I've put off this purchase for awhile now but I have a job coming up that having it on site on conjunction with a tracksaw would save me probably at least a full two man day. But I really don't see the advantage of that tilt arm protractor for standard cuts. It would seem it accomplishes nothing more than what qwas or parfit dogs can do. Also transporting it becomes much easier without the protractor to store. While the price of a smaller track is the same essentially as the track and protractor with the full kit, it seems the protractor would be relegated to a corner of the shop never to be seen again in my use. Any comments, am I missing something??
MFT/3 protractor vs qwas
- Thread starter OttawaP
- Start date
As you have written, the cost of the head as part of the package is minimal. Qwas dogs won't help you in the future if you have to do a 32 degree angle. Buy the set and if you don't need to transport the extras, don't.
Peter
Peter
mouppe
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It's not just the protractor that comes with the MFT set. You also get a flag stop and a quality fence that can be used for high and low stock depending on which way you orientate it.
I never use the protractor, but I often use the other components and as Peter remarked, it's good to know you have it if you need it.
I never use the protractor, but I often use the other components and as Peter remarked, it's good to know you have it if you need it.
sancho57
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Any time festool has a "kit" its best to get the kit. In this case its about $100 difference between the basic and the one with the protractor and fence and guide rail. You'll find you'll need that fence for a lot more then just to use as a rip guide that attaches to the profile and the same with rail.
No offense festool isnt a cheap mans tools it cost, ya dont want to pinch a penny here and there. Because you'll find you will need the accessory sometime down the road and it will cost you twice as uch.
My philosophy is its better to have a tool and not need it, then to need one and not have it. Especially i something like this case.
No offense festool isnt a cheap mans tools it cost, ya dont want to pinch a penny here and there. Because you'll find you will need the accessory sometime down the road and it will cost you twice as uch.
My philosophy is its better to have a tool and not need it, then to need one and not have it. Especially i something like this case.
Hi,
I use the Quas dogs & don't own a MFT but make these tables for onsite work. I just lay them on some fold out saw horses & if i need the length I lay 2 down on 8' supports on the saw horses. The tables can be used without the angle fence if you don't need it. The tables are 3' X 4' and are cut on our CNC router. As you can see from the scale it is dead easy to cut 1 degree into 1/4 degrees because of the large sweep of the fence. I wonder if there isn't a way to make something like this for a MFT top?
Gerry
I use the Quas dogs & don't own a MFT but make these tables for onsite work. I just lay them on some fold out saw horses & if i need the length I lay 2 down on 8' supports on the saw horses. The tables can be used without the angle fence if you don't need it. The tables are 3' X 4' and are cut on our CNC router. As you can see from the scale it is dead easy to cut 1 degree into 1/4 degrees because of the large sweep of the fence. I wonder if there isn't a way to make something like this for a MFT top?
Gerry
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Peter Durand
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Now that is really cool. To a 1/4 degree no less. Festool definitely should look into this for replacement MFT tops.
I was trying to determine if different angles other the 90/45 could be laid out using dogs and aligning to different MFT holes. I found some other alighnments possible, but had tto keep track of which side of dogs to use. For some. i used regular dogs, others, I used a mix of regular dogs and RMW's rip dogs. I ended up scrapping the idea as I could get repeatable results using the MFT/3 protractor. With care, that protractor is very accurate. When I am finished with my outside work in December, I had planned get back to trying my experiment.
The above 1/4º markings appear to be a much better way to go. I will try the same using RMW's rip dogs for a centering pin/point. I takes time to get all of those markings exact, I am sure. A great job.
Tinker
The above 1/4º markings appear to be a much better way to go. I will try the same using RMW's rip dogs for a centering pin/point. I takes time to get all of those markings exact, I am sure. A great job.
Tinker
Hi,
Just to clear up the 1/4 degree comment I made. The scale is 1 degree but with 1/2" between increments it is easy to cut 1/4 degree by eye where as on the miter saw the 1 degree increments are about 1/16" apart so much harder to divide by eye. My table is cut on the router so once the file is made it is easy to reproduce but I wonder if a template could not be made on a CNC router to lay out an accurate scale on the existing mft tops? Lay it on with pins to locate at the pivot points and then scribe the marks? Or something like that?
Gerry
Just to clear up the 1/4 degree comment I made. The scale is 1 degree but with 1/2" between increments it is easy to cut 1/4 degree by eye where as on the miter saw the 1 degree increments are about 1/16" apart so much harder to divide by eye. My table is cut on the router so once the file is made it is easy to reproduce but I wonder if a template could not be made on a CNC router to lay out an accurate scale on the existing mft tops? Lay it on with pins to locate at the pivot points and then scribe the marks? Or something like that?
Gerry
