Need help with Festool OF1400 guide rail and guide stop adapter...

[Michael Dunn]

So I bought the guide rail/stop adapter for my OF1400. It came with now instructions and I cannot find any online.

Can someone help me understand this? I know the rods must be used. Hats a given. I just don't see how these two pieces work together. I've yet to find a close up pic that will help me get a better idea of this.

Any tips?

[Ralph Butts]

Give this a shot Michael: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6jTxYKaRhbY

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have not used these, but....

First, see Page 10

http://www.festoolusa.com/media/pdf/465324_006_OF%201400_USA.pdf

See a color photo

http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/routers/edge-guides-stops-and-circles/guide-stop-492601

It looks to me like the piece with the green dial mounts on the track. The metal part on the green dial looks like it "hooks" into the slot on the other part. I expect that the guide rail is security attached to this outer piece so that as you turn the dial it will move that outer part closer and farther away.

Hope it helps a bit, but there were no replies.

[Erik Christensen]

Michael - I have the 1010 & 2200 which are different from the 1400 you have; but let me make an educated guess based on using those other 2 - part on the right (no adjuster) sits on the rail - part to the left gets reversed and the AL part outboard of the adjuster fits in the matching slot of the first part. guide rods go though both parts to the router. Lock guide rods on router. the knobs on both parts lock/unlock the guide rods. to adjust lateral distance - leave guides rods locked on the adjuster piece & unlock knob on part with no adjuster that is on the rail - rotate the adjuster knob which will move the adjustable piece closer to or farther away from the part locked on the guide rail - because the movable part is locked on the guide rods along with the router it moves in & out along with the movable part

i had the same issue with mine and had to call bob marino and have him point out the obvious as this is one case where the instructions are totally lame - once the light dawns you will look at is and say "well that was easy"

[Jeff Monson]

Michael -let me make an educated guess based on using those other 2 - part on the right (no adjuster) sits on the rail - part to the left gets reversed and the AL part outboard of the adjuster fits in the matching slot of the first part. guide rods go though both parts to the router. Lock guide rods on router. the knobs on both parts lock/unlock the guide rods. to adjust lateral distance - leave guides rods locked on the adjuster piece & unlock knob on part with no adjuster that is on the rail - rotate the adjuster knob which will move the adjustable piece closer to or farther away from the part locked on the guide rail - because the movable part is locked on the guide rods along with the router it moves in & out along with the movable part



Yep, Erik is right, the green thumbwheel is a microadjuster. I have used this setup with my 1400 and rail for routing inlays, it works great.

[Bill Graham]

Try this OF1400 Supplemental Manual (http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/OF1400_manual_usa.pdf) , page 18.

If you have any other Festools Ricks has a lot of info on his site: http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/index.htm , check it out.

Best,
Bill

[Michael Dunn]

Try this OF1400 Supplemental Manual (http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/OF1400_manual_usa.pdf) , page 18.

If you have any other Festools Ricks has a lot of info on his site: http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/index.htm , check it out.

Best,
Bill

Thanx a million!!! That's the ticket right there. It makes perfect sense now. I could figure out where the small plastic T shaped thingy fit. I should've brought out the router. I was only looking at the guide, rail, and the rods.

Makes sense now. Thanx guys!!!

[Tom Ewell]

The little black "T" thingy goes on the side of the router to stabilize the base when using a track (for instance). The knob attaches the thing (handle to you, mounts on the right side). If the router sits on the track, it is elevated by the thickness of the track, you would then adjust the thing downward to support the router to prevent tipping.

[Bill Graham]

Thanx a million!!! That's the ticket right there. It makes perfect sense now. I could figure out where the small plastic T shaped thingy fit. I should've brought out the router. I was only looking at the guide, rail, and the rods.

Makes sense now. Thanx guys!!!

Re the T-thingie: what Tom said. If you want the router to sit on the work and not half on the guide rail you'll need to spend more money(that's a surprise, right?) and purchase the (http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/routers/other-accessories/small-bore-base-492574)Small Bore Base - 492574 (http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/routers/other-accessories/small-bore-base-492574), it elevates the router the depth of the rail. Since it's a small hole, the acclaimed Festool dust collection is now an epic fail, not enough room between the bit and the base to allow the vac to do its job. Typical for Festool, buy one overpriced accessory to overcome a system design fault and introduce another problem in the process.

To clarify, I'm not one of those "anti-Festool, they cost too much" people, I have more than $4K worth of their tools and love about half of them. But their self-acclaimed "system approach" in a lot of cases doesn't come anywhere close to living up to what their advertising budget would like you to believe. Caveat emptor, don't be afraid to take advantage of their 30-day return policy.

My $.02 worth,
Bill

[Michael Dunn]

Re the T-thingie: what Tom said. If you want the router to sit on the work and not half on the guide rail you'll need to spend more money(that's a surprise, right?) and purchase the (http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/routers/other-accessories/small-bore-base-492574)Small Bore Base - 492574 (http://www.festoolusa.com/power-tool-accessories/routers/other-accessories/small-bore-base-492574), it elevates the router the depth of the rail. Since it's a small hole, the acclaimed Festool dust collection is now an epic fail, not enough room between the bit and the base to allow the vac to do its job. Typical for Festool, buy one overpriced accessory to overcome a system design fault and introduce another problem in the process.

To clarify, I'm not one of those "anti-Festool, they cost too much" people, I have more than $4K worth of their tools and love about half of them. But their self-acclaimed "system approach" in a lot of cases doesn't come anywhere close to living up to what their advertising budget would like you to believe. Caveat emptor, don't be afraid to take advantage of their 30-day return policy.

My $.02 worth,
Bill

I'm looking at this exact item number on amazon and it says there's no hole, which is fine. However, there's no mention of, not is there a pic that shows the mounting ring that will fasten it to the OF1400's base. How can I be sure this is the right part? I see it in the Festool link you showed.

[Bill Graham]

Shotgunn,

Pic on Amazon is wrong, part # is right. Search Amazon for "Festool 492574", you'll get two results, same item, different photos. Description on the Amazon offering is confusing but pic is of the Hard Fiber Base Runner 489229 for the OF1010 which Amazon doesn't list but sells for $25.

I think you'll be OK ordering from Amazon, if it isn't right they'll take it back. I posted feedback on the image and product name on Amazon, they're pretty good at updating this stuff when you let them know something's wrong.

HTH,
Bill