bushwacked Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 https://www.woodpeck.com/hole-boring-jig.html?_bta_tid=06707492695476421803960484218729298581560199532610094562026468283417173916728785575437461278589065994523&_bta_c=0tpu5kxiixuj8yryd66dp5qdawizz seems to be a little pricey for the maybe 3-4 times in a lifetime you would use this thing. Unless you run a shop and really blow through table tops with your tracksaw use. Would it be worth the money if you were doing a ron paulk type of outfeed/work table that should last a long long time? Not sure on actual time savings from it ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Seems like I saved some money by just having a drill press. ;-) The Woodpecker product could add some benefit if you were going to go through a lot of tops. Maybe a group-buy with some other members would make sense? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 If you have more than one MFT to maintain, and you use them all the time, I guess it's a good deal. Otherwise you should take your time and make your own, like gee-dub did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 If you think about what a commercial shop with a CNC would charge to route a 4x8 sheet for a big assembly table and how much they have already dropped on all the green kool-aid I bet they sell quite a few of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 55 minutes ago, gee-dub said: Seems like I saved some money by just having a drill press. ;-) The Woodpecker product could add some benefit if you were going to go through a lot of tops. Maybe a group-buy with some other members would make sense? That system is a great way to go if you're just creating dog holes for a workbench top...but I don't think I'd trust it if you were planning to use the surface like an MFT...i.e. using the holes as reference to make square cuts with a track saw, or for joinery with a router. In that case the top really needs to be CNC'd...not sure I'd even trust the Woodpeck jig...too much potential human error...as auto-pilot as it seems. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 1 minute ago, Eric. said: That system is a great way to go if you're just creating dog holes for a workbench top...but I don't think I'd trust it if you were planning to use the surface like an MFT...i.e. using the holes as reference to make square cuts with a track saw, or for joinery with a router. In that case the top really needs to be CNC'd...not sure I'd even trust the Woodpeck jig...too much potential human error...as auto-pilot as it seems. If you want absolute peace of mind, you should buy the Festool replacement top, I mean why trust the non-Festool CNC either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Just now, Immortan D said: If you want absolute peace of mind, you should buy the Festool replacement top, I mean why trust the non-Festool CNC either. Agreed. Although if you find someone with a legit CNC who knows what they're doing it shouldn't be a problem. But that's a pretty big CNC and I'm fairly certain none of my neighbors have one. But yeah...when it's time to replace my MFT top, I'll be calling Festool. It's one of those things that seems like a ridiculous amount of money for what it is...but by the time you run in circles trying to manufacture your own, you're better off just making a two minute phone call and paying the money. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattF Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 I don’t think the price is that bad, considering what you are getting as a package. For a lifetime tool, that will sit on the shelf most of its life, I would like to see the plate made from MIC6 or 6061 Aluminum. The cost would be higher, but would last. If I needed this for a one time use then I would just make my own jig, albeit I have access to CNC and laser cutter at work. I do not operate the CNC, but the shop manager will let some of us program and run the machine under his supervision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llama Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 38 minutes ago, wdwerker said: If you think about what a commercial shop with a CNC would charge to route a 4x8 sheet for a big assembly table and how much they have already dropped on all the green kool-aid I bet they sell quite a few of them. Shop by me charges $100 an hour or so? And you have to pay the full hour. I think I was told they can cut three 4x8 tops with programming in that hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwacked Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 $100 an hour isnt too bad. Unless they will have to draw it out for their machine and take several hours doing so. I would pay for 1 hour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Just chiming in for those who use an MFT. Dog holes are one thing, a reference grid is something else. Don't try to cheap-out if you are a Festooligan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Perhaps I'm not thinking it through enough (I'm 78) but could one use current MFT top as guide to make holes for new one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 If you need a new one, it's probably because the old one is already destroyed enough to be useless as a template. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 13 minutes ago, Immortan D said: If you need a new one, it's probably because the old one is already destroyed enough to be useless as a template. And I simply can't visualize how you could accurately transfer those holes even if they weren't reamed out. I guess you could go through some time-consuming process with guide bushings and straight bits...but in the end it wouldn't be worth the time and probably wouldn't be dead nuts precise anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 44 minutes ago, Tom Crawford said: Perhaps I'm not thinking it through enough (I'm 78) but could one use current MFT top as guide to make holes for new one? People do this all the time and probably is the most accurate if you are using for a direct replacement of the MFT, unless you want to buy the LR 32 set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 4 minutes ago, Woodenskye said: People do this all the time and probably is the most accurate if you are using for a direct replacement of the MFT, unless you want to buy the LR 32 set. How do they do it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 4 minutes ago, Eric. said: How do they do it? I guess you could use a upper bearing template bit if all the holes are in pristine state and the surface is flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Just now, Immortan D said: I guess you could use a upper bearing template bit if all the holes are in pristine state and the surface is flat. And how do you assure that you're plunging directly into the hole before the bearing engages? Sounds impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Just now, Eric. said: And how do you assure that you're plunging directly into the hole before the bearing engages? Sounds impossible. You start at the center, then route to one side and go all around. Not complicated at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 1 hour ago, Immortan D said: You start at the center, then route to one side and go all around. Not complicated at all. Yeah my moron brain had a 3/4" pattern bit chucked up. LOL Makes sense. I still think there's too much room for error doing it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 6 minutes ago, Eric. said: Yeah my moron brain had a 3/4" pattern bit chucked up. LOL Makes sense. I still think there's too much room for error doing it that way. Maybe, but I don't see any other option. A Forstner bit with a drill guide would damage the other side and you won't be able to flip it over, once you wasted your top, so it's a gigantic waste of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Festool used to sell a 20mm router bit that you could plunge through the old top and it would creat a partial hole on the new top. Then go back and finish the plunge. It is also best to do a complete hole at the 4 corners and then align with dogs to speed up the process. Or you can do as Dave mentioned. The LR32 is by far the fastest way to create your own top, and is the way I would do, if I needed a replacement or wanted to do on a separate bench top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Crawford Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 My MFT is Version 1 - After a few use of the angle guide I saw it was not that accurate, took if off and never used it again. I drew layout lines on the work piece, used the Festool circular saw and guide rail - that was better. Anything needing more precision was done on the table saw. These days the holes in the MFT are used solely for clamping, so precision alignment is not important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 3 minutes ago, Tom Crawford said: My MFT is Version 1 - After a few use of the angle guide I saw it was not that accurate, took if off and never used it again. I drew layout lines on the work piece, used the Festool circular saw and guide rail - that was better. Anything needing more precision was done on the table saw. These days the holes in the MFT are used solely for clamping, so precision alignment is not important. I don't use the head either. I took it off and clamped the fence down directly to the table a la Paul Marcel. I square the track with the big WP triangle and go. I haven't done that many angles yet but I'd just mark lines like you said or use the qwas dogs for common angles. I also found the head to be poorly designed...and too damn bulky. All in all I don't think the MFT is engineered as well as it should be...at Festool standards. It is handy dandy though and I have no thoughts of getting rid of it for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmotjr Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 6 hours ago, bushwacked said: $100 an hour isnt too bad. Unless they will have to draw it out for their machine and take several hours doing so. I would pay for 1 hour Especially if you have mutiple projects that may need cut out, even if a few of those projects aren't for a year or so. Just have all the programming/drawing done ahead of time, and get your full hours worth of 4x8 cutting. And do what we do in our shop, every now and then if some 3/4" ply has the right amount of waste, they'll churn out a bunch of pushsticks for us guys who use the TS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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