Festool my journey and where I am today

[reible]

I have just received word that my order for UJK Dog Rail Clips have shipped from axminster.co.uk.

This is my first adventure ordering from them. It has not been without a few hiccups but it seems that is behind us now.

These are a few pictures off their website:

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Now it just the wait as they cross the Atlantic.

Ed

[Sazerac81]

Might have to pick up a few of those rail dogs for myself! Very cool idea. I am slowly growing my festool collection. Amazing stuff at premium prices, but a lot of guys who do production work and depend on woodworking, cabinet building or a lot of interior work swear by the system once they start using them. They tend to save time on setup, organization and cleanup, so in the end, they more than make up the price of the tools in time saved and more jobs performed with happier customers. The festool line excels in dust control/extraction. Almost every one of their tools is designed with dust extraction and performance in mind.

I like them because they just perform and dust extraction is topnotch so there is just less stuff floating in the air and less dust that clogs up bits, saws, sanding pad, etc.

I currently have the MFT-3 table, the PRO 5 LTD sander, festool 700 domino joiner, ls 130 eq linear sander and a bunch of the systainers for organization purposes. I use a makita saw on both makita rails and the festool rails.

I am looking to purchase the dust extractor and Rotex 150 model of sanders. Lot's of money.

Anyways, Festool is great and they have the greatest market penetration for the higher end german tools being imported here. Mafell is apparently the very top end and from report online and also a few people I have chatted with over the last couple of years who have been lucky enough to use both product lines for a good period of time, the Mafell products are in a league of their own.

The tru trak seems like a really great system, but lacks dust extraction. I have taken care of a couple of folks over the years who have done irreparable damage to their lungs due to chronic dust inhalation.

Cheers,
John

[rpd]

I've already started my 2018 shopping list for festool and like tools. One of the things that I would like and might well make it unto the final list is the UJK Parf Guide System.

For those who do not know what this is see this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DMtIiyfRXk

With this it is a bit of work but still with in reason and it gives you so many options while making a table top size of your choice. A lot cheaper then buying a cnc machine of the size needed.

Ed

The Parf Guide system is also available from Lee Valley http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.a ... at=1,41637

[BuckeyeDennis]

I've already started my 2018 shopping list for festool and like tools. One of the things that I would like and might well make it unto the final list is the UJK Parf Guide System.

For those who do not know what this is see this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DMtIiyfRXk

With this it is a bit of work but still with in reason and it gives you so many options while making a table top size of your choice. A lot cheaper then buying a cnc machine of the size needed.

Ed

That is a very clever way to achieve an accurate grid with just a few simple/inexpensive pieces. But as you noted, also rather labor-intensive for the end user. So why not just use an existing MFT top as a 20 mm forstner-bit drill guide instead? Even an old chewed-up one should work fine for that purpose. And if they are as precise as claimed, a couple of the Parf dogs themselves should work well for extending the pattern to larger tabletops.

These 20 mm hinge boring bits look like an interesting alternative to a Fostner bit. The relief angle on the sides appears smaller, so they might pick up the MFT holes a bit more accurately.

[reible]

I think the last time I looked a new top was just under $150 so with the cost of the better mdf and the time and the tools doing just one or two would not make since. But if you wanted a custom job then it might be worth it. No money for it this year so I have more time to think on it.

I have a bushing and brad point bit for 20mm holes which I'm hoping to make a small clamping station with this summer. I don't need it to be accurate on a 96mm grid for clamping.

Lee Valley sells them.

IMG_3859sc.jpg (209.67 KiB) Viewed 17171 times

In case anyone is interested.

Ed

I've already started my 2018 shopping list for festool and like tools. One of the things that I would like and might well make it unto the final list is the UJK Parf Guide System.

For those who do not know what this is see this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DMtIiyfRXk

With this it is a bit of work but still with in reason and it gives you so many options while making a table top size of your choice. A lot cheaper then buying a cnc machine of the size needed.

Ed

That is a very clever way to achieve an accurate grid with just a few simple/inexpensive pieces. But as you noted, also rather labor-intensive for the end user. So why not just use an existing MFT top as a 20 mm forstner-bit drill guide instead? Even an old chewed-up one should work fine for that purpose. And if they are as precise as claimed, a couple of the Parf dogs themselves should work well for extending the pattern to larger tabletops.

These 20 mm hinge boring bits look like an interesting alternative to a Fostner bit. The relief angle on the sides appears smaller, so they might pick up the MFT holes a bit more accurately.

[Sazerac81]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A ... UTF8&psc=1

I have used this one to create 20 mm holes in table depths up to 1.5". I would not recommend this route for depths greater than 3/4" due to time needed to plow through the material due to burning if dust not cleared regularly (I don't have a festool router and my router does not have a dust collection attachment accessory).

For 3/4" material, it plows through quickly. It ate through 3/4" ply smoothly.

If I were to go deeper than 3/4" material again, I'd choose a router spiral upcut bit so it can quickly clear shavings/dust upward while routing.

Cheers,
John

[reible]

Just a quick update on the UJK Dog Rail Clips. When we got home today March 22 we found the box sitting waiting for us. As soon as I saw the customs sticker I knew what was inside.

The shipped out of GB on the 14th so just over a week to get here. Not bad.

Ed

[putttn]

I too got caught in the "Green" virus and have enjoyed the precision and ease of some of their tools. However, I am finding that my TS55 hardly ever gets used because of all the set up to make a simple cut. I have a Sawstop PCS and find that between that and the Bandsaw there is no need to pull out the TS55 and go through all the set up and worry about square this to that and support the cut with another board under the rail. What a pain compered to just sliding the Incra TS-LS to the desired setting and making the cut. I also have the Kapex and it gets used often also. I also find that getting my plywood sheets cut down makes it easier to transport and I have no trouble cutting them on the Sawstop.

[reible]

I find I like doing most of my plywood projects with the ts55. That with my centipede for long cuts then mft for the shorter. Not sure what setups you are doing and why they seem to take extra time. Lots of YouTube videos to check out what others are doing.

Ed

[putttn]

Since I'm thinking of selling my TS55 I did a comparison a couple of wks ago and found that when you count the time it takes to pull the saw out of the sustainer, hook up the vacuum then hook up the cords then get the rail down then make sure you have the rail lined up correctly then make sure you have a supporting board the same thickness under the rail for support then set the plunge and then make the cut. I've had my setup for 8 yrs and it always amounts to that scenario each and every time. Then you buy the Qwas dog or Parff Dogs then you buy the right angle setup from Qwas to try and make it faster and then I timed the same function using on my SawStop and then the Kapex. Literally a fraction of the time and effort. I used plywood sheets also short cross cuts and rips. I guess if a vast majority of my cuts was plywood I could see the benefit but in my case it is not that useful. I'm 73 and luckily can still handle plywood sheets with the help of the Gorilla Gripper.