MFT/3 Problems keeping square when changing cutting height.

[Joints]

Hi guys

After splashing out on an MFT/3 last week and having some time in the shop today to square up some cabinet panels I've got to say I am having mixed feelings. Mainly because of the swivel and support units for the guide rail and the fence.

I've got to say I have had some great time test routing dados and sliding dovetails and using the saw initially after I set it up however...

There is quite a lot of play between the plastic body of the rail supports and the metal plate that rides on top. I can move both of mine a good 0.5-0.75mm either side which soon adds up when the panels are wide. I have been pushing the metal plate to the left on the support unit and to the right for the swivel unit as I tighten them up to try and keep things at a standard but when I raise the cut it takes it out of square and to anything near 30-40mm+ there just seems too much movement to even get the plate against the plastic body sitting tight, evenly and parallel. It seems to want to go either way like the faces that meet aren't flat. Is this normal?

Fair enough when you set the table up for the first cut you need to check for square before you get going but for every time you change the height too with something like a large thick piece of square ply as I haven't got a square that sits off the table highest than 20mm? Is this standard for other peoples MFTs? I have ordered some Veritas parf dogs (here in the UK it's not so easy to get MFT dogs as it seems in the USA)  but they are out of stock so I have got to wait another week or more before I can really crack on with my work.

I also found that the rail that came with the unit has quite a sloppy meet with the support unit allowing for movement of the rail taking it out of square further. When I changed it over for one of my 1400 rails it was a much tighter (if not perfect) fit and that I had to re adjust the cams to fit. Is that normal to have differences between the two? My other 1400 is exactly same as its brother so why is the shorter one different?

Sorry to keep moaning but I also find that the fence is just that little bit too weak and that it moves quite easily when stock is pushed against it and you can forget trying to clamp something up to the fence.

I also found that trying to trim the edge of an 18mm Oak board I was getting problems cutting anything less than 1-1.5mm. Cuts were deflecting the blade (TS75 with the 36t blade) taking the straightness out especially at the beginning of the cut and the only way I could correct that was by clamping a sacrificial piece to the edge that needed trimming. I guess I can get used to that and always make sure there is timber either side of the cut but I was surprised by it.

I guess when the dogs arrive I will be a lot happier and will be getting over my toothing problems but I just think that from watching (9.00 ) : it is a bit misleading. No way can I drop the rail down on both side like that, bring them back up and lock them and then cut square. Not happening. Not without first rechecking with the fence.

Please don't get me wrong its not all negative and in fact I can see that this thing is going to change the way I work for the better. I just wish this thing came with dogs as standard for £560 ($850).

 

[charley1968]

Welcome to the FOG. Yes, it's a shame a 600quid workbench is not doing what it's supposed to be doing. But a good thing you're complaining about it, because Festool owns this forum and ,mebbe some day, they'll even do something about the slop. Something simple, like the slop-stop, regrettably not available on this side of the pond.
It'll get better once you use the bench-dogs. For quick'n'dirty squaring i use a systainer when i use the fence/ rail. Btw. : use the fastning thingamajingy on the fence, the black one. Otherwise you will have one wobbly fence. As said: there's tons of info on (your)problems with the MFT and even some good tips.
Good luck!

 

[Joints]

My advice is to utilize the forum's search function.  Everything you mention has been discussed many, many times with solutions provided.  For example, there are aftermarket accessories that can remove the slop you mentioned.  Try doing a search on "slop-stop".

Actually, I would recommend using the search function BEFORE you buy anything.  You will avoid disappointment that way and your expectations will be more realistic.

Searching for "mft not square" "mft adjusting height" "mft chaning height" etc didn't actually bring up all that much useful apart from http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-how-to/changing-height-on-guide-rail-on-mft3-re-calibration-necessary/msg361437/#msg361437

The SlopStop isn't really available over here anyway but luckily for me a bit of electrical tape over the metal tab did the same thing for a lot less money. That still isn't helping the problem any, the issue is with the play in the lateral movement of the supports as you clamp them. Sorry if I have annoyed you any I know you probably see these posts all the time from newbie posters; still I guess its good for Festool to recognize any issues people are having?

I guess the surprise comes from every other Festool product I have purchased doing exactly what it was supposed to do.

Cheers Charley. I have been using the fence clip thing and it does help for sure. I will have to laminate some ply together and cut that square I think as I mainly make furniture with tight tolerances.

Its all good just a bit surprised at all the additional purchases and fabrications to get this functioning as intended and advertised.

 

[Acrobat]

Hi until you get some parf or qwas dogs, two solutions:
You can use the heads of the festool clamping elements to square the back fence against as they fit in the holes tightly. I think there is a youtube video on someone shown doing this, a german guy from memory. If you don't have a pair of those try get 20mm thread socket head screws from a bolt shop. I have and they fit very tight in the mft holes with a large head to grip and you can push the fence up against them to square it up. And get a large square, stanley make a nice thick plastic triangle one I use and its a boon for squaring up the rail to the fence. It has a wide enough base to help when getting the 90degree setting. Its cheaper than the aluminium ones but does a very good job being large enough and inexpensive.
I have found the back fence can move unless you really tighten the black locking clamp on the far end firmly.
You should not have that much slop in the rail when you move it up and lay it back down onto your stock. I found I had this problem then took the rail off the attachment clamp completely and refitted it rechecked for square, now falls square like it should, but for now I still check it with the 12" stanley triangle to ensure it hasn't moved. I've only had my mft for a few days, but thats my "fixes" if you will, hope they help.

 

[Laminator]

My solution, or really just a work around to this problem,(changing height) is to set the height to my most common material which is 3/4" melamine and get the fence perfectly square.  If I need to cut 1/2" material, I use a 1/4" piece of material as a spacer.

If I must change the fence height, I always check and 90 percent of the time, have to adjust something to get back to true square.

Fortunately, I rarely have to adjust the height of the fence as the 3/4" height covers most of my needs.

 

[duburban]

it really isn't an option to change height without a total resquare