MFT Jigs

[Kevcoleman]

What do you guys do to fasten jigs to the MFT.  I wish Festool would sell accessory bolds and washers that would fit into the 20 mm holes in the table top.  It would be great to get the knobs that hold the miter gauge down to use for jigs.  I really like the size of those knobs and it would make it real easy to install the jigs.  Any onther recommendatons or are there sources for 20 mm rods or dowels to accomlish the same thing?

Also, I found thisthis on ebay.  how hard would it be to cut thise hardened rods down and then drill and tap holes in each end?

 

[Michael Kellough]

What do you guys do to fasten jigs to the MFT.  I wish Festool would sell accessory bolds and washers that would fit into the 20 mm holes in the table top.  It would be great to get the knobs that hold the miter gauge down to use for jigs.  I really like the size of those knobs and it would make it real easy to install the jigs.  Any onther recommendatons or are there sources for 20 mm rods or dowels to accomlish the same thing?

Also, I found thisthis on ebay.  how hard would it be to cut thise hardened rods down and then drill and tap holes in each end?

Good suggestion for Festool.

You'd have to anneal the hardened rods before drilling and tapping. Check McMaster.com.

 

[Frans]

You can find the partnumber of the knobs you want on the drawing that came with your MFT, then it's just a matter of ordering them at your local dealer.

If you don't have the drawing, it's also available online here. (Prices are shown in Euro's, I don't know how to get it to show dollars).

 

[Dave Rudy]

Not sure exactly what jigs you're trying to attach.  I typically just clamp them -- quick and easy.  Bill-E's clamps look great.  Jorgenson clamps are easy to use, except you have to fasten from the bottom.  20mm is close enough to 3/4 dowel that if precise fit isn't important, they can substitute. Or you could turn your own wooden 20mm dowel faster than cutting those rods I would think.

HTH

Dave

 

[Kevcoleman]

thanks for the ideas.  the parts website is very cool.  I might get the parts that hold the miter gauge down and see if I can use them to create a nice undermount hold down system that utilizes then 20 mm holes.

Its probably overengineers but I think it would be a nice touch.  In the meantime,  I will probably go with the simple clampdown method.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Even easier (Thanks to Jerry Work pointing it out in one of his manuals), go to your local hardware store and buy the connector for threaded rods.  It is very close to 20mm and will fit snugly in an MFT hole.  Since its threaded, its simple to bolt a jig or a rail onto it.  Pretty cheap, too ;D ;D

 

[Ned]

...go to your local hardware store and buy the connector for threaded rods.  It is very close to 20mm and will fit snugly in an MFT hole....

There is some variation among manufacturers of those connectors.  Take a caliper with you and check before you buy.

Ned

 

[Ned]

Don't forget the cam clamps.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

What do you guys do to fasten jigs to the MFT.  I wish Festool would sell accessory bolds and washers that would fit into the 20 mm holes in the table top.  It would be great to get the knobs that hold the miter gauge down to use for jigs.  I really like the size of those knobs and it would make it real easy to install the jigs.  Any onther recommendatons or are there sources for 20 mm rods or dowels to accomlish the same thing?

Also, I found thisthis on ebay.  how hard would it be to cut thise hardened rods down and then drill and tap holes in each end?

Good suggestion for Festool.

You'd have to anneal the hardened rods before drilling and tapping. Check McMaster.com.

Does anyone know of a source for 20 mm aluminum rods?  That would be a lot easier to work with yet sufficient for most needs.

Dave R.

 

[Ned]

Does anyone know of a source for 20 mm aluminum rods?

McMaster offers a 1m length of 20mm easy-to-machine alloy 2007 for 38.27USD (item 4572T15).  They're generally pricier than other souces, so looking around might be worthwhile.  Onlinemetals.com doesn't stock metric sizes.

Ned

 

[MarkF]

Jerry Work said in his Getting the Most From Your MFT document: "at nearly any hardware store you will find .5? female connectors designed for holding two pieces of .5? threaded rod together.  It turns out these are almost exactly 20mm across the points so they fit the 20mm holes well and repeatedly." 
One of these, a long 1/2" bolt and a fender washer and nut underneath and you're golden for mounting jigs to the table.
Another option is a rubber spindle sander sleeve with a nut, bolt and washer attached to your jig.  Insert it into a hole on the MFT, tighten up the nut and bolt and the rubber sleeve swells to fill the hole in the MFT.

 

[Mike_Chrest]

My favorite hold downs for jigs and parts. Think I got them from Lee Valley(note rubber foot)
Mike