MFT - Cutting on the "Long" Side

[forbesdog]

Hello - long time lurker on this and the Yahoo group - I have several Festool products including the MFT 1080 and TS 55.

My question to everyone is this:  How do you use the table for cuts longer that 24"?  Do you use one of the FS 800 guide rails as you would when cutting large sheets, that is just laying it on the wood at the mark, then making your cut?  If so, do you use clamps and place something under the wood to avoid scoring the table in the "horizontal" (east to west)?

Or has any one rearranged the supplied swivel unit and stops for use with the FS 800's to make rip cuts (east to west), scoring the table in the same manner as we are instructed to do upon setup of the MFT for cross cuts?

Or has anyone purchased the MFT 1080 hardware kit and to set up the table set up for both the standard north/south crosscut and the east/west rip, and scoring the table in to directions?

I only use mine for crosscuts, but I feel I'm missing an opportunity to use it, along with the accessory kit, for rip cuts less than 48".

Thanks in advance.

Ed

 

[Bob Marino]

Ed,

Any way you described is ok. The easiest way is to just move the set stops on the profiles and place them on the shorter side and move the brackets,  cutting on the long side.  Scoring the table slightly is not a problem.

Bob

 

[Brian 57]

I use a variation of the popular method of cutting on a sheet of polyurethane, which I am too space-constrained to use.
I made up some pairs of plywood approx 4" wide, and various lengths. I bonded (Titebond) some polystyrene to the upper face of the arms, having inserted T-nuts on the lower face of the arms. I then affix the arms to the MFT1080 using threaded knobs (Festool or shop-made) through the 20mm holes into the T-nuts to form "outriggers" to the MFT.
I believe (not got round to it) Polystyrene can be toughened against "chipping" by painting with dilute waterbased glue (e.g. in the UK, Unibond).
Regards
PS Actually I bonded the polystyrene to the ply then cut the arms.

 

[forbesdog]

Thanks Bob and Brian.  Great idea on the "outriggers" Brian.  may try something like that.

Bob, the problems I foresee with moving the stops is getting them back in the same position that they were when the table was purchased - making sure that I have them set so that the guide rail is a true 90* to the table and the blade runs in the same scored groove (so as to not chew up the table too much).  I believe the manual states (or perhaps I read somewhere else) that the stops came from the factory preset at the optimum place for best use of the hinged guide rail.  I don't know if, once I moved them, I could get the stops perfectly placed again.

That's why I was curious if any else used accessory stops and rails in the rip position as part of their normal MFT 1080 use.  Or had other techniques that used the MFT capabilities such as Brian's outriggers using threaded rods as clamps in the holes in the MFT .

Thanks - hopefully there will be others who chime in.

Ed

 

[Bob Marino]

Thanks Bob and Brian.  Great idea on the "outriggers" Brian.  may try something like that.

Bob, the problems I foresee with moving the stops is getting them back in the same position that they were when the table was purchased - making sure that I have them set so that the guide rail is a true 90* to the table and the blade runs in the same scored groove (so as to not chew up the table too much).  I believe the manual states (or perhaps I read somewhere else) that the stops came from the factory  preset at the optimum place for best use of the hinged guide rail.  I don't know if, once I moved them, I could get the stops perfectly placed again.

Ed

Ed,

Those stops are preset from Festool, but can easily be moved to any spot on the profiles. It's easy to square the rail after moving them - no worries there.

Bob

 

[Dave Rudy]

Bob, the problems I foresee with moving the stops is getting them back in the same position that they were when the table was purchased
Ed

Ed,

First, if you adopt the idea some have proposed here of using a 1/8" material (probably plywood) in the area of the saw groove, you wont have to worry about the grooving of the MFT surface.

Second, if you search the Yahoo archives, you will find several informative discussions on squaring the guide rail and fence on the MFT.  The bottom line is that if you use an accurate square (Enco has been recommended a number of times) to create a square template (simply a square or rectangle of plywood, mdf etc) you can set it against the guide rail and fence simultaneously, square the fence, and you are off and running.  It is a quick, easy and accurate procedure.

Then you can move the fence and guide rail hardware with impunity -- no worries.

HTH

Dave

 

[Daviddubya]

If you find that you want to move the orientation of the guide rail on the MFT, you can leave the stops in place that locate the guide rail attaching hardware.  You can purchase a second set of stops from Festool through Spare Parts.  Here's the main page:
http://www.festoolusa.com/parts_diagrams.aspx

The part numbers on the diagram are 37, 52 and 32 for the stops.

Doing this change does require that you purchase (or use) a longer guide rail to span the larger dimension of the MFT.  In my own experience, I found that having two MFT's connected permanently was the answer for my shop.  Look at this thread for a photo:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=172.msg1359#msg1359

 

[Michael Kellough]

There are stop blocks set into the front and back T-slots in the MFT frame which set the positions of the front and rear guide rail brackets. You may not have noticed them in the slots. Leave them as they are and you'll be able to reset the brackets in the original positions. You can get another pair of stop blocks or you can make you own with hardware that fits the slot or even a piece of wood that fits and some set screws so you have stop positions for the long side cutting position.

When you do move the guide rail back and forth or move the MFT in a way that torques the frame you may find that your cuts aren't as square as they once where. This is because the fence is attached to the MDF plate and the guide rail is attached to the aluminum frame and if that relationship shifts you need to re-square so do go back to the old Yahoo forum and search for the solutions documented there. Or, simply search for Jerry Work posts and read what he says. This information might also be in Jerry's manual on the MFT. The key is learning to move the fence in relation to the guide rail. Avoid making fine adjustments of the guide rail or you'll widen the slot in the MDF unnecessarily.

There is one more detail in moving the guide rail I'll add. The front end of the guide rail lands on a pin at the top of the front bracket. That pin/slot fit is loose so Festool sets the guide rail on the hinge bracket so it is not actually 90 degrees to the back rail. The result is that the pin is a snug fit against the left side of the slot in the bottom of the guide rail when both front and back brackets are equidistant from the side of the MFT and the guide rail is perpendicular to both front and back rails when in the down position. If you remove the guide rail from the rear bracket keep this in mind so you don't remove the tension that helps keep the guide rail from shifting when in use. You don't need to remove the guide rail from the hinge bracket to reposition the guide rail to the long side.

 

[forbesdog]

Everyone, thanks for all of your replies - you've given me several options.  I think that I will either buy or design another set of stops for the short side so I don't have to move the original set  Also, I'll search the Yahoo group for messages pertaining to this topic.

Thanks again.

Ed

 

[Ned]

...I bonded (Titebond) some polystyrene to the upper face of the arms...

Brian,

I imagine that Titebond won't break cleanly when you need to replace your polystyrene.

You can get adequate adhesion and removability with a "craft" adhesive--for instance, 3M's Super 77.

Ned

 

[Brian 57]

Thanks Ned,
I live in the UK and using Titebond arose from frustration/expediency. Searches on sites such as " glue this to that" seemed to give only US brands, which are not at all common over here, e.g. I've never seen the 3M you cite, though it is often mentioned. Titebond, however, is common and I thought I might just try it.
Later I did find an equivalent to the 3M product to use in "scary sharp", and will try it when I have used up/abraded away the current polystyrene - thanks.
As to removal of the remnants of the polystyrene, that is programmed to trigger a request for a Rotex 125 for father's day/birthday/or just in case 8).
Regards 

 

[Ned]

First Brian I want to apologize for taking so long to respond.  Don't know how I missed your latest post.

I've never seen the 3M you cite, though it is often mentioned.

I sympathize with the difficulty of find some products.  We in California frequently have trouble getting products considered industrial.  Sometimes even industry in California must do without products legal in other states.  The peculiar circumstances of living in a large basin with 12 million people require some care, but many regulations are simply an attempt to protect individuals from themselves.  End rant.

As to removal of the remnants of the polystyrene, that is programmed to trigger a request for a Rotex 125 for father's day/birthday/or just in case 8).

OK, now I understand.  It seems a well-thought out plan.  Please report back on whether it worked.

I tried 3M's UK website, www.3m.co.uk.  Through it I got to the following page:
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/...-Adhesives/?PC_7_0_1HJU_assetId=1114291247412

I think the image shows a can of 77.  Would an enquiry to 3M UK HQ  get you a retailer's name?

Ned

 

[Steven in Iowa]

Bob, the problems I foresee with moving the stops is getting them back in the same position that they were when the table was purchased - making sure that I have them set so that the guide rail is a true 90* to the table and the blade runs in the same scored groove

Ed,
  I ordered a second set of the stop hardware from Festool so I could leave the factory ones positioned , and still cut East/West with the longer FS 1400/2 guide.  Now all I have to move is the swivel and support units (no recalibrating).  Part numbers are as follows:

436392 - Stops - 2 needed
228546 - Washers - 2 needed
228547 - Screws - 2 needed

 

[forbesdog]

Thank You Stephen.  I just got done ripping some ply on the MFT using just the guide rails and clamps.  I'm going to take your (and others) advice and get the additional parts.

Thanks again, Ed