New MFT--Setup instructions seem really inadequate

[Stan Tillinghast]

I got my MFT 1080 today; the setup of it took longer than I expected.
As I read the instructions, the guide rail is put into place against the stop on the rear rail. The fence is then put on the table and squared against the guide rail.

However, the way I put it together the guide rail was not square at all.

I took the stops off the outside rails, moved the guide rail over to the end of the table, loosened the allen bolts holding the guide rail to the hinge, set the guide rail on the table and aligned the rail with the end of the table top. Then I loosened the guide rail hinge on the side rail, slid the hinge away from the end, and put the stops back on the side rails. Now the guide rail is square, and the fence required no adjustment to make it square to the guide rail.

Has anyone else experienced the same problems with the setup of the MFT?

 

[bassman00]

I agree that the instructions that come with the MFT leave much to be desired.  However, Jerry Work's guide is excellent.  I used that to setup my MFT.

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/Getting_the_most_from_the_MFT_multifunction_table.pdf

PaulD

 

[ejantny]

With Festool a picture is worth a thousand words as far as the manuals are concerned.

Make sure the front and rear stops are in the correct position. The instructions give the specs, I believe one is 8 inches and the other 7.25 from the end. These have to be exact. Mine came and they were no where what they were supposed to be.

Jerry Works manual is a must read.

 

[Bob MN]

This will be of help to me also. I plan on purchasing the TS55/MFT 1080 package next week.

Maybe I should apply for a job at Festool. I'm a Technical Writer and it sounds like they could use my help  ;D

 

[Michael Kellough]

Did you slide the guide rail support brackets on from the far end of the frame or the close end? They should be slid on from the far end.

 

[bassman00]

Great catch.  Took me a while before I caught that I was initially doing it from the close side.

 

[Corwin]

There is no requirement that the table be setup as illustrated, but this 'standard' arrangement does work well and serves as the place to start...

If for some reason the factory installed stops are no longer in their correct position, you can easily establish a position for the stops as follows:

1,  Install the Guide Rail onto the hinged mounting bracket and slide bracket into the T slot of the rear profile.  Slide the front bracket into the front profile.

2,  Remove stops, if needed, to position the Guide Rail so the cutting edge is aligned with the right edge of the perforated table top.  Now tighten the thumb screws on the front and rear brackets.

3,  Now install the stops into the front and rear profiles from the left side and tighten them in position against the guide rail brackets.

4,  All that is left to do is to remove the guide rail and reinsert from the left.

This 'standard' setup will place the cut line half way between the second and third column of holes (from the right), with the meat of the guide rail to the left.  This same setup can be used to place additional stops in the other profiles for use with the 1400 rails mounted in the long direction.

One additional point about the setup;  If you install and remove the guide rail often, you may wish to add a step:

5,  You can elect to again remove the stops and, leaving the mounting brackets in place, reinstall the stops against the left side of the brackets.  Now you can remove and install the rail the shorter distance -- on and off from the right side.  

Oh, and the reason the stops are mounted at different distances from the edge (about an 1-1/8" different) is that the brackets are offset from the guide rail and the base of the brackets are the same -- not left and right.

Anyway, hope this is of some help.

Corwin