MFS Substitutes

[Corwin]

I guess I did get lucky.

Virutex sent me a reply today stating that "the price for the PF400 will be 181.66 and delivery for about 5 weeks." I had also asked about the PF700, but they must have missed that...

 

[ben_r_]

I guess I did get lucky.

Virutex sent me a reply today stating that "the price for the PF400 will be 181.66 and delivery for about 5 weeks." I had also asked about the PF700, but they must have missed that...

$181.66 USD? And was that including shipping or not?

 

[Corwin]

$181.66 USD? And was that including shipping or not?

Yes, $181.66 USD. But, they did not mention the cost of shipping.

 

[tjskinny]

The shipping cost to Washington state for the stair template was $22.00. 

 

[ben_r_]

Wow, so if its around $200 USD shipped thatd be a pretty good price.

 

[GarryMartin]

One of the Festool GB team mentioned on Instagram that he believes the MFS profiles are "coming back". I don't know whether it will apply to the US as well if they do, but definitely good news if it's true. I'm trying to find out more.

 

[promark747]

That would be great news, as I'd like to pick up a couple additional profiles (assuming they are in metric...).

I used my MFS this past weekend to clean up the inside of my router plate opening.  I had routed the lip and then used a jigsaw to cut the hole, but I wasn't happy with the ragged cut.  I whipped out the MFS and with a couple quick calculations had it sized properly to take off a final couple of millimeters with a straight bit.  Worked great.

An improvement I'd like to see is having the gradations etched into the aluminum rather than just printed on, but considering how astronomical the price already was, I can't imagine them doing that.

 

[ben_r_]

Cool. Maybe theyll bring them to the US in Imperial now since they seem to be switching all their other tools to Imperial here.

 

[Cheese]

An improvement I'd like to see is having the gradations etched into the aluminum rather than just printed on, but considering how astronomical the price already was, I can't imagine them doing that.

I believe the numbers/graduations are already laser etched into the MFS. However it would be a fairly simple manufacturing process change to substitute laser engraving for the laser etching.

That could also be the reason the MFS 2000 was never marked...it was too long to fit into the laser engraver.

 

[hayaku]

there's 2 substitutes that you can buy:

1: is trend's varijig system adjustable frame or their smaller letterbox jig.https://www.amazon.com/Trend-VARIJIG-Frame-System/dp/B001UQ5PDK

and 2: fukuda's router tool used mainly by car audio fabricators.  they have A LOT of router jigs that are really cool.http://www.mobilesolutions-usa.com/store/p216/Fukuda_12"x12"_Router_Tool.html

i'm going to be picking up the fukuda jig i think since i can't get the mfs or the virutex versions.

 

[rst]

This is not exactly in line with this topic but deals with the MFS system.  I bought my first two sets from Amazon Warehouse.  Both sets were damaged but I was able to repair the extrusions.  I needed the little tee nuts that hold the positioning angle onto the bottom of the tracks.  I made two angle attachments (used 1' x 2" aluminum angle, cut the 1" side down to the MFS height and long enough to extend out for clamping, one about 24", one about 36") to make clamping the jigs easier but needed the tee nuts to hold them to the sides.  I had bought two packs of the long tee nut extrusions and set screws that Festool sold for clamping two extrusions end to end.  So, everything Festool metric right?  Guess what?  The set screw were imperial!!  Didn't really matter as the size was two large to fit the angles but really?  Imperial!!!  I bought a 4mm tap and bought metric cap heads to make four.

 

[Leadfoot]

First post

Seems like a good spot to start.

Just priced out a MFS substitute from 8020 inc. 1x3 rails in pairs of 9, 18 and 30 inch.
With milled out spots for the connector in each piece.

$115.85 plus $25 and change shipping.

When the time comes I think this would be a good substitute.

Hey the pictures worked! But not in preview.

 

[nclemmons]

I tried to use 80/20 but seem to recall that most router bearings will drop into those wider grooves so watch that when you are working.

With a router collar those should work well if that's how you will use them.

 

[Bob D.]

I tried to use 80/20 but seem to recall that most router bearings will drop into those wider grooves so watch that when you are working.

With a router collar those should work well if that's how you will use them.

I was gonna say that open edge will be a problem in some instances for router bearings. But if you covered that edge with something then the problem goes away. You could get some aluminum flat bar 1/8" or 1/16" thick and the same width and fasten it with some type of adhesive or epoxy. If you used flat head screws you'd have to be sure they were dead flush so the bearing wouldn't get caught on the depressed screw head and bugger up your work.

80/20 sells a cover but it only fills the center slot, so may or may not work.