Ultimate Tracksaw Cutting Station Project 

Hi Angie, A larger cutting station makes all the difference. Cheers. Peter

Hi Hans, Thank you so much. Cheers. Peter

Glad you like it!

More to come!

Hi Pat, As always, many thanks and you take care too. Cheers. Peter

Thank you so much. Cheers. Peter

Glad to help

Brilliant - cheers. Peter

Just found your channel. I live in Canada and Lee Valley sells this kit for $309.00 and is available in most stores (posted 2023.10.06). I am retired and the only connection I have with Lee Valley is as a customer.

Glad it was helpful!

Many thanks!

Yes, thanks

Glad you like it!

Thank you so much - every craftsman was a noob once upon a time ! Cheers. Peter

Hi Peter, It will be a lot cheaper than buying ready made tables ! Cheers. Peter

I have three homemade tables and multiple add on tables made with the parf guide. I also have a festool mft. I use my large custom tables FAR more than the MFT.

@coreywells9498 Brilliant. Cheers. Peter

You'll offset the cost of the PGS Mk 2 within two MFT-worktops. Not to mention the fact that you can use it for a bunch of other useful stuff (systainer worktops, jigs, custom MFT-accessories, 3mm shelfpin holes). One of the best investments ever and precision is bang on

I had 2 MFT tables, and connections so they could be joined, but still they wobbled, and tended to fall out of square. So I made a full sized table (2440 x 1220) with alloy rails and posts, and now I use it for everything. Sold the MFT tables - still a cost difference, but all the drawers in the new table holds - well exactly a lot of my stuff...

Hi Jim, I have received your email and the plans are on the way. Peter

Many thanks!

Almost every woodworking video I make will show the tracksaw cutting station in use. Cheers. Peter

Hi Tim I have ideas in mind where the symmetry of the layout will be important but I am not sure how many of my ideas will see the light of day or be the subject of a video. Here are two examples. I have recently made a video about an interesting tray using a pattern and a router with guide bushes. My thoughts are that I could improve the production process by making a reversible pattern for the top curve and the hand hole in order to speed up batch production (perhaps making several trays at a time for presents). Another idea is to make some more chairs. They would have curved back legs using a reversible template (hence symmetry) but there would be small areas where a flat surface is required for Domino jointing between these curved rear legs and the straight (shorter) front legs. These flat areas would be part of the rear leg template but the domino jointing would require an additional template that fits down over the area of the joint and provides a wider flat surface for the registration of the Domino machine. All of the symmetry (left to right and front to back) would be achieved by having templates with 20 mm holes in appropriate places. Peter

Hi Steve, Yes, I have sent out about a dozen copies already and the video has only been up for 15 hours. In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

Can't find the email for the plans looks like a great project

We can exchange location details off line. We are actually a very long way from Moss Timber but they were the only ones that I could find within 50 miles that stocked Medite. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshopAh, OK; good yard, good people. 👍👍

@10MinuteWorkshop Tried to message you through your RU-vid contact email but it appears to be a marketing agency ! Peter

Gosh, Brilliant. Cheers. Peter

Yes and once you’ve routed out the 45 degree chamfer on the underside of every hole, the mechanical strength you gained from going for 24/5mm MDF instead of 18mm will be negligible. (Ask me how I know this!).

22mm MRMDF works fine.

Where on earth did you get Baltic birch? It's no where to be found around me (Canada) unless you manage to find old stock. I miss using BB for projects. 😢

@@stevenvachon9745 I special ordered it through Menards, but that was two years ago, before the war started. At that time it was a little over $100 USD for a 18mm 4x8 sheet, with each face having one or two puzzle pieces patches but that's no big deal for a workbench.

It is either my CXS or TXS - they are identical inside but the body shape is slightly different. I love mine and have had them for years. Peter

Hi Robert, In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

Hi Kevin, I used two different methods of creating the offset holes. The first pair in the video were made by using the offset holes in the rulers to first create 3 mm offset holes left to right and then, using those holes i was able to create 3 mm offset holes front to back. The two 3 mm holes needed for the track were then enlarged. The second method, just after the 24 minute point, were made by making a triangle with two rulers which could be moved fore and aft to produce enough 3 mm holes for the 20 mm drill guide to be used for the top hole. The ruler pattern was the reversed (mirror image about a line left to right) so that a similar pattern of 3 mm holes could be produced to lead to the 20 mm hole closest to the operator. Phew, I hope this makes sense ! Cheers. Peter

Hi Tonie, Having the fence on that side means that when I place a piece of wood and do the trim cut I then only need to slide the piece to my right to do the measured cut. The idea of using templates on the tracksaw cutting station is that very accurate symmetry work can be carried out. I will release a video very soon that shows this in detail. Peter

Of course - it is no big deal and the cut area would look the same if a sacrificial strip were put in. In order to get a sacrificial strip installed one would have to do a lot more damage to the top in order to accommodate the strip. Peter

Excellent, cheers. Peter

I am not a fan of plywood for tracksaw cutting station tops. The main reasons are that the 20 mm holes are not so good, voids in plywood can ruin accuracy, tear out on the underside is an issue and the kerf line can give you splinters. Poor quality MDF can also be a problem and the better the quality the better the top. Cheers. Peter

Hi Frank, Trust me and wait for a while and all will be clear. Cheers. Peter

Hi Kevin, The reason I created the original Parf Dogs made and sold by Lee Valley is that Rail Dogs are rubbish as they lead to very inaccurate cuts. Leaving out rows of holes means that the size of the wood to be cut gets reduced. Yes, you can have the kerf running through holes although I now try and avoid it. I have often considered putting in a sacrificial strip but never got around to doing it as I think that it is a lot of effort for very little gain (unless you are prepared to keep replacing it). Cheers. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop thanks for the reply, I missed it before. It's interesting to get your view on the different rail to dog options. ☑️🧙‍♂️

You can create dog holes that allow you to then set up to make 30 degree and 60 degree cuts and I have made a video about that: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-SAKhSPBozms.html Good luck. Peter

Yes, they are true Centrotec as I hope you can see by my use of the Festool drill. Peter

Thanks Peter

Hi Gary, Sorry for the delay. I am still using the original cutter that came with my (one and only) Mk 2 set. I have made about 15 MFT3 size tops and 6 or 7 larger tracksaw cutting stations. The key is to ensure that the dust collection is good and the 3 mm holes go all the way through the top material. Cheers. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you for the answer to my question. I was afraid I should have ordered another one since my experience with bits has disappointed me. Your answer has eased my thoughts. I look forward to getting started this week.

The most likely error is not fully engaging either the 6 mm boss on a pin with the 6 mm hole in the ruler or a similar error not seating the boss of either of the 3 mm drill guides. Before drilling the 20 mm holes I always double check the 3 mm hole layout. That way any error can be corrected by gluing in matchsticks into the duff holes and redoing that bit. Peter

In the video I trimmed the cutting station all around by 10 mm in order to get the sides perfectly parallel to their adjacent dog holes. Peter

​@@NewBritWorkshopIn thinking about it more & dragging out my rulers I think I was over thinking the possibility of error. Your way leads to the holes all being rectilinear and then trimming the sides results in a square cornered top regardless of the initial placement of the first line on the MDF sheet. Clever.

Hi Jim, It was not invented here but I saw someone describing this method a few years ago and this is the first time that I have done it. Cheers. Peter

I’m pretty sure Peter has said in other videos that the holes are all aligned accurately along the ruler but not necessarily parallel to the ruler edges, so using the edges in any form of layout won’t be guaranteed accurate.

No, not me. Peter

Hi Shaun, If you are going to protect your top do it before you drill any holes as whatever method you use the holes will be tight if oil or polish gets into them. I recommend people to use Osmo PolyX but any good quality finish will do. If money is tight buy some cheap and cheerful water based clear varnish (it is cheap in the UK through Screwfix). Do not, at any stage, allow varnish, glue, water or stain into the 20 mm holes as they can cause the fine fibres on the inside of the holes to expand. If any holes do get tight due to that or anything else then use the Axminster 20 mm reamer. I now have the combined reamer and chamfer tool which is brilliant. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop Many thanks Peter, I'll go with the Osmo. Really looking forward to getting started. All the best, Shaun.

As I said before... In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

The way that I have done this means that it would be possible to have several jigs set up at once which might be needed for 3 or 4 different operations on the same piece of material. It also allows an area for sawing to be used whilst a jig is set up in one corner. Everyone is free to use their own design but judging by the many dozens of requests for the plans for this one it is being reproduced in many workshops around the world. Peter

Hi Thomas, Yes. In order to do this you need to buy 3 Parf Revision Dogs from Axminster. This will allow you to use the existing hole pattern with the Parf Guide System to then make either 32 mm or 48 mm offsets. As the MFT3 tops seem to have had accuracy issues in the past (hole sizing varies and the 20 mm pattern may be slightly out - reported a while ago on the Festool Owners' Group) you my have some challenges ahead. Good luck. Peter

Thanks Peter for you quick reply. With this reply I will for time being use holes I have (knowing that it will give me reduced cutting space) months to come and then start building a complete new cuttingstation based on your guidelines already published! You are awesome!!

Yes it is. It is the UJK Fence and Rail Stop from Axminster. Here is the video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--CwXwC1qT0c.html I am not a fan of the sliding stop and am producing my own but the rest of it is really good and very strong. Peter

Do you mean the Parf Guide System? If so, Axminster sell world wide but TSO in the US, Lee Valley in Canada and Carbatec in Australia are the ones that I can remember. Peter

Hi Stewart, In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

As I have said before - like making a bunch of trays to give away as presents. Cheers. Peter

Lost me but OK@@NewBritWorkshop

I will pass this on to Axminster. Cheers. Peter

In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

It was correctly located - it is the lighting/shadow that makes it look slightly out. Peter

Hi Stewart, The Parf Sticks (rulers) have offset hole positions for 32 mm and 48 mm spacing. All that is needed is for the regular holes to be drilled and then the ruler is moved by 32 mm or 48 mm and located with pins through the respective offset holes. Then the holes are drilled through pin holes 0 to 10 giving the set of offsets required. Peter

@@NewBritWorkshop Thank’s Peter. BTW, I really enjoy your video’s. Very Informative. SC

Hi Jesse, I am afraid Axminster have seen such an increase in Mk 2 popularity that it made sense for them. I understand the cost issue but several people I know have shared the cost with friends or in their woodworking clubs. Cheers. Peter

All my plans are available free of charge but in order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Please state which plans you need in your email. Peter

Be patient - that will come very soon. Peter

The 48 mm spacing gives me more options for securing templates and locating the wood to be cut underneath. Just look at my latest video - Catch-Up October 2023 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vbBjWpGi6PA.html Peter

Hi Steve - Brilliant ! Peter

What was your comment???

Nope, I'm first!

In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main RU-vid page, click the "About" tab and that leads to my email address. I am told this has to be done on a PC. Cheers. Peter

No email address there...@@NewBritWorkshop

Were you using a PC as suggested?

Yes.

@@NewBritWorkshop I have the same issue. I'm on a PC and there is no email address on the About page. It simply reads, "in order to request plans use my business email address below" but no email address follows.

That makes less than 0.001 degrees difference over the lengths used. So small that it is not important for woodworking.

@@NewBritWorkshop I knew you'd say that, but claiming *perfect* accuracy and doing this is not fair :-D Either way, I agree, close enough for your woodworking.

Gosh, you began your RU-vid membership today just to post this comment - brilliant. I have never worried about kerf marks on my tracksaw cutting stations - the cutting station is a tool which is easily replaceable. They usually last for many years and you can always turn them over. I have just uploaded a new video which may help. Peter

Mine all work perfectly and are very robust.

If you can think of another way of producing 0.001 degree accuracy without overlapping rulers you might be onto a winner !

@@NewBritWorkshop Manufacture the system with two different thicknesses of ruler. The meeting ruler is marginally paired away /rebated on the rear side therefor allowing it sit over the other without any bend. This would account for the overlap 'gap' that the current system produces. Rulers sit flush on workpiece at all times.

That could be easily mitigated by placing the diagonal ruler over top of the perpendicular ruler, and then shimming the diagonal ruler up by the thickness of the rulers, so that you don't lose that tiny fraction of a millimeter when the ruler bends up to meet the other.

To each his own. If you can't stand the idea, that's fair enough. It doesn't matter to me, it's a means to an end. Woodworking is mainly a practical endeavour, not just a theoretical one. I can put all the measuring systems on my saw to set it perfectly square, but if it won't cut exactly square, I'm setting it theoretically out of square. I'd want to know why, but if it works, it works. I'm not going to spend a week asking why. This system gets you results beyond what anyone needs for woodworking. If you can't live with the engineering behind this system, I'm curious what your alternative of choice is.

I can see your point but as it stands it's insanely accurate and well within any sort of tolerances that even fine woodworkers would need for the best of furniture. The only time this level of inaccuracy would be an issue would be if you were making extremely long cuts, which puts the system out of its depth anyway.

When people come to visit my wife will always make sure the house is clean and tidy. When I make a video I am inviting the audience into my workshop and so I always make sure that it is clean and tidy. Most of this video was shot in the garage which is attached to my untidy workshop. As far as engineering in wood is concerned I accept that as it is the way that professional cabinet makers work - having worked with a few in my time and their machines are amazing. Sanders that can tackle a whole 8x4 sheet and sand to 0.1 mm or better. Saws that cost £70k and upwards and so on. By creating the Parf Guide System I believe that I have given the less well off woodworker the ability to match the accuracy that professional cabinet makers have been enjoying for years. Peter