MFT Track Saw Cutting Tips?

[onocoffee]

After spending the time to modify my workbench to add MFT/3 rails to fit the Festool Rail hinge, Dashboard Track Stars and DB F2 Fence, I've started to use it to make precision cuts. However, my cuts are not as precise as I would like.

Today, I was cutting up 18mm baltic birch plywood panels for a bandsaw stand. The panels should be 331mm x 345mm. I marked the boards and ended up with 330mm x 346mm, and 331mm x 345mm. They're very close - but no cigar. I double-checked with a known square to ensure that the fence and rail are at 90 degrees with the hinged locked and the support inserted into the track. I mark the cut points with a sharp pencil (today I was using the Blackwing 27 "woodworking" pencil sharpened with the two-stage sharpener). I placed the splinter guard edge right on the line and cut it with the TS 55 FEQ with stock blade.

Everything looks right, but I'm just a hair off. For this application, it probably won't matter, but I'd like to work my technique to get it right. Any tips to improve my technique?

Thanks!

 

[Michael Kellough]

A freshly cut splinter guard is a wonderful thing. When it’s worn it’s still a good thing but you can’t use it as a position reference anymore. If you don’t have time to move it over and retrim, put a few small Post It notes on the underside of the splinter guard and trim them.

However, a worn splinter guard doesn’t account for being 1mm short. Positioning a worn guard on the mark would result in a piece a little oversized, if the keeper was under the rail.

 

[MacBoy]

Learn Guido Henn’s techniques by watching the video 2 or 3 times.

Well worth the time investment.

He does not need nor use fancy (expensive) accessories.

Guido gets same size pieces using those simple techniques. That’s one of your problems.

However for this project, he is not concerned about exact measurements. Your 2nd problem is of exact measurement.

Accuracy versus precision are the objectives to consider when doing the project. Most of the time, accuracy on getting same size pieces is sufficient.


(25 min video)

 

[Vtshopdog]

Personally I'm only able to make very accurate repeatable cuts by using some sort of stop to position the stock.
This applies to both my track saw and SCMS. Measuring/marking errors plus effectively freehand positioning of the stock before cutting can both contribute to variance.

 

[rst]

I cut a lot of plastics which are hard on splinter guards. I use the aluminum edge rather than the guard to place my cutting line. All my saws are set 3mm from the aluminum. I set a Paolini rule to 3mm.

 

[peter halle]

One trick that has long since not been talked about here was to mark your dimension with a fine mechanical pencil and then using a single edge razor blade, tap a corner of that into the center of your pencil mark. Slide your rail into position and then remove the blades. Not my technique. I can't remember the old YouTuber who gave us that but he passed away numerous years ago. I ended up purchasing a copy of his whole collection of videos from his heirs but have no idea where they are or who he is.

Peter

 

[Michael Kellough]

One trick that has long since not been talked about here was to mark your dimension with a fine mechanical pencil and then using a single edge razor blade, tap a corner of that into the center of your pencil mark. Slide your rail into position and then remove the blades. Not my technique. I can't remember the old YouTuber who gave us that but he passed away numerous years ago. I ended up purchasing a copy of his whole collection of videos from his heirs but have no idea where they are or who he is.

Peter

John Lucas showed this in his self produced videos. They were unique in that he hired women to use the tools after teaching them what to do to follow his script.

 

[guybo]

Here https://web.archive.org/web/20120711182652/http://legacy.woodshopdemos.com:80/

 

[Lincoln]

Are you pushing your workpiece up to stops, set at your required measurement?
One thing that can happen is your saw can 'pull' the piece being cut into the blade, as you're cutting. Not much, but certainly 1mm. Using stops gives you something to push the piece against, usually eliminating that problem. (Is also an easy way to see if that is the problem).
Another thing I highly recommend is the TSO 'MFT Aligned' kit, gets rid of most of the shortcomings of the Festool hinge etc.

 

[onocoffee]

Are you pushing your workpiece up to stops, set at your required measurement?
One thing that can happen is your saw can 'pull' the piece being cut into the blade, as you're cutting. Not much, but certainly 1mm. Using stops gives you something to push the piece against, usually eliminating that problem. (Is also an easy way to see if that is the problem).
Another thing I highly recommend is the TSO 'MFT Aligned' kit, gets rid of most of the shortcomings of the Festool hinge etc.

I hadn't been using stops, but now I will give that a try. Thanks!

 

[peter halle]

Thank you @Michael Kellough and @guybo for helping me out!

Peter