I recently bought the Parf Guide System Mk2. After seeing this video I once again concluded that this is a great combination of a great idea and great engineering. In the product all pitfalls are taken care of and in this video Peter pays attention to every possible flaw when using the system. Many thanks for conceiving, building and presenting the product!
After 7 months of not being able to create my Parf Guide table, I was finally able to tackle it today. WHAT A WELL MADE KIT!!! In a world filled with cheap knock-offs and poor quality stuff. Everything about this screams quality. The tolerance, the well thought out design, wonderful dust management. I couldn't think of anything to improve upon the design. And most of all, DEAD NUTS accurate. I'm so glad I got this kit!
Peter, A great video and an extremely well thought out and beautifully precise system. I am a machinist and woodworker and I had considered developing a similar system for building an MFT top, but after seeing your system, I decided to purchase yours. The thought and quality of the build are exceptional and well worth the cost, especially given the fact that it allows for an infinite number of of tops to be quickly built, either in the field or in the shop, with machine shop accuracy. Thanks!
Hi Barry, Many thanks. The PGS Mk2 has now received the prestigious King's Award for Enterprise, a competition open to British businesses with winners judged to excel in international trade, innovation and sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses. Cheers. Peter
Hello Peter, I have just watched your exposition of the Parf Guide MK2 and I am now £200 worse off having just purchased the kit!!! 🙂 so looking forward to creating my own table. Thankyou so much for all your VERY clear video series. all the very best. In one of your videos (how to build a track saw cutting station) you mention some plans - not sure I understood how to get them - I put my e-mail in this and it appears in the comment so am resubmitting without the e-mail.
In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main TH-cam 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
Hello Peter. I have just received my Parf guide system mk 2 as a Christmas present. I been wanting one for years. Thank you for creating such a wonderfully made tool. I'm super excited to make my 1st MFT style top. You video are a huge help thank you
Hi Peter, just discovered your channel and delighted. Excellent delivery and explanations, good job. Man after my own heart, I too am an ex software development engineer who again just loves wood and furniture making and no less, video making rather than stills photography. I see there seems hundreds of videos to get stuck into and some useful information to be had. Thank you for your efforts. Ray
Guess what arrived today.... my super fancy Mark 2 Parf Guide System. Peter well done. The quality is better then aircraft in my opinion. There was a note from TSO apologizing for the delay in shipment, one minute inspecting the quality of the product and I forgot all about the delays.The stop collar that came in my kit is way better than the described stop, the one I received doesn't have a set screw rather it is more like a clamp collar; again well done. I can't wait to start the drilling process tomorrow as I know it will be fun and thanks to you "Spot On"
Hi Robert, I am so grateful for this feedback from you. Axminster have put a lot of effort into the new design and TSO are an excellent company to do business with - the US UJK lines are safe in their hands. Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter, new to all this but what a brilliant system. I watched you, Matt Estlea and John McGrath use the system. I saw the problem John had and thought your answer was spot on. So I went ahead and ordered my kit from Axminster. As I was using a 2400x1200 sheet I took your advice and started in the middle (Hole 0 was approximately where 8 should be). I drilled out my first horizontal line and then the left hand perpendicular line followed by the right. So far so good. The fourth line completing the box lined up perfectly, so I now had a 10x10 hole square. Everything looked good. Every horizontal line across the 10 perpendicular holes lined up and I completed the grid. All still looking good. After watching Johns video I didn't extend the box using straight lines I made the triangle again and created a new base line. Same for the far left perpendicular line. Here is where my problem started. The top of that new section did not align. Like John, it did for the first 4-5 rows and then drifted out. So having seen Johns work around for the bad row I moved in 1 and tried again. same problem. I tried from the other side, new triangle, same problem. This lead me to doubt the accuracy of my original grid. On testing my original grid there were actually quite a very very minor errors. Even along lines drilled at the same time with the same guide. If you pin 0 and 10 of the guide you'd expect the third pin to go into all the holes in between with precision. they didn't. Occasionally, you would feel the guide move very slightly to accommodate the pin. I have checked my guide and they are accurate (as I saw someone did get a bad set) backwards, forwards, face to face and back to back I conclude that I must have been too heavy handed and must have applied some lateral pressure when drilling some of the holes. At 10.20 in the video you say there is zero movement from side to side, but, there is a very slight amount. I can't trust the accuracy of my current grid, so I will flip the board and start again. This time after I have drilled and pinned 0 and 10 I will do hole 5 and pin it to minimize any lateral flex. I could even use the other guide as a cross to ensure the hole 5 is accurate but you'd need another pin. The set comes with a 3 mm hss drill bit; did you ever try with a 3mm wood bit, would that not drive more true than hss? Any thoughts or suggestions please. Cheers Donal
Hi Donal, If you go to my main TH-cam page and find the "About" tab you can then get my email address. I would be more than happy to take you through the process - it is easier with an email exchange as pictures can be attached and so on. Peter
I am ,apparently, late to this party but today I got my mk2 kit! Wow very well made and very fast shipping! I’m in the states and it got here faster than many shipments for within the states and that is just sad really. But this bit of kit is incredible thanks! Oh and the instructions that came with it included the layout for a standard mft table and also the the isometric layout! In case someone didn’t realize it. I didn’t even think there would be instructions with it
Hi John, Excellent. For what it is worth, Axminster have had more 5 star reviews for the PGS than most of their other products put together. Cheers. Peter
Simply brilliant! 😃 The little 2-part pin to join 2 Parf sticks. The special bushings with a 6mm protrusion and bushing for the custom drill bit assembly to guarantee a dead straight, perfect hole. And most of all, the elemental beauty of Pythagoras’ 3-4-5 triangle.
Now that I've been improving my woodworking skills, I'll be order from TSO folks. Kudos to you, it's such a well engineered and thought out product. And typing a comment to feed the YT Algo overlords.
Thank you! Just ordered it from TSO. Can't wait! I may play with plywood top, but I'm thinking MDF's denseness makes it a better choice for dogs. And I didn't expect that reply (re: my wireshark videos 😀)
I purchased the original parf system from Lee Valley approximately 8 months ago. I must say I was very impressed with the engineering. I went to work and modified my mobile workbenches. My next undertaking is an out feed table for my saw stop table saw. This is a great way to spend ones time. It is strangely satisfying to produce a custom mft table. This new system is a step up to be sure. I will have to find a purchaser for my original Parf guide. Might have to spend some time convincing my good wife why that is a good idea. Congratulations on your development of a great piece of “kit”..
Hi Harold, If you are only making the odd top now and then you will be fine with your original although, if it has hardly been used, it should be easy to sell. The new system is coming in at an extraordinary introductory price so, if you do decide to get one, get one soon. Peter
This is a super system, and I just finished drilling an entire 4 foot 8 MDF sheet (19mm). The pins and dogs fits VERY tight in the holes, making them extremely hard to pull out. After pulling them out hundreds of times,I am now the proud owner of blisters on my thumb and index finger, and suggest that MK III includes bigger and better handles, both for the pins and the dogs. So then, for all you out there: buy the vacuum extension and the festool dogs and some large knobs to save yourself some time and pain.
Hi Peter, I order the Mark 2 from the UK before it was available in Australia, and love it. Amazed at the hole accuracy! I got very carried away and drilled out an entire 2400x1200 sheet. Which is rather handy but a blank section for assembly would have been a better idea. One thought I had for possibly an addition to the range, is a dog with the chamfer but cut flush with the surface. A 3mm hole in the centre could then be used for the aligning pin. A pair would allow you to go back and put a hole or several in an area that was preciously left plain. Just a thought. Keep up the great work!
I treated myself to the kit recently and finally hauled a sheet of mdf back home today. I need to decide how much to cut it back as I discovered the weight of a full sheet is close to my physical limit. I'm going to be building on some big toughbuilt sawhorses so I was inclined to go full sheet, but the weight may be too much. Hmm. I guess I could do two panels if I don't need to rely on alignment. Or fit some wheels on one edge! I'll report back.
Peter, I feel like what is really missing from this is some guidance on where to initially start drilling, too close to the edge, the offset holes won't work, too far from the edge, wasted space. Thanks for the great tool and video.
Hi Paul, The distance from the centre of any hole to the edge of the board should not be less than 25 mm. If you wish to have offset holes that close to opposite sides of a board then cut your board to a width of (25 x 2) + (n x 96) mm. Where n is the number of rows minus 1. Peter
I just received my Parf Guide from Axminster and am happy to report it made it here to Canada in excellent shape and all pieces accounted for. Looking forward to making my first MFT top. No 3/4” MDF is available here now due to a shortage so i got a sheet of maple plywood which should work fine. I bought a set of revision dogs too. I hope to layout all of the 3mm holes and then try to minimize the 20mm holes to what i think i need and incorporate a line 60 degrees and 30 degrees and 22 1/2 if that is possible. 😃 Trying to minimize dusty table saw and miter saw usage and get more use out of the track saw.
Excellent news. Try not to push too hard towards the end of each 20 mm drilling operation as the cutter is optimised for MDF and you may otherwise get some breakout on the underside of the hole. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thanks peter, i made a few test cuts in the ply and the tear out is minimal. I set the cutter collar so as to just come out the bottom. I will experiment with putting a thick sheet of styrofoam underneath to support the cut. Wayne
@@NewBritWorkshopI may wait for MDF stock to come in but if i do go with the maple top i thought that i could layout and drill all my 3mm holes and then turn the top over and set the 20mm bit at 1/8” and drill them all to that depth and turn the top right side up again and complete the holes and have no tear out whatsoever. A little more work but who is in a hurry. 😃
I may have missed it but I never catch where to start your holes. It just seems that you work out where you want to start. Is there a formula to calculate where to start? Love your videos and your teaching methods.
After purchasing the Mk2 system and watching your application videos I have a question/suggestion on the design and accessories provided. If the system was provided with 2 revision dogs and the chamfer reamer there would be zero need for the 20 mm dogs or the offset design in the drilling guide. All drilling could be aligned with only the use of 3 mm pins. This would makes the tooling for the drill guide cheaper to assemble. It would also make the system a complete solution instead of having to purchase additional expensive oftentimes unavailable accessories.
Thanks Peter. The reason I was asking about the overlap; I drilled the horizontal 3mm holes and then drilled the left and right columns, but when I placed the ruler on the two holes north of the horizontal row, the two 3mm pegs wouldn’t go in (I could only fit one). In other words, the gap between the two holes were slightly closer (~ 1/2mm). I just took snapshots and at least one of my Parf sticks is warped. The holes don’t align with the other Parf stick holes. :( this caused a slight deviation in my 3mm drilled holes. I’m hoping TSO takes care of me.
Hi Peter, I love the PFII - so well engineered. Brilliant. For some jigs, I require holes that are 135.8mm apart (the diagonal of a 96x96 pattern). Can you think of an easy way to do this, other than laying out a pattern at 45 degrees to jig. I sometimes wished you had provided an offset hole at this spacing.
My only thought is to do what you suggest and create a pattern by starting with the first set of holes at 45 degrees and then referencing, in the usual way, from that. Peter
Peter I am from Bristish Columbia Canada, and I purchased your Mark II drilling system, I'm absolutely thrilled with the accuracy. Great product, are you related to the famous Parfitt Brothers from Victoria British Columbia.
Hi Douglas, I am not sure but there is a good chance if they were originally from France in the period 1500 to 1700. Many thanks for the accuracy feedback. Peter
When starting the first row of holes at a right angle using the 6,8,10 method. I wish to make a aligning right angle jig out of aluminium to align a removable section. Don’t want it to be that big, just 2 or 3 holes in each direction. Can I use 1,2,3 or 2,4,6 to do this to make my alignment jig, with parf guide me 2? Great product.
Hi Ian, The ratios, using whole numbers are either 3,4 and 5 or 6, 8 and 10. If we had 48 mm spacing between all the holes then then we could, at the same scale, use 1.5, 2 and 2.5. For what you are trying to do I would find a longish off-cut of MDF and route a channel in it to take your piece(s) of aluminium. I would then screw the aluminium in place using screw holes that you might need when using these pieces later. Then, with the aluminium securely in place use a Parf Stick to create a row of 3 mm holes. I am not sure if you need to enlarge these holes to 20 mm but at least you will have the 3 mm holes at the correct spacing. Good luck. Peter
Peter, very helpful video once again. How does one precisely go about locating that important first row of holes? If I’m not mistaken, that first row must be exactly parallel to the table edge, right?
Hi Derek, There is no need to have the first row of holes parallel with any edge but I understand that most people would want it to be jolly close. Once the first row of 3 mm holes are created everything else is done in reference to that first row and so the edges of the board have no bearing whatsoever. One can carefully place the ruler for the first row of holes and accept some small error. Or, you can do all the holes, including drilling out to 20 mm and then use dogs (and perhaps a spacer) to get a guide rail exactly parallel to a row of holes and then make a cut to produce an edge which will then be perfectly parallel with that row. The process would be repeated for the other 3 sides. I have never done this as I have never needed that degree of precision for the edge of the top. Peter
I think that this is exactly what I was looking for. But, what are the minimum dimensions of the mdf piece of sheet that can be used with this system? Is there any rule for it, or we can use any dimensions suitable to our needs? Thanks
Hi Antonio. You can use this system for tops as small as you like but once you get below 330 mm x 430 mm it is better to do the construction on a larger sheet and then cut the exact size that you want. I always recommend the material for the tops to be good quality MDF (Medite for example) which is 18 or 19 mm thick. Good luck. Peter
Hi Peter. I have put a new top and apron onto my bench for the parf guide system. I have successfully marked out the grid and drilled all the 3mm pilot holes. I am more likely to need 45 deg cuts rather than the 60 deg shown in your isometric layout. Have you done a video showing the marking out for 45 deg? Thanks for all the excellent videos. Paul
Hey Peter! I made a very specific and also strange realization. About one week ago I received the mark II and I started building the cutting station. I did exactely the same as you did, also with the festool drill and I used as much pins as ever possible. I shamfered the holes, and I use the super dogs and the small pups. For cutting I use the ts 55. Everything is tight and perfekt, but: I did some test and found out that the cuts are on 50cm about 1mm out of angle wich is way to much then promised. I did different tests and in all tests I set the peace of wood I'd like to cut along the orthogonal line in the center of the board (wich is conftable for cutting smaller peaces). I was very frustrated but then I did a test with the orthogonal line right beneath my upper super dog (as you did in the video of the "Speedy cutting-station"). I didn't prefer the line first, because for smaller peaces you are so bent over the station while cutting BUT the result was perfect as I imagined! So I did a four cut test and had an inaccurancy of 0,3mm on 50cm wich is really as you promised!! Thanks for that first but can you explain the inaccurancy that accours on the lines between the outer rectangle? For me it's a riddle.. Greets from Germany Michael
Hi Michael, This is very odd indeed as you have effectively demonstrated that the kit is perfect but, for some reason, you have at least one hole which is out. Although the Mark 2 has been designed to make it easier and more accurate the seating of the pins in the 6 mm holes can be misjudged. It is vital that the 6 mm boss on the pins are located properly in the 6 mm holes in the rulers. Other than that I am not sure there s any way to generate an error unless, like me a while ago, your TS55 needs to be adjusted to the track. The only other possibility is that the track was not fully against the Super Dogs for that one bad cut. I wish that I could be more helpful. Peter
Hi Michael, Yes, I would like to know exactly how you get on. I have made about 40 small (MFT3 size) tops and maybe 10 cutting stations with the Mark 2 system and the only issues I had were from my TS55 being sloppy on the rail (and that was when I did the original 5 cut test !) and, early on, when I did not quite get the 6 mm shoulder of the pin seated in the ruler. The latter I did spot when I did an accuracy check before drilling the 20 mm holes. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Yes I know that issue about the play on the rail, I had it the same once upon a time.. To be honest, there is one thing that maybe can get developed some way: When you place the drill jig for the 20mm holes, even fixed with 3 pins, it snugs to two sides aslong as you don't hold it thightly while drilling. It's because the pins don't go that far down the MDF-Plattform. Maybe with Medite-MDF it's a tighter settle, but in my case I had to hold the jig firmly, I even clamped it for my off-set holes. Greets Michael
Hi Michael, When you drill the 3 mm holes it is a good idea to use a "pecking" motion - you drill a little and then withdraw the drill a little, drill a bit more and so on. This creates a cleaner hole and the 3 mm pin will go in more easily. That should then ensure that you engage the 6 mm collar on the pin with the 6 mm hole in the ruler. Peter
Evening Peter, firstly what an ingenious product. I do have to ask why are the hole centres 96mm and not 100mm? Also the second drill guide. If you include a washes/spacer, the same thickness as the parf stck, there would be no need for 2 drill guides thus making the kit that bit cheaper. Thanks John.
Hi John, 96 mm is the "Euro" standard for cabinet work and so has its uses as it is divisible by 32 and 48 (as well as 2,3,4,6,8 and so on. Nice idea about the washer. Cheers. Peter
Peter. Here in United States dog holes are typically 3/4 of an inch. I’m hoping your system will come with that sizing for us on the other side of the pond.
Peter, my parf guide mk II arrives today and a few other things I ordered from axminster later this week. I have a question about the 20mm drill bit that comes with the kit; how many holes can I expect it to last if drilling strictly into MDF? I'm asking because I'm considering grabbing one as a spare along with some 3mm bits.
I have used my 20 mm cutter to do several hundred holes and it appears to be as good now as it was when new. It would not hurt to get a spare (if you are worried) in case you drop the cutter on its tip !! Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks Peter, your quick response is much appreciated. 👍 I'll add one to my next order at axminster. It's good to know it'll last a long while, but I do like to have a spare in case something happens. Thanks again!
Is there. Video on the first one because I know you say the rest Is done as the first one but me and expect a lot more people haven’t got the first or second so I haven’t a clue what you mean by as first one as I couldn’t afford it when it first came out
My only worry would be the 3mm drill. I noticed you clipped into a Festool drill and it snapped securely. I've tried numerous drill bits etc with these hex ends, all trade names in trade holders and as there is no actual standardisation, some wobble and some are too tight to fit/release. I'd hate to buy this and find I need another drill to make the drilling actually work!
With the Mark 2 PGS the 3 mm drill is in a guided holder and so if your trade holder is not brilliant it should not matter - 1,000s of people are now using the system and the 3 mm drill has not been an issue. Peter
The Mk2 system makes it easier to get really accurate results as it includes bearing guided drilling for both 3 mm and 20 mm holes. The registration of the new 3 mm pins is also more precise. Peter
The connector is very simple. It has a 6 mm diameter section which passes through the 6 mm holes in a pair of Parf Sticks that need to be connected. There is a threaded section which takes a special nut that is used to keep the two sticks together. It is used when the intersection of a pair of Parf Sticks occurs beyond the surface of the top being created and when the sticks need to be joined in order to complete the 3-4-5 or 6-8-10 triangle. This is most common if you are making a replacement MFT3 top. An example of this type of use, but for an isometric layout, is shown on Page 10 (figure 21) of the manual. Peter
The 20 mm holes are relatively loose after drilling. They seem to be tapered from top to bottom. The drill shakes a bit when first starting the hole and smooths out. It looks like the spike may be off center. Have you seen this issue?
I just received my PGS from TSO. Looking forward to using it. It looks bang on perfect and I knew I needed one when I saw that the concept is based on math! Any special tip for deciding where the first line of holes should go?
Start dead centre along one long edge of your board. Avoid plywood and try and get good quality MDF (Medite is best). I scribe a thin pencil line where the holes should be drilled, parallel to that first edge and clamp one ruler over it centred on the line. If you want oil or varnish protection of your top then do it before you start. Good luck. Peter
Hi Steven, It comes in good quality transit packaging and people make or use existing containers to keep the pieces safe - not a big challenge. Cheers. Peter
Great product Peter, one issue I am having is the tightness of the 3mm guide pins in 19mm ply. They cannot be removed or seated with hand pressure alone so was wondering if there is something I can correct in my procedure. Cheers Warren
Hi Warren, When you drill the 3 mm holes use a "pecking" method by drilling in a bit then coming out then in a bit more and out again. Do this so it takes 3 "pecks" per drill hole as it removes the waste and makes a more accurate hole. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks Peter that advise has definitely improved the situation but still requires a lot of pressure. I am having an ongoing issue with alignment on the back edge also. Followed your video methodically making sure I clamped where possible and paid particular attention to the seating of the pins before drilling. This description from another subscriber best describes what is happening.I drilled the horizontal 3mm holes and then drilled the left and right columns, but when I placed the ruler on the two holes north of the horizontal row, the two 3mm pegs wouldn’t go in (I could only fit one). In other words, the gap between the two holes were slightly closer (~ .50-.75 mm ) I went over my procedure and attempted a few times with the same result. I have checked the Parf sticks and they align perfectly, the only thing I can think of is that the location pins might be slightly bent (although I cannot see any deviation) The deviation must occur at the setting of the 6/8/10 stage although I was methodical and could not find fault with my procedure. Any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated
Hi Warren, The pins will not be bent. The problem with plywood is that the changing grain direction as one goes through can cause a small drill (like the 3 mm one) to wander very slightly. This is why we strongly recommend high quality MDF. That does not help you out of the current situation. Your first row of holes can be checked by reversing the ruler and seeing if the pins fit in okay. Assuming that is good you now need to look at those first two (left and right) columns. Try creating a new left and right pair 96 mm to the left or right of the duff ones and check to see if they are okay. This time though only drill the column hole furthest away from the top row of holes and then check left and right. If ever you get a duff hole get a matchstick, put some pva glue on it and tap it into the hole. Leave it to dry and cut it off flush. You can then redo the work - in my early experimental days I was doing this all the time ! Good luck. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks for your patience Peter. I think I have found the issue. I noticed play in the Parf sticks at second step when joining the sticks at the point 8 and point 10 point using the long spigot bearing guide.Although the 8 and 10 point sides seemed securely seated into the Parf sticks with no apparent movement whatsoever the moment I join them at the Y and Z point with long spigot bearing I can move axis point about .25 to .50 of a millimetre along the 11 hole axis side. This made no sense to me so I rechecked the seating of the pins into the Parf sticks and they were not 100% flush. They appear seated visually but with the grand dad glasses on I could see while flush on one side they were about half a mil higher on the other side. This is the main reason I thought the locating pins were slightly bent.NB I use your technique of holding the stick securely onto the pin while pushing into position to make sure its home. Even with this slight rise on one side of the pin there appears to be no movement and I could not budge them however when joined at 8 and 10 point with long spigot the movement appears again on the long axis.Will try again with a sheet of MDF and hopefully retain some hair on my head.😀 All the best Warren
Hi Peter, Watching this again as I was a little "off" in my first effort last year as you know I thought of a small mod to the 3 mm pins which might make them more comfortable to use. I found they were a pretty tight fit and not easy to remove. Also, using your recommended technique for aligning the pin and pushing it into the predrilled hole with your hand must be a bit uncomfortable unless you have fairly horny hands. If the top of the pins were made in a " mushroom" shape, rather like a mini sock darner (for those of us who remember these!), then they would be much more comfortable to push in and also easier to grip the top when pulling them out. Maybe a worthwhile mod for Mark 3! Hoping to be back in the Workshop by late July once travel is possible again. WKR Mike
Thank you! The jig is brilliant and adding the bushed guide is a really nice touch. It looks like a quick release chuck like the Festool Centrotec really helps to stream line the drilling process. For those if us who don't have Festool drills, I was wondering if we could use an impact driver since they usually have quick release tool holders. Have you tried this? Would it be a problem if the driver went into "impact mode?"
Hi Peter, i've just bought your Guide MK ii...super clever idea and super useful kit. Just a question about the 20 mm and the 3 mm drill bit. I saw that they are Centrotec compatible. I do not have Festool Centrotec tool..but only a Milwaukee M18 2606-20 Drill-Driver with a normal 1/2" metal chuck. The question is: May i use the drill bit in the kit with my Drill Driver or i will "ruin" it and/or degrade the precision of you kit? Thank you for the time you take in reply to my answer and thank you again for all your videos.. Paolo.
Hi Paolo, Your drill will work fine. It does not matter how the drill is held - either in a Centrotec chuck or a normal chuck will make no difference to the accuracy of the finished job. Cheers. Peter
Hi Hazem, The new system is easier to use once you get used to the idea of locating the pins and 3 mm drill guides in the Parf Sticks (rulers). The new system has very little that can go wrong if one uses it a lot. The 20 mm cutter and the 3 mm drill can be easily replaced but the rest should last a very long time. Peter
Hi Peter, Great products as ever! A quick question: Can I make the worktop out of Valchromat; can it be machined readily using the Parf Guide System. Also what thickness would you recommend? 18mm perhaps? Thanks Sam
Hi Sam, Yes, and 18 mm is perfect. Valchromat is a little more dense but it machines well and will make an excellent top. Many of my regulars use it. Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter, I've received my Mark II system and am in the process of creating a worktop with it. Mostly going well so far, but do you know how I could get hold of a 2nd 3mm drill bit holder on its own ? The reason I ask is that the top I am using is 32mm deep. The 3mm drill bit supplied is 75mm long, but only 22-25mm goes through the top, so won't drill all the way through this top. The rest is inside the holder/raised up a little by the ruler. Would be a waste of the top to just bin it. As the hex screw holding the 3mm bit is near the top of the holder, I can't just move the 3mm bit down by around 10mm - it wont lock. I guess I could just drill down to 25mm whatever the top depth and just push the dogs in that far, but if I don't go all the way through I can't lock parts from underneath (I can always get longer 8mm bolts for pretty much any depth). The 20mm bit looks to be able to handle a cut depth of 35mm. I have got hold of a 100mm long 3mm bit to fix the issue (haven't found any between 85-90mm long yet), but to use it with the guide I have to drill a 3mm hole with the supplied bit then swap to the 100mm bit to complete the hole all the way through, because the 100mm bit is so long the holder won't locate in the top of the guide if I only use that bit and would likely be inaccurate. Once you use the supplied 75mm bit, the 25mm hole it drills in the top allows the 100mm bit to go down far enough in the hole to locate the drill bit holder at the top of guide as normal and finish the job. But all the swapping back and forth between 75mm and 100mm long bits in the holder is making the process a bit of a faff. I don't really want to move the rules before finishing a line of holes or forget which have been extended and which haven't. A 2nd 3mm bit holder would fix my issue easily. Just didn't spot it on the Axminster site. Here's hoping.
At the moment the production is going flat out to supply back orders and the many distributors around the world. It mat take another 3 to 4 months before a production run can be fitted in just for spares (the reason being that no mishaps would be expected in those first few months of ownership). However, I fully understand your situation and believe that there is a simple way. First of all you must understand that when using the 20 mm cutter there must be a 3 mm hole all the way through the material. The reason is that there is a non cutting 3 mm spike on the tip and it will be damaged if the 3 mm pilot hole is not there. If you drill all the 3 mm holes to the max that the current drill and drill holder will allow then you will be within 7 mm of the final depth. So, drill all of the 3 mm holes and then finish them off without the guide just with a 3 mm drill. If you are careful to keep the drill upright then you will have no problems. Peter
Hi very nice tool and tutorial. I will byu one but I can't 10 holes, my workspace is smaller. You say on 10 holes is the order 6 to 8 to 10. What is when I will make 8 holes and 4 high? Can I do this? Sorry I'm not the best handyman :) thx for the answer
Hi Tomy, Although your top will be smaller you can still engage the rulers to create the 6 - 8 -10. The 6 will be across your piece which you say will be 8 wide. The 8 will go down beyond the end of your top and will join in mid air (using the joining piece in the kit) with the ruler across the diagonal which is the 10 unit part. It will work and will be just as accurate as a normal top. Peter
Hello Peter, I have been enjoying your videos over the last couple of weeks. I am in the US and just placed my order for the MK II system. These are out of stock anywhere here I have checked. I went to Axminster to place my order. They had them in stock and even with shipping and taxes it was only $4 more than the price listed in the US without taxes or shipping. Unbelievable. Anyway, I have a question about this video. I know you are using a Festool drill. Can you tell me the model? Also, when you drill the initial 3mm holes you have that bushing as a guide. I assume that is part of the kit but is the 3mm drill bit and the piece that makes it fit the bushing, also included? A little new to this so just wanted to see if I needed to get anything else. Again, thank you for your videos and this tool. You are about to convert a 3/4" guy over to 20mm...
Hi Rick, Yes, i am aware that Axminster have a great deal with their world wide shipping company. The Festool drill is probably the CSX but I sometime also use the much heavier PDC. The CXS and its non identical twin the TXS are great drills and I could not be without mine. All the parts that you need come with the kit (less the drill and a clamp which most people should have). Good luck and remember to check the accuracy of your work after drilling the 3 mm holes before you start on the 20 mm ones. It is vital to ensure that the 6 mm shoulder of the drill guids fits into the 6 mm hole in the rulers - a common mistake by people in a hurry ! Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Hello Peter. I have now finished my Paulk styled bench and ready to start my holes. I am trying to find the offset from bottom/side, for the first hole. I thought I had seen or heard in one of your videos what you used for this measurement (71mm, or 81mm ??). I know this isn't critical for most but I am doing a full 4x8' sheet of plywood top. I will drill all 3mm holes but only do the 20mm for portions of the bench that I know for sure I will use for my cross-cutting station. My concern on the 'starting' point is that I also want to take into account doing the offset holes. Want to make sure I leave enough room since the offset holes seem to go on the perimeter of the main layout. Thank you for your time.
Hi Steve, The Mark 2 has been designed to take account of several comments on the original but also to make it simpler to use. I believe that the accuracy is about the same and I doubt whether it is reasonable to expect anything better for woodworking applications - cutting something square with an error of just 0.03 of a degree is quite something. The Mark 2 is a little more expensive and so people should look at both and decide which is best for them. Peter
Peter - I ordered the mark II system a couple months back and am very happy with it! Unfortunately, I bent one of the locator pins. Do you know if/how i can order some replacements? Any guidance you can provide would be greatly appreciated! Thanks Tony
Hi Tony, Just contact Axminster Customer Service - cs@axminster.co.uk and see what they say. It should not be a problem and please let me know if you need me to help further. Peter
I just made two tops-the second to verify I didn’t make any major errors-but when I test them with a 4/5-sided cut test I’m out about 1mm over 1000mm. Is that within the expected tolerances of the system? I realize the 4 cut method probably compounds smaller issues for a system like this and a real cut of 1000mm would probably be out by less. Also if using my digital caliper between holes, most are less than .1mm out between holes, but a few are closer to .2mm. My guess is that anything less than .1mm is “good enough.” What do you consider to be outside of tolerance?
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you for your prompt reply. Yes I was dividing by 4. I just made a 3rd top and took every effort to confirm squareness using my 3mm holes - using 6-8-10s to confirm my right angles on my anticipated work-piece-parallel/track-parallel holes. I should note that out of the 3 tops when following the starting directions exactly, I've never had hole 9 on the rule at the far line parallel to my starting line fit - it's always seemed off center inwards about .75mm. However, after restarting the third top with 3mm holes slightly offset from the first, I used the guide sticks starting from the 8 position and working down to 0 when possible (long hypotenuse being the exception), I did get to the point where the top seemed good when I checked various right-angles specifically at my cut line. With this top, one 4 cut test was -0.958 mm per meter and one was -0.99mm per meter. I'm using a Makita saw and rail and it's possible the rail itself is out - I can't think of a good way of testing - and of course, as mentioned, a small issue would be multiplied by this method, so a real world 1 meter cut would probably be less than 1mm out. But I'm still wondering what "good enough" would be for this system?
It is possible that the saw is out as you say. However, getting below 1 mm over a full metre is certainly good enough for most DIY applications. If you were making dozens of kitchen cabinets then you would be better to get the accuracy to below 0.5 mm. Good luck with all of your work. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you. I did some test cuts from one column over and get around .6 mm per m. With the fact that small inaccuracies are most likely being compounded, I think that's probably good enough for government work, as they say. Thanks again.
Hi Richard, If you apply your finish before you start drilling it will not matter. If you apply any finish after drilling then it can enter the 20 mm holes and change their sizes. Peter
Hello Peter, I have just been persuaded by your excellent videos to purchase a parf guide Mk 2 set. I hope to use it on my bench which is 30mm thick beech veneered chipboard. I’d appreciate your view on whether this will be suitable for dog holes and do you think the material will cause blunting problems for the 200 cutter? Grateful for any advice you may have.
Hi Kevin, The 20 mm cutter will manage but it will be quite a challenge for the operator ! With a slab so thick (why?) the lever clamps cannot be used and other 3rd party gizmos may not work as designed. If you can go with a top 18 - 20 mm top in thickness it will provide everything you need and be more than strong enough for woodworking. Peter
New Brit Workshop Thanks Peter. It’s just I made the bench many years ago and it seems a waste to get rid and replace the top which was actually an office desktop and well finished. I hadn’t thought about the associated accessories that might not work with such a thickness. Maybe I should consider a new top that overlaps and has a space for clamps etc to work albeit increasing the working height. Any recommendations?
Hi Kevin, Ah, you have it already so lets see what you can do... All the dogs will work although any that might benefit from being screwed in from below may be tricky. The lever clamps that I show at about the 6 minute 30 second point in this video: th-cam.com/video/h6Pgd7a0UD4/w-d-xo.html will not work. You could experiment by using a rounding over bit on the underside of the top. Going back to the drilling of the 20 mm holes - that will be hard work. Perhaps you could use this particular top for a fixed bench that has no holes? Peter
Interesting. I will say that in Aus, the predominant dog hole size is 3/4 inch (19mm), with 20mm available to keep festool owners happy. thank you again.
Hello Peter. Does the overlapping of the rulers cause a slight difference in the hypotenuse length (shorter) since the hypotenuse rule is on top? Since you put the hypotenuse ruler on top on both the left and the right, doesn't it shorten the distance of the two corner holes by a fraction of a mm?
Simply place a washer the same thickness as the ruler UNDERNEATH the hypotenuse ruler at “6” side of the triangle if you want to be absolutely precise, although I doubt that any infinitesimal difference will be noticeable in the real world. We are dealing with WOOD here. Any fractions of a mm will be insignificant compared to variations caused by temperature and humidity.
Hi Seam, No, the 3 mm drill is not long enough and that hole has to go all the way through. The 20 mm cutter would not quite make it either. Having a top thicker that 19 mm (3/4") reduces the scope of other tools or accessories that can be used with the top. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Peter, my request by no means diminishes my respect for your invention. Quite the contrary; I am a retired( read living on limited income) novice wood working enthusiast that could greatly benefit from the accuracy of your system. Festool systems are far beyond my price point; 3/4 inch fabrication materials are readily within reach and price point. My suggestion would open your prospective market considerably reaching the novice level woodworker community.
In general I'm a firm believer _not_ to use imperial metrics, but in this case I also prefer 19 mm (~ 3/4 inch), just because there is much more available for that -- and it does not really matter for the bench if the holes are 20 or 19 mm. I'm building mine with 19 mm therefore!
At 10.15 you state that the two Parf sticks are rock solid. I am making a new MFT due to the first not being accurate. I have noticed that there is around 1mm of play where the two sticks meet. Could you advise what may be causing this please? Many thanks, Lee Ward
Hi Lee, This is caused when a 3 mm pin is not correctly located - it has a 6 mm collar that must sit down inside the hole in the Parf Stick - always lift the Parf Stick a dash and then seat the pin in the 6 mm hole before lowering it down. Peter
Hi Lee, You say that there is play where the two Parf Sticks meet - If the pins at the far end are seated correctly there should be no play unless you put excessive force during your check. Let the two come together and ensure the joining gadget (that goes through both sticks to join them) is correctly located in both 6 mm holes of the two sticks. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop I really appreciate your time with this Peter, thank you. I have recorded a video for you to see exactly what the problem is, I assure you I am not using excessive force, its a very steady rocking motion with little pressure, barely enough to hold the rules. th-cam.com/video/DBNs4u3TEcY/w-d-xo.html This video may make it easier to see what I am doing. Again, I thank you for your time.
Hi Lee, Many thanks for making the video. I do not think that you have a problem at all. As long as you do not "wiggle" the triangle arrangement before clamping you can then drill the next set of holes with confidence. Peter
Hi Adri, I always use 18 mm Medite Moisture Resistant MDF. If you cannot get that exact type then go for the best 18 mm MDF that you can find. I would avoid plywood as it is more expensive and you get more breakout when doing the 20 mm holes. Peter
Hi Peter, I have found the 3mm pins are typically just a bit too tight for the 3mm holes the supplied bit drills. Most times I have to press REALLY hard to get the pins in and it's then really hard to get them to come out afterwards. So much so, I've had one pin come out of its handle. I managed to force it back out from underneath, but that also took some doing. Axminster specialist sales are sending me some replacement pins, but they said you had mentioned a workaround to them about running through the holes with the 3mm bit ? They weren't fully sure what you meant, so I thought I'd ask. Do you mean to drill the 3mm holes using the guides and then run through each hole again "freehand" to ease it a bit, or something else ? Don't want to compromise accuracy, but do want to get the pins in and out without breaking them. Hope that makes sense.
Hi Andaval, I am sorry that you had this experience but well done for getting straight onto Axminster who will always sort things out. The technique which I described in the video is to use a "Pecking" technique to drill the 3 mm holes (as well as the 20 mm ones). By drilling in about 5 mm then come back out then in another 5 or 6 mm until all the way through. It is a well known technique and prevents the compressing of waste into the wall of the hole. Any compressed waste could otherwise inhibit the passage of the pin later. Please let me know if you have any further problems. If the 3 mm pins are difficult to push in then only set them into the MDF by 6-7 mm rather than the whole length of the pin.
Hi Peter - I had tried the pecking motion, but it doesn't seem to help (unless I'm just doing it wrong, but don't think so) - the pins are still too tight. When you say don't use the whole length of the pin, how do you maintain accuracy? At 6-7mm, the collar won't engage the guide rail.
Just a thought - my worktop isn't MDF, its Birch plywood. Not sure if that makes a difference to how the pins bind, but I've not come across issues before and it works well as a top otherwise. Sturdy and flat. Will use sanding sealer after the drilling is finished.
I have not tested Birch plywood but it should behave like MDF except perhaps a little more breakout when using the 20 mm cutter. You are right that the 6 mm collar on the pins should engage with the recess in the block. I am now a little lost on what is happening at your end. Axminster may have to replace the pins or the 3 mm drill. I will pass this on the them and ask that they deal with you directly. Once again, I am sorry that this is holding you up. Peter
I have just spoken to Axminster and they will contact you but probably in the morning as it is close to their end of day. I hope that they replace your system and arrange for the original to be returned so that detailed measurements can be made to see what might be wrong. Peter
Is there any way to purchase just the Parf Sticks for the Mk II set? I purchased the Mk II System from Axminster and one of the sticks has a bow to it and made the grid inaccurate. I contacted Axminster about this but they want me to return the whole kit and pay shipping. Shipping from USA back to the UK will cost me more than what I paid for the kit. EDIT: This must have been user error as the holes are lined up. The ruler's edges are bowed but that shouldn't effect the grid work. Axminster later offered to pay return shipping but I will be emailing them now and apologize for my assumption.
Hi Damien, The Parf Sticks are not claimed to be straight edges. The 6 mm holes however must be in a dead straight line in order for the system to be accurate. I suspect Axmisnter need the kit back for quality control checking. I will make my own enquiries with Axminster about this. Did you purchase this using your TH-cam name? Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Yes I did. I just got an email from them with a prepaid shipping label so I will be returning it to them. I will open the case back up and verify the holes prior to shipping it back out.
@@NewBritWorkshop Mr. Parfitt, I just opened up the box and checked the holes themselves by drilling the ten 3mm holes, spinning the ruler 180°, and using the pins to see if they match up. They do. I thank you so much for your help and I apologize for troubling you.
First of all, many thanks for this video and your others, I have been binge watching them over the last week! You have another new subscriber! Secondly, after drilling the first row, is there any reason you chose not to go 8 along the row, and 6 up the column (and use the deeper 3mm guide) rather than 6 along the row, and 8 up the column, and having to use the threaded joiner? Lastly, it would possibly be confusing for some, but would it not be an idea to drill the first of the outlying 32mm offset holes at the end of the first row, while the Parf Stick is already in place?
Hi John, The 8 and 6 are interchangeable but I prefer the way that I show in the video. You are right about the offset holes and if you plan it from the start then it is a good idea. Cheers. Peter
Hi Gurmeet, No, and there is no likelihood of there ever being one. I found it initially hard to go from Imperial to Metric but once there I would not go back. The arithmetic is so much easier and my work is now more accurate and less prone to measuring errors. Peter
Congratulations Peter on improving an already superb bit of kit. The second drill guide with the deeper protrusion seems a touch superfluous? Surely if you’ve drilled the rest of the holes, the second ruler could be removed? Quick question: are the “locating dogs” useful after their initial use? Can they be utilised to hold workpieces? Thanks.
Hi James, If your bench or cutting station top is large enough for the first intersection of the two Parf Sticks to be over the MDF then you do need the second 3 mm guide otherwise it just will not work. The locator dogs are the same outside diameter (25 mm) as the other dogs that have a boss above the bench and so they can be used to push your stock against when cutting. They are not sold as an individual item yet. Peter
Hi James, If the join of the two Parf Sticks is over the MDF top then it is not appropriate to use the small joining piece. Instead one uses the second 3 mm drill guide block at the intersection of the two Parf Sticks and drill the hole. Then the diagonal Parf Stick is moved away, a pin is inserted to hold the vertical Parf stick in place before continuing. If the joining piece is used instead there will be a very slight error, admittedly small, created by the vertical Parf Stick being raised off the surface of the MDF. Peter
Hi Jim, There are plenty of US and CA customers getting Mark 2 PGS from Axminster. Just send an email to their Customer Services team and they will help. TSO should have their stock very soon. Peter
Hi Jim, In order to make full use of the completed top you need a pair of tall dogs (Parf Super Dogs or Veritas Tall Parf Dogs) and 4 small dogs (either Paf Guide Pups or Veritas small Parf Dogs). There are about 18 other Parf products which can be found on the Axminster web site. Cheers. Peter
Hmm - I hate to be a wet blanket, but my brand new MK 2 part guide is so snug, the guide bushing nipples don’t fit into the 6mm holes nor does the 3mm drill guide fit at all into the oil bearing as shown in this video. Lastly there are burrs on each side of the guide ruler at each 6mm hole- on both rulers. Has the quality deteriorated or am I expected to finish these guides on my own. Hardly the level of precision I was expecting. Sorry for the sharing such a negative experience. This set will not work as advertised.
On the plus side - the 20mm bit slides perfectly in its guide bushing on the aluminum block. The pilot bit will not fit in this “identical’ diameter bushing - leading me to believe it has the greater error.
I received a new set of guide rails and guide bushings from my distributor - perfect fit! The TSO customer service is excellent and thanks to Peter, my work bench top is coming together!
Yes Peter and I have made 2 perfectly accurate MFTs but I love the improvements and I'm like a little kid stomping his feet saying "I want it", "I want it", "I want it"
Hi John, I fully understand and I am sure that there will be a few others feeeling the same. The difficulty is with any succesful product is the business of making a step change improvement like we have achieved with the Mark 2. If we were to try and wait for all the suppliers to run out of stock of the original then one supplier (in country A say) might be waiting 3 months for new stock whilst another supplier (in country B) cleared his or her shelves. Peter
Hi there Peter! Love you videos mate! Inspired so much by your parf system, went on axminster to get the mark 2 but out of stock :( Any idea when they will be back ? Thanks so much - M T
I just have to ask. I've always wondered. Are you related to the legendary British cricket player of the same name? In any event, I love your channel. I bought your PGS, and it worked perfectly, and I mean dead on perfectly, no deviation. Only excellent engineering and production can produce such results.
Thank you for the kind words. No, as far as I know the left handed Peter Parfitt and I are not related but when my wife and I were getting engaged to be married her younger brother thought that I was the other PP. I wonder if anyone has ever asked him if he is related to me !! Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter, besides the one hole linked below, it seems you've done an excellent job keeping the drill jig stable. That said, I've made my first top and had the same thing happen to many of my 3mm holes. I've not done the 4 cut test yet but can fit a 0.006" feeler gauge between a 12" precision triangle when placed against my fence and guide rail which gives me doubts about the accuracy I'll achieve with this top. Would the drill jig moving like it did below be enough to cause this? If so, I'll have to cut another top and find a different drill which can be balanced better. th-cam.com/video/8sLtHYEo-nw/w-d-xo.htmlm54s
That should not make much difference if it is a hole, like mine, not in a critical position. When you see the drill move like the clip you showed bear in mind the flex of the drill bit. So, if your top is not accurate I would look for other reasons. Try the 4 cut test. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop I just did the 4 cut test and have an error of 0.002" over 12" or 0.05mm over 305mm. The panel referenced against one Double Groove Close Fit Bench Dog to the Left of and one underneath the guide rail. In reality, longer panels will reference against additional precision dogs to the Left of the guide rail, which may or may not cause additional error, but even if there's twice the level of error, sanding phase should resolve all issues, and should be acceptable even with thin veneered plywood. I'm sure the accuracy will only further improve as I learn how to stabilize the drill jig on future tops ... A+ product Peter, thanks from the USA!!
Sadly Axminster have hiked their prices - again. With inflation at less than 1% I am not sure how they can justify an 11% price rise - just removed it from my list.
...and it will produce brilliant cutting stations and MFT3 tops. The original and the new Mark 2 will be sold alongside each other so people can choose. Peter
Hello Peter, I've been enjoying your videos and decided to give the Parf II System a try. Right now I'm building my first MFT top and have run into an issue with inconsistent & oversized 20mm holes. I made a short video to demonstrate the problem - link is below. th-cam.com/video/MttcvCs-W4I/w-d-xo.html 3mm Grid came out perfectly. Everything lines up. 20mm holes seem oversized and not consistent. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thankyou!
I have no clue how a drill can make holes of different sizes. I do not know anything about the dogs that you mention as all of the Parf branded dogs are to the specification needed for the Parf Guide System. Try drilling some 3 mm holes in a gash piece of your worktop material and then mount the 20 mm cutter in a pillar drill and drill out the 3 mm holes to 20 mm. Then check to see if there is any variation in sizes. Peter
One of the best step-by-step, clearly communicated and thorough walk through videos I’ve ever seen. Thank you and I’m subscribing.
I recently bought the Parf Guide System Mk2. After seeing this video I once again concluded that this is a great combination of a great idea and great engineering. In the product all pitfalls are taken care of and in this video Peter pays attention to every possible flaw when using the system. Many thanks for conceiving, building and presenting the product!
Thank you so much - I will go to bed happy tonight. Cheers. Peter
After 7 months of not being able to create my Parf Guide table, I was finally able to tackle it today. WHAT A WELL MADE KIT!!! In a world filled with cheap knock-offs and poor quality stuff. Everything about this screams quality. The tolerance, the well thought out design, wonderful dust management. I couldn't think of anything to improve upon the design. And most of all, DEAD NUTS accurate. I'm so glad I got this kit!
Hi Hansang, Thank you so much for such a wonderful set of comments. Cheers. Peter
Peter, A great video and an extremely well thought out and beautifully precise system. I am a machinist and woodworker and I had considered developing a similar system for building an MFT top, but after seeing your system, I decided to purchase yours. The thought and quality of the build are exceptional and well worth the cost, especially given the fact that it allows for an infinite number of of tops to be quickly built, either in the field or in the shop, with machine shop accuracy. Thanks!
Hi Barry, Many thanks. The PGS Mk2 has now received the prestigious King's Award for Enterprise, a competition open to British businesses with winners judged to excel in international trade, innovation and sustainable development. They are the highest official UK awards for British businesses. Cheers. Peter
Hello Peter, I have just watched your exposition of the Parf Guide MK2 and I am now £200 worse off having just purchased the kit!!! 🙂 so looking forward to creating my own table. Thankyou so much for all your VERY clear video series. all the very best. In one of your videos (how to build a track saw cutting station) you mention some plans - not sure I understood how to get them - I put my e-mail in this and it appears in the comment so am resubmitting without the e-mail.
In order to get plans I need your email address. To find my email address go to my main TH-cam 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
Hello Peter. I have just received my Parf guide system mk 2 as a Christmas present. I been wanting one for years. Thank you for creating such a wonderfully made tool. I'm super excited to make my 1st MFT style top. You video are a huge help thank you
Enjoy it. Peter
Hi Peter, just discovered your channel and delighted. Excellent delivery and explanations, good job. Man after my own heart, I too am an ex software development engineer who again just loves wood and furniture making and no less, video making rather than stills photography. I see there seems hundreds of videos to get stuck into and some useful information to be had. Thank you for your efforts.
Ray
Welcome aboard!
Guess what arrived today.... my super fancy Mark 2 Parf Guide System. Peter well done. The quality is better then aircraft in my opinion. There was a note from TSO apologizing for the delay in shipment, one minute inspecting the quality of the product and I forgot all about the delays.The stop collar that came in my kit is way better than the described stop, the one I received doesn't have a set screw rather it is more like a clamp collar; again well done. I can't wait to start the drilling process tomorrow as I know it will be fun and thanks to you "Spot On"
Hi Robert, I am so grateful for this feedback from you. Axminster have put a lot of effort into the new design and TSO are an excellent company to do business with - the US UJK lines are safe in their hands. Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter, new to all this but what a brilliant system. I watched you, Matt Estlea and John McGrath use the system. I saw the problem John had and thought your answer was spot on. So I went ahead and ordered my kit from Axminster. As I was using a 2400x1200 sheet I took your advice and started in the middle (Hole 0 was approximately where 8 should be). I drilled out my first horizontal line and then the left hand perpendicular line followed by the right. So far so good. The fourth line completing the box lined up perfectly, so I now had a 10x10 hole square. Everything looked good. Every horizontal line across the 10 perpendicular holes lined up and I completed the grid. All still looking good. After watching Johns video I didn't extend the box using straight lines I made the triangle again and created a new base line. Same for the far left perpendicular line. Here is where my problem started. The top of that new section did not align. Like John, it did for the first 4-5 rows and then drifted out. So having seen Johns work around for the bad row I moved in 1 and tried again. same problem. I tried from the other side, new triangle, same problem. This lead me to doubt the accuracy of my original grid. On testing my original grid there were actually quite a very very minor errors. Even along lines drilled at the same time with the same guide. If you pin 0 and 10 of the guide you'd expect the third pin to go into all the holes in between with precision. they didn't. Occasionally, you would feel the guide move very slightly to accommodate the pin. I have checked my guide and they are accurate (as I saw someone did get a bad set) backwards, forwards, face to face and back to back
I conclude that I must have been too heavy handed and must have applied some lateral pressure when drilling some of the holes. At 10.20 in the video you say there is zero movement from side to side, but, there is a very slight amount. I can't trust the accuracy of my current grid, so I will flip the board and start again. This time after I have drilled and pinned 0 and 10 I will do hole 5 and pin it to minimize any lateral flex. I could even use the other guide as a cross to ensure the hole 5 is accurate but you'd need another pin.
The set comes with a 3 mm hss drill bit; did you ever try with a 3mm wood bit, would that not drive more true than hss? Any thoughts or suggestions please. Cheers Donal
Hi Donal, If you go to my main TH-cam page and find the "About" tab you can then get my email address. I would be more than happy to take you through the process - it is easier with an email exchange as pictures can be attached and so on. Peter
Most undervalued product ever made!
I am ,apparently, late to this party but today I got my mk2 kit! Wow very well made and very fast shipping! I’m in the states and it got here faster than many shipments for within the states and that is just sad really. But this bit of kit is incredible thanks! Oh and the instructions that came with it included the layout for a standard mft table and also the the isometric layout! In case someone didn’t realize it. I didn’t even think there would be instructions with it
Hi John, Excellent. For what it is worth, Axminster have had more 5 star reviews for the PGS than most of their other products put together. Cheers. Peter
Simply brilliant! 😃
The little 2-part pin to join 2 Parf sticks. The special bushings with a 6mm protrusion and bushing for the custom drill bit assembly to guarantee a dead straight, perfect hole. And most of all, the elemental beauty of Pythagoras’ 3-4-5 triangle.
Thank you so much. Peter
Now that I've been improving my woodworking skills, I'll be order from TSO folks. Kudos to you, it's such a well engineered and thought out product. And typing a comment to feed the YT Algo overlords.
Hi Hansang, Good luck with the PGS and your very informative videos on TCP/IP and more. Cheers. Peter
Thank you! Just ordered it from TSO. Can't wait! I may play with plywood top, but I'm thinking MDF's denseness makes it a better choice for dogs. And I didn't expect that reply (re: my wireshark videos 😀)
I purchased the original parf system from Lee Valley approximately 8 months ago. I must say I was very impressed with the engineering. I went to work and modified my mobile workbenches. My next undertaking is an out feed table for my saw stop table saw. This is a great way to spend ones time. It is strangely satisfying to produce a custom mft table.
This new system is a step up to be sure. I will have to find a purchaser for my original Parf guide. Might have to spend some time convincing my good wife why that is a good idea.
Congratulations on your development of a great piece of “kit”..
Hi Harold, If you are only making the odd top now and then you will be fine with your original although, if it has hardly been used, it should be easy to sell. The new system is coming in at an extraordinary introductory price so, if you do decide to get one, get one soon. Peter
Excellent piece of engineering Peter. I'll definitely be getting one in the next few months.
Hi Simon, Brilliant. Cheers. Peter
This is a super system, and I just finished drilling an entire 4 foot 8 MDF sheet (19mm). The pins and dogs fits VERY tight in the holes, making them extremely hard to pull out. After pulling them out hundreds of times,I am now the proud owner of blisters on my thumb and index finger, and suggest that MK III includes bigger and better handles, both for the pins and the dogs. So then, for all you out there: buy the vacuum extension and the festool dogs and some large knobs to save yourself some time and pain.
Hi Kjell, I am afraid that the tight tolerances are what makes it so accurate. But your observations are important, many thanks. Peter
Hi Peter, I order the Mark 2 from the UK before it was available in Australia, and love it. Amazed at the hole accuracy! I got very carried away and drilled out an entire 2400x1200 sheet. Which is rather handy but a blank section for assembly would have been a better idea.
One thought I had for possibly an addition to the range, is a dog with the chamfer but cut flush with the surface. A 3mm hole in the centre could then be used for the aligning pin. A pair would allow you to go back and put a hole or several in an area that was preciously left plain. Just a thought.
Keep up the great work!
That is exactly what I'm looking for. Did you ever find one?
Used this today, after watching the videos and following the instructions... it’s so easy and so accurate. Great work :0)
Hi Simon, Excellent - well done. Take care. Peter
This is clearly very nicely engineered and made. I will add it to my vast list of tools I want. Thanks Peter.
Hi Ollie, You will not regret this at all. Peter
I treated myself to the kit recently and finally hauled a sheet of mdf back home today. I need to decide how much to cut it back as I discovered the weight of a full sheet is close to my physical limit.
I'm going to be building on some big toughbuilt sawhorses so I was inclined to go full sheet, but the weight may be too much. Hmm. I guess I could do two panels if I don't need to rely on alignment. Or fit some wheels on one edge!
I'll report back.
Hi Kevin, Think really hard why you want a full sheet. I have managed with my slightly smaller top for a long time. Peter
Peter, I feel like what is really missing from this is some guidance on where to initially start drilling, too close to the edge, the offset holes won't work, too far from the edge, wasted space. Thanks for the great tool and video.
Hi Paul, The distance from the centre of any hole to the edge of the board should not be less than 25 mm. If you wish to have offset holes that close to opposite sides of a board then cut your board to a width of (25 x 2) + (n x 96) mm. Where n is the number of rows minus 1. Peter
I just received my Parf Guide from Axminster and am happy to report it made it here to Canada in excellent shape and all pieces accounted for. Looking forward to making my first MFT top. No 3/4” MDF is available here now due to a shortage so i got a sheet of maple plywood which should work fine. I bought a set of revision dogs too. I hope to layout all of the 3mm holes and then try to minimize the 20mm holes to what i think i need and incorporate a line 60 degrees and 30 degrees and 22 1/2 if that is possible. 😃 Trying to minimize dusty table saw and miter saw usage and get more use out of the track saw.
Excellent news. Try not to push too hard towards the end of each 20 mm drilling operation as the cutter is optimised for MDF and you may otherwise get some breakout on the underside of the hole. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thanks peter, i made a few test cuts in the ply and the tear out is minimal. I set the cutter collar so as to just come out the bottom. I will experiment with putting a thick sheet of styrofoam underneath to support the cut. Wayne
@@NewBritWorkshopI may wait for MDF stock to come in but if i do go with the maple top i thought that i could layout and drill all my 3mm holes and then turn the top over and set the 20mm bit at 1/8” and drill them all to that depth and turn the top right side up again and complete the holes and have no tear out whatsoever. A little more work but who is in a hurry. 😃
Yes, it would be a lot of extra work and it is not something that I have tested to see if there is any loss of accuracy. Good luck. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop i don't think i would effect the accuracy of the hole because really i would only be scoring the underside of the hole. Wayne
I may have missed it but I never catch where to start your holes. It just seems that you work out where you want to start. Is there a formula to calculate where to start? Love your videos and your teaching methods.
After purchasing the Mk2 system and watching your application videos I have a question/suggestion on the design and accessories provided. If the system was provided with 2 revision dogs and the chamfer reamer there would be zero need for the 20 mm dogs or the offset design in the drilling guide. All drilling could be aligned with only the use of 3 mm pins. This would makes the tooling for the drill guide cheaper to assemble. It would also make the system a complete solution instead of having to purchase additional expensive oftentimes unavailable accessories.
Many thanks for this I will pass it on to Axminster. Cheers. Peter
Thanks Peter. The reason I was asking about the overlap; I drilled the horizontal 3mm holes and then drilled the left and right columns, but when I placed the ruler on the two holes north of the horizontal row, the two 3mm pegs wouldn’t go in (I could only fit one). In other words, the gap between the two holes were slightly closer (~ 1/2mm). I just took snapshots and at least one of my Parf sticks is warped. The holes don’t align with the other Parf stick holes. :( this caused a slight deviation in my 3mm drilled holes. I’m hoping TSO takes care of me.
Hi Ted, Contact Axminster straight away and explain the problem. Their Customer Services will help you. Peter
Great improvement with the bushed bit holder, this was one of my reservations regarding long term accuracy. Problem solved :)
Yes, a great improvement. Peter
Hi peter i just brought this ujk parf guide system yesterday and the dust collecter and drill bit . keep up great work.
Hi Shane, Well done and many thanks. Peter
Hi Peter, I love the PFII - so well engineered. Brilliant. For some jigs, I require holes that are 135.8mm apart (the diagonal of a 96x96 pattern). Can you think of an easy way to do this, other than laying out a pattern at 45 degrees to jig. I sometimes wished you had provided an offset hole at this spacing.
My only thought is to do what you suggest and create a pattern by starting with the first set of holes at 45 degrees and then referencing, in the usual way, from that. Peter
Peter I am from Bristish Columbia Canada, and I purchased your Mark II drilling system, I'm absolutely thrilled with the accuracy. Great product, are you related to the famous Parfitt Brothers from Victoria British Columbia.
Hi Douglas, I am not sure but there is a good chance if they were originally from France in the period 1500 to 1700. Many thanks for the accuracy feedback. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Not sure Peter, I know they came from England at some point.
When starting the first row of holes at a right angle using the 6,8,10 method. I wish to make a aligning right angle jig out of aluminium to align a removable section. Don’t want it to be that big, just 2 or 3 holes in each direction. Can I use 1,2,3 or 2,4,6 to do this to make my alignment jig, with parf guide me 2? Great product.
Hi Ian, The ratios, using whole numbers are either 3,4 and 5 or 6, 8 and 10. If we had 48 mm spacing between all the holes then then we could, at the same scale, use 1.5, 2 and 2.5. For what you are trying to do I would find a longish off-cut of MDF and route a channel in it to take your piece(s) of aluminium. I would then screw the aluminium in place using screw holes that you might need when using these pieces later. Then, with the aluminium securely in place use a Parf Stick to create a row of 3 mm holes. I am not sure if you need to enlarge these holes to 20 mm but at least you will have the 3 mm holes at the correct spacing. Good luck. Peter
Now Ron Paulk's "Ron's Tool of the Year for 2018"
Peter, very helpful video once again. How does one precisely go about locating that important first row of holes? If I’m not mistaken, that first row must be exactly parallel to the table edge, right?
Hi Derek, There is no need to have the first row of holes parallel with any edge but I understand that most people would want it to be jolly close. Once the first row of 3 mm holes are created everything else is done in reference to that first row and so the edges of the board have no bearing whatsoever. One can carefully place the ruler for the first row of holes and accept some small error. Or, you can do all the holes, including drilling out to 20 mm and then use dogs (and perhaps a spacer) to get a guide rail exactly parallel to a row of holes and then make a cut to produce an edge which will then be perfectly parallel with that row. The process would be repeated for the other 3 sides. I have never done this as I have never needed that degree of precision for the edge of the top. Peter
I think that this is exactly what I was looking for. But, what are the minimum dimensions of the mdf piece of sheet that can be used with this system? Is there any rule for it, or we can use any dimensions suitable to our needs? Thanks
Hi Antonio. You can use this system for tops as small as you like but once you get below 330 mm x 430 mm it is better to do the construction on a larger sheet and then cut the exact size that you want. I always recommend the material for the tops to be good quality MDF (Medite for example) which is 18 or 19 mm thick. Good luck. Peter
Hi Peter. I have put a new top and apron onto my bench for the parf guide system. I have successfully marked out the grid and drilled all the 3mm pilot holes. I am more likely to need 45 deg cuts rather than the 60 deg shown in your isometric layout. Have you done a video showing the marking out for 45 deg? Thanks for all the excellent videos. Paul
Hi Paul, For 45 degrees just put bench dogs or Parf Pups along a diagonal line against which you push your stock. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop I realised as soon as a posted that I was having a senior moment!
Hey Peter! I made a very specific and also strange realization. About one week ago I received the mark II and I started building the cutting station. I did exactely the same as you did, also with the festool drill and I used as much pins as ever possible. I shamfered the holes, and I use the super dogs and the small pups. For cutting I use the ts 55. Everything is tight and perfekt, but: I did some test and found out that the cuts are on 50cm about 1mm out of angle wich is way to much then promised. I did different tests and in all tests I set the peace of wood I'd like to cut along the orthogonal line in the center of the board (wich is conftable for cutting smaller peaces). I was very frustrated but then I did a test with the orthogonal line right beneath my upper super dog (as you did in the video of the "Speedy cutting-station"). I didn't prefer the line first, because for smaller peaces you are so bent over the station while cutting BUT the result was perfect as I imagined!
So I did a four cut test and had an inaccurancy of 0,3mm on 50cm wich is really as you promised!! Thanks for that first but can you explain the inaccurancy that accours on the lines between the outer rectangle? For me it's a riddle..
Greets from Germany
Michael
Hi Michael, This is very odd indeed as you have effectively demonstrated that the kit is perfect but, for some reason, you have at least one hole which is out. Although the Mark 2 has been designed to make it easier and more accurate the seating of the pins in the 6 mm holes can be misjudged. It is vital that the 6 mm boss on the pins are located properly in the 6 mm holes in the rulers. Other than that I am not sure there s any way to generate an error unless, like me a while ago, your TS55 needs to be adjusted to the track. The only other possibility is that the track was not fully against the Super Dogs for that one bad cut. I wish that I could be more helpful. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Ok thank you very much so far! I'm gonna do some other tests and, if you're intrested, keep you in the loop. :) Greets
Hi Michael, Yes, I would like to know exactly how you get on. I have made about 40 small (MFT3 size) tops and maybe 10 cutting stations with the Mark 2 system and the only issues I had were from my TS55 being sloppy on the rail (and that was when I did the original 5 cut test !) and, early on, when I did not quite get the 6 mm shoulder of the pin seated in the ruler. The latter I did spot when I did an accuracy check before drilling the 20 mm holes. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Yes I know that issue about the play on the rail, I had it the same once upon a time.. To be honest, there is one thing that maybe can get developed some way: When you place the drill jig for the 20mm holes, even fixed with 3 pins, it snugs to two sides aslong as you don't hold it thightly while drilling. It's because the pins don't go that far down the MDF-Plattform. Maybe with Medite-MDF it's a tighter settle, but in my case I had to hold the jig firmly, I even clamped it for my off-set holes.
Greets Michael
Hi Michael, When you drill the 3 mm holes it is a good idea to use a "pecking" motion - you drill a little and then withdraw the drill a little, drill a bit more and so on. This creates a cleaner hole and the 3 mm pin will go in more easily. That should then ensure that you engage the 6 mm collar on the pin with the 6 mm hole in the ruler. Peter
Thank you, sir. I have purchased the mk2 and am gonna start drilling tomorrow
Evening Peter, firstly what an ingenious product.
I do have to ask why are the hole centres 96mm and not 100mm?
Also the second drill guide.
If you include a washes/spacer, the same thickness as the parf stck, there would be no need for 2 drill guides thus making the kit that bit cheaper.
Thanks John.
Hi John, 96 mm is the "Euro" standard for cabinet work and so has its uses as it is divisible by 32 and 48 (as well as 2,3,4,6,8 and so on. Nice idea about the washer. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thanks forthe quick response. i thoght there must be a reason for 96 as oposed to 100.
thanks John
@@NewBritWorkshop Perfect, I was asking myself the same thing as John, and there's the answer. Thanks!
Peter. Here in United States dog holes are typically 3/4 of an inch. I’m hoping your system will come with that sizing for us on the other side of the pond.
That may happen one day but not just yet. Peter
Peter, my parf guide mk II arrives today and a few other things I ordered from axminster later this week. I have a question about the 20mm drill bit that comes with the kit; how many holes can I expect it to last if drilling strictly into MDF? I'm asking because I'm considering grabbing one as a spare along with some 3mm bits.
I have used my 20 mm cutter to do several hundred holes and it appears to be as good now as it was when new. It would not hurt to get a spare (if you are worried) in case you drop the cutter on its tip !! Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks Peter, your quick response is much appreciated. 👍
I'll add one to my next order at axminster. It's good to know it'll last a long while, but I do like to have a spare in case something happens. Thanks again!
Is there. Video on the first one because I know you say the rest Is done as the first one but me and expect a lot more people haven’t got the first or second so I haven’t a clue what you mean by as first one as I couldn’t afford it when it first came out
Hi Steve, Yes -
Part 1:
th-cam.com/video/74D4KQHS7PU/w-d-xo.html
Part 2:
th-cam.com/video/EbF4J216Xjw/w-d-xo.html
My only worry would be the 3mm drill. I noticed you clipped into a Festool drill and it snapped securely. I've tried numerous drill bits etc with these hex ends, all trade names in trade holders and as there is no actual standardisation, some wobble and some are too tight to fit/release. I'd hate to buy this and find I need another drill to make the drilling actually work!
With the Mark 2 PGS the 3 mm drill is in a guided holder and so if your trade holder is not brilliant it should not matter - 1,000s of people are now using the system and the 3 mm drill has not been an issue. Peter
What are the concrete differences (in use/results) versus the older system? Thanks!
The Mk2 system makes it easier to get really accurate results as it includes bearing guided drilling for both 3 mm and 20 mm holes. The registration of the new 3 mm pins is also more precise. Peter
hi! could you demonstrate the use of the "UJK PARF GUIDE SYSTEM PARF STICK CONNECTOR"?
The connector is very simple. It has a 6 mm diameter section which passes through the 6 mm holes in a pair of Parf Sticks that need to be connected. There is a threaded section which takes a special nut that is used to keep the two sticks together. It is used when the intersection of a pair of Parf Sticks occurs beyond the surface of the top being created and when the sticks need to be joined in order to complete the 3-4-5 or 6-8-10 triangle. This is most common if you are making a replacement MFT3 top. An example of this type of use, but for an isometric layout, is shown on Page 10 (figure 21) of the manual. Peter
The 20 mm holes are relatively loose after drilling. They seem to be tapered from top to bottom. The drill shakes a bit when first starting the hole and smooths out. It looks like the spike may be off center. Have you seen this issue?
Hi Scott, You need to check that the drill is correctly set in the chuck and that the 20 mm drill guide is correctly located. Peter
I just received my PGS from TSO. Looking forward to using it. It looks bang on perfect and I knew I needed one when I saw that the concept is based on math! Any special tip for deciding where the first line of holes should go?
Start dead centre along one long edge of your board. Avoid plywood and try and get good quality MDF (Medite is best). I scribe a thin pencil line where the holes should be drilled, parallel to that first edge and clamp one ruler over it centred on the line. If you want oil or varnish protection of your top then do it before you start. Good luck. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thank you- do you put a protective coat on if you have medite?
I no longer bother but if you do wish to do it put the Osmo or varnish on before you do any drilling. Cheers. Peter
There are a lot of precision bits here. What kind of packaging does it come with? Is there a hard case to store all the constituent bits?
Hi Steven, It comes in good quality transit packaging and people make or use existing containers to keep the pieces safe - not a big challenge. Cheers. Peter
Great product Peter, one issue I am having is the tightness of the 3mm guide pins in 19mm ply. They cannot be removed or seated with hand pressure alone so was wondering if there is something I can correct in my procedure. Cheers Warren
Hi Warren, When you drill the 3 mm holes use a "pecking" method by drilling in a bit then coming out then in a bit more and out again. Do this so it takes 3 "pecks" per drill hole as it removes the waste and makes a more accurate hole. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks Peter that advise has definitely improved the situation but still requires a lot of pressure. I am having an ongoing issue with alignment on the back edge also. Followed your video methodically making sure I clamped where possible and paid particular attention to the seating of the pins before drilling. This description from another subscriber best describes what is happening.I drilled the horizontal 3mm holes and then drilled the left and right columns, but when I placed the ruler on the two holes north of the horizontal row, the two 3mm pegs wouldn’t go in (I could only fit one). In other words, the gap between the two holes were slightly closer (~ .50-.75 mm ) I went over my procedure and attempted a few times with the same result. I have checked the Parf sticks and they align perfectly, the only thing I can think of is that the location pins might be slightly bent (although I cannot see any deviation) The deviation must occur at the setting of the 6/8/10 stage although I was methodical and could not find fault with my procedure. Any guidance on this would be greatly appreciated
Hi Warren, The pins will not be bent. The problem with plywood is that the changing grain direction as one goes through can cause a small drill (like the 3 mm one) to wander very slightly. This is why we strongly recommend high quality MDF. That does not help you out of the current situation. Your first row of holes can be checked by reversing the ruler and seeing if the pins fit in okay. Assuming that is good you now need to look at those first two (left and right) columns. Try creating a new left and right pair 96 mm to the left or right of the duff ones and check to see if they are okay. This time though only drill the column hole furthest away from the top row of holes and then check left and right. If ever you get a duff hole get a matchstick, put some pva glue on it and tap it into the hole. Leave it to dry and cut it off flush. You can then redo the work - in my early experimental days I was doing this all the time ! Good luck. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thanks for your patience Peter. I think I have found the issue. I noticed play in the Parf sticks at second step when joining the sticks at the point 8 and point 10 point using the long spigot bearing guide.Although the 8 and 10 point sides seemed securely seated into the Parf sticks with no apparent movement whatsoever the moment I join them at the Y and Z point with long spigot bearing I can move axis point about .25 to .50 of a millimetre along the 11 hole axis side. This made no sense to me so I rechecked the seating of the pins into the Parf sticks and they were not 100% flush. They appear seated visually but with the grand dad glasses on I could see while flush on one side they were about half a mil higher on the other side. This is the main reason I thought the locating pins were slightly bent.NB I use your technique of holding the stick securely onto the pin while pushing into position to make sure its home. Even with this slight rise on one side of the pin there appears to be no movement and I could not budge them however when joined at 8 and 10 point with long spigot the movement appears again on the long axis.Will try again with a sheet of MDF and hopefully retain some hair on my head.😀 All the best Warren
Hi Peter, Watching this again as I was a little "off" in my first effort last year as you know I thought of a small mod to the 3 mm pins which might make them more comfortable to use. I found they were a pretty tight fit and not easy to remove. Also, using your recommended technique for aligning the pin and pushing it into the predrilled hole with your hand must be a bit uncomfortable unless you have fairly horny hands.
If the top of the pins were made in a " mushroom" shape, rather like a mini sock darner (for those of us who remember these!), then they would be much more comfortable to push in and also easier to grip the top when pulling them out. Maybe a worthwhile mod for Mark 3! Hoping to be back in the Workshop by late July once travel is possible again. WKR Mike
Hi Mike, as always, many thanks for your suggestions and advice. Cheers. Peter
Thank you! The jig is brilliant and adding the bushed guide is a really nice touch. It looks like a quick release chuck like the Festool Centrotec really helps to stream line the drilling process. For those if us who don't have Festool drills, I was wondering if we could use an impact driver since they usually have quick release tool holders. Have you tried this? Would it be a problem if the driver went into "impact mode?"
Hi Douglas, The cutter would not do a good job with an impact driver. In my early days I managed quite well with an old Hitachi drill. Peter
Hi Peter, i've just bought your Guide MK ii...super clever idea and super useful kit.
Just a question about the 20 mm and the 3 mm drill bit.
I saw that they are Centrotec compatible.
I do not have Festool Centrotec tool..but only a Milwaukee M18 2606-20 Drill-Driver with a normal 1/2" metal chuck.
The question is:
May i use the drill bit in the kit with my Drill Driver or i will "ruin" it and/or degrade the precision of you kit?
Thank you for the time you take in reply to my answer and thank you again for all your videos..
Paolo.
Hi Paolo, Your drill will work fine. It does not matter how the drill is held - either in a Centrotec chuck or a normal chuck will make no difference to the accuracy of the finished job. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thank you very much for your useful and super quick reply. Paolo.
So if I understand correctly, the Mark 2 achieves the same things as the first version except it does it a little more easily/conveniently?
Hi Hazem, The new system is easier to use once you get used to the idea of locating the pins and 3 mm drill guides in the Parf Sticks (rulers). The new system has very little that can go wrong if one uses it a lot. The 20 mm cutter and the 3 mm drill can be easily replaced but the rest should last a very long time. Peter
Hi Peter, Great products as ever! A quick question: Can I make the worktop out of Valchromat; can it be machined readily using the Parf Guide System. Also what thickness would you recommend? 18mm perhaps? Thanks Sam
Hi Sam, Yes, and 18 mm is perfect. Valchromat is a little more dense but it machines well and will make an excellent top. Many of my regulars use it. Cheers. Peter
Just wondering why you don't make the chamfer tool able to be mounted on a drill, instead of doing all those holes by hand?
Hi Tim, Most setups only require a few holes to be chamfered . Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter I hope there is more than one joining piece in the kit it will get lost :( and knowing Axminster they won't have it in stock.
There is only one and it is easy enough to keep safe. Peter
I just ordered one. What is the process if you have a longer bench top than the parf stick
Hi Chris, Watch this video th-cam.com/video/BNzPVEbLxb4/w-d-xo.html and note the technique from about 8 minutes 20 seconds. Peter
Hi Peter, I've received my Mark II system and am in the process of creating a worktop with it. Mostly going well so far, but do you know how I could get hold of a 2nd 3mm drill bit holder on its own ?
The reason I ask is that the top I am using is 32mm deep. The 3mm drill bit supplied is 75mm long, but only 22-25mm goes through the top, so won't drill all the way through this top. The rest is inside the holder/raised up a little by the ruler. Would be a waste of the top to just bin it.
As the hex screw holding the 3mm bit is near the top of the holder, I can't just move the 3mm bit down by around 10mm - it wont lock. I guess I could just drill down to 25mm whatever the top depth and just push the dogs in that far, but if I don't go all the way through I can't lock parts from underneath (I can always get longer 8mm bolts for pretty much any depth).
The 20mm bit looks to be able to handle a cut depth of 35mm.
I have got hold of a 100mm long 3mm bit to fix the issue (haven't found any between 85-90mm long yet), but to use it with the guide I have to drill a 3mm hole with the supplied bit then swap to the 100mm bit to complete the hole all the way through, because the 100mm bit is so long the holder won't locate in the top of the guide if I only use that bit and would likely be inaccurate. Once you use the supplied 75mm bit, the 25mm hole it drills in the top allows the 100mm bit to go down far enough in the hole to locate the drill bit holder at the top of guide as normal and finish the job.
But all the swapping back and forth between 75mm and 100mm long bits in the holder is making the process a bit of a faff. I don't really want to move the rules before finishing a line of holes or forget which have been extended and which haven't. A 2nd 3mm bit holder would fix my issue easily. Just didn't spot it on the Axminster site.
Here's hoping.
At the moment the production is going flat out to supply back orders and the many distributors around the world. It mat take another 3 to 4 months before a production run can be fitted in just for spares (the reason being that no mishaps would be expected in those first few months of ownership). However, I fully understand your situation and believe that there is a simple way. First of all you must understand that when using the 20 mm cutter there must be a 3 mm hole all the way through the material. The reason is that there is a non cutting 3 mm spike on the tip and it will be damaged if the 3 mm pilot hole is not there. If you drill all the 3 mm holes to the max that the current drill and drill holder will allow then you will be within 7 mm of the final depth. So, drill all of the 3 mm holes and then finish them off without the guide just with a 3 mm drill. If you are careful to keep the drill upright then you will have no problems. Peter
Are the ruler supposed to be identical as in length no difference at all between them?
They are the same. Peter
Maybe consider a guide system that will go down the side of the table and still be lined up with the table top holes.
I Have one on the drawing board - cheers. Peter
Hi very nice tool and tutorial. I will byu one but I can't 10 holes, my workspace is smaller. You say on 10 holes is the order 6 to 8 to 10. What is when I will make 8 holes and 4 high? Can I do this? Sorry I'm not the best handyman :) thx for the answer
Hi Tomy, Although your top will be smaller you can still engage the rulers to create the 6 - 8 -10. The 6 will be across your piece which you say will be 8 wide. The 8 will go down beyond the end of your top and will join in mid air (using the joining piece in the kit) with the ruler across the diagonal which is the 10 unit part. It will work and will be just as accurate as a normal top. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thank you
Hello Peter, I have been enjoying your videos over the last couple of weeks. I am in the US and just placed my order for the MK II system. These are out of stock anywhere here I have checked. I went to Axminster to place my order. They had them in stock and even with shipping and taxes it was only $4 more than the price listed in the US without taxes or shipping. Unbelievable. Anyway, I have a question about this video. I know you are using a Festool drill. Can you tell me the model? Also, when you drill the initial 3mm holes you have that bushing as a guide. I assume that is part of the kit but is the 3mm drill bit and the piece that makes it fit the bushing, also included? A little new to this so just wanted to see if I needed to get anything else. Again, thank you for your videos and this tool. You are about to convert a 3/4" guy over to 20mm...
Hi Rick, Yes, i am aware that Axminster have a great deal with their world wide shipping company. The Festool drill is probably the CSX but I sometime also use the much heavier PDC. The CXS and its non identical twin the TXS are great drills and I could not be without mine. All the parts that you need come with the kit (less the drill and a clamp which most people should have). Good luck and remember to check the accuracy of your work after drilling the 3 mm holes before you start on the 20 mm ones. It is vital to ensure that the 6 mm shoulder of the drill guids fits into the 6 mm hole in the rulers - a common mistake by people in a hurry ! Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you Peter. I plan to spend a lot of time going through the process with test material.
@@NewBritWorkshop Hello Peter. I have now finished my Paulk styled bench and ready to start my holes. I am trying to find the offset from bottom/side, for the first hole. I thought I had seen or heard in one of your videos what you used for this measurement (71mm, or 81mm ??). I know this isn't critical for most but I am doing a full 4x8' sheet of plywood top. I will drill all 3mm holes but only do the 20mm for portions of the bench that I know for sure I will use for my cross-cutting station. My concern on the 'starting' point is that I also want to take into account doing the offset holes. Want to make sure I leave enough room since the offset holes seem to go on the perimeter of the main layout. Thank you for your time.
These look really top notch and defo on my need to get list 😉, some good tips included here as well 👍🏻 Peter should I get the mk1 or 2? Cheers Steve
Hi Steve, The Mark 2 has been designed to take account of several comments on the original but also to make it simpler to use. I believe that the accuracy is about the same and I doubt whether it is reasonable to expect anything better for woodworking applications - cutting something square with an error of just 0.03 of a degree is quite something. The Mark 2 is a little more expensive and so people should look at both and decide which is best for them. Peter
New Brit Workshop Thanks Peter, Will Do
Nice video as always. Have to say though the music at the end is almost painful. Much preferred the old one.
Thanks Luke. Peter
Peter - I ordered the mark II system a couple months back and am very happy with it! Unfortunately, I bent one of the locator pins. Do you know if/how i can order some replacements? Any guidance you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Tony
Hi Tony, Just contact Axminster Customer Service - cs@axminster.co.uk and see what they say. It should not be a problem and please let me know if you need me to help further. Peter
New Brit Workshop thank you sir!
Thank you sir, i like your review, because all of your review videos are verry detail... 👍👍👍
You are very kind and I appreciate this feedback. Cheers. Peter
I just made two tops-the second to verify I didn’t make any major errors-but when I test them with a 4/5-sided cut test I’m out about 1mm over 1000mm. Is that within the expected tolerances of the system? I realize the 4 cut method probably compounds smaller issues for a system like this and a real cut of 1000mm would probably be out by less. Also if using my digital caliper between holes, most are less than .1mm out between holes, but a few are closer to .2mm. My guess is that anything less than .1mm is “good enough.” What do you consider to be outside of tolerance?
Did you remember to divide by 4 when doing the calculation? Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you for your prompt reply. Yes I was dividing by 4. I just made a 3rd top and took every effort to confirm squareness using my 3mm holes - using 6-8-10s to confirm my right angles on my anticipated work-piece-parallel/track-parallel holes. I should note that out of the 3 tops when following the starting directions exactly, I've never had hole 9 on the rule at the far line parallel to my starting line fit - it's always seemed off center inwards about .75mm. However, after restarting the third top with 3mm holes slightly offset from the first, I used the guide sticks starting from the 8 position and working down to 0 when possible (long hypotenuse being the exception), I did get to the point where the top seemed good when I checked various right-angles specifically at my cut line. With this top, one 4 cut test was -0.958 mm per meter and one was -0.99mm per meter. I'm using a Makita saw and rail and it's possible the rail itself is out - I can't think of a good way of testing - and of course, as mentioned, a small issue would be multiplied by this method, so a real world 1 meter cut would probably be less than 1mm out. But I'm still wondering what "good enough" would be for this system?
It is possible that the saw is out as you say. However, getting below 1 mm over a full metre is certainly good enough for most DIY applications. If you were making dozens of kitchen cabinets then you would be better to get the accuracy to below 0.5 mm. Good luck with all of your work. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Thank you. I did some test cuts from one column over and get around .6 mm per m. With the fact that small inaccuracies are most likely being compounded, I think that's probably good enough for government work, as they say. Thanks again.
Any recommendations on what to use for finishing that won't cause problems with the hole sizing?
Hi Richard, If you apply your finish before you start drilling it will not matter. If you apply any finish after drilling then it can enter the 20 mm holes and change their sizes. Peter
Hello Peter, I have just been persuaded by your excellent videos to purchase a parf guide Mk 2 set. I hope to use it on my bench which is 30mm thick beech veneered chipboard. I’d appreciate your view on whether this will be suitable for dog holes and do you think the material will cause blunting problems for the 200 cutter? Grateful for any advice you may have.
Hi Kevin, The 20 mm cutter will manage but it will be quite a challenge for the operator ! With a slab so thick (why?) the lever clamps cannot be used and other 3rd party gizmos may not work as designed. If you can go with a top 18 - 20 mm top in thickness it will provide everything you need and be more than strong enough for woodworking. Peter
New Brit Workshop Thanks Peter. It’s just I made the bench many years ago and it seems a waste to get rid and replace the top which was actually an office desktop and well finished. I hadn’t thought about the associated accessories that might not work with such a thickness. Maybe I should consider a new top that overlaps and has a space for clamps etc to work albeit increasing the working height. Any recommendations?
Hi Kevin, Ah, you have it already so lets see what you can do... All the dogs will work although any that might benefit from being screwed in from below may be tricky. The lever clamps that I show at about the 6 minute 30 second point in this video: th-cam.com/video/h6Pgd7a0UD4/w-d-xo.html will not work. You could experiment by using a rounding over bit on the underside of the top. Going back to the drilling of the 20 mm holes - that will be hard work. Perhaps you could use this particular top for a fixed bench that has no holes? Peter
Is there a 19mm version or conversion kit? Not all dog holes and systems are 20mm...Thank you.
Hi Peter, No, I am afraid the demand is too small. Peter
Interesting. I will say that in Aus, the predominant dog hole size is 3/4 inch (19mm), with 20mm available to keep festool owners happy. thank you again.
Hello Peter. Does the overlapping of the rulers cause a slight difference in the hypotenuse length (shorter) since the hypotenuse rule is on top? Since you put the hypotenuse ruler on top on both the left and the right, doesn't it shorten the distance of the two corner holes by a fraction of a mm?
Hi Ted, It does have an effect but very, very small. It is not practical to try and overcome this and so one accepts the tiny impact. Peter
Simply place a washer the same thickness as the ruler UNDERNEATH the hypotenuse ruler at “6” side of the triangle if you want to be absolutely precise, although I doubt that any infinitesimal difference will be noticeable in the real world. We are dealing with WOOD here. Any fractions of a mm will be insignificant compared to variations caused by temperature and humidity.
Hi Peter where can I buy your PARF GUIDE SYSTEM in Australia ?? thanks in advance :)
Hi Mike, Carbatec - I hope they are not too far away. Peter
Purchased these a while ago, tried twice and both times the right side was off by about 0,5mm? Is this normal?
Hi Guy, Sounds very odd to me - please talk to your supplier. Peter
Will the 3mm drill bit (and 20 for that matter) drill through a double layer of 3/4 mdf? If not is there another method that can be used.
Hi Seam, No, the 3 mm drill is not long enough and that hole has to go all the way through. The 20 mm cutter would not quite make it either. Having a top thicker that 19 mm (3/4") reduces the scope of other tools or accessories that can be used with the top. Peter
Thanks for the reply, Peter. For sale: double layer of MDF with oak trim. 🤣
Hello Ron, where to order this that can ship to the Philippines.
I wish they would make a 3/4 inch drill bit as a replacement for the 20mm.
Could anyone who would genuinely want to buy such a system or the additional parts to add to an existing system please "Like this post. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Peter, my request by no means diminishes my respect for your invention. Quite the contrary; I am a retired( read living on limited income) novice wood working enthusiast that could greatly benefit from the accuracy of your system. Festool systems are far beyond my price point; 3/4 inch fabrication materials are readily within reach and price point. My suggestion would open your prospective market considerably reaching the novice level woodworker community.
In general I'm a firm believer _not_ to use imperial metrics, but in this case I also prefer 19 mm (~ 3/4 inch), just because there is much more available for that -- and it does not really matter for the bench if the holes are 20 or 19 mm. I'm building mine with 19 mm therefore!
Just go metric people.
From a economic standpoint it would save money on the dogs and other items from what I have seen online b
At 10.15 you state that the two Parf sticks are rock solid.
I am making a new MFT due to the first not being accurate.
I have noticed that there is around 1mm of play where the two sticks meet.
Could you advise what may be causing this please?
Many thanks, Lee Ward
Hi Lee, This is caused when a 3 mm pin is not correctly located - it has a 6 mm collar that must sit down inside the hole in the Parf Stick - always lift the Parf Stick a dash and then seat the pin in the 6 mm hole before lowering it down. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thanks for the reply Peter, but the pins are seated correctly I assure you.
Hi Lee, You say that there is play where the two Parf Sticks meet - If the pins at the far end are seated correctly there should be no play unless you put excessive force during your check. Let the two come together and ensure the joining gadget (that goes through both sticks to join them) is correctly located in both 6 mm holes of the two sticks. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop I really appreciate your time with this Peter, thank you.
I have recorded a video for you to see exactly what the problem is, I assure you I am not using excessive force, its a very steady rocking motion with little pressure, barely enough to hold the rules.
th-cam.com/video/DBNs4u3TEcY/w-d-xo.html
This video may make it easier to see what I am doing.
Again, I thank you for your time.
Hi Lee, Many thanks for making the video. I do not think that you have a problem at all. As long as you do not "wiggle" the triangle arrangement before clamping you can then drill the next set of holes with confidence. Peter
any Black Friday prices on the mk2 system please Peter?
I do not know - check with Axminster. Peter
The best!
I got the original and along with my festool hk55, they’re my favorite tools :)
Brilliant - many thanks. Peter
Hello, what would you recommend in terms of board material? And what thickness? Thanks!
Hi Adri, I always use 18 mm Medite Moisture Resistant MDF. If you cannot get that exact type then go for the best 18 mm MDF that you can find. I would avoid plywood as it is more expensive and you get more breakout when doing the 20 mm holes. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop If using plywood I just use a sacrificial backing block to stop breakouts ...
Hi Peter, I have found the 3mm pins are typically just a bit too tight for the 3mm holes the supplied bit drills. Most times I have to press REALLY hard to get the pins in and it's then really hard to get them to come out afterwards. So much so, I've had one pin come out of its handle. I managed to force it back out from underneath, but that also took some doing.
Axminster specialist sales are sending me some replacement pins, but they said you had mentioned a workaround to them about running through the holes with the 3mm bit ? They weren't fully sure what you meant, so I thought I'd ask.
Do you mean to drill the 3mm holes using the guides and then run through each hole again "freehand" to ease it a bit, or something else ? Don't want to compromise accuracy, but do want to get the pins in and out without breaking them.
Hope that makes sense.
Hi Andaval, I am sorry that you had this experience but well done for getting straight onto Axminster who will always sort things out. The technique which I described in the video is to use a "Pecking" technique to drill the 3 mm holes (as well as the 20 mm ones). By drilling in about 5 mm then come back out then in another 5 or 6 mm until all the way through. It is a well known technique and prevents the compressing of waste into the wall of the hole. Any compressed waste could otherwise inhibit the passage of the pin later. Please let me know if you have any further problems. If the 3 mm pins are difficult to push in then only set them into the MDF by 6-7 mm rather than the whole length of the pin.
Hi Peter - I had tried the pecking motion, but it doesn't seem to help (unless I'm just doing it wrong, but don't think so) - the pins are still too tight.
When you say don't use the whole length of the pin, how do you maintain accuracy? At 6-7mm, the collar won't engage the guide rail.
Just a thought - my worktop isn't MDF, its Birch plywood. Not sure if that makes a difference to how the pins bind, but I've not come across issues before and it works well as a top otherwise. Sturdy and flat. Will use sanding sealer after the drilling is finished.
I have not tested Birch plywood but it should behave like MDF except perhaps a little more breakout when using the 20 mm cutter. You are right that the 6 mm collar on the pins should engage with the recess in the block. I am now a little lost on what is happening at your end. Axminster may have to replace the pins or the 3 mm drill. I will pass this on the them and ask that they deal with you directly. Once again, I am sorry that this is holding you up. Peter
I have just spoken to Axminster and they will contact you but probably in the morning as it is close to their end of day. I hope that they replace your system and arrange for the original to be returned so that detailed measurements can be made to see what might be wrong. Peter
Is there any way to purchase just the Parf Sticks for the Mk II set? I purchased the Mk II System from Axminster and one of the sticks has a bow to it and made the grid inaccurate. I contacted Axminster about this but they want me to return the whole kit and pay shipping. Shipping from USA back to the UK will cost me more than what I paid for the kit.
EDIT: This must have been user error as the holes are lined up. The ruler's edges are bowed but that shouldn't effect the grid work.
Axminster later offered to pay return shipping but I will be emailing them now and apologize for my assumption.
Hi Damien, The Parf Sticks are not claimed to be straight edges. The 6 mm holes however must be in a dead straight line in order for the system to be accurate. I suspect Axmisnter need the kit back for quality control checking. I will make my own enquiries with Axminster about this. Did you purchase this using your TH-cam name? Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Yes I did. I just got an email from them with a prepaid shipping label so I will be returning it to them. I will open the case back up and verify the holes prior to shipping it back out.
@@NewBritWorkshop Mr. Parfitt, I just opened up the box and checked the holes themselves by drilling the ten 3mm holes, spinning the ruler 180°, and using the pins to see if they match up. They do. I thank you so much for your help and I apologize for troubling you.
Hi Damien, No problem at all. Take care. Peter
So, what system are better cut for make MFT table, ISOMETRIC or 6, 8, 10 System???
It depends what angle cuts you want. The 6-8-10 will give you both 45 and 90 degrees but the Isometric will give 30, 60 and 90 degrees. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop thank you verry much for your detail explain
First of all, many thanks for this video and your others, I have been binge watching them over the last week! You have another new subscriber!
Secondly, after drilling the first row, is there any reason you chose not to go 8 along the row, and 6 up the column (and use the deeper 3mm guide) rather than 6 along the row, and 8 up the column, and having to use the threaded joiner?
Lastly, it would possibly be confusing for some, but would it not be an idea to drill the first of the outlying 32mm offset holes at the end of the first row, while the Parf Stick is already in place?
Hi John, The 8 and 6 are interchangeable but I prefer the way that I show in the video. You are right about the offset holes and if you plan it from the start then it is a good idea. Cheers. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop Hi Peter, many thanks, John
Is there an imperial system?
Hi Gurmeet, No, and there is no likelihood of there ever being one. I found it initially hard to go from Imperial to Metric but once there I would not go back. The arithmetic is so much easier and my work is now more accurate and less prone to measuring errors. Peter
Just saw this, which was published four days after I ordered my version 1 :-(
What do we do with the original system? Can we buy the new accessories or is the old system obsolete?
John P
Hi John, If you have the original then it is all you need unless you are making (or have made) a lot of tops. Peter
Where can I purchase this system. Snowplower
Hi Fred, Axminster - they deliver world wide. Peter
Congratulations Peter on improving an already superb bit of kit. The second drill guide with the deeper protrusion seems a touch superfluous? Surely if you’ve drilled the rest of the holes, the second ruler could be removed? Quick question: are the “locating dogs” useful after their initial use? Can they be utilised to hold workpieces? Thanks.
Hi James, If your bench or cutting station top is large enough for the first intersection of the two Parf Sticks to be over the MDF then you do need the second 3 mm guide otherwise it just will not work. The locator dogs are the same outside diameter (25 mm) as the other dogs that have a boss above the bench and so they can be used to push your stock against when cutting. They are not sold as an individual item yet. Peter
New Brit Workshop Thanks. Re the 2nd guide: If you drilled some of the upright holes surely you could secure with pins and remove the 2nd bar??
Hi James, If the join of the two Parf Sticks is over the MDF top then it is not appropriate to use the small joining piece. Instead one uses the second 3 mm drill guide block at the intersection of the two Parf Sticks and drill the hole. Then the diagonal Parf Stick is moved away, a pin is inserted to hold the vertical Parf stick in place before continuing. If the joining piece is used instead there will be a very slight error, admittedly small, created by the vertical Parf Stick being raised off the surface of the MDF. Peter
Gotcha. That makes sense 👍 Thanks for explaining.
Hi Peter,
I am in the USA, but Axminster is out of stock on your mark 2 ststem
Hi Jim, There are plenty of US and CA customers getting Mark 2 PGS from Axminster. Just send an email to their Customer Services team and they will help. TSO should have their stock very soon. Peter
Thx Peter, what do you recommend getting with it? I figured the rail clips and the vacuum attachment, any particularly useful dogs? Thx Jim
Hi Jim, In order to make full use of the completed top you need a pair of tall dogs (Parf Super Dogs or Veritas Tall Parf Dogs) and 4 small dogs (either Paf Guide Pups or Veritas small Parf Dogs). There are about 18 other Parf products which can be found on the Axminster web site. Cheers. Peter
Do you even SAE bro?
Hmm - I hate to be a wet blanket, but my brand new MK 2 part guide is so snug, the guide bushing nipples don’t fit into the 6mm holes nor does the 3mm drill guide fit at all into the oil bearing as shown in this video. Lastly there are burrs on each side of the guide ruler at each 6mm hole- on both rulers. Has the quality deteriorated or am I expected to finish these guides on my own. Hardly the level of precision I was expecting. Sorry for the sharing such a negative experience. This set will not work as advertised.
On the plus side - the 20mm bit slides perfectly in its guide bushing on the aluminum block. The pilot bit will not fit in this “identical’ diameter bushing - leading me to believe it has the greater error.
Hi David, You must contact your supplier for a replacement. Peter
I received a new set of guide rails and guide bushings from my distributor - perfect fit! The TSO customer service is excellent and thanks to Peter, my work bench top is coming together!
While I'm delighted with the accuracy of mark 1, mark 2 looks great. I've now got buyers remorse
Hi John, I have made over 30 MFT3 tops and 7 or 8 track saw cutting stations with my original and had no problems at all. Peter
Yes Peter and I have made 2 perfectly accurate MFTs but I love the improvements and I'm like a little kid stomping his feet saying "I want it", "I want it", "I want it"
Hi John, I fully understand and I am sure that there will be a few others feeeling the same. The difficulty is with any succesful product is the business of making a step change improvement like we have achieved with the Mark 2. If we were to try and wait for all the suppliers to run out of stock of the original then one supplier (in country A say) might be waiting 3 months for new stock whilst another supplier (in country B) cleared his or her shelves. Peter
Hi there Peter! Love you videos mate! Inspired so much by your parf system, went on axminster to get the mark 2 but out of stock :( Any idea when they will be back ? Thanks so much - M T
Hi Max, Within a week at the warehouse and maybe a few days later for the stores. Sales have been amazing ! Peter
I just have to ask. I've always wondered. Are you related to the legendary British cricket player of the same name? In any event, I love your channel. I bought your PGS, and it worked perfectly, and I mean dead on perfectly, no deviation. Only excellent engineering and production can produce such results.
Thank you for the kind words. No, as far as I know the left handed Peter Parfitt and I are not related but when my wife and I were getting engaged to be married her younger brother thought that I was the other PP. I wonder if anyone has ever asked him if he is related to me !! Cheers. Peter
Hi Peter, besides the one hole linked below, it seems you've done an excellent job keeping the drill jig stable. That said, I've made my first top and had the same thing happen to many of my 3mm holes. I've not done the 4 cut test yet but can fit a 0.006" feeler gauge between a 12" precision triangle when placed against my fence and guide rail which gives me doubts about the accuracy I'll achieve with this top. Would the drill jig moving like it did below be enough to cause this? If so, I'll have to cut another top and find a different drill which can be balanced better.
th-cam.com/video/8sLtHYEo-nw/w-d-xo.htmlm54s
That should not make much difference if it is a hole, like mine, not in a critical position. When you see the drill move like the clip you showed bear in mind the flex of the drill bit. So, if your top is not accurate I would look for other reasons. Try the 4 cut test. Peter
@@NewBritWorkshop I just did the 4 cut test and have an error of 0.002" over 12" or 0.05mm over 305mm. The panel referenced against one Double Groove Close Fit Bench Dog to the Left of and one underneath the guide rail. In reality, longer panels will reference against additional precision dogs to the Left of the guide rail, which may or may not cause additional error, but even if there's twice the level of error, sanding phase should resolve all issues, and should be acceptable even with thin veneered plywood.
I'm sure the accuracy will only further improve as I learn how to stabilize the drill jig on future tops ... A+ product Peter, thanks from the USA!!
Excellent - well done and I wish you the very best in the future. Cheers. Peter
i just got mine , whilst pleased with the quality , i found the hole process very ...boreing
Hi Simon, I can understand that but at least you do not have to do it every day ! Peter
Simon, lol
Sadly Axminster have hiked their prices - again. With inflation at less than 1% I am not sure how they can justify an 11% price rise - just removed it from my list.
Dang I just bought the old one
...and it will produce brilliant cutting stations and MFT3 tops. The original and the new Mark 2 will be sold alongside each other so people can choose. Peter
New Brit Workshop are they going to be different in price?
The Mark 2 is more expensive (about £20 more in the UK) but is starting at an introductory price. Peter
Thanks Peter@@NewBritWorkshop
Hello Peter, I've been enjoying your videos and decided to give the Parf II System a try. Right now I'm building my first MFT top and have run into an issue with inconsistent & oversized 20mm holes. I made a short video to demonstrate the problem - link is below.
th-cam.com/video/MttcvCs-W4I/w-d-xo.html
3mm Grid came out perfectly. Everything lines up.
20mm holes seem oversized and not consistent.
Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thankyou!
I have no clue how a drill can make holes of different sizes. I do not know anything about the dogs that you mention as all of the Parf branded dogs are to the specification needed for the Parf Guide System. Try drilling some 3 mm holes in a gash piece of your worktop material and then mount the 20 mm cutter in a pillar drill and drill out the 3 mm holes to 20 mm. Then check to see if there is any variation in sizes. Peter