Open Source files for milling Festool accessories?

[schneems]

One of my buddies bought a small metal CNC machine for his shop and I would love an excuse to come over and visit. It's either 5 axis or 6 axis. I think the working area is around 5 inches for each side.

I was recently eyeing some parallel guides when I realized the price on the Seneca ones was only for the connectors (didn't include the track) and that I could probably mill my own. Does anyone know if there is a place with some open source fusion360 files of Festool accessories such as a parallel guide system, or maybe a track saw guide square?

 

[WillAdams]

The most likely place I can think of would be Grabcad.com

Thingiverse maybe, if the parts are suited to 3D printing.

 

[simonh]

I don't know of any open source Festool stuff for CNC machining. There's a post on FOG with the dimensions of the Festool MFT rail profile and there's a 3d Fusion model somewhere (I can't remember which site but I came across it via Google). It is useful in designing your own accessories as you can import it as a component into Fusion and then design something around it.

I'm not sure you'll find rail squares and other accessories as even in the simplest looking finished products there's usually hundreds of hours of design time invested in designing and programming the final version. Even if you do find designs the toolpaths and feeds and speeds are usually programmed around the capabilities of the machine used or the fixturing of the part during manufacture. If you enjoy making things it is a fun journey to learn Fusion 360 and CNC programming.

 

[WillAdams]

Someone drew up the extrusion here:
https://gallery.autodesk.com/fusion360/projects/festool-mft-extrusion

(not fully opensource, since uses a closed-source app, but a starting point?)

There are some specialized search engines/listing sites as well.

 

[schneems]

Thanks! I do appreciate the amount of time and effort that goes into design. I have a mechanical engineering degree that took five years to get. I’m happy to design my own stuff, I just don’t want to re-invent the wheel if it’s already been done (or alternatively be able to contribute back instead of working by myself). These are some great ideas. I appreciate the posts.

 

[tallgrass]

I am a Mechanical engineer and have my own machine shop with 5 axis machines. The least of your difficulties will be the "Cad". I would suggest if you are going down the rabbit hole, design parts that are different to the factory parts. That way you can focus on areas that of more use to you. Then iterate away.

Congrats on your degree. I wish mine only took 5 years between undergrad and grad school. Though it is nice to be still doing R&D at the same lab I did my research. Have fun.

 

[schneems]

FWIW I found this parallel guide on thingverse.https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:703165/comments

 

[tallgrass]

Actually printed those up to see how they held up against my Seneca products.

 

[schneems]

Awesome. It also need some connectors. Let me know how it goes. Also, how long are your incra tracks? I’m assuming that I’ll eventually need to end up with a few sizes.

 

[sprior]

I've shared a few 3D printable Festool related designs on Thingiverse.  I design basically everything in Fusion, even woodworking projects I'll build manually.  I have a heavily upgraded X-Carve CNC but so far my tool accessory projects have all been 3D printable.

 

[tallgrass]

I have tons of track lengths. I simply cut them into different lengths so I have the shortest possible excess. Since it is only T track it is not that expensive. I have them in 1 foot increments up to 48 inches. I will say the only thing that I really did not like about the Seneca was the short cut "wings" for narrow cutting.  This is where TSO has it in spades. Adjustable length scales and a better narrow cut guild.