Festool MFK 700 laminate trimmer + CT 26 vac

[wdwerker]

So I ran the trimmer all day with the horizontal baseplate and I am quite impressed. Slender motor profile is easy to hold. Knob on the baseplate is placed for effort free control. I tried to tip the bit into the edge on some test pieces and it is possible but not easy. Depth adjustments are very easy and 1/256 th of an inch change is actually possible. Once I got the cut set the way I wanted it stayed put for 6 straight hours of trimming. The wide footprint of the baseplate helps with accurate trimming of narrow ends. 120 edges on 30 panels x 2 ends each = 240 5/8" wide ends to cut and never nicked or scratched the laminate!

Is this a tool for everyone's shop? Maybe not, but if you have a large quantity of very exacting trimming to do it clearly does an excellent job.

It does have some limitations . The overhang on the laminate is about 1/4" or less max. Otherwise you have to shave it down freehand and risk ruining a strip. Once we resized the laminate things went much faster. It will only handle a 5/8" long cutting edge when using the horizontal baseplate but I think I can work around that.

The CT 26 vac manages to collect over 80 percent of the chips and almost all the big ones. Only tiny stuff manages to escape. Runs pretty quiet. With the Festool vac and trimmer running I could hear my Fein vac when it started up 6 ft away.

So I guess today was a pretty good test run. Trimmer kit, bits and a vac are going to be about $1200. But I do this for a living , 1 big job will pay for it easily.

[wdwerker]

Another 8 hours running the trimmer today! Needed to get the hose up out of my way for a big batch of smaller parts. Saw the $375 hose boom arm in the catalog and had an idea.

Latch 3 systainers on top of the CT26, nail 2 1x4s to make a corner post add a 1x4 arm to hang the hose from. Strap the post to the systainers with a couple of strap clamps , hang the hose from a bungie cord with a strip of Velcro cord wrap. 15, 20 minutes tops and I was back to work. Only drawback was when I needed to change bits, yep tools and bits were in the bottom systainer .

Probably figure out a better long term solution but it will get me through this big order.

[Trip]

FWW -- a couple of issues back -- had a shop-made boom-arm for the vac -- maybe worth a look...

[Vic]

Yes, that one was Dyami's. you can also find it at his blog: http://penultimatewoodshop.blogspot.com

[wdwerker]

Thanks, I googled it and saw the wall mounted version. Going to build something out of 1/2 or 5/8 Baltic and a piano hinge that will be removeable and a bit adjustable, height and arm length . Velcro and bungie cords seems to work well to hang the hose. Fastcap sells a roll of Velcro for tying up extension cords . You can cut to the length you need, this works great to tie the power cord to the hose.

[wdwerker]

Another long day using the new trimmer. I put a no-file laminate bit without its bearing in the router and used the horizontal base with a bearing guide. Trimmed 4 corners on 60 panels in about 45 minutes. I figured it would take 5 or 6 hours to file the corners by hand . Repetitive work but fast accurate cuts = profits.

[PaulMarcel]

It definitely has a more limited scope of use vs a different router, but what it does, it does very well.  I love the fine adjustment and dust collection.

 

You mentioned that the bit capacity of the horizontal base is an issue.  I found that, too, as I like to use it for typically 1/2" - 3/4" hardwood edging.  The bit capacity as shipped isn't that big.  I blogged about how I modified the 0º base to extend the capacity.  I use a bearing guided 8mm downspiral bit on it for the hardwood edging and it is fantastic.  I use the bearing-guided bit mostly so raising and lowering the unit onto the project doesn't risk a dig.  Article on expanding the MFK-700 horizontal base capacity is here.  If you click on the "MFK-700" label, there's another article on a quickly-made mod to run the vertical base on the guide rail using the guide stops for the OF-1400.  The article describes making a nicer skate for it, but I actually did the work with just a 5mm Domino double-stick taped to it.  

[Trip]

==> I blogged about how I modified the 0º base to extend the capacity.  I use a bearing guided 8mm downspiral bit on it for the hardwood edging and it is fantastic.  I use the bearing-guided bit mostly so raising and lowering the unit onto the project doesn't risk a dig.  Article on expanding the MFK-700 horizontal base capacity is here.

 

I was tempted to to the same, but didn't have the b*lls to take a hacksaw to the FT's base -- I ended-up purchasing their bits instead.  I've always wanted to use a downcut spiral on the MFK, actually, i'm surprised FT doesn't carry one.  You're mod allows much thicker edging and that's a good thing...  

 

Thanks.

[wdwerker]

I read the blog about the modification and I will get a 0 degree base and modify it the next time I have a stack of shelves to edge and trim/sand.

Thanks Paul!