解:$(1)$∵$D$为$AB$的中点,$DF\perp DE$
∴$DF $垂直平分$AB,$∴$AF = EF$
设$AF = EF = x。$∵$AC = 8,$∴$CF = 8 - x$
在$Rt\triangle ECF $中,$EC = BC = 6,$
由勾股定理,得$CF^2+EC^2=EF^2$
∴$(8 - x)^2+6^2=x^2,$解得$x = \frac {25}4$
则$EF $的长为$\frac {25}4$
$ (2)$如图$①,$过点$A$作$AG\perp AC,$交$ED$的延长线于点$G,$
连接$FG,$则$∠G AC = 90°$
又$∠ACB = 90°,$∴$∠G AC+∠ACB = 180°$
∴$AG// BC,$∴$∠AG D=∠BED$
又$D$为$AB$的中点,∴$AD = BD$
又$∠ADG=∠BDE,$∴$\triangle AG D$券$\triangle BED(\mathrm {AAS})$
∴$AG = BE,$$DG = DE$
又$DF\perp DE,$∴$DF $是$GE$的垂直平分线,∴$GF = EF$
在$Rt\triangle AGF $中,由勾股定理,
得$AF^2+AG^2=GF^2,$∴$AF^2+BE^2=EF^2$
$ (3)$∵点$E$在直线$BC$上,$CE = 1,$∴分类讨论如下:
①如图②,当点$E$在线段$BC$上时,
过点$B$作$BH// AC,$交$F D$的延长线于点$H,$连接$EH$
同$(2)$得$\triangle ADF≌\triangle BDH,$∴$AF = BH,$$DF = DH$
又$DF\perp DE,$∴$DE$是$HF $的垂直平分线
∴$EF = EH,$易得$CF^2+CE^2=BH^2+BE^2$
设$CF = m。$∵$AC = 8,$$BC = 6$
∴$BH = AF = 8 - m,$$BE = BC - CE = 5$
∴$\mathrm {m^2}+1^2=(8 - m)^2+5^2,$解得$m = \frac {11}2$
∴$CF $的长为$\frac {11}2$
②如图③,当点$E$在$BC$的延长线上时,过点$B$作$BM// AC,$
交$F-D$的延长线于点$M,$连接$EM$
同理,得$AF = BM,$$CF^2+CE^2=BM^2+BE^2$
设$CF = n,$则$BM = AF = 8 - n,$$BE = BC + CE = 7$
∴$n^2+1^2=(8 - n)^2+7^2,$解得$n = 7$
∴$CF $的长为$7$
综上,线段$CF $的长为$\frac {11}2$或$7$