Tim Thai's Tip regarding the Festool MFT

Tim Thai provides the following outstanding tip regarding the Festool MFT:

Jack,

Read your great article on the MFT 1080. Quick tip, to cut short pieces, use the Veritas WonderDog. It fits in the same 3/4" holes and only sits 5/8" above the table. Because most people who buy this table are cutting cabinet pieces using 5/8" or 3/4" stock, this is perfect.

Here is a link to the Veritas WonderDog from Lee Valley:

Lee Valley WonderDog

Hope this helps.

Wayne Tinker's Comments

A few comments regarding the Festool MFT from Wayne H. Tinker:

Jack I have just read with interest your comments about the MFT. I agreed with you 100% until I got to the part about holding short pieces for cross cutting.

Take another look at the geometry of that table. Take a look at the miter fence. Then take a look at those adjustable clamps. for thin stuff, the clamps will not fit under the guide bar. You are absolutely correct on that observation.

Now that you have looked a thousandths time at the table, miter bar fence and the clamps, if you haven't come up with any ideas, start looking in your scrap lumber piles. I am pretty sure you can find a piece or two that are maybe 2 feet long and exactly the same thickness as the short pieces you are trying to clamp. Now put the piece you want to cut right up against the miter fence. Set you locking stop with an extension piece to go under the guide bar. You now have the piece to cut locked in for length. That part, I am sure you have done before.

OK. Now, if you try to run your saw thru at the mark, something will shift and you will have another piece for the scrap heap. So>>>> here is where that 2' piece of scrap come in handy. Line up one edge so it goes under neath the guide bar and up against the piece you want to cut. Set one of those dinky little stops somewhere between the other end of the scrap piece and the miter fence. Maybe you will require another piece of scrap to act as an adjusting wedge. This, in the language of force, resistance and fulcrum which I learned so long ago I have forgotten the words, but never the functions, becomes the force, even though it is motionless. Now, somewhere in between the force piont, and the resistance point (the end up against you precious piece to be cut perfeectly square) you set one of your adjustable clamps. On the far side away from the miter fence. Push the head of the clamp up against that long scrap piece which no has now become the lever and the clamp becomes the fulcrum, even though it is moving. Lock the clamping handle and I defy you to move the little short piece of wood that is now trapped quite securely.

Another point, I guess I did not go along completly 100% is about the locking piece at near end of guide bar slipping down if too much pressure. "Lock it tight" you say. I do agree on that part. As a safety measure, I use another piece of scrap wood set under the guide bar and as close to that guide clamp as possible. Or atleast somewhere between the piece I am cutting and that leveling/clamping device. Once that is in place, it really makes very little difference how tight. The guide bar will not drop unless you want to put enough pressure on the bar that you cave in the table.

Havn't been trying to shoot down anything you have done. I think you are doing a great job and helping a whole lot of us with the time you are spending with your reviews and reports. My overall opinion on that MFT is that its limitations are governed only by one's imagination. Have you tried making use of the T-slots in the side rails. Using them opens up a whole new world on that tool once you find a need. I have never done hand made dovetails. I do have a vice, but decided to try cutting pins & tails by locking boards onto the side of the table. Not quite as solid as doing with a very solid wood bench, but, for the inexperienced like me, it is an adequate adjustment.

Another item. I am very cramped for space and when you have the miter bar set up, there is a whole row of holes which are now going to waste. Great for storing things like screw drivers and small chisels which might be needed for present project. They are out of the way back there, but very accessible.

Oh yes, about those 3" chocks under the legs. That table is exactly the right height for me. I'm 5-6 and shrinking. One of these days I will drill 3" holes in the floor. you are right, that table is designed for everybody. ;-)> I cannot agree more.

Darryn's Comments

A few comments from Darryn regarding the Festool guide rail and angle guide:

Hi there

I read your review on the Festool saw, guide rail and angle guide and would like to pass on my experiences which may help some of your readers.

I have the ATF 55 EB saw and a piece of guide rail and recently bought the adjustable angle guide. I found there was lot of slack in the angle guide mechanism and it was not very repeatable. I would set the guide against a known square angle and then when I moved it to another piece of timber it would be out because of the slop around the pivot pin.

Here's what I did to get rid of the slop..... I added a piece of 4 thou shim stock (a cut up beer can actually) on each side of the metal bar where it slides inside the guide rail. This made the bar a neat fit inside the rail but still able to slide.

To get rid of the slop around the pivot pin which I think was the main problem, I peened around the pivot pin mark with a centre punch to close the hole up.

I now have no slop at all and when I tighten the adjustment nut the guide stays set where it should be. I am still working an a way to make an accurate index mark for the 90 degree cuts but are also saving for a multi function table And finally I believe the finish I am getting off the saw is not very far off the quality I was getting when I used a friends sliding table panel saw with a scoring blade. The bonus is that I can use this set up in my garage and pack it all away when I have finished!

Jerry Golick's Comments

I moved Jerry's comments to a separate web page: