OF1010 vs OF1400

I thankfully / sadly don’t have any bits, so the lack of 1/2” for the OF1010 isn’t a deal breaker for me. I appreciate that the 8mm is going to be a lot more stable of a bit, albeit harder to find.

Appreciate all the feedback. Went and picked up an OF1010 and accessory kit today. Excited to put it to use, have a few projects I’m going to throw at it and see how it does.
Good choice. With the right bits, it can do a lot of things. You're not going to be able to make crown molding, but there aren't many people doing that with a router anyway.
Most of the jobs, that really need 1/2" shanks, are probably better done on a table anyway. Not to say they are useless, I have a lot of them, and full-sized routers, but that really was before I had a router that could use 8mm (or even the bits at all)
I much prefer the mid-sized OF1010, for a large percentage of jobs.
Woodpeckers and Lee Valley are going to be your most likely sources, at least for now. Shaper Origin can use 8mm bits too, so as the volume/demand increases, there will be more choice.
 
Yep, just 1/2" and 1/4" for OZ.
I thought so.....you guys are as mixed measurement as the UK. ;)
Metrimperial (hey, I coined a new word) LOL

I suppose we are Impertric? A whole lot of products come in Metric sizes, but the average person is totally averse to the idea.
 
You don't get all 3 with the OF1400? Strangely enough, we do here in the US, even though 8mm are not common at all.
No, just 8 and 12. Why increase the price to put in a collet nobody uses?

You do get the 6mm with the MFK700 though, right? and one with the OF1010? They do interchange too, so if you only have one, it would work in either.
No, only the 8mm.

Festool itself only sells 8mm and 12mm bits, so why would they add to their machine prices (and diminish market share) to open the door for competitor's bits? For people with exotic imperial bits there is always the collet as spare part.
 
If you are early to woodworking, I would suggest the OF1010.

It will do most tasks.
At one point, you are going to buy a 1/2" router. Maybe for a router table. But that is for another day.
 
No, just 8 and 12. Why increase the price to put in a collet nobody uses?


No, only the 8mm.

Festool itself only sells 8mm and 12mm bits, so why would they add to their machine prices (and diminish market share) to open the door for competitor's bits? For people with exotic imperial bits there is always the collet as spare part.
That's my point exactly. They supply the 8mm with the 1400, in NA. A size that very few people use. If the argument is to be made that it invites 3rd party bits, cutting into their sales, why do they restrict those very sales? Only a very small portion of their entire line is available here. The ones that are mostly go with the MFK700, either for edge band trimming or the oddly proportioned straight bits for the horizontal bases. I would assume that the edgebanding bits are available to encourage sales of the Conturo? It wouldn't make sense to offer an edgebander, with no way to trim the excess.
Is the American market, as a percentage, small enough to supply a "throw away" collet? Then leave it out in your market? That doesn't make sense either.
Okay, they don't make 1/2" bits. They certainly supply collets for them in NA, UK, and OZ......1/4" too.

It happens with the OF1010 too. They supply the 8mm, of course, since that is the bit size they make. However, the 1/4" comes with it too. Same situation, there are more 8mm shank bits. (that we still can't get from them)
They have to be fully aware that Americans are going to use the 1/4.

As far as the door mortise, there is not an 8mm bit capable of that? I realize that door locks are very different around the world. By your comments, I would guess that yours are more like the UK than ours?
The typical lock in a residential door can be installed with a kit, available in any home center, that consists of a couple of hole saws, or one hole saw and a spade (paddle) bit. Yes, just a cordless drill, a screwdriver, and a chisel. The chisel is for a very shallow mortise, around the flange. Some don't even have that. Those are mostly interior doors though.
 
I’m sure this will change but I can’t see myself running a big profile that would require a 1/2” shank by hand. It seems like an exercise way better suited to a table than handheld. I’ve been able to find just about everything I want in an 8mm shank. One thing that really pushed me to the OF1010 was the precision (reduced weight and play in bushings) and how that plays into cutting accurate dovetails with a jig. The Leigh actually even comes with an 8mm bit.
 
Only a very small portion of their entire line is available here.
Yeah that is strange.


The typical lock in a residential door can be installed with a kit, available in any home center, that consists of a couple of hole saws, or one hole saw and a spade (paddle) bit. Yes, just a cordless drill, a screwdriver, and a chisel. The chisel is for a very shallow mortise, around the flange.
Chiseling is for amateurs. We have router templates for it but doors are also sold with the mortises already on the default height.
Usually the router bits don't go deep enough and the remainder is done with a spade bit. In 12mm shank there are bits that go a lot deeper. E.g. I have a 18mm bit with 12mm shank, 60mm cutting edge and 110mm total length.
 
Yeah that is strange.



Chiseling is for amateurs. We have router templates for it but doors are also sold with the mortises already on the default height.
Usually the router bits don't go deep enough and the remainder is done with a spade bit. In 12mm shank there are bits that go a lot deeper. E.g. I have a 18mm bit with 12mm shank, 60mm cutting edge and 110mm total length.
Oh, I didn't say I would do it that way, just that it can be done with a very minimal number of tools.

We can get them pre-drilled too, but they usually aren't mortised on the edge. There are too many different shapes. Some have square corners, others have varying radii.
You can just as easily get them as a bare slab too, no holes or cuts of any kind.
 
Some have square corners
Yeah that has always struck me as insanely ridiculous. But nowadays there is wide availability of hinges and locks with rounded corners so there is no chiseling after routing. It leaves a lot of beavers without a job
 
Yeah that has always struck me as insanely ridiculous. But nowadays there is wide availability of hinges and locks with rounded corners so there is no chiseling after routing. It leaves a lot of beavers without a job
Around here, the square corners are more high-end. The fancy stainless steel ball-bearing units that they use on solid-core doors, are like that. They are thicker too. (Commercial offices, etc)

The thing I don't get is the difference in radius. Some are pretty tight, like they are intended for a 3/8" or 1/2" router bit. Then others are big, like they were intended for a 1" Forstner bit to cut the corners? Though you can get jigs for whatever you need. Of course, pros don't waste time like that.
 
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I’m sure this will change but I can’t see myself running a big profile that would require a 1/2” shank by hand. It seems like an exercise way better suited to a table than handheld. I’ve been able to find just about everything I want in an 8mm shank. One thing that really pushed me to the OF1010 was the precision (reduced weight and play in bushings) and how that plays into cutting accurate dovetails with a jig. The Leigh actually even comes with an 8mm bit.
I run a 3-5/8” panel raising bit in the 2200 hand held when I’m making raised panel wainscoting in the field. With the 2200 it feels no different than turning a 1/4” bit in the 700. The 3-5/8 bit I run at ~10,000 RPM, the 1/4” at ~22,000 RPM.

I also own every stolid surface bit Festool sold. I use them hand held in one of the 2200’s also. No way you’re pushing a counter top like this one through a router table.

Tom
 

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Around here, the square corners are more high-end. The fancy stainless steel ball-bearing units that they use on solid-core doors, are like that. They are thicker too. (Commercial offices, etc)

The thing I don't get is the difference in radius. Some are pretty tight, like they are intended for a 3/8" or 1/2" router bit. Then others are big, like they were intended for a 1" Forstner bit to cut the corners? Though you can get jigs for whatever you need. Of course, pros don't waste time like that.
Square, 1/4” radius (1/2” bit) and 5/8” (1-1/4” bit) radius are the most common corners.

Tom
 
Curious for those who know: the ID dimensions on the bushings, are those actual or nominal? That is to say will the 27mm bushing (24mm ID) fit a 24mm bit?
 
Curious for those who know: the ID dimensions on the bushings, are those actual or nominal? That is to say will the 27mm bushing (24mm ID) fit a 24mm bit?
I seriously doubt it, not worth the risk anyway, especially with steel bushings.
Years ago, I had a set-up, in a trim router, that had a 1/4" bit and a 3/8" brass bushing. It was hardly ideal, but I was trying to keep the off-set to a minimum. The bit could flex enough to touch occasionally, which eventually wore it thin enough to crack. I re-made the jig, with more off-set and went up to a 7/16 bushing.
It's far easier to calculate/compensate in metric.
In your case, I would get a 30mm bushing, and your off-set is 3mm. 30mm is common, which helps.
 
I run a 3-5/8” panel raising bit in the 2200 hand held when I’m making raised panel wainscoting in the field. With the 2200 it feels no different than turning a 1/4” bit in the 700. The 3-5/8 bit I run at ~10,000 RPM, the 1/4” at ~22,000 RPM.

I also own every stolid surface bit Festool sold. I use them hand held in one of the 2200’s also. No way you’re pushing a counter top like this one through a router table.

Tom
I think that’s far more wood than I’ll be working on for the foreseeable future. Impressive it’s able to handle a bit that large though.

I seriously doubt it, not worth the risk anyway, especially with steel bushings.
Years ago, I had a set-up, in a trim router, that had a 1/4" bit and a 3/8" brass bushing. It was hardly ideal, but I was trying to keep the off-set to a minimum. The bit could flex enough to touch occasionally, which eventually wore it thin enough to crack. I re-made the jig, with more off-set and went up to a 7/16 bushing.
It's far easier to calculate/compensate in metric.
In your case, I would get a 30mm bushing, and your off-set is 3mm. 30mm is common, which helps.
I had actually been hoping to use a 1/2” bit with a 5/8” bushing for a 1/8” offset. The 5/8” bushing has a 1/2” ID though which means I can’t get a 1/8”. In the end, I’ll likely just get a Leigh 704R adapter or the Festool 469625 to use with a PC style bushing.
 
I run a 3-5/8” panel raising bit in the 2200 hand held when I’m making raised panel wainscoting in the field. With the 2200 it feels no different than turning a 1/4” bit in the 700. The 3-5/8 bit I run at ~10,000 RPM, the 1/4” at ~22,000 RPM.
Same! First time I used my massive CMT panel bit I was fearing the worst at the start, but I couldn't believe just how smooth and balanced the OF2200 was with such an aggressive cutter that large!
 
I think that’s far more wood than I’ll be working on for the foreseeable future. Impressive it’s able to handle a bit that large though.


I had actually been hoping to use a 1/2” bit with a 5/8” bushing for a 1/8” offset. The 5/8” bushing has a 1/2” ID though which means I can’t get a 1/8”. In the end, I’ll likely just get a Leigh 704R adapter or the Festool 469625 to use with a PC style bushing.
A 1/2" bit in a 5/8" bushing is only 1/16" off-set, that's not going to work either.

I always used one of the big 3.25HP Porter-Cable routers, for heavy cuts in solid surface. It is a monster of a fixed-base machine. Monster as in ridiculously heavy. That translates into pretty stable, but I wouldn't say it was all that smooth.
I'm not so sure I would run an OF2200 on it though? That stuff is nasty. The chips/crumbs are abrasive and static electricity makes then stick to everything.
I would hope that the OF has such superior dust extraction, that it would minimize that, but I treat my tools rather gently.
That dust gummed up the lift mechanism of more than one Triton router, hanging under the table.
 
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