New Dominos Coming to North America

[Hipplewm]

But you only need to do it once (reposition the oem handle), and you have to use the same tool to replace the oem handle.

Maybe I am lost - how do you tighten the fence, then place the handle back to the up and away position without either using a tool or loosening the fence again?

I'll go out to my shop and take some pictures tomorrow and show you, but in order to go from loose to tight, the arc of my original handle left it down in the corner when the fence was tight - this in turn made it a bugger to loosen and typically I used a screwdriver to "flick" it up and away to loosen.

With the new style screw - you can tighten halfway, resposition the handle, tighten fully and reposition the handle up and to the left to make it extremely easy to grab and reposition to loosen

Not sure how to say this any more plainly - there is a massive difference between the handles and I prefer the handle you can reposition at any time in any direction, so I don't pinch my finger or fumble trying to loosen the original screw - obviously Festool did as well as all the new screws are mounted in a manner where they don't pinch your fingers and a adjustable handle isn't required as the screw can spin freely 360deg

 

[ChuckS]

Start watching from the 0:25 segment:



As Michael said, you only need to adjust the knob once. I've never adjusted mine as the factory setting is perfect.

The new fence has just one real improvement over the old one: the indexing pins. The fuss about the old fence knob and fence's sliding smoothness is really just that: fuss.

 

[Hipplewm]

Start watching from the 0:25 segment:



As Michael said, you only need to adjust the knob once. I've never adjusted mine as the factory setting is perfect.

The new fence really has just one improvement over the old one: the indexing pins. The fuss about the old fence knob and fence's sliding smoothness is really just that: fuss.

Yeah, you absolutely don't understand what I mean - I'll make a video for you tomorrow to help you understand what I am trying to convey

 

[onocoffee]

I adjusted my fence lever a couple months ago finally. Was pretty simple. Have thought about ordering the McMaster part that Sedge showed in a video but haven’t pulled the trigger - maybe because I don’t like the hue of their green.

 

[Michael Kellough]

With the fence knob post tight (although inadequately) loosen the screw that holds the handle on the post, then pull the handle up on the post and reposition about a quarter turn counter clockwise. Then retighten the screw. I did this years ago so don’t remember if you have to pull the handle all the way off the post.

If you are very particular you might want to do it a couple times (treat the screw kindly) to get the perfect position that still allows the fence to slide easily when the knob post is loose yet tightens sufficiently more than before. If you’re super particular and still not satisfied then you’re a good candidate for a new adjustable handle.
Because you’re right, with an adjustable handle it doesn’t matter what position the handle is in when the screw or knob post is tightened etc., you can just re-position the handle.

 

[Cheese]

1. Maybe I am lost - how do you tighten the fence, then place the handle back to the up and away position without either using a tool or loosening the fence again?

2. With the new style screw - you can tighten halfway, resposition the handle, tighten fully and reposition the handle up and to the left to make it extremely easy to grab and reposition to loosen

3. Not sure how to say this any more plainly - there is a massive difference between the handles and I prefer the handle you can reposition at any time in any direction, so I don't pinch my finger or fumble trying to loosen the original screw - obviously Festool did as well as all the new screws are mounted in a manner where they don't pinch your fingers and a adjustable handle isn't required as the screw can spin freely 360deg

1. With the original Festool style handle you don't have that ability.

2. With the newer Kipp style handle you do have that ability.

3. There is a massive difference between the Festool style and the Kipp style handles from a convenience standpoint.

FWIW...the Kipp style handles are manufactured in Germany, at least the ones I added to the MFS were.

 

[ChuckS]

@Cheese
I Googled the Kipp style handle and saw what it is.

In #3, you point out the convenience factor. In the case of the DF500, once the Festool factory lever is properly set (as shown in the Festool video), on what occasion would the added convenience of the Kipp style handle matter or help in the use of the machine?

 

[Cheese]

@Cheese
I Googled the Kipp style handle and saw what it is.

In #3, you point out the convenience factor. In the case of the DF500, once the Festool factory lever is properly set (as shown in the Festool video), on what occasion would the added convenience of the Kipp style handle matter or help in the use of the machine?

I think it's just through natural use Chuck (call it wear & tear ) that the handle "end" position will change slightly and eventually prevent the lever from fully locking down. I know that's the case on my DF 500...over time it gets closer & closer to colliding with the fence or the body of the 500. The last statement reminds me I should readjust the handles on the 500 the next time I use it or I may just install the Kipp handles and be done with it,

 

[Hipplewm]

I think it's just through natural use Chuck (call it wear & tear ) that the handle "end" position will change slightly and eventually prevent the lever from fully locking down. I know that's the case on my DF 500...over time it gets closer & closer to colliding with the fence or the body of the 500.

After a few years this is where i got to and had to constantly adjust as was suggested above, but the "throw" seemed to get longer and longer, so that in order to adjust it to tight it touched the frame on the bottom (or very close) and in order to loosen it was fully up and if i tightened to make it not go to the frame, it would never get loose enough to easily move the fence, if I made it easy to move the fence, it would never fully tighten.

I initially bought the woodpeckers offset base back in 2017?? maybe 2018 - it was a while ago and although it sucked to take on/off when you needed to vertical plunge sometimes, it worked well until I changed the knob, then i sold it for more than I paid as I had one of the original in a systainer.

@ChuckS @Michael Kellough - This video may explain it a bit better - I didn't edit it, so sorry if it is bad quality audio

 

[ChuckS]

This has been my factory setting since Day 1 (for over a decade now), and the fence is locked securely at this lever position.

I suspect (no proof) that the wear and tear Cheese reported was largely due to excessive tightening of the lever, which is plastic, and over time, something had to give. This phenomenon also happens to handplane users who tend to overtighen everything.

 

[Cheese]

I suspect (no proof) that the wear and tear Cheese reported was largely due to excessive tightening of the lever, which is plastic, and over time, something had to give. This phenomenon also happens to handplane users who tend to overtighen everything.

I'll not argue with that assessment Chuck...
I have a tendency to over tighten everything.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I'll not argue with that assessment Chuck...
I have a tendency to over tighten everything.

A small washer might help, unless the plastic is simply being compressed more over time.

 

[ChuckS]

After a few years this is where i got to and had to constantly adjust as was suggested above, but the "throw" seemed to get longer and longer, so that in order to adjust it to tight it touched the frame on the bottom (or very close) and in order to loosen it was fully up and if i tightened to make it not go to the frame, it would never get loose enough to easily move the fence, if I made it easy to move the fence, it would never fully tighten.

I initially bought the woodpeckers offset base back in 2017?? maybe 2018 - it was a while ago and although it sucked to take on/off when you needed to vertical plunge sometimes, it worked well until I changed the knob, then i sold it for more than I paid as I had one of the original in a systainer.

@ChuckS @Michael Kellough - This video may explain it a bit better - I didn't edit it, so sorry if it is bad quality audio

In your case, it seems every time you tighten the lever, you need to turn the handle more than once to reach its grip and then turn the handle back to its top position. That is not much, but compared to my factory lever, I only need to turn it once down to its final position.

I haven't had a chance to try the R model; I have something to return and will definitely play with it when I'm at Lee Valley Tools.

 

[Hipplewm]

In your case, it seems every time you tighten the lever, you need to turn the handle more than once to reach its grip and then turn the handle back to its top position. That is not much, but compared to my factory lever, I only need to turn it once down to its final position.

I haven't had a chance to try the R model; I have something to return and will definitely play with it when I'm at Lee Valley Tools.

Correct, but only because I turn it half the rotation - if I start with it fully engaged at the bottom and swing it up, the fence is free, but then it ends up being at the bottom and although a bit longer than stock it still is a pain to flick up by the dust collection, so I just "ratchet" it once to get it tight, and one more ratchet to put it up and out of the way and easy to ratchet down to unlock

I am also looking forward to the new fence with it on the outside as all of these problems will go away - IF i get a new guide plate, then the old one will have the foot attached and live life as a vertical tool only, because swapping guide plates seems a ton easier than swapping the foot and setting it up again. I can deal with a fair bit of inconvience for $500 though

 

[ChuckS]

Correct, but only because I turn it half the rotation - if I start with it fully engaged at the bottom and swing it up, the fence is free, but then it ends up being at the bottom and although a bit longer than stock it still is a pain to flick up by the dust collection, so I just "ratchet" it once to get it tight, and one more ratchet to put it up and out of the way and easy to ratchet down to unlock

I am also looking forward to the new fence with it on the outside as all of these problems will go away - IF i get a new guide plate, then the old one will have the foot attached and live life as a vertical tool only, because swapping guide plates seems a ton easier than swapping the foot and setting it up again. I can deal with a fair bit of inconvience for $500 though

Someone should suggest to Festool to have a promotional discount offer of the new fence to current owners!

They might sell a fewer DF500Rs, but the loss of revenue might be more than made up by the sale of the fences as parts!