I've noticed that with my Festool routers, the router base edge:bit distance isn't uniform as you rotate the router while routing. All of my other (cheaper) routers over the years, from Sears, Dewalt, Porter Cable, etc would maintain a uniform distance from the router edge to the bit over nearly a 270-360 degree rotation of the router. With my Festool routers, I have to maintain a uniform orientation  as I rout a line. Anyone else?

I've noticed that with my Festool routers, the router base edge:bit distance isn't uniform as you rotate the router while routing. All of my other (cheaper) routers over the years, from Sears, Dewalt, Porter Cable, etc would maintain a uniform distance from the router edge to the bit over nearly a 270-360 degree rotation of the router. With my Festool routers, I have to maintain a uniform orientation  as I rout a line. Anyone else?

Well, the router base is not a reference edge/surface. Making it *seem* like it is - the case of the cheaper routers - can be detrimental in confusing the user.

For the base edge to be usable as a (true) reference surface, Festool would have to custom-machine each individual base matching it with the specific spindle installed in that individual tool. This could be done accurately only with something attached to the spindle of the router itself. I cannot imagine doing this (practically) in a factory. Besides, this would have to be re-done after each service where either the spindle, chassis or the base are replaced. A nightmare to maintain.

Festool designers seem to have a culture (habbit ?) so that any surface or edge which is not a reference surface by design of the tool is made in such a way - be it on purpose or by not caring - that it is obvious one cannot/should not use it as a reference.

Being of an engineering background, I personally consider that a benefit/feature as it makes for tools which are a bit fool(Me)-proof. The price being that some valid "absolute accuracy not needed" use cases are thrown out along with the bathwater..

This is why the template guide collars aren't centered., which is a major PITA.

This is why the template guide collars aren't centered., which is a major PITA.

Correct.
An that is also why the OF1010 is the precise router for template work - it has no template pre-positioning and requires centering the templates using a mandrel, making sure it is aligned with the spindle itself.

Actually, the Festool routers have centre lines engraved on the sides of the base to be able to align reference points by eye, which if they aren't bang on makes them pretty useless.

These centre lines being 0.2mm /0.01"/ off is not ideal, but not really a problem as they do not move their position during work. At worst, when using a guide rail, one will get the groove off a bit *but* the groove itself will still be straight. Besides the point that an etching is obvious eyeball-precision level thing. There no matter how precise it would be, one can never position the router "bang-on" with mode than 0.01" or so. This is different with guides/templates when one expects/needs precision.
 
What the OP refers is the diameter of the base (the edge position via-a-vis the spindle) being non-constant. Here, being the the same 0.2 mm off, will result in a non-straight "wavy" groove being routed. An unusable outcome in precision-needed cases.

Hope I am making sense here.
And yes, it would be really nice if the etching of the (still approximate) bit center was machined. It can never be precise like a mandrel, but making it as precise as the templates on the 1400/2200 are is certainly doable .. at least for the OF 1010 being the "precise" router int he lineup such could be justified IMO. One can dream, right?
 

@Festool USA
On the last point, please feed back to HQ for when next OF update is planned ... it may not be that hard/expensive to add that onto the CNC profile for routing the bases a CNC-precision notches for the centers instead of the casted-precision ones of todat.

All make good points. All I was saying is that if you anchor down a straight fence across a piece of ply, and place a straight fluted bit in the router, and run the router against the fence, unless you keep the exact same point of the base against the fence as you make the cut, your routed groove will at best be wavy (groovy), and if you rotate the router 360 as you make the cut (vacuum hose and power cable tossing you about), you will have a tremendously wandering cut - to ad fro.

But, if you use the tool as designed, that is with it captured on a guide rail, your groove will be perfectly straight, with no risk of drifting away from your straight-edge fence.

Exactly. They have no intent of you running the base along anything. You are supposed to use a guide rail for straight lines and a copy-ring (bushing) for other shapes.
It is always "best practice" to keep the router oriented the same way as you follow the pattern.

Cut an acrylic sub-base that has your centered radius?  It'd look hokey, but it is what the other routers do for accurate following.  As others said, the cast bases here and there may look close but are not guaranteed like the acrylic bases are.

https://microfence.com

Best fences available are from Micro Fence IMHO

HTH

For accurate router movement, I employ either the Festool guide rail or the Micro Fence guide system...both work well.

Using routers for 50 years has led me to many work arounds over the years.  When I needed a perfectly base perfectly centered, and I don't remember why, I made a platform with a 1/4" guide clamped to my stationary belt/disc sander and rotated the router against the belt carefully until exactly concentric.  Actually it my have been the PC that I use on my Leigh dovetail/finger joint jig.

An that is also why the OF1010 is the precise router for template work - it has no template pre-positioning and requires centering the templates using a mandrel, making sure it is aligned with the spindle itself.

One of my OF 1010 rings was supplied with countersunk screws. It doesnt matter what you do with the mandrel.  I replaced the screws, obviously. Didn't occur to me that I should have complained/returned it back then.

Crazy Question:

Using the MFK 700 with the edge guide: If I place the edge guide along the edge of 3/!6" aluminum plate, bring the straight bit to the edge, then back off the edge guide 0.1-0.2 mm and run the router along the edge, will I get a nice straight cut, or just "F" it up?

Crazy Question:

Using the MFK 700 with the edge guide: If I place the edge guide along the edge of 3/!6" aluminum plate, bring the straight bit to the edge, then back off the edge guide 0.1-0.2 mm and run the router along the edge, will I get a nice straight cut, or just "F" it up?

Part of the way, it will be ok, but eventually you are going to get snipe. The only way it could work is if the part of the fence behind the bit contacted the cut portion of the wood.