Futures Help??

Hi there. Long time reader, first time poster, hah.

Just recently purchased a Futures installation kit and Maktec 371 laminate trimmer/router, as recommended by Futures.

 

Having a bit of an issue with getting the right amount of depth.

 

They never sent out the aluminium spacer that usually comes with the kit.

 

When I have the router in the collar/ doughnut at full depth on the higher side to do the second flange cut it is pretty much flush with the bottom of the jig plate, that is; wont cut. I’m guessing perhaps that the aluminum spacer may have been for slotting on the router bit entry to get the correct accurate depth for 1/2" cut.

Any help or pointers in this regard would be much appreciated.

 

Futures were great in quickly getting back to me with a couple of queires I had before purchase. Strangely since I have asked about this issue and the spacer they no longer answer my e-mails.

Cheers

 

 

Never seen this aluminum shim you speak of.

You should have 

Router

Jig

Clear plastic shim

Donut.

 

Pics of what you have would help a lot.

Ours is set like this.

UNPLUG THE ROUTER Put the Bit in the router…  Flip it over

put the dount on… no shim in the deep side

put the jig on it… upside down Make sure the donut is in the jig as it would be during an install

rest a box across the jig against the bit… Box is also upside down

Set bit flush with the top {bottom} of the box.

 

The flange on the box that gets sanded off is just enough to give you decent wiggle room in your installs to match curve.

Make sense?

 

i was taught to have the max depth of the router at least 2 to 3 millimeters deeper than the actual box depth so in case you have some bonzer bottom or big concave bottom you can let the router go all the way down so your boxes will be at the proper depth.

then when you have a board that is nice and flat you just have to remember to not let the router go down all the way by 2 or 3 millimeters so the boxes are at the perfect depth

there should be a measuring design on the router so you can tell exactly how deep you are cutting

i would recommend finding some scrap foam around and doing a bunch of test cuts before trying on a real board

some pics might help us understand what exactly is going on here so if you can please do

so hope this makes since and hope this helps and good luck

Hi Kingphin,

The only different when doing the center box, or 1/2" depth cut, is that you insert the x-box shim into the donut so that when you sink your router to max depth it will bottom out at 1/2" instead of 3/4". As long as you have your router bit at the right depth, when bottoming out, then you should never have to worry about not being able to make the deep, or flange cut. That is unless you have some wacky channels, or concaves…then everything goes right out the window! Do what sdrepairman suggested and set your bit, do some test cuts, use the timmy tool to level out and you’ll be fine. 

 

I found this picture of the kit and see an aluminum spacer #7.  I don’t think mine came with this part, I’ve done plenty futures installs and I’m scratchin my head, don’t know what it’s for

Choice crew, thanks for the intel.

Read over instruction manual closely and looks like spacer is used for what I presumed; setting the depth correctly on the router bit.

Have solved the mystery, I think. The plastic router sleeve/ depth gauge whatzit that they supply now to fit the Maktec 371 already has a x-box shim screwed to/as the base plate. If I take this off and play around with the router bit should get right depth. Got a few yellowed out old blanks a mate is giving me to have a tutu on.

You think they’d have a vested interest to make it clear to customers.Ignoring me seemed to have worked for them.

But big thanks to all the helpful cats on here. Great to see sucha helpful forum operating.

 

Kia Ora

Mauri Ora

 

I set the bit depth pretty much like Acqua does, works well. I put two 3/4" boxes on either side of the bit and lay the router wrench or straight edge that spans across the two boxes and then bring the bit up until it barely touches.

Cool, much thanks crew, appreciated.

As it is, if I was to put the x-box shim in it would be even further off touching the blank. But the shim is definetly alot thinner than 1/4". I was under the notion that the shim was to fit to a router as a baseplate if you needed to modify your router to fit the doughnut.

I guess will have to pull the router bit out somewhat to get the right depth happening. Am I right in assuming that this is what the aluminum spacer is for, to gauge the right depth?

Cheers crew.

Yeah… never seen that before. I wouldn’t leave that on a bit.

We have 2 kits neither came with that piece. 

Double post

The aluminum thing is the bit bearing. It rides the edge of a template. Not essential as long as you set the depth with the Timmy tool, or a ruler.

It wouldnt be essential anyways… the futures template the bit doesnt tough the jig. or go against it.

That would make sense if it were fusion or probox but not Futures.