Refreshing a Guiderail Splinterguard and Dimple Marking Technique

A bit of a quickie video. I'm working on Angle Madness again and needing to cut the panels for the tapered octagonal drawer boxes. For that, I really need the splinterguard on the MFT to be dead accurate. It always has been, for years, until I needed to quickly cut something on the MFT during the Tim Burton Table build while I had the Panther blade in the TS-75. Unlike the TS-55 blades that all have the same kerf width, TS-75 blades sometimes differ.  Now, my splinterguard is about 0.5mm off.

The first part of the video, though, covers something I often do anyway with the saw: dimple marking (my own silly term :)  With the saw on the rail, it's easy to use the ATB blade to mark exactly where the cut will be. Great for verifying and occasional adjustments. For 12 panels, I want the splinterguard accurate...

Second half of the video shows how to bump the splinterguard over so you can recut it accurately. Seems easy enough, but it comes up on forums all the time. Usually people are trying to peel it off and reuse the aged adhesive. I'll show you a better way that works quickly and has no peel-off problems.

After posting this, some people asked about the turners' tape mentioned in the video. It is essentially a double-stick tape. A good one is this one from Lee Valley.  The one I used in the video is from InterTapePolymer.com, but I can't find the woodworking store that sells it now.

I used a different brand that I have handy. Many woodworking catalogs will call this type of double stick tape "turners' tape" since, I guess, turners use it (I don't turn yet!)

Review of Qwas Speed Dogs

I had a chance to use a new product called Qwas Speed Dogs from Steve Adams, the maker of Qwas dogs.  You already know I like Qwas dogs and Qwas rail dogs for use on my MFT table as they allow accurate placement of stock relative to other parts of the table thanks to the CNCed top.  Speed Dogs are a different animal (snicker...): they act like quick hold downs.

I've had them for awhile now, but didn't have a chance to do a review earlier.  These are definitely a hit.  In the video, I'll show you how they are used in a number of scenarios so you can decide for yourself if they solve a need you have in your work flow.  For me, they definitely do and they'll definitely get used in other places, too, like my Moxon vice bench you've seen before (video forthcoming on this modification).  Takes it to 11.

Quilted Maple Picture Frame - Cutting and Gluing Miters and HVLP

The third and last installment for this picture frame I made my best friend.  (Here are links to part one and part deux.)  I'm really liking the color compliment of the frame to the painting and while the lighting was tough for filming the close-ups (needed daylight!) the curl in the maple is really well highlighted.

I talk a little about a Fuji Super 4 HVLP sprayer I purchased from a fellow forum member (thanks, Corwin!).  In a nutshell, it was a joy to use.  I also used the MFT table with Qwas dogs to cut the miters and have some hints on how to eliminate blow-out as that would be horrible on these pre-colored and partially finished pieces.  Lastly, a discussion of the Miter Stitch from Bridge City Toolworks.  It should be noted that the Miter Stitch is no longer available from Bridge City, but they do occasionally come up on eBay.  That said, though, creative types could make their own; you won't be disappointed with their utility.

Roll it...

Festool MFT System Review

One of the last reviews I'll post here is of the Festool MFT system.  I say system because the benefits of the table and its attributes carries over across the various models so while my review is of the MFT-1080, you can get the same benefits from the MFT/3.

This is a playlist video broken up into 3 parts.  Part 1 talks about the table in general including the important facets.  Part 2 talks about my modifications to the table (all of which were documented here; check the MFT label); it shows you how to use Qwas dogs to quickly calibrate your table with exceptional precision.  Part 3 talks about using the table top mostly without the attached guide-rail relying uniquely on the Qwas dogs and Qwas rail dogs.  If you are looking at possibly going without a table saw (by choice or requirement), you should give this video a look as these ideas can be used to replicate most repetitive cuts you'd do on the table saw.

I just mentioned that you can set this table square repeatedly with great precision; you can also set a number of common rise-run angles with equal repeatability and precision.  Here's a link to the thread on the FOG about this video in case you want to read the feedback.  Here, specifically, is a link to a reply about a CNC shop in Hollywood that uses these dogs on massive "MFT" tables.  While I loved the Qwas system that I describe in these videos, those guys really take it to the limits.

Calibrate your MFT fence scale with a Qwas dog

Qwas dogs rock.  Some of my other blog postings show uses for calibrating the position and square of the main MFT fence.  Qwas himself (some call him Steve) has some YouTube videos to show them being used for squared cuts in the field of the MFT, etc.

Awhile ago, I ordered a Starrett adhesive tape (metric/imperial) from Lee-Valley and put it on my MFT fence.  Naturally, this needs to be easily calibrated to the cut line. What I did is this:

Put a Qwas dog in a hole 100-150mm away from the cut line (you want something reasonably long to register against).

Put a stick of MDF against the dog; cut with the already squared guide rail.

Measure it; since I use a metric/imperial tape on the fence, I measured it in millimeters since I could easily eyeball down to a third of a millimeter.  Write it down on the block.

Now that the alignment block is ready, calibrating the fence is trivial: drop the flag stop and put it on the measurement of the block (142mm in my case), push the MDF against the dog and the fence... slide the fence over until the flag stop abuts the MDF.  Now go build a walnut keeper box with handcut dovetails to store this precious alignment tool.