Introducing the UJK Parf Fence - a must for MFT3 or custom benches

[Stone Message]

Hi Everyone

When the Parf Guide System was first introduced I thought that a fence would be a good addition to the line-up. It has taken a while as we were developing other products in the Parf family first.

The video is below. Axminster can ship world wide and get it to you fairly fast.


Peter

 

[ali]

I have the mk1 Parf guide. Any compatibility issues with the new fence?

 

[Mike Goetzke]

Thank you, Peter. Already ordered one.

Only one? You must not have watched the whole video.  [big grin]

(Bummer - I went to Axminster and notice they now charge sales tax!)

 

[DynaGlide]

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

Using the last row of holes on an MFT/3 what would the crosscut capacity be with your Parf Fence design?

 

[Stone Message]

I have the mk1 Parf guide. Any compatibility issues with the new fence?

None at all.

Peter

 

[Stone Message]

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

Using the last row of holes on an MFT/3 what would the crosscut capacity be with your Parf Fence design?

The introduction of the fence only reduces the cutting capacity, using bench dogs, by 10 mm. The worst case  (it does depend on stock thickness) that capacity goes from approximately 510 mm to 500 mm.

Peter

 

[bertv]

Thank you, Peter. Already ordered one.

Only one? You must not have watched the whole video.  [big grin]

Thank you for that . . . the six year old interrupted me while watching the video.

Happened to me — was so stoked about it that halfway through the video I hopped over to the Ax website and ordered one. And felt stupid when I discovered after seeing the second half of the video that having a second fence would be really handy.
Oh well, I’ll remedy that mistake sooner than later.

 

[msc]

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

I have many of your designed products and this may be another purchase. I will probably buy one, and I can see the use of a second one.

However I wanted to ask it they will be offered in longer lengths?

I ask this as from the Axminster photos it shows it being used with a biscuit jointer (could also do same with domino) to aid cutting biscuit slots or dominos partially into a panel for the likes of shelves etc.

Being only 600mm long this makes this only useful for small panels when used in this situation.

I work on kitchen sized units and office desk kind on size hence panels are at least 600mm deep and then could do with fence being at least 800mm or even 1000mm long.

 

[Birdhunter]

Just ordered 2.

 

[Dusty.House]

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

I have many of your designed products and this may be another purchase. I will probably buy one, and I can see the use of a second one.

However I wanted to ask it they will be offered in longer lengths?

I ask this as from the Axminster photos it shows it being used with a biscuit jointer (could also do same with domino) to aid cutting biscuit slots or dominos partially into a panel for the likes of shelves etc.

Being only 600mm long this makes this only useful for small panels when used in this situation.

I work on kitchen sized units and office desk kind on size hence panels are at least 600mm deep and then could do with fence being at least 800mm or even 1000mm long.

+1 on longer and short versions.

I have my MFT almost done and I’ve been coming up with a design for the fence. This is really tempting but I would really like a 18” and 36” option.

I just brought a Woodpeckers parallel guide extension kit, which I was going tweak to do something similar.

I’m tempted to return it now....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stone Message]

The longer and shorter version requests are noted but I am not sure that anything can be done in the short term.

The problem with producing a smaller one is that it ends up almost the same cost to produce as the current one. The argument against  anything longer than the current one is that the array of holes on an MFT3 (not a Parf Guide System produced top) will not be accurate enough over a longer distance. Also, on a PGS produced top you might just as well use two (or more) of the current version as the array of holes is accurate enough to have two or more fences in a perfect straight line.

I will still mention this to Axminster.

Cheers.

Peter

 

[msc]

[member=11196]Peter Parfitt[/member]

I agree about cost and production time etc and also having stocks of possible various lengths.

A shorter one can easily be produced by one buying the 600mm and cutting it down and would be of little use to me personally. A longer one wouldn't cost much more in my opinion.

A longer one say 800mm would really have to be used on a top produced by the Parf guide system anyway.

I especially like the biscuiting / dominoing use for this, as my current method of producing a mdf spacer board and clamping on is wasteful and another step. Its just the capacity of 600mm length in this situation is limiting.

 

[HOWIE54]

Here is another money maker for you.  Make a spacer the same thickness as the fence that rides in the track on the underside so you do not need the wooden spacer block to level the saw track.

 

[ben_r_]

Here is another money maker for you.  Make a spacer the same thickness as the fence that rides in the track on the underside so you do not need the wooden spacer block to level the saw track.

Wouldnt the thickness of said spacer need to match the thickness of the material being cut? And therefore wouldnt it just make more sense for us to "make" that ourselves with a bit of cut-off?

 

[gunnyr]

Slick! Cool Product.

I ordered two of them!  I also ordered a pair of the Parf Super Dogs.  Those always seemed like a good idea but I couldn't see a use in my workflow.  With the fence they really make sense as I can maximize my cross cut capacity.

 

[PeterJJames13]

Great idea. I ordered a pair as well.

 

[edwarmr]

The longer and shorter version requests are noted but I am not sure that anything can be done in the short term.

The problem with producing a smaller one is that it ends up almost the same cost to produce as the current one. The argument against  anything longer than the current one is that the array of holes on an MFT3 (not a Parf Guide System produced top) will not be accurate enough over a longer distance. Also, on a PGS produced top you might just as well use two (or more) of the current version as the array of holes is accurate enough to have two or more fences in a perfect straight line.

I will still mention this to Axminster.

Cheers.

Peter

Peter, are the holes on the MFT3 really that inaccurate over the length of the table so that a longer fence wouldn't fit properly? Just curious because I also thought a longer option would be nice.

With a longer version you could even hang part of the fence off the MFT3 so you can make repeatable crosscuts using the stop at longer lengths than the MFT3 allows.

 

[Stone Message]

Hi [member=70011]edwarmr[/member]

The MFT3 is a great work bench but Festool have never made any claims about the accuracy of the holes. They did not need to as they assumed that the cross cutting would be done with the rather awkward rail on a hinge which everyone knows needs constant checking and adjustment.

When I created the original Veritas Parf Dogs it was quite a challenge (for Lee Valley) to get the right diameter for the dogs as the holes in the various MFT3s sold had such a range of hole sizes. It was that difficulty that made me realize that, just like Festool, one needed a "family" or "system" approach. I then came up with the Parf Guide System to create very accurate layouts of 20 mm holes and with that all of the other types of dogs and fixtures built to the same standard.

Many thanks.

Peter

 

[edwarmr]

Hi [member=70011]edwarmr[/member]

The MFT3 is a great work bench but Festool have never made any claims about the accuracy of the holes. They did not need to as they assumed that the cross cutting would be done with the rather awkward rail on a hinge which everyone knows needs constant checking and adjustment.

When I created the original Veritas Parf Dogs it was quite a challenge (for Lee Valley) to get the right diameter for the dogs as the holes in the various MFT3s sold had such a range of hole sizes. It was that difficulty that made me realize that, just like Festool, one needed a "family" or "system" approach. I then came up with the Parf Guide System to create very accurate layouts of 20 mm holes and with that all of the other types of dogs and fixtures built to the same standard.

Many thanks.

Peter

Thanks for the reply Peter
I watched your awesome video on the parf guide system mark II and that may be a future purchase of mine to make a more accurate top for my MFT/3.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

@ Peter Parfitt

Hi Peter, I appreciate Festool MFT tops may not be spot on accurate in regard to the hole diameter and you & I have discussed this in the past.
I found this out when I purchased your Parf dogs when they were first released and they were a loose fit in my Festool MFT top.....

I have since had a full size 2400 x 1200 top made on a CNC machine and lent the CNC guy one of your Parf dogs to ensure the holes he cut were a nice snug fit!......I am more than happy with the result and all the other Festool dogs and clamping elements fit far better than in my original MFT.

Based on this, I would also like to see the option of a longer Parf Fence.

Also, regarding your Parf Guide Sticks, are you suggesting that using them to produce an MFT top is more accurate than Festools original top...??!!!

Regards, Tim.