Guide Rail not parallel on MFT/3?

[Festool Fool]

i posted this in a another forum and thought I'd try you guys too... any help apprediated

I just got around to setting up and attempting to use my new MFT/3 table and accessories...    [aside:  for those who have recently got the table-- or may soon be getting one-- the youtube video from the wood show is far better than any documentation]

So I cut a couple of pieces to check out my new tool and the pieces aren't even CLOSE to square.  I check out suggested fixes, etc... and they all seem to point towards adjusting the "miter guage" with the two adjusting screws and get it square to the rail.

Would make sense except that I have tested the guage against the holes in the table and it is dead on across them.  Hmmmmm....    If I adjust the guage, then it won't be square to the table or holes, which is not good.

Then it dawned on me that if the table is square (assumed) and the guage is square to the table (proven) then the guide itself with its PRESET factory stops in the extruded grooves must be off.

PLEASE CHECK MY LOGIC HERE:  So I measured from the edge of the extruded rail on both sides of the table to the edge of the factory installed stop-- and it is different by nearly 1/2". 

So two questions:  (1) Am I correct in thinking that if all else is square and these stops are off by 3/8"+  that the rails would then be not square?  AND EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT:  if so, does anyone have a clue on how to move/adjust those stops?

Apologies in advance for the long (and probably confusing) post-- just tired and frustrated as I am traveling a lot and I am trying to finish up the only project my wife has actually expresed interest in!

Thanks as always for any suggestions.

 

[dltflt]

My rail was not square to my holes either and I see no adjustment for that so I just squared the miter to the rail.  This way it will cut a square part but you can't use the hoses for stops to make cuts.  I had asked this question on the Festool support knowledge and never got a response.  I hope someone can help us here.

 

[Corwin]

I have the older MFTs and there are some differences.  Hopefully someone will respond that has the newer MFT/3 and correct anything that I write here that doesn't apply to the new tables.

The stops on the older tables were not the same distance from the end of the table.  This is because the rail sits offset somewhat on the brackets.  And, since the base portion of the brackets that mounts onto the rails is the same -- not separate left and right versions -- the stops need to be offset from each other too.  I suspect that this is also true of the stops on the MFT/3s.

The stops should have been set correctly at the factory.  However, there is a  chance that these stops became loose during shipping.  If so, they should still be loose, rather than tight.  In any event, the stops are located within the T-track slots along the side profiles of your table.  You will need a hex (allen) wrench of the correct size -- not sure what that is right now.  To reset your stops, you will want to have your rail mounted on the brackets and positioned as you want -- square with the holes is a good choice, but generally square with the table.  Since you have the miter guage already set square to the holes, you can probably position the guage against the backside of the guide rail to align the guide rail to the miter guage -- so the rail should now also be in alignment with the table's holes.  Tighten the brackets in place.  Now you can position those stops up tight to the brackets and tighten them in place.  

There may come a time when you want to mount, say, a 1400mm rail across the other direction on your table.  If you plan to do this often, you may want to get another set of these stops for those other sides...  

Hope this helps.  But, I really wish I had one of the newer tables.

 

[tbellemare]

I posted the easiest way I know of to square up an MFT/3 here.

Tom