Jerry Work's manual on the Festool Multi-Function Table

[Frank Pellow]

The (52 page) manual is now available at the Festool USA WEB site. Here is a link: http://www.festoolusa.com/whats_new_details.aspx?docid=291

Jerry, I just finished skimming through the manual and it looks great! I look forward to reading it in more detail in the next few days.

Thanks so much for writing this Jerry. You are certainly helping Festool to get established in North America. I hope that they realize just what a great asset you are to them.

[Mark Singer]

Wow! Frank that is very informative....I will save it.

[Jason Tuinstra]

I agree with Mark. "Wow" is right. This might have just pushed me over the edge. I've resisted for far too long. Can't... resist... any.... longer... I'm being... sucked... in...... :p :D Thanks for the link Frank.

[Frank Pellow]

Mark and Jason, since you like Jerry's manual about the mult-function table, you will, no doubt, also like the manual he wrote about the Festool VS6000 jointing system (at: http://www.festoolusa.com/whats_new_details.aspx?docid=275). I don't have that system but I found Jerry's description so good that I am seriously considering purchasing it.

[John Renzetti]

Great job on the manual, Jerry. I just downloaded and read it. I had been wondering about how useful the table might be for me and your manual really answered the questions, especially about using two of them. I guess Bob Marino will be getting some more of my money in the near future.
take care,
John
PS. Frank many thanks for the notice and posting the link.

[Frank Pellow]

Great job on the manual, Jerry. I just downloaded and read it. I had been wondering about how useful the table might be for me and your manual really answered the questions, especially about using two of them. I guess Bob Marino will be getting some more of my money in the near future.
take care,
John
PS. Frank many thanks for the notice and posting the link.
I know what you mean about wanting more than one MFT after having seen the way tha Jerry uses these tables.

For those of you who have not looked at the manual becuase you are not interested in Festool and/or a multi-function table, please don't let these things stop you. Jerry does such great work and writes and illustrates so well, that the manual can be enjoyed on its own.

[Chris Padilla]

Wow, fabulous read! Shoot, where's Uncle Bob when you need to order up 3 more MFTs!! ;)

(haha, j/k Bob...although I may be calling ya...I know where ya is!)

[Jason Tuinstra]

Yep, it's official. Frank, this post cost me a ton of money! On the plus side, I'll soon be a card carrying member of the FESTOOL club. I'm counting the days... Seriouly, thanks for all the help and helpful links.

[Frank Pellow]

Yep, it's official. Frank, this post cost me a ton of money! On the plus side, I'll soon be a card carrying member of the FESTOOL club. I'm counting the days... Seriouly, thanks for all the help and helpful links.
So what did you order Jason? Or, is that a secret until you get it?

[Jason Tuinstra]

No secret at all. I got:

Dust Extractor CT 22 E
ETS 150/5 Sander
Multifunction table MFT 1080
Circular Saw ATF 55 E

I got some extra bags, sanding disks, clamps, etc as well, but that's about it for today. I'm really looking forward to giving the saw a test run.

[Frank Pellow]

No secret at all. I got:

Dust Extractor CT 22 E
ETS 150/5 Sander
Multifunction table MFT 1080
Circular Saw ATF 55 E

I got some extra bags, sanding disks, clamps, etc as well, but that's about it for today. I'm really looking forward to giving the saw a test run.
Boy you are really hooked now! By the way, I have all four of those and use then A LOT.

[Ed Blough]

I read over Jerry's manual and it is excellent but one thing bothers me. While I know the manual is on the MFT, Jerry sort of breezed over the cutting of the male dovetails. If I understand his terminlogy correctly the male dovetails would have to been cut on the edge of the boards. And the only way I can think of doing it is with two passes. However they must be precise enough to fit snuggly in the female grooves Jerry cut.

I wonder how he cut these using the MFT and how does he insure the proper width for a snug fit? Any secrets about the MFT that allow this to be done easily? Any thoughts anyone?
Thanks

[Bob Marino]

I read over Jerry's manual and it is excellent but one thing bothers me. While I know the manual is on the MFT, Jerry sort of breezed over the cutting of the male dovetails. If I understand his terminlogy correctly the male dovetails would have to been cut on the edge of the boards. And the only way I can think of doing it is with two passes. However they must be precise enough to fit snuggly in the female grooves Jerry cut.

I wonder how he cut these using the MFT and how does he insure the proper width for a snug fit? Any secrets about the MFT that allow this to be done easily? Any thoughts anyone?
Thanks
Ed,

This may be of some help. It's from Jerry's post on the Festool Owner's Group.

Bob
I'm glad you found the manual helpful. For sliding dovetails I like to
use dovetail cutters with around a 15 degree angle and the largest
diameter that will still leave about 3mm or more either side of the
points on the female slot. So, if you are using a sliding dovetail
joint to join a rail and a stile that are both 20mm thick a 14mm cutter
would be my choice. If a 20mm thick piece of wood is being held 23mm
or more away from one edge of the piece with the female slot I would
use a 20mm cutter. That would be my choice for holding the sides of a
cabinet to the top with a 30mm overhang for example. If you need to
work right at the edge so the top and sides are flush with one another
then the cutter would have to be 14mm or less. Know that such an edge
cut can be weak as there is less than 3mm between the point on the
female slot and the outside edge of the work piece so be careful as you
assemble. If you use glue, once the glue is set then the joint will be
quite strong. As the cutter diameter gets smaller make the female
slot shallower and either slow down the feed rate or cut a saw kerf
before cutting the female slot to avoid breaking the cutter when making
the female cut.

The Festool numbers for the dovetail cutters with 8mm shanks (my
favorite) and carbide tips are 490990 for a 14.3mm diameter with a 15
degree angle and 490996 for a 20mm diameter with a 15 degree angle.

I hold the work piece which will receive the female slot down on the
surface of the MFT with the Festool clamps. I usually cut the male
portion of the dovetail in a router table but a horizontal router works
even better. I am working on a jig to hold the Festool router
horizontally on the MFT but want to make sure I have covered all the
safety aspects before publishing that one.

Jerry
Jerry Work

[John Stevens]

Any thoughts anyone?

I recently refined a fixture that allows me to cut mortises, tenons and male and female parts of sliding dovetails with a Festool router and guide rail. The fixture works only on end and edge grain, but if you want to cut a mortise (normal or dovetail) in face grain, you can keep the same bit and depth setting and move the router over to the MFT to do the job there.

I've been taking pics for the last week, and should be ready to post pics and text after this weekend. I guarantee it will not be as impressive as Jerry Work's MFT manual, but I hope it will contain enough info for others to make similar fixtures if they like what they see. (Those who use other router-and-guide combos may be able to modify this fixture to work for them.)

FWIW, I think it's usually not cost-effective to make jigs and tools, but this one's so simple it seems like it was worth it.

[Jay Knoll]

John

I'll speak for everyone and say that we look forward to seeing your approach!

Jay