You may not have
seen me use the Festool MultiFunction Table recently, but it has been up and
used quite often. It is a very handy table for using the Festool Plunge Saw
and the Festool Routers, but the holes in the table allow for it to be used
for many clamping jobs.
I am now at work on developing some cabinet making projects using
the Festool system, and I want to install a large router in the MFT.
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The router I have in mind is the
large PorterCable which has been mounted in the Jessem Mast-R-Lift in their
router table. I think it would serve my use very well mounted in the Festool
MFT. Andrea is helping me with the install.
I will use this router set-up for making rail and stile door frames
and raised panel doors. I have made such doors using the Festool Router
manually. It worked well, but I think this setup is also a good alternative
and a more traditional way.
Andrea is finding a spot on the table that the insert plate can be
installed without coming close to any of the table's 3/4" holes. We
have a mounting template left over from an old project.
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She measures the thickness of the
base so that she can set the router for that depth. The arrow points to the
leveling tabs. To use them, you either have to pull the insert out like it
is now and adjust, or drill holes in the table ledge so that an Allen wrench
can go through the table and into the screws in this plate. I am not sure
which we will do at this point. The latter is very useful, the former is
easier and once we have this plate installed and leveled, it shouldn't need
any further attention.
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The arrow marks the width of the ledge.
Andrea is holding a mortising bit with a pattern bearing. It is the same
diameter as the radius of the corners so it will give her a good fit.
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This is the brand new Festool
OF2000 router that I have been waiting for ever since its mention months
ago. It is their first router with a 1/2" collet. It has variable speed,
soft start, sealed bearing, smooth plunge — and many more things. I wanted
to have a full review of it before this story but, to tell the truth, Beth,
Andrea and I have been too busy using it. I would have considered mounting
it under the table, but I have need for it as a manual router — for now at
least.
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Andrea is installing a plastic dust pickup
which fits snuggly in the base of the router. It will be interesting to see
how well it works — particularly when routing this MDF material which can
produce such nasty dust.
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Andrea is drilling a 1" hole to serve as
a starting hole for the 3/4" mortising bit.
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In order to get a shallow cut and have
the bearing touch the guide, she has raised the guide up using scraps of
1/2" MDF and has clamped it in this position.
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You can see how the vacuum attaches to
the dust collector Andrea installed. You can also see that after completing
the cut in two passes the amount of dust is minimal. Mortises usually get
blocked up with dust and require stopping in between passes to manually
clear the mortise — not here. The dust pick up on its "maiden
voyage" performed very well.
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Now Andrea has switched the vacuum hose
to the Festool Trion Jigsaw and cuts out the inner section using the 3/4"
wide mortise as a guide. This will leave a 3/4" ledge which may have to be
cut down a bit to install the plate, but this will give her a starting
point.
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Andrea lowers the plate into place. Some
additional trimming was required on the front and back ledges to allow the
lift mechanism to work, but all in all, this was an easy install. Next we
will make some simple fences and then use this setup to make some raised
panel doors. The table's 3/4" holes will be useful for fence hold downs,
feather boards and the like. I wonder if I can use them also as a part of a
more efficient dust control system.
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