MFT3 with CMS attachment

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Oct 2, 2007
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Went to see my dealer the other morning to order some stuff and they had the new MFT3 on display. On one end there was an attachment I have not seen before so I checked it out; it is the CMS-V: the two legged offspring of the CMS modular workbench. It is attached to the V-groove on the MFT3 and is the same height as the MFT3. It fits snugly and the whole arrangement seems solid. As a bonus the base of the CMS-V is deeper and you get an enormous extension for the rip fence which can be positioned all along the MFT3. Hmm, this I like. Something for whenever I get around to outfitting my own lil' shoppe.

This, the MFT800 I have (different height) and the Walko Compact and I am set.  8)

Hmm, this got me thinking that one would probably have to use the rip fence for the CS70 to take advantage of the table width - the table and the CMS-V is deeper than the CMS.

Is the CMS still NAINA?  ??? Is it not good enough for you picky people or is it the UL approval which prevents this ingenious device from entering the market?
 
From the sounds of it, we wouldn't be able to get UL approval for the hole in a donut!

No, it's NAINA  :P
 
poto said:
From the sounds of it, we wouldn't be able to get UL approval for the hole in a donut!

No, it's NAINA  :P

I am a design engineer and have gotten UL approval on many a product.  There is no mystery about getting UL approval, neither is it so difficult.  If Festool cannot get UL approval it is because they are not trying at all to conform to the fairly simple rules that UL has.

In a nutshell this has to do with temperature rise at the rated current, amount of insulation and type of insulation for the rated temperature and voltage. adequate safety in case of a fault condition, use of plastics/insulators that do not support combustion etc.

I have no association with UL but to blame UL on the inadequacy of the submittal is not right.

Vijay
 
re: UL - it probably has something to do with the fact that it would require Festool to make a different product (which I'm guessing would cost them more to produce).  So it's a tricky situation... make multiple versions of the same product for different markets, which means it costs them more.... or make the product the same (conforming to UL requirements) for everywhere, which means it costs them more.  Not sure what to say about that situation, not a fun business choice.

Regarding the MFT addition.  It looks extremely handy, but can you change the orientation of how you connect it to adjacent tables?  For example, the space that I have to work in is very wide, but narrow.  I would need to turn the addition 90 degrees, so that I could use it.
 
b_m_hart: I think you can fit it to either side, but I am not sure. You would have to swap the legs around I guess, the switch would be on the wrong side otherwise.

Vijay; thanks for the input on UL approval.  :)
 
The CMS can be fitted to all 4 sides of the MFT3.
I would guess  that Festool could offer it in the USA with out the no volt release switch and that would get round the UL Regs.
I think the new MFT3 and the CMS unit offer the ultimate set up for a small shop situation or bespoke on site work; with this set up on site you can handle anything from large panel work to small rips and create on site profiles and sections. Cost in UK about ?2k (MFT3, CMS Module,TS 75 ,Module for TS75, Router Module and rip fence) and yes Henrik you are correst you do need the rip fence off the CS70 :)

John
 
Hey Vijay - Thanks for the tutorial on UL approval. However, I was just being facetious; if you look through quite a few other threads you'll find that some apparently simple products that Festool makes (some have only an outlet) are not available in North America, and the excuse is often the lack of UL approval. The table that Henrik was describing would not, I think, even require UL approval, since it has no electronics...

Kind of an in joke, I guess. Sorry about that.

Poto
 
poto said:
Hey Vijay - Thanks for the tutorial on UL approval. However, I was just being facetious; if you look through quite a few other threads you'll find that some apparently simple products that Festool makes (some have only an outlet) are not available in North America, and the excuse is often the lack of UL approval. The table that Henrik was describing would not, I think, even require UL approval, since it has no electronics...

Kind of an in joke, I guess. Sorry about that.

Poto

Poto,

I think it has some wiring and a switch which would make it subject to UL approval. 

Vijay
 
Doh  ::) I think you're right Vijay. I'll shut up now - I'm clearly not making headway here!  :P
 
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