Hi Peter,
              Thanks for the video demo. I'll be visiting the UK next month and thought this would be a great item to bring back to Australia with me. I spoke with a nice lady at Axminster today and she said these items are proving to be very popular so I'm on backorder. Lets hope the factory in Axminster will be burning some midnight oil and ramping up production. I'm looking forward to receiving this. thanks again.

I volunteered to be the test case in NA, the system accepted the order but note that they have to "quote" shipping.

I recall having this happen on a previous Axminster order, so I expect to receive an email with the shipping quote, from which I have a link to complete the order. Pretty nice system, customer friendly.

RMW

PS - Peter, excellent design. It is no small matter to overcome all the design challenges and end up with a viable product that can be mass produced and marketed for a reasonable price. Kudos to you!

Hi Richard,

That is a brilliant idea to describe the North American ordering process - it will help a lot of people. I am sure that once things settle down there will be a friendly NA stockist or stockists that will make life much easier.

It has been a really interesting and educational process taking the PGS from a germ of an idea with wooden mock-ups to the final product. I have to say that the clever people at Axminster did make sure that finished design was viable in terms of both  manufacturing process and final cost. My final AutoCAD drawing would have taken twice the machining, twice the raw material and hence twice the cost but you could at least have used it as a weapon of mass destruction !

I realise I might be expected to say this but the PGS does truly deliver near CNC accuracy. I have some timings as well - to drill the 3 mm holes at the start of the process takes an average of 20 seconds each and then the boring of the 20 mm holes takes 15 seconds (yes less time) each. I can now do it faster than that but I have been doing it a lot recently. A chap just doing the odd slab from time to time should be able to achieve those figures.

On the subject of timing - someone said to me that he could use the PGS to do a complete new bench top in less time that it would take him to drive to the local CNC workshop.

Cheers.

Peter

Well done Axminster for being on the ball, especially with the export orders.

Good luck with the new workshop.

Peter

Really cool design -  Will the 20 mm bit be offered as a replaceable item by Axminster.  From the video, this bit appears to be custom sized to fix the jig.  I'm assuming after a hundred holes it may need to be replaced.  Thanks

All of the components will eventually be available as individual replacement parts. The only ordinary item is the 3 mm drill bit and you can replace that easily enough without any fuss.

I have used my system (lets call it PGS One) to provide photographs for Axminster (about 140 holes cut in ordinary MDF). I have then made my 3 videos - about another 100 holes. I have not made a video of this (but you may see clips of it in my first 3 videos) where I make a 77 hole custom bench top (11x7). On Tuesday I had a visit from an amateur wood worker and we did about 55 holes whilst he was here. On top of all of that I have had some practice goes to check timings for the production of holes. I estimate that I am now over the 400 mark with PGS One.

The 20 mm cutter is a fine piece of precision engineering and not a cheap import. It is so important to the overall success of the PGS that a lot of thought (not mine - but clever chaps at Axminster) has gone into it. I understand that the grinding angles, lapping and so on (or whatever terms should be used - not my area of expertise) are all designed to make the cutter very efficient at removing waste. It certainly does not get hot and just keeps going.

One thing to watch for when you get your PGS. Like many Forstner style cutters, one often gets a disc of material stuck on the end after doing a cut - I have shown this in one of the videos (probably Part 2 of the detailed work). It is there because of the scoring cutting flanging widgity things that help create the near zero breakout. Just make sure that you pull this off before the start of the next cut otherwise it behaves like a washer and nothing happens when you try to do a cut.

I will be releasing a video soon showing the most recent cuts and they are all perfect. There is no breakout on the underside and the sides are very clean. I have a number of videos up my sleeve and they will all use PGS One. I will say if I need to replace the cutter and I will keep everyone informed of any wear and tear.

Peter

Thanks Peter - Are there any plans to bring PGS One to a US store.   Or is it an exclusive item for Axminster Only?  I'm happy to order it through Axminster although if I can save few dollars in shipping costs then I would prefer to wait until a US store stocks it.  Thanks for the reply.

I am sure that there will be a North American distributor soon. This is not something I am involved with. In the meantime I am advising people to order direct. I have no timings of any changes I am afraid.

Peter

Quote from: DiscoStu on March 15, 2016, 06:39 PM

I was just going to post the video on here but I find you lot already know.

Looks good Peter. I've posted it on the UK workshop forum.

Brilliant - well done. I am not a member of that forum and cannot take on another commitment like that so if there are any questions please get them referred to me either through YouTube or here.

Many thanks for your initiative.

Peter

Peter,

The only questions I'm seeing are "when will it be in stock" I don't know if anyone has been given an idea?

I just ordered my kit. Shipping to the USA. Axminster was really easy to order from. Used Paypal. I'm excited to use it.

This might as well be my first post here. Hi all!

Thanks Peter for this great new product. Perfect timing was about to drill holes in my new bench. So using Axminster's export email I sent them my address here in AU and within a few hours got replay with direct paypal link. This is how online ordering for international buyers should be done! Very easy and very reasonable shipping rates. Unlike some of the postage rates in the US... *cough* Woodpeckers.

Again thank you Peter for the effort that has gone into this. And thank you for your youtube channel! Without which I wouldn't have had the nerve to spend big on Festool!

Cheers, Jon.

Hi Jon

Welcome to the FOG and what an excellent first post - thank you.

I have done most of my work towards the Parf Guide System and now it is in Axminster's hands to make it, market it and sell it. I think all of that seems to be going jolly well and the initial uptake has (happily) taken us all by surprise.

I am glad the overseas ordering is working so smoothly.

Cheers.

Peter

Dare I say "parfect" ?

Nice one Peter.

This might as well be my first post here. Hi all!

Thanks Peter for this great new product. Perfect timing was about to drill holes in my new bench. So using Axminster's export email I sent them my address here in AU and within a few hours got replay with direct paypal link. This is how online ordering for international buyers should be done! Very easy and very reasonable shipping rates. Unlike some of the postage rates in the US... *cough* Woodpeckers.

Again thank you Peter for the effort that has gone into this. And thank you for your youtube channel! Without which I wouldn't have had the nerve to spend big on Festool!

Cheers, Jon.

  Jon

You've gotta love some of those shipping rates .. massively inconsistent. I remember enquiring about a guitar a few years back and the quoted shipping from the US was more expensive than a return flight to pick it up needless to say, I went elsewhere!

Please let us know how you go with the "parfomatic", I may get one too!

Just received Axminster's email as I was reviewing this thread, and placed the order. £109.30 including shipping to the US.

Brilliant!

RMW

Gosh, that is a excellent.

Every time I get anything from the US I have to pay the duty but then, on top of that, our Royal Mail, who handle the tax collection for our revenue service, charge a further £8 per package.

Good luck.

I wonder who in North America will be the first to post a video of their first custom bench top ?

Peter

John did a very good job Peter. You didn't need a pro

As the novice referred to by Peter, i am a member of FOG, and the process was as straightforward as it looks. I have a system on order as well, to make a larger portable top for cutting sheet goods.

It is great to be able to make tailor-made surfaces with holes only where you need them

I may have to get the Festool drill with the detachable chuck  ;-)

Peter I have a question/concern,it appears from the videos that the 3mm drill guide only rides on top of the holey rule rather than positively inserting into the holes and acting like a hardened guide bush,is that the case?,if so I would be concerned that with repeated use the 3mm drill bit will wear and enlarge the holes on the rule thereby throwing off the accuracy of the whole system,perhaps a larger hole in the rule in which a hardened guide bush could locate would avoid this problem

The steel rule is hardened steel and needs a hugely expensive drill to cut it on the CNC. The very slight abrasive action of a relatively soft 3 mm drill is unlikely to cause any problems. Next time you go to your workshop try cutting a hole in one of your steel rules.    Peter

I suppose if one was really concerned about the drill being in contact with the rule, they could use a hinge drill used for centring pilot holes in doors/frames.