#7.2 - Festool OF-1400 Router Review - Part 2

[@MrWoody135]

Great review. Lots of functionality that is present on other manufacturers, but in the case of Festool they have improved the design to make them more 'user friendly'. Love your commentary, and your querky comments. A real addict to your videos now. Keep them coming - my favourite viewing while having a coffee break.

[@comsigninc]

I just received my 1400. Thanks for all the good tips.

[@DEXTER941]

Thank you for the great review, you cleared up a lot of questions I had on this router and its accessories.

[@InfiniteCraftsman]

The bearing thingamajig is awesome! It’s like a graduated depth stop! You can make multiple passes without the bit digging in and chipping out.

[@mikefritz9318]

Hi Paul, I recently got this router and found out the the small bore base, part #492574, is the perfect height to put on and raise the router level when using a track. Compared to the big base, this small one just snaps in and out.

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

+Mike Fritz Thanks for letting me know; I'll have to go give it a look!

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

+Mike Fritz I should have looked first. That's new (to me) and awesome for track use. Thanks again!

[@mikefritz9318]

Great videos. I bought the 1400 after seeing in your video how the rods with a handle could provide great support/leverage for edge work. Last weekend I created a perfect profile with a big bit around a table I've been working on for months.

[@adriaan7627]

When would you use the bigger brother, the OF 2200? I'm considering the OF-1400 but would like to know what the considerations are? Also, I would like Festool to have a battery-powered router.

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

The 2200 is really nice to use. It's heavy, but that makes it more stable. It's dust collection column and handle placement is really nice. You could use it everywhere you could use the 1400, but it costs more. There are times I've done vertical routing so the 1400's weight is much appreciated, but it's unusual to be doing that haha! If it was an either/or decision (and the cost was fine either way), I'd take the 2200 in a minute. Do consider the base kit. Even if you don't need all the bases, some can be purchased individually

[@adriaan7627]

Half-Inch Shy Thanks, I was afraid your channel was sleeping. It has been a while since your last video. You did not make it easier. I will look at the 2200 once more .

[@eMRimas]

@@HalfinchshyWWing OF 2200 is not compatible with the LR32 stuff right? P.S. Nice review!

[@sicdsteve1]

Man thanks so much for your great review you have help me more than you would know, I have all the bits you show and now I known how to use them, its people like you that are kind enough to help others, keep it I love it and again thanks so much

[@petermohlman]

I just bought one and am planning on doing picture frames with it. thanks for the great review!

[@MajorTendonitis]

Thank you for the review . I purchased the 1400 and you've showed me some significant pointers

[@w1ngnut79]

great job. Would you agree that this would be the first of all the festool routers to purchase?

[@tonkatoytruck]

I prefer to think of the OF1400 to be more of a free hand router. I do not use, nor do I recommend acquiring all of the added accessories. You would be much better served with a dedicated router table for any tasks that the accessories are able to accomplish. I have been using the Festool for several years now and it has plenty of power for free hand work. You really do not need any other plunge router if you own one of these. I am left handed and find its ergonomic design to be just as comfortable used in either direction. Locking the collet for bit changes with a push of a button and being able to ratchet them on or off is the icing on the cake. Festool rocks!

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

While I'd agree that you don't need all the accessories, the guide-stop (for running on the guide-rail) and the edge guide I use very often. The guide-stop is fantastic for putting a dado/groove arbitrarily on a board. Edge guide is great for work anywhere within 8 inches of the edge of a board. But, yeah, the accessory to run the OF-1400 horizontally is pretty out there; used it many times, but it definitely has a learning curve to keep from gouging :) Thanks, too, for the left-handed feedback. That's something I don't remember to cover in my reviews and should although it is difficult for me to assess.

[@richardshaw3094]

Probably a stupid question. What are the template guides used for and how are they used. I have the 1400 router and I see that festool offers different template guides and I'm not sure how to use them and what is the difference between them

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

+Richard Shaw Template guides put a collar around the bit. For example, say you had a 1/2" spiral bit in the router, you could put a 3/4" guide in. The collar is 3/4", the bit 1/2" so 1/4" difference. 1/8" on each side. So if you rubbed the collar against a pattern, the bit would cut 1/8" away. You'd use this to pattern cut by shaping a pattern out of 1/4" MDF (or whatever) and oversize it by 1/8" on all lines. Double-stick tape the pattern on your stock and rub the collar against the pattern edge to route the design. The difference between the guides is the size. Generally you want the collar to just fit around the bit; if they are too large, they limit the smaller detail you can follow

[@ThekiBoran]

I'm late to the party, but, for template work using a guide bushing it's important that the bit is centered in the guide bushing. My OF1400 was not calibrated properly/the bit was not centered. I sent it in to Festool for repair/calibration. They failed to fix it. I had to do it myself by notching the guide bushing plate so that when using a centering mandrel I could access the 2 set screws. The design/engineering of the guide bushing plate is substandard and I predict that Festool will redesign it to be more like the industry standard.

[@jupiter8a]

Nice review thanks. D'you reckon the 1400 would be sufficient to scribe 40mm work tops? It ticks the 1/2" collet box but I've heard you should use at least 2000W for routing out kitchen worktops.. Recently acquired my first Festy, a CTL Midi which is really well thought out and it's getting lots of admiring comments!

[@HalfinchshyWWing]

jupiter8a If you are doing worktops regularly, I'd go with the OF-2200. It's weight, power, and dust collection would be worth it for on-site work. The OF-1400 could do it, the OF-2200 would do it much better :)

[@jupiter8a]

***** Great - thanks for the advice :)

[@weedylock]

Can some one tell me their experience on cutting a kitchen worktop with this tool? does have enough power etc?

[@richardshaw3094]

Thank you... Well explained

[@pinkiewerewolf]

You had me at sliding dovetails! Superb review.

[@randomrouting]

Long reviews FTW! Great job!

[@supersopp84]

nice, good job man.

[@johnmillward6737]

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