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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