MFT3 V Groove

[mouppe]

You're wrong in at least one area.  I was expecting great things from that "V" profile design on the MFT, all sorts of new must-have gadgets that attach to the MFT for who knows what.  And what did we get?  The sound of crickets in the distance.  I have a lowly 1080 but it's like, so what?  Still works fine for me.  The new fence is clearly better but that was a incremental improvement. Seems to me they've let MFT3 owners down, not 1080 users.

Alas, the gadgets that fit the MFT/3 are unavailable in North America, but Festool users elsewhere can hook up a vac sys or CMS table to the MFT/3. Sometimes we get the short end of the stick in NA when Festool makes products that are sold elsewhere.

Unfortunately for some of us, it's not a one-size-fits-all product line.

 

[nickao]

I said it when it came out and I am still sticking to it. The only thing the V groove did was make the system proprietary so it was a huge hassle for any of us to make jigs, etc using a simple T-slot. Anything on the new MFT3 could have easily been made to use a T slot, even quick removal stuff, etc. As stated the new fence really is not V rail dependent, well it did not have to be anyway.

I am happy with the MFT 1080 extrusions and never went on the MFT3 bandwagon. I saved loads of money and still do, whenever I need another table I just get a used 1080 on the cheap.

 

[AlexThePalex]

The only thing the V groove did was make the system proprietary so it was a huge hassle for any of us to make jigs, etc using a simple T-slot.

Not really, the V groove is meant to make the MFT compatible with the CMS and Precisio extensions. The CMS and the Precisio existed long before they upgraded the MFT 1080 to the MFT/3 and those tables already made use of the V groove. So they simply expanded their here otherwise much appraised "system approach" to the MFT. That's all, no evil plot to take your custom jigs away.

Bad luck for you guys you can't have the CMS or Precisio, but blame your own rules and sue-happy culture for that.

My CS70 has like 5 or 6 parts that stick into the V groove and considering how easy and stable it works, I can see no excuse why people couldn't make jigs for it. Granted, a T-slot might work a bit easier with jigs, but only just a bit.  

 

[harry_]

I would be happy if they just made a whatznit to attach jigs onto so that the v-groove COULD be better utilized

 

[Qwas]

I don't see where the V groove should be stopping or slowing anyone down. Build your jig as you normally would. Then attach a dowel rod to fit in the V. The dowel rod can be screwed on, nailed, or glued. The dowel rod can be a wooden dowel or aluminum rod, or perhaps an old bolt with the head chopped off. Being V shaped, it can accept various sizes.

 

[nickao]

Oh yea you could make it work if you wanted no question, by why?

It definitely is not a benefit and it definitely does not match about every other jig in the shop that already uses T slots. T slots are really a basic jig making device for just about anyone's shop jig making system, right. They went from what was a system to something that is not a system, at least for us in the US. I just never saw a reason for it.

They could have just as easily made the new fence quick release with the T slot.  Plus, if you remember when it came out that was touted as a great thing and we would get this or that they also charged a bunch more over the mft 1080. Well its been a few years and nothing ever came to the USA for it so its just not a great thing.

I think it is different, but not an improvement. If they sold a bunch of stuff for it maybe I would see it differently.

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Steve,

How about making an alphabet conversion system?

V to T, V to U, and so on.  I don't think V to O is necessary, since V accepts O quite easily, but A has drawn a line in the sand and refuses to accept V.  [ban]

 

[fshanno]

Alas, the gadgets that fit the MFT/3 are unavailable in North America, but Festool users elsewhere can hook up a vac sys or CMS table to the MFT/3. Sometimes we get the short end of the stick in NA when Festool makes products that are sold elsewhere.

Unfortunately for some of us, it's not a one-size-fits-all product line.

It's just that "Multi-function" somehow means more to me than just "versatile workbench".  And the MFT is already more than just a versatile workbench.  I was looking for things like face frame assembly like the Kreg thing, case squaring, knock down clamping platform for doors and glueups, extending the sheet goods processing capabilities even further. 

 

[Stone Message]

Hello Richard and Everyone,

I have the MFT 3 and find the 'V' groove to be very useful even though I have not bought any of the extension sets/tables that Festool have to offer. My budget is fairly tight and although I would love to have the router table and so on I have to make do.

I have built my own little router table that fits on the end (or side) of the MFT 3. The 'V' groove has made the design so much easier, safer to use and easier to set up. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean. To mount the table on the MFT 3 I first hook over the moulding that fits in the 'V' groove and push the ends of the stays onto the cross member of the MFT 3. I then slide on my two securing bolts into the 'T' track and tighten the wing nuts. Set-up time is under 2 minutes and it is a solid as a rock. Because the 'V' groove is such a good registration surface the top of the router table is always flush with the top of the MFT 3 - every time it goes on.

I could not afford to buy a Festool router and so am using one of my Dewalt/CMTs. The 27mm Festool hose fits into the dust port perfectly and I use an old Dyson to catch waste from the rear of the guide. If I sold a few more copies of my e-book I might be able to get rid of my various routers and switch to Festool!

Peter

 

[ajones]

Nice neat job good to see something other than mdf or bare ply.

I have the trend version of your router as it has the lifter through the base which is usefull

its a rework of the old elu machine good solid workhorse of a router not sure who makes them now though?

 

[nickao]

Hello Richard and Everyone,

I have the MFT 3 and find the 'V' groove to be very useful even though I have not bought any of the extension sets/tables that Festool have to offer. My budget is fairly tight and although I would love to have the router table and so on I have to make do.

I have built my own little router table that fits on the end (or side) of the MFT 3. The 'V' groove has made the design so much easier, safer to use and easier to set up. Take a look at the photos to see what I mean. To mount the table on the MFT 3 I first hook over the moulding that fits in the 'V' groove and push the ends of the stays onto the cross member of the MFT 3. I then slide on my two securing bolts into the 'T' track and tighten the wing nuts. Set-up time is under 2 minutes and it is a solid as a rock. Because the 'V' groove is such a good registration surface the top of the router table is always flush with the top of the MFT 3 - every time it goes on.

I could not afford to buy a Festool router and so am using one of my Dewalt/CMTs. The 27mm Festool hose fits into the dust port perfectly and I use an old Dyson to catch waste from the rear of the guide. If I sold a few more copies of my e-book I might be able to get rid of my various routers and switch to Festool!

Peter

That is very nice!

But we are talking V groove verse T slot and that V groove for your application is not any safer  or simpler to build verse the table having a T slot on top. Actually, having a T slot on top would probably make that easier to build.

 

[Stone Message]

Nice neat job good to see something other than mdf or bare ply.

I have the trend version of your router as it has the lifter through the base which is usefull

its a rework of the old elu machine good solid workhorse of a router not sure who makes them now though?

I bought my first with a Dewalt badge on it and the second, identical apart from colour, is made by CMT which may be something to do with Axminster Tools in Devon.

I still would love to migrate to Festool routers.

Peter

 

[Sean_C_G]

"It's just that "Multi-function" somehow means more to me than just "versatile workbench".  And the MFT is already more than just a versatile workbench.  I was looking for things like face frame assembly like the Kreg thing, case squaring, knock down clamping platform for doors and glueups, extending the sheet goods processing capabilities even further."  

If you really want to use the Vee part of the extrusions, could you take the clamping element and profile from the angle unit and experiment with using those as the starting point for a jig? If that works, you can buy the parts separately from e-kat (see below.) Just a thought, although it looks like you've got some creative solutions posted above that don't even need the vee.