Festool OF1400 Router Review and Demonstration 

Hi Daniel, I am glad that you have joined the subscriber list which has just passed the 60,000 mark. Cheers. Peter

Many thanks. Peter

Hi Dan, Things are looking up as the Wi-Fi now seems to be working. We are doing an E-Bike video to help people understand the advantages and what to look for before buying. We have already bought a pair and enjoy them very much. However, there are many who do not understand what an E-Bike is and fail to understand that they still make you work in order to get from A to B. Peter

tympt1 Hi Barry, Many thanks for letting me know that - it really is a super router. Cheers. Peter

Hi Tony, Brilliant news. I can imagine exactly how you feel having been through this with most of my Festool purchases. Where did you buy it from? Peter

Hi Orangecircle1 You need to win your wife and children over by making something for them - perhaps a garden bench - it does not need to be very elaborate but they will appreciate it because you made it for them. Peter

i guess im asking the wrong place but does anyone know a way to log back into an Instagram account? I was stupid forgot the login password. I would love any assistance you can offer me!

@Huxley Mitchell instablaster ;)

@Asa Kareem i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site thru google and I'm trying it out now. Seems to take a while so I will reply here later with my results.

@Asa Kareem it worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy:D Thank you so much you saved my ass!

Hi Stak, Many thanks. Cheers. Peter

Thank you so much. Peter

Yes, it certainly is a great router and I am very lucky that everyone clubbed together like that.Peter

Many thanks Roy. Peter

Glad you liked it!

Hi Tony, Many thanks and welcome to the New Brit Workshop. Peter

Gosh...First I am sorry that I am costing you money but at least you have a lovely router to play with and well done for getting the PGS. Many thanks for your kind comments. Cheers. Peter

A great router - have fun but take care and remember all the safety things. Peter

+Everett McGill Hi Everett, Yes with no problem at all. I have done it a couple of times. It is a great all rounder. Peter

Many thanks Dan. Peter

Hi Stu, Yes you can but you have to ensure that the cutter is concentric with the guide. Peter

Hi Chris, I do not know them as a company but I believe that they are liked by many UK woodworkers. You might also like to take a look at what The Woodworkers Workshop and Axminster have that may be similar. Peter

Hi Jeff, The OF1400 is okay but I now use the smaller OF1010 with the Leigh jig and that is a perfect combination. Cheers. Peter

Hi Brent, I am sorry hat your lungs are not as they should be. The very best Festool router for dust collection (and probably the best in the world) is the OF2200. The OF1400 has excellent dust collection particularly if you use a good extractor like the CT26. I have found that some operations appear to produce dust but when I did the workshop dust study I found that the fine dust is mostly captured and it is only a few of the larger (non hazardous) chips that you see. Even so, routing will always produce some dust and if you have a particular sensitivity you may wish to use a powered respirator like the 3M Versaflo. If you are able to get to a Festool dealer I am sure that they wold let you try both the OF2200 and the OF1400. Good luck. Peter

Hi Alan, The OF1400 is more than man enough for your needs. I have used it for raised panel work with no trouble at all. I have had loads of people ask me to review the Kapex - I will do it as soon as I can. For now let me say that it is absolutely brilliant. I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. Peter

Hi Dan, Take a look at the Festool MFS for guided router work. I have not seen the Trend kit. Take a look at this: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nqWPIf0lfBk.html Forgive the brief reply I am camping in the middle of a muddy field in The Netherlands. Peter

Hi Dan, I used to do something similar with an old Dewalt in my pre-Festool days. I see no reason for it to not work as you suggest. If you want to test out the idea first then take a block of hardwood (say 40 mm x 25 mm in section) and drill a pair of holes in the right place to take the fence rods as they stick out from the router body. You can fix the block in place with screws through your block that just nip the rods. If you wanted to make a permanent one of these then use screw inserts and a suitable screw knob. Wax the inner face of your piece of wood where it will rub against the door frame edge. Peter

Markaos Bron Hi Markaos, I do not have the Festool MFS but will see if I can borrow something later in the year. Peter

I started with the CT26 when I "discovered" Festool. The CT Midi works at almost the same rate as the CT26 but you need to consider bag capacity. I have seen almost every Festool extractor in use and cannot fault their performance so just check the key things that are important - I suspect it will be weight and bag capacity. Peter

New Brit Workshop thanks for the advice 😀

Hi John, Thank you so much for the kind comments. In the UK, my OF 1400 came with the fence and the dust attachment for the fence (and much more). As far as I can tell from the Festool UK web site the part you want has a Festool part number 492585. It might be worth checking with your dealer to see if you too should have had one in the box. Peter

Peter Parfitt Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I looked at the 492585 but it is not the same as the one you reviewed, but I will continue to search. I asked the supplier about the extraction attachment, but he said that the deal that I got precluded the attachment and the 8mm collet. C'est la vie. John.

I note your point and yes I also bought a new 1400 and Festool have now stopped supplying the 8mm collet and dust extractor. I rang the UK HQ and was put through to the South East region manger. I complained and he arranged for delivery FOC. Although I pouted out that I had spent in excess of £1500 re kitting myself out with new Festool toys

The part number is AH-SA-OF 2000. It fits the 1400 and the 2200. I've ordered one from Nuts & Bolts in the UK. Paul

Hi Dan, Easily done, particularly given the sketchy Festool instructions. Peter

Hi I noticed that I'm not sure if it's the way the festool is set up but I was always taught fence the right and push that way the cutter will pull in against the fence at least that's with any other router I've used

Hi Keith, No, it is not the router. It could be a dull cutter but more likely (forgive me) to be technique. When you start to cut (pins or tails - it makes no difference) do the initial part of the cut slowly and take off small amounts until you are about 4 mm in to the stock. Similarly, if you are proceeding all the way through a piece then make sure that you have a backing board clamped behind as this will completely stop breakout. Do let me know how you get on and if this helps. Peter

Hi Robert, Search the Festool Owners Group (FOG) for this. Mine came perfectly set up but there is a tweak that can be done and it was described on the FOG. Peter

Hi Robert, Forgive my ignorance of what might be a well router table technique but why do you need to use a guide bush in this way? Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop thanks for your reply. I have a Leigh through dovetail jig that can be used on a router table, but it requires a guide bushing.

nippychippy Hi Robert, The OF1400 will deliver the power you needs for all kitchen work. If you were going to concentrate on kitchen work then you might consider the OF2200 as it is a real gentle giant designed especially for non stop tough jobs all day every day. If you are not doing work tops every day then the OF1400 will do well. Peter

Thanks peter is there anything else I should think about getting for it

nippychippy Mine was bought from Axminster about 18 months ago and came with a side fence, a dust port for normal routing, a dust port for the fence and both 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch collets. I have not bought a guide rail adapter (492601) yet but will do sometime. Other than that it comes with a good set of accessories. As I already have the OF2200 I have 6mm and 12mm collets which are interchangeable between the two routers. Peter

Thanks peter I am going into my local dealer and get a price thanks for your help again

nippychippy Robert - I said 6mm collet above, I meant 8mm collet as it is a good size if you ever get into Leigh jig work for dovetails. Peter

nuriel me Hi Nuriel, No it is too big. The very best is the OF1010 but I have used the OF1400 with it a lot and it works fine. Peter

thank you you helped me in my decision which model to buy. is he strong also for other jobs?

The OF1400 is a very good router and able to do anything that the average user would wish. Peter

Hi Dan, That is certainly a joke. I have router bits made by CMT, Axminster, Trend and others. They range from 1/4" to 8 mm and 1/2". They all fit. However, you have to check what collets come with the router in order to use the full range of cutter shank sizes. Peter

New Brit Workshop hi Peter, thanks for clearing that up for me. I bought those two Festool sanders this week thanks to your recommendation. The router is my next purchase in a few months. Cheers

Hi Dan, I am not sure about this as I have never tried or even seen the LR32 kit. Please do a Google search for this. Sorry. For any router you need the side fence and with a Festool router the guide rail attachment is a good idea. Peter

Hi Andy, Thank you for highlighting this. Having used it for so long now one tends to forget odd details. Cheers. Peter

When the children bought this for me everything that I showed came with it. I have not bought any additional bits for it. Peter

New Brit Workshop - Thank you Sir.😊

Today (May 2021) the kit is the same, except that Festool no longer supply the 8 mm collet with it. Only 1/4" and 1/2".

Viplounger As far as I am concerned, Festool make the very best power tools in the world. If an "A" list celebrity decides to take up woodwork as a relaxing and meaningful hobby then I recommend that they get Festool kit. If a young lad, just starting out, wants to know how to spend the profit from his first commission then the answer is exactly the same. Peter

New Brit Workshop hi peter thanks for that comment. I currently have loads of dewalt tools and find them to be of excellent quality but in an avid hobbyist i create bits and bobs with numerous tools like my scroll saw etc. However would you recommend i go for this festool model for 400 or the dewalt which retails for around £260 thanks.

John Latcham Hi John, I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending the Festool machine - I have thrown a Dewalt 625 away recently when a collet failed and nearly injured me. I will never buy Dewalt again. Peter

Thanks very much for the reply peter. Sorry to hear about that potential injury. I think i will stick to dewalt for my drills as they are excellent (recently upgraded to brushless) and will look at festool for my cutting and routing tools. Thanks again. Ps i have subscribed.

I use the UJK Guide Bushes from Axminster Tools. The guide bush adapter is prom Leigh. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop thank you for quick answering.

Hi Chris, I imagine that all you would need to do is to use your OF1400 removeable base as a template to mark the R5016 plate. You would need to take care to ensure that you line things up at the centres of the plate and OF1400 base. Be sure to decide where you want the router to be in terms of its radial position about the vertical axis - ensure that the shaft lock lever is in the place that you want as well as the dust port from the router - this may need to be a compromise between the two. You also need to think how you will achieve fine height adjustment with the router in the table. Good luck. Peter

I never understand that - everyone will need the fence at some point. Peter

New Brit Workshop I'm a big fan of festool but they're greedy to say the least.

+capenter33 They are not greedy it may only appear that way. They are a small company and all of their innovation costs and when you getting accessories that is still part of their innovation. You may look at a little bit of plastic or metal and think there is no way that should cost $50 and you would be correct but all of the innovation investment that they make is costed into that little bit of plastic. Somebody has to design, test and then put everything into production. Companies should like Festool should be letting people know that every product they have is part of their innovation and investment.

New Brit Workshop

Hi dear can we cut kitchen benchtop withe 1400 festool router ,withe APS 900 benchtop templat.?

Hi Andy, I think a watch is not an issue as long as it is on a firm strap. Rings are a completely different matter as I know several people with damaged fingers due to rings getting caught on static objects so just imagine what could happen with machinery. The health and safety thing has to be reasonable and what people consider to be justified. Peter