QF-1400

C

Canucker

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Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
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I took delivery of a QF-1400 router today.. The reason for the purchase is a project which requires a bunch of rabbet's, which need to be cut with a router and a rabbet bit..

I dread this task as I know it will be a huge mess. So I watched the video on the QF-1400 and the dust collection looked impressive..

The router showed up today.. Its a very nice machine.. smooth as silk, the ratchet chuck is brilliant..

I use a Fein Turbo vaccum. It works well and has auto on - off, so no problem. The Vaccum sits in a corner, behind the router table.. So I use the same cord for the Domino that I use for the sander.. I leave the cord and just change tools..

That is the reason for this post..

The cord for the Domino or ETS-150 doesnt fit the router.. ???  This seems like a blunder???

The dust port on the router is huge compared to the domino.. so the hose wont connect.. ???

And finally, the hole in the dust catcher is so small that the rabbet bit wont pass through the hole.. ???  This is not a big router bit.. I have big router bits ..

So I am faced with having to dig out the vaccum to change cords.. and cant use the dust collection for this project..  Which causes me to ask why I dont just use my Porter Cable router ??

I feel like Festool missed something here.. It would have been so easy to make this a seemless transition from Domino to Router..  The dust port is clear plastic.. limiting the router to small bits only seems poorly planned.. 

I think this one should go back.. it will be the first time I returned anything..  Its dissapointing becasue I really wanted it to work.

 
To answer your points in order (at least as applies to my OF1400)

The 1400 cord WILL fit the Domino and ETS 150 (just not the other way around)

The festool dust control hose fits INSIDE the clear dust collector on the 1400 not sure about the Fein one (don't own one) - but it may be worth changing hoses or getting/making some kind of adapter because several of the festools use the same size connector (The TS55 does it this way).

The hole in the dust collector is small so it catches the dust, any larger and it would be no better than other brands at dust control - unfortunately the tradoff is you have to fit the bit first, then slide the little door on the dust shroud to slide it past the shaft, lock it into place and close the little slide door closed again

Don't give up on the 1400 too soon, it really is a sweet little router.

Hope this helps

Steve

 
Hey, thanks for the reply..

The cord thing.. I can live with that..  I could just use the heavy cord all the time and stash the other cords... forever..  I will keep my opinon on the cords to myself, others may love that system..

I looked at the little sliding door.. The process you described to me works .. but I will never do it..  I can totally see myself running a big bit right through the chute.  I bought this for a specific project with a load of rabbets that I cant do on my shaper and would love to have had Festool quality dust collection...  The solution is to tear the door off, the sliding mechanism takes up enough space that the rabbet bit would make it through..  I would have to glue the door back on too maintain some level of dust control.. 

But then, I have a busted dust chute.. 

I think I will just do the job with the Porter Cable.. I am dissapointed but figure that in a year or two, this will be sorted out and I will get a Festool router when it is..  I can shop vac myself for another year or two until the right setup is invented, and I am sure Festool will be the ones to invent it.

Having said that.. If anyone ever needs a router for just smaller bits.. this is the nicest router I have ever tried..  Its like a swiss watch that spins bits.. 

 
I think that litle dust collector is about $14.00, (in other words it may be the only item in the catalog that's pretty cheap)

You might consider buying an extra one and tossing the little door (or keeping it as a spare in case you forget the bit is larger that the hole when releasing the plunge - guess how I know the above facts).

My point is you could buy an extra dust shroud (or take the door off the existing shroud) they can be removed without damage (ie don't hit it with a fat router bit to remove it) - The dust control works pretty well without the door (I know from the times I've forgotten to close it).

The only reason I'm trying to come up with alternatives is I believe you already like the router - now how happy are you going to be going back to a PC after that smooth 1400?

Steve
 
Canucker said:
The cord for the Domino or ETS-150 doesnt fit the router.. ???  This seems like a blunder???

The dust port on the router is huge compared to the domino.. so the hose wont connect.. ???
Click to expand...
here is the OF1400 with the hose connected
[attachthumb=1]

Canucker said:
And finally, the hole in the dust catcher is so small that the rabbet bit wont pass through the hole.. ???  This is not a big router bit.. I have big router bits ..
Click to expand...
that depends on the bit. here is a 30mm bit that has no problem.
[attachthumb=2]
 
I must admit its a great tool.  In the back of my mind, this is such a goofy problem, they have to fix it..

I just hate having the model before they did it right.. lol..  I was not aware of this when I bought it, so it came as a disappointment.

I have to think about it. I have 4 other routers... not that 5 routers is unreasonable... lol..  

 
I believe the OF1400 will likely be updated at some point, many of us would like to see some of the features of the 2200. That said I don't know when we can expect to see any changes, could be next year but I don't thinks so. Most people seem to really like the 1400 even with its few short comings. I personally don't see the dust collection shroud as a poor design. The small opening is trade off that allows the 1400 to have the outstanding dust collection. Once I got used to working with the 1400 this became a non-issue.

Now for the bad news, even with a Festool router the dust collection while making rabbet cuts is pretty poor. The dust flies right out of the open end of the cut (the part of the rabbet that's already cut).
 
I've found that the dust collection attachment made for use with the dovetail jig works better than anything else with rabbeting bits.  Also, a $30 festool hose will take care of the DC hookup problems.  I use a Fein vac, but with a Festool hose.  The Festool hose actually attaches easier to some of my other brand stuff as well.

Jay
 
Wow, you can get a $30 Festool hose? Over here even the smallest non-AntiStatic hose cost 70 euros. The smallest AS hose goes for 109.  :o
 
Alex said:
Wow, you can get a $30 Festool hose? Over here even the smallest non-AntiStatic hose cost 70 euros. The smallest AS hose goes for 109.  :o
Click to expand...

You're right, it's more like twice that now.  Glad I bought mine a few years ago.  No sense getting a AS hose for a non-Festool vac.
 
JayStPeter said:
...  No sense getting a AS hose for a non-Festool vac.
Click to expand...
If that other vac already came with a AS hose, I can't see why it wouldn't make sense. (Just as much as getting it for a festool vac)

(I got a non AS 36mm hose for use with my kapex, (the festool rep recommended getting the non AS version, he said the AS hose was way overpriced) I recently found out when using my OF1400 that the AS feature can sometimes be beneficial)

I got a 27mm AS hose for our hitachi vac, (the one that came with it was too short) and my spit vac takes the festool hoses too.
 
I picked up an 11'6" Festool hose for the Fein Vaccum.. That solved the hose problem. Up in Canada. $120.00 ish..  :o

I can tell you that the bright green Festool hose attached to a bright orange Fein Vac, is really ugly.. Talk about clash..

I can still use the hose with the Domino and Sander, so it made sense to get the right hose..
 
Canucker said:
I picked up an 11'6" Festool hose for the Fein Vaccum.. That solved the hose problem. Up in Canada. $120.00 ish..  :o

I can tell you that the bright green Festool hose attached to a bright orange Fein Vac, is really ugly.. Talk about clash..

I can still use the hose with the Domino and Sander, so it made sense to get the right hose..
Click to expand...

The green hoses are the anti-static hoses.  The non-anti-static hoses are significantly less expensive.  Plus, they are gray and look better on the Fein  :D.  My Fein vac doesn't support anti-static hoses anyway, so not worth the money.  Not sure about the newer models.
 
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