MFT 3 + TS55 Workflow/Videos for a new guy?

[gearhound]

Well, after drooling over these guys for years and watching countless videos, the $50 off Pro 5 sander deal finally pushed me over the edge. I just picked up a WoodPecker square last night too and think I have the rail/fence squared up properly, but am now wondering if there's some good videos to watch showing the workflow of actually cutting & building things?

I assume the 1st step is always making a straight edge on one side without it referencing off the fence and then using that known straight edge off the fence to square up the piece? Right now I just want to get practice with the setup building some 3/4" ply hanging cabinets for my garage and trying to find the most efficient way to do it. To use the flag-stop it seems I have to feed everything from the right of the rail, which is the opposite of my cross-cut workflow on my table saw so its going to take some getting use to.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[Shane Holland]

Congrats on the new tools!

There are a lot of guys that have videos showing the TS+MFT in action.

I would suggest you check out [member=8352]erock[/member] 's YouTube channel. He has complete series on building cabinets, entertainment centers, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrBigerock/videos

 

[clark_fork]

Old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Answer... Practice, Practice, Practice.

A good way to practice is to undergo the calibration of your Malfunction Table/3 by the four/five cut test.

This is for Kapex but the math is correct and cutting and measuring will get you used to the constant need to calibrate your MFT/3. You will soon find out that calibration is not a one time deal
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/4-cut_pages.pdf

Others may rush in and tell you that you need the famous Slop Stop.  I concur. Order it today.

Vac hoses and electrical cords may bedevil your work flow. Work that out in your plan. A boom may be a boom for you.

Finally, regarding work flow,  spend some time noting the location of all the means to tighten the fence and rails. One loose connection and all is for naught. Not many mention, but pay attention to leveling the rail as you work. Some benefit from a equal height of stock placed on the far end of the table to aid in leveling the rail.

 

[gearhound]

Congrats on the new tools!

There are a lot of guys that have videos showing the TS+MFT in action.

I would suggest you check out [member=8352]erock[/member] 's YouTube channel. He has complete series on building cabinets, entertainment centers, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrBigerock/videos

Thanks! I actually was watching some of his videos last night, but he seems to use the parallel guides after ripping one straight edge....is there a good workflow that doesn't involve those guides or firing up my table saw?

 

[gearhound]

Old joke: How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Answer... Practice, Practice, Practice.

A good way to practice is to undergo the calibration of your Malfunction Table/3 by the four/five cut test.

This is for Kapex but the math is correct and cutting and measuring will get you used to the constant need to calibrate your MFT/3. You will soon find out that calibration is not a one time deal
http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/4-cut_pages.pdf

Others may rush in and tell you that you need the famous Slop Stop.  I concur. Order it today.

Vac hoses and electrical cords may bedevil your work flow. Work that out in your plan. A boom may be a boom for you.

Finally, regarding work flow,  spend some time noting the location of all the means to tighten the fence and rails. One loose connection and all is for naught. Not many mention, but pay attention to leveling the rail as you work. Some benefit from a equal height of stock placed on the far end of the table to aid in leveling the rail.

Thanks! Yeah, I've quickly realized that I'll have to check its alignment regularly so I bought the woodpecker....I've got two young kiddos so it's going to get bumped occasionally for sure.

In my reading, I've seen the slop-stop recommended after the table has had enough use to make the connection somewhat loose....will I notice its impact on a brand new table? Where's the best place to buy it from?

I got the Midi vacuum last month, so unfortunately no Festool boom for me but I definitely need to rig something up to get it off the ground. (Got just the domino/accessories sys 2 months ago at the start and told myself I could limit my consumption of the green kool-aid, but then that darn sander came out and I'm getting too addicted)

 

[clark_fork]

I got the Midi vacuum last month, so unfortunately no Festool boom for me but I definitely need to rig something up to get it off the ground. (Got just the domino/accessories sys 2 months ago at the start and told myself I could limit my consumption of the green kool-aid, but then that darn sander came out and I'm getting too addicted)
[/quote]

Everyone made fun of my boom solution but it works well for me....cheap too!!!
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festo...y-made-mft-boom-solution/msg464737/#msg464737

Just Google Slop Stop. It is on e-Bay. It is for wear but overall it makes seating the rail easier from day one.

 

[gearhound]

I got the Midi vacuum last month, so unfortunately no Festool boom for me but I definitely need to rig something up to get it off the ground. (Got just the domino/accessories sys 2 months ago at the start and told myself I could limit my consumption of the green kool-aid, but then that darn sander came out and I'm getting too addicted)

Everyone made fun of my boom solution but it works well for me....cheap too!!!
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festo...y-made-mft-boom-solution/msg464737/#msg464737

Just Google Slop Stop. It is on e-Bay. It is for wear but overall it makes seating the rail easier from day one.
[/quote]

Nice! I like that boom solution!

I'm curious if most people's workflow starts by ripping one factory edge square like the videos linked above? Seems like that results in a lot of cuts if you don't have the parallel guides.

Thanks

 

[ScotF]

I have the PGs and do not use them as much as I used to - I actually find using an Incra ruler and a stop-rule or rule-stop just as accurate. You mark a straight line at your dimension, line the rail up to the line and make the cut. If I just need a few pieces the same dimension I just mark them all in this manner and I can get perfect results. I always clamp my rail too for insurance.

For several cuts like a bookshelf or something and as long as your cuts are wider than the width of the guiderail, you can make your first cut line as above and make the cut, but before you un-clamp the rail from your first cut, use a rule-stop to measure the back of the rail to the edge opposite your cut edge. You can then use that to align all subsequent cuts and they will all be the same width and parallel to your cut edge -- I usually check 3 or 4 places along the edge.

If I need to make narrower cuts , then you can still measure the same way as above by flipping your rule-stop upside down or you can measure to the anti-splinter strip and factor in the width of the saw blade kerf in your measurement.

I find I can work nearly as fast and accurately as with the PGs and I do not have any other attachments to have to install, adjust and take a part again.

Woodpeckers has a rule-stop/stop-rule or you can get them from Lee Valley (which is what I use). The only drawback to the Lee Valley version is you are limited to 12 inches on the rule so about 18 - 19 inch widths factoring in the guide rail width. The Woodpecker versions allow your own rule so you can get wider, but it costs more money too.

 

[Holmz]

Well, after drooling ... for years....

Just get stuck into it. A work flow will come to you.

With the drooling I could envision a moniker change from gearhound to greyhound

I watched this movie twoice and I am still not sure I like it.
There is a uniquely Australian theme of "Mateship", which extends to NZ and less so to the UK. This movie falls squarely into the theme mateship.

 

[Kodi Crescent]

If you haven't done these already:

1. Learn how to square your table and rail.  Get them squared with each other.  There are videos for this.

2. Internalize this rule about cutting with the rail - The "keeper" part of the board goes under the rail.  If it is not under the rail it is "waste".  If you need to cut and keep the portion not under the rail, then be sure to adjust for the blade kerf (add 2.2 mm or so).  I learned this the hard way.

3. Make an area close to, but off the table to place your saw.  You will lift that saw back and forth onto the rail frequently.  Placing it on the table often isn't sufficient.

4. Get a spring clamp to hold the rail upright when not cutting.  Those things hurt when they fall and hit you in the head! (Again, learned the hard way).

5. Find a way to manage your cords and hoses as you cut.  The boom arm helps a lot.

6. Buy a longer rail.  The 75" or whatever is very useful.

7. Don't consider your MFT to be the end all work table.  It's useful, but not sufficiently large.  It's often easier to work on plywood laid across sawhorses.

8. Practice, trial and error, questions, and videos will teach you a lot.

 

[sancho57]

to the OP Festool TV is your friend
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=festool+tv

 

[ShadyMaple]

I personally like to use my Parf-dogs to square my rail and miter fence.  I just keep a couple on the top row and but the miter fence up to it and clamp - then use the tall ones to set my rail square.

For $35 - a good set of dogs will go a long way for you and make things simple. 

 

[ear3]

Slop stop is helpful even on a brand new table, because it's eliminating any play inherent in the rail/bracket connection.

Since I don't keep my MFT setup permanently, but bust it out when needed, I use another method of squaring that I find slightly quicker.  I have a scrap board that is slightly smaller than the size of the MFT top, on which I've scribed a line with a Woodpeckers 32" T-Square (so I know it's true and square), and so I simply line up the splinterguard with the scribe line, and am good to go.  The reason why I prefer this to the dogs is that I can tighten down the fence first and then just work with the rail brackets to get it squared up.  Sometimes when you lock down the fence, the plastic edge of the fence rail clamp that engages the channel in the back will pull in or push out the fence just a hair.  You can avoid this by being super meticulous, but I'm really in search of idiot proof methods, and so my method works for idiots like me.  Other advantage is that if you shift the table around, or do something that might require you to dbl check it for square, you can throw on the scrap board and easily check and/or adjust as needed.

 

[sancho57]

I didnt think I needed the saw slop. But after talking to Tom and having a look at woodworking wizards set up, I got ine and Im happy I did.