Using "SuperFence" instead of 1000mm MFS Profile

[BC6738F5BCE98B4]

I am slowly, carefully and cautiously proceeding through Jerry Work?s Advanced Cutting and Routing Techniques Using the Festool MFS Fence System. In describing how to use the MFS to accurately position your guide rails he uses a 1000mm Profile against which the rectangle will slide.  The 1000mm Profile (Product No. 492725) is listed at http://www.festoolusa.com/search.html?q=mfs for sale at $265.00 which is a bit steep for my wallet. 

A while ago I purchased Woodpecker?s Supertrack http://www.woodpeck.com/supertrack.html which, while not cheap, is much less expensive.  The Festool F clamps that Mr. Work uses in this section work well with Supertrack. The Supertrack is just a bit higher (it is listed at .700" tall) than the MFS components 

While I have read the remainder of the section and see no problem making this substitution, I would like to know whether anyone knows of a reason not to use Supertrack instead of the 1000 mm Profile. 

 

[johnsonri]

Hi BC6...

I do alot of Festool modifications and was thinking the same thing myself. In fact, I was going to try it, but the fences were all on back order when I went to buy. Definitely, if you do it, let us know how it works out.

I have a few other uses for that track, in addition to trying it as a template.

 

[sw1211]

Woodhaven carries a large selection of track, not sure off-hand how the price compares to Woodpecker.

http://woodhaven.com/category.asp?Id=105

 

[nickao]

Woodpecker and Woodhaven - It's the same track. At least when I purchased each they sure look the same.

 

[johnsonri]

Woodhaven carries a large selection of track...

Steve, thanks for that info. I was not aware that Woodhaven had them as well. For some reason, my mind was set on those tracks being a WoodPecker's exclusive.

Nick, do you have tracks from both places in your shop now? If so, mind sharing how you are using them?

Rey

 

[nickao]

Yes, I have both purchased a while back. I do not know which came from where anymore as they are identical. I am not sure if it is still that way, I assume it is.

I use some for my miter fence, tapering jig, dado jig, 90 table saw sled and for some other misc jigs.

 

[johnsonri]

Thanks for the info Nick. I am confident that I will have some of that track shortly.

 

[BC6738F5BCE98B4]

The small difference in height between the MFS extrusion(s) and the Supertrack is something in the neighborhood of 4 or 5 64ths of an inch.  It is small enough that the insertion of some plastic material which came with my new Metric ruler from Incra forms a nice firm support across the length of the guide fence.  This permits/encourages mounting the guide rail as suggested by Mr. Work.

 

[nickao]

Looks like Woodcraft also has the same super track.

 

[johnsonri]

Looks like Woodcraft also has the same super track.

Thanks for the info Nick. It looks like they have it as a clearance item...a little cheaper than WoodPeckers.

 

[BC6738F5BCE98B4]

Since I like the idea of the MFS so much, I have decided that I can replicate many of its features with ultra/super track from Woodhaven/Woodpeckers on my other worksurface.

As a result of the suggestion to check Woodhaven, I did am delighted at having done so.  Not only have they filled my orders for a piece of 48" piece of their multichannel track but I bought some oval shaped pieces that one screw into to secure whatever with. 

Woodpeckers multichannel track and Woodhaven's multichannel track are not identical.  Both of the tracks are sold as 48" and measure on my digital tape measure as 47 15/16. Given the error factors in the measuring device and rounding issues I am not prepared to say whether they are both a little shy of 48" or not.  When I actually lined them up against each other the Woodhaven track was less than 1 mm shorter than the Woodpecker.

The width of the two tracks is visibly different.  The Woodhaven measures 3" across the wide face  (To double check and determine to some degree the measurement error I used the same device to measure the width across the face in mm which was 77mm.  My conversion of 77mm is 3.03 inches.) The Woodpecker measure was 98 mm or 3.86" 

Finally, I measured the size of the opening through which one puts the bolt.  Some time ago I purchased 7 and 8 mm bolts because they conveniently fall between 4/16" and 5/16" which is where most 1/4" track that I own falls.  Some 5/16" nuts will fit some track and not other.  For the curious 5/16" is calculated to be 8.001 mm  while 8 mm is calculated to be 0.315" 

I measured the opening for the bolt on the Woodpecker multichannel track at 19/64" while I measured the Woodhaven multichannel track at 9/32"
As you can see the difference in opening width is approximately 1/64" which may or may not be important to you. 

Each company sells things to go with their track that the other does not.  Both sell a number of accessories which I look forward to using.

In short, I think it fair to say that the two tracks are different and one may be more suited to a particular application than another.  There are even some situations when I can picture multichannel track from both being used together.

The people at Woodhaven were particularly helpful and gracious in answering too many questions from someone who knows too little about metal products.  The people at Woodpecker were particularly helpful at tracking down a product number of a part which eluded several other people.  I will happily do business with both of them again.

 

[nickao]

I wonder about the Woodcraft super track it must match one or the other.

Like I said all my track is identical and I mix and match it. I do prefer to get the track from Woodhaven though as that is the place I purchased it from first and they have had it for years(so it may have changed) and Woodpecker not nearly as long.

I use both places too, but always wait for the sales as they both are expensive. Woodpecker seems to have many more specials than Woodhaven though.

 

[mwhafner]

I wonder about the Woodcraft super track it must match one or the other.

I can't speak for all, but my local Woodcraft carries the Pinnacle SuperTrack, which is made by Woodpeckers. 

 

[BC6738F5BCE98B4]

I just found another difference between the Woodpecker and Woodhaven fences.  My Festool clamps fit in the track of the Woodpecker multi track whereas they do not fit in the Woodhaven tracks.

 

[suds]

I'm also wading through Jerry Work's article on the MFS.  He also did an article on the MFT and was using two boards to square his work to a known square corner.  I wondered if rather than using wood boards if you could use the Woodpecker Supertrack in place of both the boards?  Using these would allow a square corner to be established on the edges of the table as he did in his article and many other uses described here.

 

[BC6738F5BCE98B4]

Two pieces of the MFS can be securely attached to each other to form a 90 degree angle. They can also be fastened to the MFT with Festool clamps. I have also formed as close to 90 degree angle as I can measure with two pieces of the multi track from woodpecker.  I did this by using the Festool clamps on the bottom side in the same track and choosing holes in the same line.  Same procedure for 2nd piece except I slide it over to touch the first piece (already secured) and then fasten it with the clamps.

I have not yet tried Mr. Lucas' "double square" method for checking squareness, but several squares that I do have were flush against the interior sides.