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JOEL Joel's Blog

Festool Parallel Guide - Best Idea Since Sliced bread

03/12/2009 A Definite Product Plug

Festool Parallel Guide - Best Idea Since Sliced bread 4We have a lot of customers who use a Festool plunge saw instead of a panel saw or a table saw because
1 - It's less expensive,
2 - It's portable and you can take it to the job site,
3 - The great dust collection saves you oodles of time.

The only issue is when you need to chop up a panel into regular sections - like carcass sides, shelves, and things like that. Up to now you had to lay out the panel set the guide, and it's true you if you are careful you can do very repeatable work - but it's not like using a panel saw.

Now we all know that the fence that comes with a multi-function table has a stop and you can do a pretty good job - but on wider panels it's not ideal.

So now comes the introduction of the best idea since sliced bread.

The Parallel Guides! Basically all you do is clamp the guides to a guide rail (not included) and then set a stop and bingo that's it.

1 - Move material against the stop.
2 - Cut it.
3 - Repeat until you are done.
There are two ways of using the guide. As in the picture above, with the entire setup, you can accurately cut narrow strips. Unlike a chop saw you can cut long narrow strips off a wide panel. In the picture below, the stops are moved to the other end of the guides, the "U" shaped front part of the gadget is removed, and you can easily cut wider panels like shelving and the like precisely and repeatably.

To clamp the wood in place just use the regular guide clamps that work from below.

I'm using the guide resting on our old MFT 800 table but any support will do. Having a MFT table isn't required to use the guide.

The only annoying thing I see is that the measurement markings are in metric, which isn't a problem because I lay everything out with a pencil anyway.

For details click HERE

Free Delivery anywhere in the USA.

This has got to be the most useful accessory Festool has introduced in ages.

If you are local come on by to the showroom for a look see.
Festool Parallel Guide - Best Idea Since Sliced bread 5
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