Squaring up the MFT rig, and a good square

[farmmachine]

I see on various videos, yours and those on Festool tools by others, that a triangular "square" is used to set the square of the track rail. The brand seems to be Precision Triangle, one is marked 1200, and another in your video is a different PT model.

I can't readily find that brand. Please provide a reference. I am setting up a Festool shop and having a great time and am impressed at every turn with the quality and the "use anticipation" built into the tools and accessories.

Regards, Farmmachine

 

[Julian Tracy]

Those are made by Woodpeckers tools.  Here's a link to their measuring and layout tools page:
http://www.woodpeck.com/measuringhome.html

Julian

 

[mouppe]

I think you are referring to Woodpeckers  tools. Their squares are excellent as are their rulers.

 

[builderbob]

It's a shame that these are one time tools. If love to see something more readily available from woodpeckers. The 18" triangle used to be a stock item IIRC.  Currently the longest stock square is 6" and the 1281 is 12". I'd love to get my hands on the 18" triangle though!

If you're listening Woodpeckers, we're talking!!!

 

[rdesigns]

If it's just a matter of setting up the fence and track on the MFT, you can rely on the squareness of the hole pattern in the top.

Of course. a couple of really reliable squares are a necessity for many other uses.

 

[tiralie]

This Woodpecker 1281is a very good square for the mft setup. Essentially the same square Steve Bace uses in this video at Festool training center
As some one (Sedgley) says in the video, any square that is square will work.
Tim

 

[fp1337]

I have a question about the squareness of the MFT fence accessory. After the initial setup, does it retain square between cuts? Is this something you trust to give you a perfectly accurate 90 degree cut each time, until the time you remove the accessory? I've seen the training video about how to setup the MFT and I found the process to be very convoluted and prone to error.

 

[tiralie]

After the initial setup, does it retain square between cuts?

Yes.

Is this something you trust to give you a perfectly accurate 90 degree cut each time, until the time you remove the accessory?

Once set up, it cuts consistently every time I use it. It is as accurate as the users setup is.

I've seen the training video about how to setup the MFT and I found the process to be very convoluted and prone to error.

Yes, there is a lot of room for error in the process, and they are always user error. This is a very simple mechanism, but it's not simple to set up. Once you learn where the most likely errors occur, the more accurately you can set it up.
As with any tool, you definitely need to get some experience with it, to understand how to set it up and use it.
Tim

 

[sancho57]

get the square cheaper here

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084579/37664/woodpeckers-precision-woodworking-square-12in-x-8in.aspx

they also sell the same square under the brand name pinnacle

 

[skids]

I went with mediocre squares for years..Once I invested in Festool I decided it was time to get a good reference type square...I went with the 1281 and the woodpeckers carpenter square. Best thing I ever did, first and foremost for squaring up all my machines, Kapex, table saw, MFT. I know all of those devices are dialed in the exact same and super accurate to boot.

I have noticed that any work I do now is, well, more square.

You won't regret the money you spend on a woodpecker square. Not to mention it's a tool you hand down to generations.

 

[GarryMartin]

I'd be interested to know what people are using in the UK.

I haven't been able to find a good source of high quality woodworking oriented squares.

 

[oldie]

+1

 

[fastbike]

Pinnacle isn't sold anymore.

get the square cheaper here

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/2084579/37664/woodpeckers-precision-woodworking-square-12in-x-8in.aspx

they also sell the same square under the brand name pinnacle

 

[dicktill]

I see on various videos, yours and those on Festool tools by others, that a triangular "square" is used to set the square of the track rail. The brand seems to be Precision Triangle, one is marked 1200, and another in your video is a different PT model.

I can't readily find that brand. Please provide a reference. I am setting up a Festool shop and having a great time and am impressed at every turn with the quality and the "use anticipation" built into the tools and accessories.

It's a shame that these are one time tools. If love to see something more readily available from woodpeckers. The 18" triangle used to be a stock item IIRC.  Currently the longest stock square is 6" and the 1281 is 12". I'd love to get my hands on the 18" triangle though!

I had the same desire to get a large Woodpeckers' square. I ran across a 12" Pinnacle square at the Woodcraft store in Rochester NY (I bought it but later returned it after the actions below, so it's still available). It was obvious that it had been manufactured by Woodpeckers, except for the name and the black anodizing. I started beating the bushes with MikeJ (I call him "Super Mike") at Woodpeckers, and he eventually found a small number of bevel and carpenters triangles in stock. I bought one 18" bevel triangle and one 12" carpenter triangle. Here's what they have:
    6" Bevel Triangle in Case $39.99 BVLTR6 Quantity in Stock: 7
    18" Bevel Triangle in Case $139.99 BVLTR18 Quantity in Stock: 2 (1 now that I bought 1)
    450mm Bevel Triangle in Case $139.99 BVLTR450MM Quantity in Stock: 1
    Carpenter Triangle, 12" - Red $99.99 SS12 Quantity in Stock: 6 (5 now that I bought 1)
        URL's (but you can't order here): http://www.woodpeck.com/beveltriangles.html   http://www.woodpeck.com/carpentertriangles.html#468

Here's the reply I got from MikeJ to my question if I could post this on this forum: "You may definitely tell others we have some left over stock of these items and they may call the same phone number (1-800-752-0725 M-F 9a-5p EST) and speak with any customer service representative to order. Having the product code easily available would be appreciated. Thank you!" BTW, e-mail is: mailroom@woodpeck.com

Happy hunting, Dick

 

[NuggyBuggy]

How reliable is the squareness of the appropriately oriented rows of holes in the MFT to the extrusions ? Is variability likely too much to be able to use Qwas dogs for this purpose?

 

[builderbob]

I just ordered the 12" square...wanted that for some time now!

Thanks Dick!!!

 

[tiralie]

How reliable is the squareness of the appropriately oriented rows of holes in the MFT to the extrusions ? Is variability likely too much to be able to use Qwas dogs for this purpose?

After the test by the staff at Lee Valley   the rows of holes in the MFT are precise and you can use them with Qwas dogs with high degree of accuracy.
Tim

 

[peter halle]

I have set my MFT/3 fence parallel to the holes using Qwas dogs.  I then put two dogs in a column of holes just to the left of my hinged rail.  Loosened the hinge and the from rail support.  Moved everything so that the rail (not splinter guard side) contacted the dogs.  Moved the feather stops in the extrusions to the new location and tightened.

Works great for me.

Peter

 

[builderbob]

I have set my MFT/3 fence parallel to the holes using Qwas dogs.  I then put two dogs in a column of holes just to the left of my hinged rail.  Loosened the hinge and the from rail support.  Moved everything so that the rail (not splinter guard side) contacted the dogs.  Moved the feather stops in the extrusions to the new location and tightened.

Works great for me.

Peter

Peter, that's an excellent way of squaring up!

 

[GarryMartin]

I have set my MFT/3 fence parallel to the holes using Qwas dogs.

Do you still use the angle stop and clamp to attach the fence once it is squared with the Qwas dogs? And do you square directly to the dogs, or do you use some sort of spacer between the dogs and the fence?