mft3

[matsukaze]

Hi guys. Considering buying the eq1400 and mft3.
What are the limitations of the mft3 in regards to accurate repeatability  of successive Dado cuts perpendicular to the board length?  Specifically, square to edge, exact distance  from one cut on one part to the next using flag stop.
I make solid wood carcass furniture where all partitionset are dadoed and tenon ed into mating walls and parts.  Currently I have to prepare assemble the carcass and use ply spacers for guides to route the interior dados. Very symmetrical, very exacting,  a bit slow. Also having to assemble and disassemble carcass couple,few times is undesirable.
Hoping the mft3 with eq1400 will speed things up without losing accuracy.
I have a couple other questions but hope to start here.
All thoughts on this much appreciated.

 

[peter halle]

First, welcome to the FOG!

It can be extremely accurate once you set up your MFT to cross cut or cross route square.

Where you are going to have to pay attention in my mind will be how the length of the rear fence and the flagship(s) relate to the length of the wood you are working on.  For instance if you have remeasured dados that don't fall into an even increment then doing all the dados on a 6' bookcase using multiple flag stops that flip down might mean that there won't be enough fence length.  I know that you wrote equal increments so it can be done.  In fact, if you are working with sheet goods that double the depth plus an 1/8" will fit on the table, then you can save time by routing it whole and then splitting in two sides.

I hope that this makes sense.

Peter

 

[matsukaze]

Hi good morning, thanks peter.
Yes the fence seemed to have some limitations concerning length. I don't have a mft to look at in person, or know anyone locally that has one. Though a lumber store here on Hawaii did recently start selling some festool so will check them out. With having seen one, I think I would need a DYI thru fence with a t track for a flip stop. So can have material right or left of the fence.
Still not knowing how it all looks or works, but from the net it seems you could move the guide rail so the cut would be toward the center of the table?

Is there much slop in the guide rail? I saw some aftermarket bushing  for the far indentation.
How wobbly is the table? I also saw OEM stabilizers, kind of a drag that the table would need an accessory that you have to puchase that fixes a design flaw.

Might you know by chance is the 1400 router in the metric version will accept imperial collets? Seems a silly question, but you never know....

Any luck anyone with using vac adaptors for shopvac to  Fez tool or is the Fez vac a must have.  Unsure if I will buy other tools, I heard you need to use Festool pattern paper with the sander, not available locally, too inconvienient  for me to order. Has anyone made an after market standard 8 hole pattern replacement pad for festool sanders?

 

[Corwin]

...
Might you know by chance is the 1400 router in the metric version will accept imperial collets? ...

Both imperial and metric versions of the OF1400 router come with 1/4", 8mm and 1/2" collets. The difference between the imperial and metric versions is in the depth of cut scale.

On Edit: This is the case for the North American market place. Apparently, other markets can may be different.

 

[matsukaze]

In use is the material being routed stay put on the table only with the guide rail  anti-skid pads?
Is it common practice to use clamps or such to secure the work piece?

 

[Corwin]

In use is the material being routed stay put on the table only with the guide rail  anti-skid pads?
Is it common practice to use clamps or such to secure the work piece?

When routing, I think you should always clamp the workpiece to the table. When sawing, however, you can usually get by without clamping, relying on the anti-slip pads on the underside of the Guide Rail to keep the work from shifting.