MFT3: Festool Seeking Member Questions

[Ned]

Question:  The MFT3 top has threaded inserts for the screws that attach it to the frame.  What is the size of the screws used?

Thanks,
Ned

 

[Ned]

Question:  What is the minimum height of the MFT3's fence?  The old MFT's fence was 14mm; this made extra work when cutting 1/2" (12.7mm) or thinner stock.

Thanks,
Ned

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Three questions on the upcoming MFT3:
1. Will the leg braces be compatible with the current MFT1080? If so, will they be available separately?
2: Will the new rails with top V-grooves accomodate slide-in clamps that face in towards the table? I find I seldom use the current top of rail slots for clamping because you can't extend the clamp over the work surface.
3: Does the new angle unit (other than bi-directional travel) offer any advantage over the current angle unit; i.e. does it hold its position any better, is it any easier to calibrate, or offer a vernier scale?

1. Not sure.  To be honest, I have not had my hands on them yet so I can't answer that question.  The braces are cool and fold and lock onto the leg for transport meaning they do not have to be removed.  As soon as I have an answer regarding backwards compatibility, I will post.
2. No.  However, the depth of the side profiles is much greater than on the gen 2 MFT.  This means there is now about 2" of thickness to allow for a clamping surface.
3. It is much more substantial in size and in accuracy.  The V-groove profile assists with making sure the fence can be removed and attached without recalibration.  The fence is notched allowing thinner stock (about 2-3 mm thinner than the previous models).  The fence and angle unit can slide fore and aft providing additional cross cut capacity (3" more than the 1080).  Likewise, you can move the material closer to the front reducing the reach on thinner materials.  That's a few of the things that come to mind.

Shane

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Question:  What is the minimum height of the MFT3's fence?  The old MFT's fence was 14mm; this made extra work when cutting 1/2" (12.7mm) or thinner stock.

Thanks,
Ned

Ned, we measured this and it was about 2-3mm thinner as I recall.  The fence is notched between the angle unit and guide rail accomodating the thinner material.  If you want an exact measurement I can get in when I am back in the office tomorrow.  Just let me know.  Also, not sure of the size of the threaded inserts but I will see if I can get an answer on that also.

 

[Ned]

Thanks, Shane.

Just confirming that the fence isn't as high is enough for now.

As for the threaded inserts:  Just before the info came out on the MFT3, I was thinking about putting inserts in my old MFT top.  I'll probably use the same size Festool uses in the MFT3.  I'm guessing something like M5, but that's pure guess.

Thanks,
Ned

 

[Corwin]

I can tell you that your collective voice has been heard regarding a solution for connecting the gen 2 and gen 3 MFTs.  While there is no solution that I can announce, we recognize the concern and it has been conveyed to the engineers.  I think there will be a solution, just not sure what it will be and how soon it will be available.

Wow!  This is great news.  Thanks Festool!  ;D

As to the MFT3's new fence, with an LR32 guide rail mounted on the MFT3 one could align the fence to the stop(s) on that rail -- another setup option.

 

[lawhoo]

If the new angle unit registers off the V-groove, does that mean that one couldn't retrofit it to an MFT1080?

 

[Terp]

If the new angle unit registers off the V-groove, does that mean that one couldn't retrofit it to an MFT1080?

Bingo.  But be creative & you can retrofit any thing to the MFT 1080.  I've seen alot of devices sold under other brand names that are designed for use in aluminum T-slot track.  These devices & some creativity, should allow for infinite options.  Remember the MFT 1080 is an adaptable tool, & they never sold you everything you'd need anyway.  Unless the work I do is not as custom as it seems, I don't see how their engineers could think of every operation I do.
  I saw one gentleman had built his own trestle table under an expanded version of the MFT 1080.  On this he has installed the Incra miter 2000, I beleive.
His table blows the MFT3 away.  The t-slot in the edge of your MFT 1080 will hold what ever you can mate to it.  Be creative & have fun.

 

[Lancashire Fusilier]

All, I received a reply from Festool with regards to the MFT3 in Australia and I have quoted it here:

"Hi Paul,
Sorry but we haven?t been given a release date for this tool as yet.
I will send you a catalogue in the mail.
Regards
Travis."

I will follow this up with him again.

 

[Ted Owen]

Dan, as I told Eli in a PM it was two years ago and luckily it was not a slapshot or I would have been really hurt. As it was I had two blow out fractures of the orbital socket, broke my nose in two places and jammed bone fragments into the maxillary sinus cavity. However, I was back on the ice three weeks later and am fully recovered. In addition I drove myself eight miles to the hospital bleeding like a stuck pig in my hockey gear. They x-rayed me, stitched me up, gave me vicodine and said okay drive yourself home.  ;D It was quite an eventful night. At least now I wear a half shield. Again as I mentioned to Eli, I just like the picture and since I don't need to impress any woman, I figured what the heck. : Fred

Geez, Fred. I had no idea.

You going to 5-barns this July? Looks like I'll be out of town and unable to attend, for the third consecutive year.

Best, Ted

 

[Fred West]

Ted, Somone has to catch the pucks. ) As I recall you started down the Slippery Slope of Festool far before I did. How goes it with you?  ;D Fred

 

[Ted Owen]

Fred, I've personally funded graduate school educations for Bob Marino's children.

Good to hear from you again.

Best, Ted

 

[Don Bullock]

Matthew,
I know this has been addressed in other threads, but Festool hasn't convinced me that I need a MFT no matter which model they are selling. Maybe I'm crazy (very possible), but I don't see the advantages of having one at least for the price they are charging. Yes, I do see the advantage of many Festool products and plan to add some to the sander I already have. I'm certainly not one of those people who think that all Festool products are over priced.

 

[Fred West]

Ted, I have funded his retirement at the very least if not a new house. 

As far as the MFT, I very much used to be one of those that did not see the need for one. Now, after owning and using three 1080s, I am pretty much convinced that the tables may very well be the single most important and functional tool that Festool sells. Fred

 

[clintholeman]

Matthew,
I know this has been addressed in other threads, but Festool hasn't convinced me that I need a MFT no matter which model they are selling. Maybe I'm crazy (very possible), but I don't see the advantages of having one at least for the price they are charging. Yes, I do see the advantage of many Festool products and plan to add some to the sander I already have. I'm certainly not one of those people who think that all Festool products are over priced.

I will take this opportunity to answer.  It is the system, not the individual tools that make FesTool.  while buying individual tools is a statement about the quality you want, using the FesTool system is what really makes them such an incredible bargain.  The MFT is at the core of the system.  It increases one's efficiency markedly and makes many tasks easier and some simply possble.

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew,
I know this has been addressed in other threads, but Festool hasn't convinced me that I need a MFT no matter which model they are selling. Maybe I'm crazy (very possible), but I don't see the advantages of having one at least for the price they are charging. Yes, I do see the advantage of many Festool products and plan to add some to the sander I already have. I'm certainly not one of those people who think that all Festool products are over priced.

Don,
For me, the MFT has become such a central part of every project, I sometimes don't think about it too much.  That might sound like a hypocritical statement, but it's true.  Every single project, I just assume I'll be crosscutting on the MFT with the TS55, claming parts down with clamping elements and sanding, or holding parts down as I cut mortises with the Domino.  The list goes on and on.  But the point is, it's at the heart of every project.  Not only that, it has also made each of these actions -- crosscutting, sanding, mortisiing, and more -- easier and more centralized.  If the MFT were suddenly gone, I'd be scrambling for ways to do all these things.
Matthew

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Ted, I have funded his retirement at the very least if not a new house. 

As far as the MFT, I very much used to be one of those that did not see the need for one. Now, after owning and using three 1080s, I am pretty much convinced that the tables may very well be the single most important and functional tool that Festool sells. Fred

I'm a hobbyist DIYer who agrees.  I was very skeptical at first, but eventually bought a 1080.  A year later a bought a 800.  Upon hearing Festool was stopping production of the orginal models, I bought another 800.  And eventually, I'll probably get another 1080 (used) from someone.  I've already lined up the purchase of one from a dealer when the MFT3 replacements become the norm for demos.  Ditto the Festool clamps.  I started with only a pair of short screw type clamps.  Now I have several more, a few in each of the different lengths and styles.  The MFTs are very versatile, and portable.  Read Jerry Work's manual for an excellent overview of some of the many uses.

Dave R.

 

[porkchop]

A few ideas;
1. different tops, one with a thin sacrificial/replaceable 1/8" top over pvc foam core (corecell, divinicell) sandwiched with thin aluminum sheet on bottom to keep jigs aligned and holes from getting trashed. Probably cut a lot of weight and make it so you can flip it easily and use aluminum surface (with a swipe of mold release or wax on it) as a direct glue up surface. Or make the bottom sandwich sacrificial 1/8" mdf too. One side for rough work, one for finish? Pins at center and it rotates weightlessly and locks in place for instant switching between surfaces? One side has jigs in place etc? So much potential for improvement here.

2. offer an upgrade to carbon fiber legs that would cut weight and vibration further.

3. clamp storage/shelf tainer system?

For the price it seems we should get more of these types of improvements.

It seems the big draw so far is just a better fence (the old one sucked badly) and the price we pay is incompatability with our old tables? Should have just made a better fence and offered that until they really had a new table worth switching for? It looks better but not better enough to justify cost/hassle/damage to "system" image.

 

[porkchop]

had another idea, how about wheels that slide into V tracks so table can be rolled folded up on edge

 

[Eli]

This already works so well with a slotted track though! ;D