Festool's edge routing accessories.

[Brice Burrell]

  Here is a look at the Festool edge routing accessories, from left to right, the chip guard, edging plate, angle arm and the copying set (not in the photo above).

  The WA-OF angle arm is required to attach and make fine adjustments to the copying set and edging plate. Made to fit all of the Festool routers.

  The UP-OF Edging Plate has a phenolic base plate just like the Festool routers. You can see in the photo inserted above the threaded (tapped) shaft for mounting to the angle arm.

To install the angle and edging plate, first insert the edging plate's mounting shaft into the angle arm. The angle arm has a threaded stud inside that engages the edging plate's tapped shaft, this mounts and allows for adjustment. To install remove the support foot from the router's base and replace with the angle arm/edging plate, using the thumb screw shown in this picture.

Alright, now that you know how to install and adjust the angle arm and edging plate, you may be asking: What do they do and how do I use them? Well, as the title of the page suggests, they can be used for edge trimming or any edge routing job. Things like trimming laminate for counter tops or wood veneers, PVC and wood edge banding. One of my favorite things to use the edging plate for is to cut the male portion of sliding dovetails! The edging plate allows you to use the router horizontally. Even with one hand it is easy to hold the router perfectly 90 degrees to the edge. Using the router horizontally is necessary when routing counter tops or other large work pieces. This is when the edging plate really shines.

This is the SF-OF Chip Guard it mounts to the router's base to deflect the dust/chips up, into the vacuum hose. Notches prevent the protruding edges of veneer or edge banding from hanging up on the chip guard. You can see the chip guard installed in some of the earlier pictures.

The KT-OF Copying Set can be used with a pattern to make copies or with a straight cut bit, to flush trim laminates, veneer and edge banding. The set includes three different size attachments, 20 mm and 15.5 mm diameter bearings and a 2.5 mm diameter stud for making copies with fine details.

  I used a spiral upcut bit and the copying set to make a cutout. I lined up the bit and the bearing to use on the pattern so I can make the cut all at once. No need to draw lines, make the cut with a jigsaw then use a pattern bit to clean up the cut.

  Some finale thoughts, first, I like to mention again that both the edging plate and the copying set require the angle arm, all components are sold separately. From my experience the OF1010 is best suited for horizontal use with the edging plate. While the larger, heavier OF1400 and OF2000 routers will work they are not my first choice. These accessories really add to the usefulness of my routers, and the longer I have them around, the more uses I am  finding for them.

  If you would like to see the whole review including a video clip of the edging plate at work, check it out on my site, Festool's Edge Routing Accessories.

Text and pictures, copyright 2008, Brice Burrell

In the interests of full disclosure, this tool was provided by Festool for review purposes.

 

[woodshopdemos]

Brice,
  Outstanding presentation.

 

[Dan Clark]

Brice,

Greate review!  Regarding the pics, I'm awarding you the coveted:

;D

Two questions:

First, Festool shows these accessories for the OF1010, not the OF1400.  What kinds of issues would I have if I bought them for my OF1400?  Any components that won't work?

Second, since I do NOT have the OF1010 but DO have the OF1400 and since the MFK700 Trim Router is NAINA yet, this is a very tough question...  Are there any advantages of an "OF1400 + OF1010 + Edge Routing Accessories" combo versus an "OF1400 + MFK700" combo?

Regards,

Dan.

 

[Daviddubya]

...Festool shows these accessories for the OF1010, not the OF1400...Dan.

Dan - The Festool catalog shows the edge routing accessories on the OF1400 accessories page - see pages 54 and 55 in the 2007 catalog.

I agree that Brice has made a great presentation.  But I am having a hard time understanding why I would not use a smaller trim router, like the Bosch PR10/20 or the Porter Cable 310 to do these kinds of operations.  I made an edge trimming jig from a plan in "Router Magic" by Hylton that does the same task with the router running on the top surface of the material.  Pat Warner sells one also:
http://www.patwarner.com/vertical_trim_subbase.html

 

[Dan Clark]

David,

Thanks.  I looked online.  I'll check my hardcopy catalog.  (I wish Festool would update their website.)

I also have Router Magic.  I'll check out the jig.

Dan.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Great question Dan. All of the components will work with the 1400. The only thing to mention is using the router horizontally with the edging plate. I would say with the 1010 it is easy and you have to focus while using the 1400. Don't get me wrong, it is very doable, but, the 1010 is my first choice.

  The second question is a little harder to answer since we don't have the MFK700 here yet. I'd say there is advantages to "OF1400 + OF1010 + Edge Routing Accessories". You would have two routers that work with Festool's whole line up of accessories. I don't know if the MFK700 can be used with the LR32 for example. I'd guess that it will work with the guide rails and fit guide bushings. If you were to compare the MFK700 and the OF1010 as routers the 1010 would likely win, but the 700 would be the better edge trimmer. So the questions at large here are this: How much better of an all around router is the 1010 to the 700 and vice versa at edge trimming? The MFK700 has the angled base (1.5 degree)  but the edging plate could be easily modified to do the same thing. I think the those that already have the 1010 stand gain the most from the adding the edging plate vs. buying the MFK700 because you can get the same function for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Brice Burrell]

David the real advantage to the Festool edging plate is the ability to cut the male portion of sliding dovetails joints.

 

[Dan Clark]

Brice,

Great information!  Thanks.  I guess...   Decisions, decisions.    ;D :-\ :'( (Pick a face.)

OK, Festool...  Get that MFK700 here so I make a decent choice!

Regards,

Dan.

 

[jo041326]

Hi,
it's a great way of the expansion of Festool router possibilities. Same as OF-FH routing aid. But for what price?! I am Festool addicted, but already cured a little. You can buy dedicated Bosch edge router for this price. I think it's definitely better to have dedicated tool than to bother with some accessories. It's surely different with LR 32 but this is too much for a few parts.
Joseph

 

[Brice Burrell]

Hi,
it's a great way of the expansion of Festool router possibilities. Same as OF-FH routing aid. But for what price?! I am Festool addicted, but already cured a little. You can buy dedicated Bosch edge router for this price. I think it's definitely better to have dedicated tool than to bother with some accessories. It's surely different with LR 32 but this is too much for a few parts.
Joseph

I agree, the edge routing accessories are not cheap. And Pat Warner's base is an interesting idea (David's link), you could make your own for a relatively small amount of time and money. However, the edging plate offer advantages the laminate trimmers can't match. That is routing horizontally, like when a work piece  is too large to even try standing it on edge to rout it. And if you have ever tried to use a router on the edge of thin (3/4" or 1/2") stock, imagine routing edge banding? If you have, I'm sure you've nicked the face when the router tilted. With the edging plate the router is supported on two surfaces, almost completely eliminating any chance of cutting into the face. But one of its best uses, for me anyhow, is to cut the male portion of sliding dovetails joints. I don't think there is am easier way to do this. I know a horizontal router table, be to do large work pieces you need a lot of space and long in/out feed tables. Plus, you  can't safely cut the ends of large pieces on a router table, like for long fixed shelves in a bookcase. Just because this may not be valuable to you doesn't mean others aren't chomping at the bit to try this out. When the MFK700 comes out and reviewers are raving about how they can now cut sliding dovetails so easily and you rush out to buy one, I'll be snickering at you.  ;D Just remember where you saw the idea first.

 

[Dan Uhlir]

Brice

      Thanks alot, like the man said "outstanding". dan

 

[Rich Olson]

Thanks for showing.... a picture is worth a 1,000 words,  even more with using some of the accessories

 

[Jerry Work]

Bruce's excellent write up on the edge routing accessory (both here and on his web site) reminded me post something about a easy modification that makes this already good accessory a real must-have for my use.  In stock form, the two edge guides are designed so you can easily center a router bit over the edge of a workpiece.  Works well for many tasks.  The edge guides are held to the top by strong threaded knobs that screw into a barrel bolt on each end of the guides.  The threaded rod passes through a slot in the top of the unit which is clear and has rules and scribe lines visible to make alignment easy and fast.  Each edge guide has its own slot.  The range in stock configuration allows the two edge guides to be positioned to support stock from a bit less than 20mm to around 100mm in thickness ( I don't recall the exact measurements at the moment).

If you simply connect the slots side to side (easy router table task) and cut a notch in one of the guides aligned with the center of the bit, then you can easily and safely do all kinds of edge profiling work.  This is perfect for doing male sliding dovetails where you want the edge guilds to hold both sides of your workpiece for a perfect male DT cut on each side.

For example, I do a lot of work with 20mm thick material and most commonly use either the 14.3mm or the 20mm diameter 15 degree angle dovetail router bit to cut a 10mm deep female slot.  To do the male to match that slot all you need to do is set the router so approximately 2.5mm of the bit sticks out into the center between the two edge guides.  Most of the bit stays inside the notch so it is safe and out of harms way.  Make sure the two edge guides are set to snug both faces of the work piece.  Route one direction to cut one side and the other direction to cut the other side to produce a perfect male DT no matter how large the workpiece.  The guides make it easy.  Test the fit into the female grove.  If it is a bit tight (it will be quite close with these settings) move one end of the edge guides to expose one half more bit than the amount you need to make the fit.  It usually takes no more than one or two passes to get a really good sliding fit for your sliding dovetail joints.  Keep this setting and do your finish work.  Once you are ready to assemble the now finished components, if the wood grain swelled a bit from the finish, just make another pass across both sides and you will have a perfect fit in no time.

I also adapted one of the fine adjusters (can't remember right now which one but I will get that info for you when I can) to fit under the base plate to make very minute adjustments in the edge guides.  The hole in the base plate is 30mm so you can do edge profiling of all kinds this way with router bits up to 30mm in diameter.  The base plate is 15mm thick so that will limit how far down onto the workpiece the bit can project, but that usually is not an issue. 

Connecting the two slots likely weakens the base plate a bit and should negate the warrantee, but I see no difference in strength in actual use.  The two edge guides are held firmly to the underside of the base plate by the screw knobs anyway so the base plate is fully supported.  The dust collection slot built into the top of the edge routing accessory is centered relative to the bit.  As you move the bit all the way to one side so only a bit of the tip is exposed to the work piece as in this male DT cut with a 20mm bit on 20mm stock, part of the dust collection hole is on the outside of the edge guide and part is on the inside so dust collection is compromised a bit, but not much in actual use.  Same with the notch cut to cover the majority of the bit.  It also compromises dust collection a bit but not much in actual use.  If it is an issue for you a piece of masking tape eliminates both issues.

If you are willing to likely nullify the warrantee (not much can go wrong with a couple of pieces of nicely machined plastic and some good quality hardware) then this easy modification will greatly enhance the range of uses you will find for this accessory.  Try it, I think you will like it.

Jerry

 

[Brice Burrell]

Thanks Jerry, great tip. For those of you who may be unsure of what accessory Jerry is referring to, its the routing aid.
Brice

 

[Eli]

It's not a mis-spelling Jerry, his name is Brice, with an I. 

 

[Warrior]

Jerry,
Your knowledge is outstanding and your skill unsurpased.
I do have a request. Pics would make your posts a little easier to understand or visualize for those of us that don't yet have the accessory you are refering to. Also you would probably have to use less words.

Thank you
Eiji

 

[Jerry Work]

Oops!  Sorry for the Bruce, Brice.  I will try to attach some pics when I get time Elji.

Jerry

 

[Brice Burrell]

Jerry,
Your knowledge is outstanding and your skill unsurpased.
I do have a request. Pics would make your posts a little easier to understand or visualize for those of us that don't yet have the accessory you are refering to. Also you would probably have to use less words.

Thank you
Eiji

Eiji and Jerry, check out my thread Using the Routing Aid to cut the male portion of  sliding dovetails. I show how to use the routing aid without any pertinent modifications. I thought a new thread would be a better place for this topic.

 

[Doug Anders]

Brice, which product would you purchase first if you could buy only one: 1) The edge routing aid; or 2) the Edge Routing Accessories?

 

[Brice Burrell]

Brice, which product would you purchase first if you could buy only one: 1) The edge routing aid; or 2) the Edge Routing Accessories?

Doug, that really comes down to which accessory fits your immediate needs a little better than the other. They, for the most part, excel at different things. The routing aid was outstanding at cutting the loose tenons for my door project, just scroll back up the page to see what they best. The real overlap is with cutting male dovetails, both do the job very well, I have more experience with the edging plate, but with the routing aid, not having to unclamp the work piece to rout dovetails in both sides is going to speed the process up. The edging plate can be used to cut mortises in edges, not as well as the routing aid but it can do the job. OTOH, the routing aid makes a lousy laminate trimmer.

Good luck deciding, if you have any More questions in the mean time, fire away.