MFT/3 Stop Nuts

Sourwould

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Joined
Aug 27, 2019
Messages
139
Bought an MFT/3 yesterday and have a quick question for y'all. Are the stop nuts that go into the t track for the hinge and front supports optional extras? My MFT either did not come with them, or they are very well hidden. Seems like an essential part for repeated set up.

Thanks!
 
Both my MFTs came with the stop nuts already installed in the side tracks.

By the way, I suggest buying the Slop Stop gadget. It's cheap and eliminates the side-to-side slop in the saw rail.
 
Birdhunter said:
Both my MFTs came with the stop nuts already installed in the side tracks.

By the way, I suggest buying the Slop Stop gadget. It's cheap and eliminates the side-to-side slop in the saw rail.
What is the Slop Stop gadget?  Details and links appreciated.
 
[member=71220]Sourwould[/member]

They are located in the channel where the MFT hinge slides on the side of the MFT extrusion.
They look like a football. If they are missing,  Id take that MFT back to where you bought it. Since you only bought it a couple of days ago, and NOT second hand.

Those keys are set by the factory for the alignment of the MFT guide rail. All MFTs should have them installed by the factory whether you bought the basic MFT or the one that comes with the guide rail
 
I don't know if that's really worth doing. Is there something special about the way the factory sets them?

Called Woodcraft, they told me to call Festool (no surprise there). I'm going to call Festool monday and see if they'll send me the stop nuts/feather keys/whatever. I bought the last (maybe only) MFT at Woodcraft, so it isn't like I can just go trade it out for another. I've got the table set up to cut square, I just want to be able to repeat the set up. We'll see. I'm already thinking I should have got the kapex MFT and bought the rail hinge and fence separately.
 
I think these stop nuts are critical to the operation on the flip down rail. Thr store where you bought the MFT should make the correction.
 
Sourwould said:
I don't know if that's really worth doing. Is there something special about the way the factory sets them?

Called Woodcraft, they told me to call Festool (no surprise there). I'm going to call Festool monday and see if they'll send me the stop nuts/feather keys/whatever. I bought the last (maybe only) MFT at Woodcraft, so it isn't like I can just go trade it out for another. I've got the table set up to cut square, I just want to be able to repeat the set up. We'll see. I'm already thinking I should have got the kapex MFT and bought the rail hinge and fence separately.

That's a crappy answer from Woodcraft.  Extremely poor customer service.

As far as the way the factory sets the feather keys up, mine were out of alignment to begin with, so my first kerf into the top was not square.  After I set the table up for proper squareness, I reset the feather keys to insure repeatable future squareness.  Personally I would not leave them out.  I would contact Festool and they should make it right.
 
Yeah, I'm not that disappointed in woodcraft because I didn't expect much.

I figured the stop nuts weren't set by Nasa scientists at the festool factory, I;m sure I can set them better myself. I'd like to get a set of dogs for the holes in the table to set up the fence and rail. I saw a video on youtube (I think made by a member here) demonstrating the set up process with the dogs. Looked pretty fool proof.

Won't be my last kerf line on the table anyway, as I plan on ditching the protractor head for a permanent 90 degree fence.
 
Sourwould said:
I figured the stop nuts weren't set by Nasa scientists at the festool factory, I;m sure I can set them better myself. I'd like to get a set of dogs for the holes in the table to set up the fence and rail. I saw a video on youtube (I think made by a member here) demonstrating the set up process with the dogs. Looked pretty fool proof.

The stock feather key positions are 223mm from the right end of the front extrusion and 189mm from the left end of the rear extrusion.  I've always had to slightly adjust the front feather key when aligning the fence to the hole pattern and the rail to the fence. 
 
I use an extremely simple method of squaring the rail.

I put two dogs along the top of the MFT. I butt a Woodpecker framing square (big and very true) against the two dogs. I set the rail against the framing square. I make any needed adjustments. The only time I have needed to make an adjustment is when a bolt on the rail hinge came loose.

I butt the top edge of the wood against the two dogs, drop the rail, and cut. I always cut a square cut.
 
Thanks for those positions spark.

Birdhunter,

The method I saw used the dogs to set the fence parallel to the rows holes and the rail parallel to the columns of holes. Looked fast. I set mine with a known good regular framing square. Would be nice to quickly have the fence and rail square to each other and square to the table. I'm not sure how well this works when the protractor head is replaced by another fence clamp.
 
Since you only bought yesterday I hope you havent cut into it yet.

I would take it back to Woodcraft get yer money back, buy it from Beavertools or Anderson ply get another.

You have a 30 day no questions axed return policy on festool tools.

I think it counts as a tool as it has a P/N.

Free shipping on festool products.
 
I vote for return and buy from Anderson if you can. Fantastic place with a great staff.
 
I've cut into it.

I don't really understand why y'all think I should return it. I'll get the parts from festool or woodcraft.

Woodcraft is the only local store (that I know of) where I could walk in and buy one of these. I didn't want to deal with shipping, waiting, damaged goods, or ups delivering to the wrong house (has been a problem, ups blows). Getting the parts from fedtool or wood craft or even buying them myself doesn't seem like as big a hassle as boxing this thing up, driving 45 minutes to woodcraft, returning, waiting for the refund, buying one online, waiting for it to arrive.
 
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