MFT/3 (some times the simplest things drive you crazy)

[bonesbr549]

Did you ever have one of those days!  I had a full one on Sunday!  I was looking to see how my MFT/3 would handle cutting veneered panels (mdf core). 

When I first bought the MFT/3 with the TS55, I set it up to do 90 cuts and she had been true ever since.  Well I made a boo boo.  I was using a new clamp and accidentily pushed the bar on the MFT/3 out of square to the rail that the TS55 slides on.  I thought no problem, I'll just dial her back in and get back to the test.  Well what happened next drove me crazy.  I'd get it close  and cut the panel and the best I could do was get the panel with in .3 MM of square.  It drove me nuts.  I finally thought could my square be off?  My small precision squares looked good, and all I had that was any longer was my stanley framing square.  Well I waited till today to get the chance to go by woodcraft and bought a starrett framing squaure and a precision 12" square.  Came home this evening threw the starrett up on the MFT/3 and set the rails and cut a test and bingo back in line and the panel measured corner to corner with my starrett tape measure was perfect. 

Now back to the test. I really like cutting the veneer panels on the mft3 with the TS55 .vs. the Table saw.  I had no blowout at all on the veneer and that was with the stock blade that came with the TS55.  I have to do two with bubinga tops and cherry backers with the mdf core's.  To expensive to screw it up.  I made a test panel out of the cheaper cherry on front and back to get my method down before the real thing.  I'm ready for the real run this weekend now.  It's funny, I find myself using my MFT/3 more than my tablesaw.  I think a second one would be great.  I just cant figure out how to sneak it in. 

 

[Coen]

.3mm on what length?

Some 60x60cm panels I had to cut recently weren't perfect square. But it was not significant in the application.

The guiderail can be aligned to those hard-locked stops in the profile and the bar can be aligned... well, eh, to the side of the table.

But the table works perfect yeah.

Also great to combine the MFT/3 rail accesoires with the CS50.

If Festool would just make a guide rail baseplate for the OF1010  . They do it for the OF2200 !

 

[atomicmike]

If Festool would just make a guide rail baseplate for the OF1010  . They do it for the OF2200 !

It's not a baseplate, but part 488752 will attach the OF1010 to a guide rail.

 

[bonesbr549]

.3mm on what length?

Some 60x60cm panels I had to cut recently weren't perfect square. But it was not significant in the application.

The guiderail can be aligned to those hard-locked stops in the profile and the bar can be aligned... well, eh, to the side of the table.

But the table works perfect yeah.

Also great to combine the MFT/3 rail accesoires with the CS50.

If Festool would just make a guide rail baseplate for the OF1010  . They do it for the OF2200 !

It was over 22.5 inches.  If it was basic framing I would not sweat it.  However, in this case the panel will be wrapped with 2.5" x 3/4" solid cherry mitered at the ends.  Even that much out will impact the miteres.  It will be the focal point of the piece and I want the miters dead on.  Now true,  I could have lived with it and adjusted the miters to take it out, but I just felt that starting with square was better.  Probably no one would ever notice even with a slight gap in the miters but I'm kinda anal about things like that.  (wife comments on that on ocassion). 

 

[greg mann]

It always helps to start with perfection as your goal. As one goes along it can only get worse. But the higher up you start the better your chances of finishing before mediocrity shows up. ;D

 

[bonesbr549]

Amen!

 

[Coen]

But why go trough all the squaring work if you can align the bar on the MFT/3 to the side of the MFT itself? Isn't the MFT square? That's how I did it recently, and I wasn't disappointed.

If Festool would just make a guide rail baseplate for the OF1010  . They do it for the OF2200 !

It's not a baseplate, but part 488752 will attach the OF1010 to a guide rail.

Well, Festool USA calls it an "accessory base plate". Festool # 494681

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/routers/other-accessories/guide-rail-base-kit-494681.html

One half of the plate is fatter so compensate for the guide rail.

I guess it would work better than Festool # 438608, the support foot.

 

[tDot]

Just a note, in the future you don't need to buy a fancy precision square to confirm that your framing square is out. Just use a simple 3/4/5 square (aka Pythagorean's Therom). The 3/4/5 square can easily be increased in size to make it more accurate on a framing square. Multiply all numbers by the same number, ie 4, and you'll get a 12/16/20 square. On a framing square this translates to a 12" by 16" by 20" triangle.  Simply take a ruler or measuring tape (make sure to "burn an inch" on a tape to ensure accuracy) and measure 20" between the 12" point on the inside of the short leg of the square and the 16" point on the inside of the long leg of the square. You can then use a center point punch at the center of the square to either open or close the framing square to bring it back to square. Hope that helps.

 

[Roseland]

Or just get a square offcut as close to the maximum cutting capacity of the MFT as you have.  Make a cut very close to one edge of the board, turn the piece 90 degrees anti-clockwise (so the just-cut edge is against the protractor) and repeat; and again and again and again.  On the last cut, cut the narrowest sliver that you can.  Measure the taper with verniers, and divide by 4, and that's the amount you have to move the front rail bracket.

I keep an offcut just for this job, and check it from time to time.

Andrew

 

[Wonderwino]

Qwas dogs + Qwas Rail dogs = Perfect Square if the holes in your MFT are square.  (they are!)