Festool MFT

Been lurking for awhile and have learned greatly from everyone. Anyway, I just got the mft/saw/router/ and vacuum and can't be more impressed with the build quality. But as I was tinkering with the table setup, I had an idea and would like opinions. The miter fence is nice, but I don't really like the stops. I also don't like to have to reposition the fence all over the table. I was thinking of routing the table to accept t-track and miter gauge so it runs parrallel to the guide rail. Is the table thick enough to allow this and does it seem like a decent idea? Thanks, Ben

Welcome Ben!! I'm sure a festool user wil be along directly to help you out.

Ben,

Welcome.

I suggest you check out the Festool Owners Group (at yahoo groups). There has been many discussions on the subject of the MFT fence. Digging through the archives should give many answers to your questions. A popular solution is a large square sold by Enco. There is also recent discussions of a fence for another fence that can be used.

As for the t-track, most must be mounted too deep to be put into a top that is only one ~3/4" thickness of MDF. Lee Valley makes some low profile stuff that would work. You use a special router bit to make a t-groove that the track slides into. So, in theory, it would actually make the table stronger. The only downside is it uses special toilet bolts instead of standard bolt heads.

Congrats on the new tools. Good stuff.

Jay

Ben - I think the MDF top on the MFT is thick enough to allow you to rout for T-track. You might want to add some support to the underside of the table to insure the integrity of the top where it is routed. Obviously you must limit the depth of the router cut so that the bottom of the T-track stays above the extruded side rails.

However, I'm not suggesting you do this to your MFT. I have had the MFT for over a year, and find VERY few occasions to move the fence for angled cuts. Maybe its me, but I still like to use the table saw or miter saw for those cuts.

The suggestion to visit the Festool Owners Group at Yahoo is a good one. There are lots of users there, and you can get several different points of view.

Hi, Ben. I've been tossing that T-track idea for about a year now, but haven't committed. To me, the way to do it would be to use a standard t-track that could accept my Incra 1000SE miter gauge. That would require cutting the MFT top in two and building some some support under the t-track, and I run hot and cold about how to make the support and how much it will interfere with the use of the holes near the t-track.

I second the advice of Jay and Dave about subscribing to the Festool Owners' Group on groups.yahoo.com. Right now there's a discussion about a new fence accessory that allows the fence to be relocated more or less as if it were mounted on a t-track inset into the table top. It's called the LA650, and while details aren't fully known, it looks like the U.S. distributor of Festool tools will be importing a small number of them. More info at the Festool Owners' Group.

You might also find it useful to read Jerry Work's excellent MFT article available for download at the Festool web site:

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/...tion_table.pdf

You'll also find a little more info on shop-made MFT accessories in the "files" section of the Festool Owners' Group.

By the way, the miter stops on the MFT fence are just approximations, and the manual advises users to measure the angle with a separate instrument when accuracy is important.

Thanks for all the replies. I think if I were to do it, I would probably stop right before the plunge took place. The table looks too good now. Maybe after a few saw kerfs I'll feel differently. Also, I joined the festool owners group, but my email got flooded with posts. Is there something I can do about it? Again, many thanks

I joined over there quite a while ago. Kept getting a gillion emails a day, and finally had to unscribe.

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Originally Posted by Ben Sedwick

Thanks for all the replies. I think if I were to do it, I would probably stop right before the plunge took place. The table looks too good now. Maybe after a few saw kerfs I'll feel differently. Also, I joined the festool owners group, but my email got flooded with posts. Is there something I can do about it? Again, many thanks

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I think you can change your settings--I don't get any emails and just check posts from time to time.

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Originally Posted by Ben Sedwick

...I joined the festool owners group, but my email got flooded with posts. Is there something I can do about it? Again, many thanks

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Ben and Steve - There is a setting at Yahoo groups to turn off the emails or to receive a "Digest", which is a compilation of one day of posts. Click on "Edit Membership" at the very top of the Yahoo page and select the option you want under "Message Delivery". I have emails off except for Special Notices.