MFK 700 and router bit selection

[cflansbaum]

I'm the proud owner of a new MFK 700 router and I do very much like this machine.  However one of the primary reasons I bought it was to flush trim hardwood banding on plywood.  I note that there's a fixed length of 0.75" beyond the collet for the router bit cutter.  Even if I use my smallest bit with a 0.5" cutter length, the flush trim bearing is more than 0.25" so it's too long for the router body to seat into the vertical base.  So I'm looking at getting either a 0.75" or a 0.625" Straight Bit  from Whiteside, but I'm leary of using these without a bearing.

What are people doing?  I realize that if I was just trimming laminate, I'd have more options, but I want to use it to trim hardwood edging of up to 0.75" thickness (ideally).

In flush trimming hardwood around a torsion box assembly table I was able to use the horizontal base to do this task, but I had  4" surface to reference to.  Not sure I'd want to do this on a 0.75" edge.

Oh yeah, any good ideas on plugging the vacuum hose port on the horizontal base when using the dust extraction shroud.  Surely Festool makes a $$$ item for this! 

Thanks!

Carl

 

[Steve Jones]

Carl,

I borrowed the MFK 700 for a couple of days for evaluation for my own edge banding use.

It's a really well built machine, but I had to dig through my extensive collection of bits to find one that was short enough, I didn't use one with a bearing because I think that would eliminate the advantage of the height adjustment.

I did find however that the adjustment was really finicky, it seemed to either to cut too deep and tear the face laminate on the plywood surface, or not trim the edge banding leaving an edge that needed sanding afterward.

This was not really a fair test because I didn't go get the correct Festool bit for edge trimming with the router, but I decided against buying the MFK700 because it just didn't make the job easier than the tacky hand trimmer we're currently using.

I didn't write it up as an evaluation at the time for the reason stated above, but since you brought it up I'd also be interested in other folks experience, it really is a neat little router, and all the other trim routers I've seen or played with make no effort at all for dust collection.

Steve

 

[polarsea1]

I'm going to buy the Festool bit before passing final judgement but I haven't had much luck using the MFK's (are we allowed to say that? ) horizontal base to trim a solid edge. It doesn't leave a uniformly smooth surface on the edging and I've also had it dig into the panel/laminate. At this point I'd say I can do a better job with a block plane. The edging is very uniform having been run through my sander so that isn't an issue.

It won't trim 3/4" edging in any case - wish I had know that in advance. 

Another memeber posted about this somewhere on the board, same problem.

 

[etherfarm]

Yeah, I just found this out too. After putting 3/4" hardwood edging on some laminated MDF, I wanted to trim it flush with the top. No go. Couldn't find a bit that fit the MFK and allowed the horizontal base to remain mounted.

Ended up using the OF1400 with a flush trim bit but I hate doing it because I need to run a heavy router over a not so thick surface and I always end up with gouges in the edging. I didn't have a 1/4" flush trim bit or I would have used the lighter MFK.

I've used the MFK for a few roundovers and for that, it's brilliant. But an inch or more of clearance for a bit on the horizontal brace would really have made the edge trimming job much easier. Haven't decided whether I'll keep the MFK as a result. Maybe they'll come out with some base specifically for that purpose. Or maybe this just isn't the tool I thought it was. I don't know that I can justify the cost of the unit.

 

[cflansbaum]

Well I just ordered the Festool "HW Two flute edge trimming cutter" (491 666) so I'll report back on how it goes...

c.

 

[etherfarm]

Interesting. Out of curiosity does "D: 19mm" refer to the dimension of the cutting edge? I would assume so.

I guess the technique with a bit like this would be to start high and work your way down to adjust. That seems dangerous to me, not safety-wise, but keeping-the-finished-piece-intact wise.

The more I think about it, the more I think Festool should come out with another base for the MFK designed specifically for this application. A 0 or 1.5 degree horizontal base without manual adjustment which is flush with the cutting edge of a bit of a particular diameter. Pop the bit in, pop the base on, hook up the vac and you're ready to flush trim by just running the router around the edges horizontally. I don't think anything like this exists, and (thick) hardwood edging for sheet goods is a very common application. Like I said, a 1" bit would be perfect.

 

[cflansbaum]

Interesting. Out of curiosity does "D: 19mm" refer to the dimension of the cutting edge? I would assume so.

I believe so...

I guess the technique with a bit like this would be to start high and work your way down to adjust. That seems dangerous to me, not safety-wise, but keeping-the-finished-piece-intact wise.

my thoughts exactly, but since I've already spent the money for the router (and the zero degree horizontal base), I might as well throw another $50 at it to see if it works.  I'm thinking I can micro adjust not just the height but also the cutter end itself so that it doesn't even reference to the plywood...

The more I think about it, the more I think Festool should come out with another base for the MFK designed specifically for this application. A 0 or 1.5 degree horizontal base without manual adjustment which is flush with the cutting edge of a bit of a particular diameter. Pop the bit in, pop the base on, hook up the vac and you're ready to flush trim by just running the router around the edges horizontally. I don't think anything like this exists, and (thick) hardwood edging for sheet goods is a very common application. Like I said, a 1" bit would be perfect.

or how about just adding another 0.25" or even 0.5" to the space in the base(s) so that one could use flush trim bits from Festool or other manufacturers???!!!  I really like the Festool products, and don't usually mind (too much) the fact that one has to use proprietary accessories to get the system to work properly, but I draw the line at having to be limited to a particular brand and selection of router bits...

 

[polarsea1]

If I'm not mistaken the 19mm refers to the diameter of the bit, the length of the cutting edge would be 16mm.

 

[etherfarm]

or how about just adding another 0.25" or even 0.5" to the space in the base(s) so that one could use flush trim bits from Festool or other manufacturers???!!!  I really like the Festool products, and don't usually mind (too much) the fact that one has to use proprietary accessories to get the system to work properly, but I draw the line at having to be limited to a particular brand and selection of router bits...

I don't see how a flush trim bit would help in this case. If the need is to run the router horizontally with a base as a reference edge, I can only imagine a flush trim bit (w/bearing) being a potential cause for error (namely the bearing and the base not being in the same plane, causing rocking around the bearing and pivoting above/below the edge).

For this application, nothing really prevents us from using any 1/2" or 8mm shank flush trim bit with the router in the vertical position. But that requires awkward clamping of the work (and reclamping 4 times).

But yeah, extra space in this theoretical base would be necessary to accommodate trim of different thicknesses.

 

[cflansbaum]

The other day I received the "HW Two flute edge trimming cutter" (#491 666) and got a chance to use it today.  As you can see, it fits well into the limited space mentioned.  Looks like you could squeeze out triming a 5/8" inch hardwood banding.  It works well...

Carl