OF1400 Router Enhancement

[nickao]

Seth I will have to dig it out. I am re-working the shop and everything is in about 100 boxes and I am slowly putting back everything back in its place one piece at a time.

I do know I have it, but my brother is saying he is not positive it was made by Festool, I thought it was. It snaps into  the existing base and just adds thickness. As soon as I come across it I will post it. Its not in the router systainer, of course that would be to easy.

nickao

 

[Forrest Anderson]

Festool sells a secondary base plate just like the one Daviddubya made.. It snaps in the existing base, so you can just buy that one if they still carry it.

Do you happen to have the part number for that? I can only see the "Hard fiber base runner with reduced centering bore size, LA-OF 1400, Order No 492574":

..and the "Table widener OF 1400. Comes with black chip catcher Order No 493233":

What I find particularly interesting is that after David posted his idea on the Sawmill Creek thread back in Oct 2006, Bob Marino said "I sent the link to the CEO of Festool last night, who liked it so much and is forwarding the suggestion to Festool Germany".

18 months later, and one of the accessories for the new OF 2200 router is the Guide Rail Base (part of the Guide Rail Adapter Set, which is itself part of the Base Accessory Kit). The supplementary Guide Rail Base clips on to the bottom of the router and has a 5mm thick "step" to compensate for the height of the guide rail.

That, in addition to the availability of imperial template guides (is this the first time that a Festool power tool has been "Imperialised"?), indicates to me that Festool does indeed listen to its customers and implement their ideas.

Forrest

PS. I've just noticed that Seth and Nickao have been discussing this whilst I was busy writing the above!

 

[Daviddubya]

Festool sells a secondary base plate just like the one Daviddubya made.. It snaps in the existing base, so you can just buy that one if they still carry it.

nickao

I have one of the Festool base plates.  It is not quite as thick as the one I made, and the router does not sit perfectly flat on the work surface with the Festool base.  You could make up the difference with a shim between the router base and the secondary base.

 

[semenza]

Festool sells a secondary base plate just like the one Daviddubya made.. It snaps in the existing base, so you can just buy that one if they still carry it.

nickao

I have one of the Festool base plates.  It is not quite as thick as the one I made, and the router does not sit perfectly flat on the work surface with the Festool base.  You could make up the difference with a shim between the router base and the secondary base.

Hi,

  David is it 492 574?  If not do you have  pic?

Seth

 

[nickao]

Yes guys, I believe the one on the top is what I have. Sounds like someone is due some residuals for the idea!

nickao

 

[Daviddubya]

Hi,
David is it 492 574?  If not do you have  pic?
Seth

Yes, I have 492 574.  There was a thread a while back about this same topic.  The Festool secondary base for the OF1400 is 3 mm thick.  The base I made is 5 mm thick.  Here's the earlier thread:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=1900.msg19420#msg19420

 

[petiegolfer]

A bit of a faff but cant you run the inside on the guide you are following and the outside on a second guide running parrallel to the first?

Piers

 

[Daviddubya]

A bit of a faff but cant you run the inside on the guide you are following and the outside on a second guide running parrallel to the first?

Piers

Yep - there are several ways to skin this cat.  I prefer the secondary base because it provides excellent stability for the router and requires no additional setup.  And I know the router is always flat on the work surface.  Running the router with the base partially on the guide rail and using the outrigger foot also works well in many situations.

 

[semenza]

A bit of a faff but cant you run the inside on the guide you are following and the outside on a second guide running parrallel to the first?

Piers

Hi,

  Oh, no, no.  That would be far too simple. Guess I will try that next time   Thanks.

Seth

 

[Charles Wilson]

As I am a novice, I would like to know if the secondary plat was difficult to make?  Any hints or directions that you could pass along?

Chuck

 

[Jesse Cloud]

As I am a novice, I would like to know if the secondary plat was difficult to make?  Any hints or directions that you could pass along?

Chuck

Hi Chuck,
Its easy to make a secondary plate.  First prepare the material: a piece of hardboard, maybe a foot square and two similar sized pieces of Formica or whatever laminate you have.  Sandwich the hardboard between the two sheets of formica with contact cement.  After it has dried, place your regular plate on top and trace the outline of the plate.  Also mark the holes where the plate screws onto the base.

Cut out the shape of the plate using a bandsaw or a jigsaw, staying just outside the lines.  Now you will need a 'flush trim' router bit.  This is a straight bit with a bearing on the bottom (or top).  Use doublestick tape to attach the original plate to your trimmed new one.  Run the flush trim bit bearing against the original bit and the router will cut an exact copy of the original plate onto the new one. 

Now drill and countersink screwholes in the new plate.  Buy some 4mm x 12mm screws and attach the new plate.  The first time you use it, you will cut open the center hole with whatever router bit you use, or if you want, you could repeat the trimming process for the inner hole.

By the way, the flush trim bit is also great for making zero clearance inserts for your table saw.

Hope this helps.

 

[Daviddubya]

I used the standard base plate as a template to make the secondary base.  I cut the outline within 1/8" with a jig saw.  I taped the rough base to the standard base, and used a template bit in a router to cut it to the same profile as the standard base.  It took less than an hour to make several secondary bases for myself and some Festool friends.  It probably took as long to laminate the hardboard as it did to cut and rout the finished bases.  If you can find some material that is .2" (5 mm) thick, you can make the bases without laminating.  Or buy the Festool snap-in base (492 574) and use some 2mm shim material to get the right thickness.  Or try cutting your dados with the router resting on the guide rail and the outrigger foot in place.

ps - It seems that Jesse and I were typing our answers at the same time.  Smile.

 

[DutchClutch]

Am I missing something here?  Why not just use the rail and router setup as intended?  Run the router 1/2 on the rail with the foot attached.  The result is no stability problems whatsoever and no need to add a secondary plate.

 

[Fred West]

DutchClutch, I think some people just like cutting their dado's off rail. I am with you and have had no issues whatsoever with running it on the rail but certaily can understand the comfort level in using it the other way. Fred

 

[semenza]

Am I missing something here?  Why not just use the rail and router setup as intended?  Run the router 1/2 on the rail with the foot attached.  The result is no stability problems whatsoever and no need to add a secondary plate.

Hi welcome to the forum

        I  have been using the foot and rail as would be the normal set up for this for a couple of years.  I recently started having the foot slip when I plunge. I think a lock washer would solve that. But I plan to make a base for another reason. Often my set up will have the router starting either right at the edge of the piece or with the bit center completely off the piece. In these situations half or less of the little foot is also off the piece and can lead to a somewhat tricky or tippy (front to back not side to side) start. A larger surface would help a lot with this.

Seth

 

[DutchClutch]

Sorry I reread my post and it sounded more than a tad bit condescending.  I am always in search of better ways to use my tools, I will in the future try to add value rather than sound like a jerk.

 

[Ned]

Sorry I reread my post and it sounded more than a tad bit condescending.  I am always in search of better ways to use my tools, I will in the future try to add value rather than sound like a jerk.

Welcome to the forum, DutchClutch.  I for one read your first post without thinking at all of the word "jerk".  You'll just have to try harder if that's the way you want us to think of you. 

Ned

 

[nickao]

Sorry I reread my post and it sounded more than a tad bit condescending.  I am always in search of better ways to use my tools, I will in the future try to add value rather than sound like a jerk.

Dutch I am constantly rewording my posts after I read  them. I find sometimes no matter how hard I try my point is missed and something I said as a side note is challenged. Everyone on this forum has been nice to me even the people I disagree with on certain things.

Now that guy Fred you have to watch out for.

Nickao

 

[joez71]

Thanks for the tip Dave, just picked up my first festool product the of 1400.....

Will keep this for future reference...

joez71

 

[KCW]

I don't see why we, the customers should HAVE to solve a problem as obvious as this.

There is no problem, I believe.  The outrigger foot, which I believe comes with the router, works just fine.  Ingenuity being what it is, DavidDubbya came up with a more deluxe approach.  Seems to happen every day on this forum.  Tools work better with clever jigs and adaptations.  Take Jerry's embelishment on the new MFK 700, which allows it to ride the MFT rail.  (Can't wait to get my hands on that sucker).  Didn't remove a defect or solve a problem, just enhanced the utility through thoughtful ingenuity. 

Most of us enhance most of the tools we use in similar fashion.

My OF1400 didn't come with the "outrigger foot".  I bought the router over a year ago and didn't know enough to even question it's absence.  I just assumed it was like most other Festool accessories.....you have to pay extra for it.  Should this extra have been included?