Festool MFS Fence System Instruction Manual page 4

but measurement errors can again creep
in.
Rips, especially thin rip cuts, are another
matter all together. Most users find it dif-
ficult to accurately set up the guide rail for
rip cuts as they again must rely on meas-
ured marks on two edges of the work
piece. Then they must align the front
edge of the guide rail to those marks.
MFS profiles used as "story
sticks" to accurately position
Festool guide rails
Doing so for one rip cut usually works
okay so long as the work piece is wide
enough to provide good purchase for the
guide rail. If the intent is to produce mul-
tiple rip cuts of exactly the same width, as
in making rail and stile components,
things get a bit more difficult, especially
for first time users.
Also, if the intent is to produce multiple
thin strips, say 10mm (3/8") or less in
width, that is also difficult for most to do
accurately. If the work piece is set under
the guide rail for good purchase then the
work piece has to be moved out each
time by the sum of the intended work
piece width plus the actual saw kerf
width. It is certainly possible to set up
stops or fences to do that, but the proc-
ess is not very fast and can be frustrating
for some.
4
We will see shortly how we can use the
Festool MFS fence components to make
very precisely dimensioned thin or wide
rip cuts limited only by the length of the
guide rail in use and the ability to support
the work piece across its length. One
example we will use will be making rail
and stile components to a very close tol-
erance and cutting haunched tenons on
the ends of the rails all using just the Fes-
tool guide rails and MFS fence compo-
nents. In another example we will rip
multiple 5mm wide strips to use as inlay
material, again just using Festool guide
rails and MFS guides.
We will also show how to use the com-
ponents of the MFS fence system as
measured "story sticks" to aid setting
guide rails on large sheet goods very
precisely as is shown in this photo.
Then we will turn our attention to the
use of the MFS fence system for guiding
a Festool router for doing everything
from open field inlay work to delicate
string inlays, to complex pattern and tem-
plate routing to produce multiple com-
plexly shaped parts quickly and easily.
Once we tackle all of these uses for the
MFS fence system, I think you will reach
the same conclusion I did that the Festool
MFS is a simple looking tool which can
radically improve the accuracy of all your
guided rail cutting and routing operations
thereby helping you make a quantum
leap in your productivity.
So, grab a beverage, sit back and let's
take this journey together.