MFK700 or Hoffman lip planer?

[MrMac]

I've been getting more and more cabinet/custom work lately, and I find that I spend a lot of time using my little Makita trim router to trim the wood edging that I've glued on the edge of plywood. What a pain! so last summer I had a chance to use an Adler (Hoffman) lip planer, and that was slick.

I see also that Festool has a small trim router that might do the same job, and at about 1/2 the price of a Hoffman.

The MFK700 seems to be able to do the job as well. I guess it's about conveneince and speed. How easy is it to set up the '700 to do edge trimming?  can it be changed back and forth quickly to do some other task?

I have several Festools already so I don't need convincing about the quality! but this is a practical decision and I need to get whatever will do the job accurately and fast.

thx

 

[peter halle]

What thickness wood banding do you use?  The MFK doesn't handle thicker than 5/8" if my memory is correct.

Peter

 

[tjbnwi]

The bases change easily. Like any other router you have ti check and adjust the set up for the next use. As Peter said, a stock 700 will only reach in 5/8". It can be set up as a lipping plane, but that is not in the Festool instruction manual.

Tom

 

[MrMac]

Thanks! generally I just use 1/4" edging, but that could change. I don't really have a set up for cabinets as I work in my garage and its cold! LOL and a portable table saw. My TS55 is sure handy for cutting sheet goods though.

I'd turn down this type of work, but its pretty slow these days and I can't afford to be fussy, so what the heck.

I guess I'll start searching for the Hoffman!

 

[semenza]

Quick, easy set up. Smooth , precise adjustment.

Seth

 

[tiralie]

The MFK 700 will work with thinner edging but it's a stretch on anything wider than 1/2" unless you make some serious adjustments to the base like Paul Marcel did. Rounding a corner is a problem if your edge is thicker than 1/2".
Another solution is the 1010 with the attachments for parallel triming. It gives you more flexibility in terms of bit length.

I have a Cantex (Lamello) lipping planner, but have not tried the Hoffman.
If you are considering a Hoffman, you might want to take a look at the Cantex. I believe it is in the same price range as the Hoffman.
Tim

 

[Deansocial]

Not used the hoffman but have used the virtuex lipping planer and works very well

 

[Jalvis]

I would not buy a Router if you are comparing the function to a Hoffman lipping planer.

I have the Virutex lipping planer and have no complaints.  Plenty of power, accurate, great chip collection........lipping planers can remove a LOT of material so its a real gem.  I have never used the Hoffman but I like the adjustment knob for setting the depth......although I don't have a single complaint with the Virutex.  I remember shopping and I think the Hoffman is nearly double to the Virutex?

 

[RDMuller]

I love the MFK 700,but you do have to live with the 5/8 inch limit.  I would encourage you to seek out current owners of the Huffman.  I saw one of their reps badly gouge out a demo piece at IWF maybe 5 years ago.  May have been a freak deal

 

[Jalvis]

I love the MFK 700,but you do have to live with the 5/8 inch limit.  I would encourage you to seek out current owners of the Huffman.  I saw one of their reps badly gouge out a demo piece at IWF maybe 5 years ago.  May have been a freak deal

My guess by the sounds of "gouge" is that the rep had the setting too low.....not flush to the panel.

 

[RDMuller]

He seemed to have it set pretty well for the first 6 or 8 inches and then somehow twisted the machine a little and he dug in.  It seemed to be an issue with machine control.  He cut the demo short and moved on.  The MFK 700 has excellent stability while trimming.  I let some customers at a woodworking store actually do some of my personal cabinet doors the first day I was playing with it several years back.

 

[Jalvis]

Thats one thing I don't understand about the Hoffman......that lang handle on the outside of the blade.....it would be easy to tip the machine with that much leverage.  The Virutex has a stable knob at the front which is were I place my apposing hand in operation.

 

[tiralie]

He seemed to have it set pretty well for the first 6 or 8 inches and then somehow twisted the machine a little and he dug in.  It seemed to be an issue with machine control. 

If you aren't paying attention it's easy to gouge with any lipping planer.
They do give amazing results.
Tim

 

[MrMac]

I looked up the lamello..... $1,700!!!! holy cow! guess I'm gonna buy a lotto ticket

 

[MrMac]

Ok, I happened to be driving by my Festool dealer yesterday (16.1 miles away LOL) anyway he demo'd the MFK700 for me. Not so bad! hmmm I'm thinking that this might do what I need. And it's 1/2 the price of the hoffman.

 

[semenza]

The MFK should be excellent on the 1/4" edging that you mentioned.

Seth

 

[tiralie]

Ok, I happened to be driving by my Festool dealer yesterday (16.1 miles away LOL) anyway he demo'd the MFK700 for me. Not so bad! hmmm I'm thinking that this might do what I need. And it's 1/2 the price of the hoffman.

For what you are doing I would recommend the 1010 and the edging plate angle arm combination. It gives you more flexibility in terms of router bit length and therefore the range of width of edging you can use. Brice (Burrell) has done an Festool's Edge Routing Accessories