restored.

 

[Roseland]

Thank you for the kind words, Peter.

If anyone is interested in the corner fillets from Shapeways, here is the link to them:
http://www.shapeways.com/product/4JYXYGXHK/router-guide-fillet?optionId=43337588

Of course you need one for each corner.

Andrew

 

[VW mick]

Thanks Peter

Very timely videos for me as I have just received my MFS 400 and I ordered the 700 extensions. They took awhile to get as there doesn't seem to be much stock of the extensions around

Then I was just doing a project where I needed to radius the corners. Thought some one like woodpeckers might make a set of inserts someday

But you solved it for me as I ordered the shapeways inserts. They seem ok

Although I think a little pricey for a little piece of plastic. But I don't think you could make anything like it from timber

But as I said thanks Peter

Just one other observation. It would be better if there was a was of attaching the collet holder and pin to the ends of the extrusion so you could just use rail connectors an make a trammel as long as you wanted. Or would it work just on the side of one rail. I will have to have a play with it this weekend

 

[Roseland]

I've done a large radius curve - for the top of the cutout for a fireplace - using one of the tracks from my TS55 and the MFS400.  I simply adjusted the MFS for the guide bush holder, joined it to the track with one of the rail joining bars and put the pivot in the bottom of the track.  It worked well.

Good luck,

Andrew

 

[tjbnwi]

Thank you to Peter for mentioning the corner filets.

A bigger thank you to Roseland for creating them. I ordered (8 of them) them through Shapeways paying the rush and overnight fees. I needed them right away, even with the extra fees they are well worth the cost.

I had the same issue as Peter had with the fit, a little time invested to get them right, still worth the cost.

Not to clutter Petes review, you can see my use of the filets in this thread;
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-tools-accessories/the-dutchman-again-(still-not-the-song)/msg474100/#msg474100

Thanks again to both of you.

Tom

 

[Stone Message]

Thanks Tom.

I have just realised... FedEx picked up a pile of stuff going back to Phil at Festool UK today and I meant to pop the Shapeways fillets in for Phil to use.

Phil - I will hand them over at Kempton Park.

Peter