MFT/3 setup question

[JamieMcGannon]

I was wondering how many of you have set up the miter gauge and rail on the short edge of the table? I have to cut panels that are 30" in width and wont be able to use the traditional setup.

Of course squaring up the rails will be a bit more challenging considering there are only stops positioned on the long edge of the table. Any advice you can share is welcome.

Thanks,
Jamie

 

[fastbike]

1. get some bench dogs from Tool Improvements or from Qwas
2. align the guide rail to the dogs.
3. Install the risers to match the placement of the guide rail. Once the risers are clamped down, you won't need the stops.
4. move the dogs and align the fence to the dogs/MFT grid.
5. guide and fence should be at right angles to each other. Verify.
6. make your cuts.

 

[tbellemare]

there are only stops positioned on the long edge of the table

Those stops are there to allow you to take the gear off the table and replace it where it was. That way, theoretically anyway, you can travel or put away the table and have it just as square when you set it up as it was when you broke it down. This assumes you don't change the relationship of the guide rail to its pivoting mount. As long as the mounting screws are secure, that should not happen.

You could get an extra set of the stops (feather keys in Festool lingo) and use them on the short sides.

There is no magic about where those stops are when you buy the table. You set the guide rail or guide rails where you want them and set the stops up against the guide rail mounts so that when you take the guide rail mounts off, they go back where you had them. As long as the angle unit is registering from the same v-groove as before, you should have the same quality of squareness as before. Just be sure the v-groove isn't contaminated  or bent so that the clamp fits it the same way each time.

Tom

 

[Nick C]

You don't need the stops at all. They make sense if you will be doing a lot of removing/re-installing of the crosscut rail, but if this is a one-time setup, I would not bother. If you decide to move the stops to the short sides, keep in mind that you set their position by first squaring up the rail where you want it, then moving the stops so they contact the rail brackets. So, stops or not, you will have to square up the crosscut rail without them at least once.

 

[tbellemare]

Exactly, Nick!

Tom

 

[JamieMcGannon]

Thanks for the input, guys. Naturally i expected to have to go through the squaring procedure which is something i would do each time the MFT is disassembled.

Why doesn't Festool just add the stops on all 4 fours? Any idea!

 

[tbellemare]

something i would do each time the MFT is disassembled

In my opinion, the "feather key" stops are provided so you don't have to square up the table every time it is disassembled. You leave them in place so that you can return it to the previous set up.

Tom

 

[sancho57]

If ya need to use a longer rail I would get a set of rail dogs. Makes it way easy.