
exactly the right depth for all
subsequent use of that
template.
They designed adjustable
rather than stationary side
stops so each template can
have a different side set back
to properly match the
geometry of that template.
Setting the proper side stop
depth is done easily each time
you change templates.
The clamp bars on the VS-600
are not only 100mm longer
allowing for a wider
combination of work pieces,
they also feature a center
clamp which more securely
holds the work pieces in place.
The not very elegant, not very
flexible, but very precise VS-
500 was replaced by a very
elegant, very flexible, equally
precise and faster to use VS-
600. Nice generation-to-
generation continuous
improvement. But, they did
not stop there.
Festool also looked to the
routers and guide bushings
which would be used with the
VS-600. On the VS-500 the
guide bushing had a smaller
inside diameter than the
dovetail router bit. So, to
mount a dovetail router bit
with the guide bushing in
place, you had to fully plunge
the router base, insert the
dovetail cutter from the
bottom side, and then
somehow manage to fit one
hand into the limited space
between the bottom of the
router body and the top of the
plunged base to depress the
spindle lock and also fit the
other hand into that same
limited space to tighten or
loosen the collet nut. It could
be done, but it was at best
awkward.
For the VS-600 they
redesigned the guide bushings
with an inside diameter larger
than the corresponding
dovetail cutter so you can now
easily place or remove the
cutter with the base fully
extended away from the router
body. The router to the left in
the picture above shows the
new VS-600 guide bushing and
cutter while the router to the
right shows the old VS-500.
Both of these set-ups cut
exactly the same shape and
size of half blind dovetail, the
14mm series.
Festool also took another
important continuous
improvement step. They
machined a collar into the
guide bushings used with
dovetail router bits which fully
traps the fingers on the
template so it is not possible to
inadvertently lift or tilt the
router while moving it into
and out of the fingers while
forming the male fan shaped
dovetail portion of the joint, a
nice touch that all template
based router jig manufacturers
should emulate. All of us who
have cut a zillion drawers on
templates without this very
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