MFK 700 Verticle Base

[brakarzacant]

Hey guys, I'm having trouble finding a vertical base to suit the MFK 700.

I recently purchased the only MFK 700 model available in Australia - with the EQ/B base (with brake)... I really need the standard vertical base to use the parallel fence.

any suggestions, as Festool Australia don't offer the MFK 700 EQ Set with the base I need

cheers

 

[Euclid]

I don't think I've seen the vertical base offered as an accessory (I believe it comes as standard with the basic and kit editions of the other version of the MFK - sorry, I get hopelessly confused by the code letters for the different iterations).

As a last resort, it appears that all of the components are available as spare parts, so you could order all of them and build up your own... (I haven't checked what the accumulative cost would be, but a lot of the Festool minor parts seem to be reasonably priced). Could be worth doing - the MFK is, despite not plunging, a rather more versatile machine than many folks imagine. The vertical base does not have straight edges on it's longer sides, so I have made a rectangular base for mine from acrylic sheet so it can be run against a straightedge - for times when the side fence and guide rods are not suitable. 

 

[afish]

the brake should come off giving you the regular vertical base they are the same as far as I know.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

the brake should come off giving you the regular vertical base they are the same as far as I know.

I don't think so. The regular vertical base is totally flat and as far as I know, the EB base has an offset to it. I have never seen one in person, so I may be totally wrong, but I think, from the pics that I have seen, the area around the bit is raised for clearance, same as the horizontal base. This leaves some space for overhang of the edgebanding.

 

[afish]

the extra base to make the offset on the vertical base unscrews too. both main pieces of the vertical base share the same part number last I checked. if you buy the mfk set you can change the vertical base to the eqb base by buying the bearing brake and the extra plate. 

 

[Crazyraceguy]

the extra base to make the offset on the vertical base unscrews too. both main pieces of the vertical base share the same part number last I checked. if you buy the mfk set you can change the vertical base to the eqb base by buying the bearing brake and the extra plate.

Oh cool, I didn't know that. I need to get one of those. I have two MFKs and they are both the normal set version. I could add this to one of the bases and have them all.
Probably an EKAT thing?

 

[afish]

yes, its not very expensive either to add the parts.

 

[squall_line]

I had a very long DM conversation with someone a couple of months ago about the differences between the two bases using EKAT as the main guide.  It turns out that the base I purchased on eBay as a "trimming base" was either home-brewed or damaged by someone at some point along the way, because I didn't have the second phenolic piece that covers the entire base on mine.

There are other differences, too, such as a lack of screws for the parallel edge guide on the B base, but if you're converting from a normal base to a B base, it's much less of a hassle.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Good to know. It's not really something that I need, just part of the "trying to cover all options" kind of thing. I have had at least one MFK700 for at least the last 6 years and I never had the original one in the vertical configuration. I bought it to essentially be a wood edge trimmer for shelves and countertops. The Paul Mercel modification made it useful to me like that. I actually got the second one so I could leave it set up that way and still have one available.
Some of the extras don't get used often, but they sure are huge time savers when the need pops up.