MFT3 Leg Operation

[cortes]

I just got my first MFT table. One set of legs really take a lot of effort to swing out. Once they're almost all the way out they pop into position. It makes me think there are detents at the open and closed positions. I make sure the locking knobs are completely loose. Is this by design or is there a certain way to rotate the legs?

 

[semenza]

They should swing pretty easily once the knobs are fully loosened. They do pop in / out of detents.

Seth

 

[tjbnwi]

Loosen the knobs more, you should run them out to the stops. You'll get used to doing it.

Tom

 

[dltflt]

One of my knobs does not move freely like all the rest.  You might be having the same issue.

 

[cortes]

I did run the knobs all the way out. They were quite loose. I'll take a close look at them next time. That brings up another question: how would I remove the legs? Is there some kind of thread lock that keeps the knobs from unscrewing all the way?

 

[peter halle]

If you want to remove the legs all the way you need to pop the ends off of the knobs and then use a wrench on the bolts as far as I know.

Peter

 

[semenza]

If you want to remove the legs all the way you need to pop the ends off of the knobs and then use a wrench on the bolts as far as I know.

Peter

  Which also might be a way to adjust the "tension"  or I should say make it so the leg is looser when the knob is fully turned out. Haven't tried it , but maybe?

Seth

 

[clark_fork]

My MFT 3 is on the way. Should be here early next week. I will try the legs and report in. It may be a quality control issue.

I have developed a theory about the infrequent lapses in Festool quality control. It is reminiscent of the early days of Detroit automobile production when you had to hope you did not receive an assembly line automobile built on a Monday.

In the case of Festool and its location, it may be that the assembly line elves, the Fabrikarbeiter spend a little too much time in the local rathskellers with their Krüge Bier on the weekend

Thus  you have:

Montag morgen rathskeller Wirkung

So just hope your Festool order did not come off the assembly line on a Monday.

The corollary of this theory is the reputation of the local beer cellars is the real reason why FOG folks take in the Festool factory tour. 

 

[peter halle]

I just checked my MFT/3.  This isn't a complicated issue.  The bolt head is actually captured my the corner extrusion which means that there are two nuts mounted on that bolt inside the black plastic knob.  If you separate the knob halves you will see a lock nut and then captured by the other half of the knob is the tensioning knob.  All the lock knob does is make sure that the handle isn't completely unscrewed from the table.  Back that locknut off and you should gain additional play.

Took longer to type then it will take you to do.

Peter

 

[cortes]

It was operator error. I finally took the table down. I made sure the knobs were all the way out. The legs rotated easily. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong.