Assembly table / bench with storage - which version and why?

Roland Chung

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Mar 12, 2007
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I'm trying to move up from the plastic folding tables that I generally use for my projects.  Please let me know if you like any of these and why.  Based on some other suggestions, I may leave the top removeable so that I can use the ABC box idea that came up in another site.

They are all supposed to be assembly tables / benches with storage.  I have left the overhang on one side for a shop vac to be parked.  With the torsion box base, there wasn't enough room to place my vacuum inside the cabinet and I'm not sure that I wanted to do that anyway.  The taller  versions are a bit shorter than my table saw.

I was going to make the cabinet openings at 19" to accomodate slides and trays, but the height of the openings limits the number of systainers.  Now I think that I might make the openings at 17" wide and just stack a couple of systainers in each of the shallow side bays. 

The torsion box ideas are based on online images and discussion by Ian Kirby, Mark Spagnuolo and David Marks.  The large MFT is based on the Brian Gray Jumbo MFT.

Does anyone know of an easier way to drill the holes in the top.  Right now, I am thinking of using a 20mm forstner bit  in one of those 90 degree drilling guides (that I have always made fun of and now need badly).  I think that I would drill down about halfway and then go back over the holes with a 1010 router set up with a top bearing bit.  The bearing bit would follow the starter hole, but probably leave a cleaner exit wound.
 
They're even worth it in Australia. Time is money. Unless you're making a lot of holes as a personal challenge. Then I understand.
 
Don't know what projects you will be assembling, but I would go for a shorter table if you are making medium to large things.  I just finished a three foot tall bookcase which was way taller than I am when it was on my table - had to work from a ladder some of the time >:(.

T-track might get expensive...

I like the short table with MFT style holes.
 
I'm not sure how much room you have to dedicate to this in your shop, but I would seriously consider this before building it.  My space is limited, so I opt for something more portable and stowable.

I use box beams across two height adjustable saw horses that comes out even with everything in my shop when I place a sheet of 3/4" MDF on top.  If I need it higher, I just adjust the height on my saw horses, lower I just use cinder blocks stacked on the floor. If I need more support or length, I just roll up my mobile cart, or pull my bench or MFT, or table saw to get the extra real estate I need for something large.  I also use this as my cutting platform.  When I am done, I set the box beams in the corner, saw horses on the wall, and the MDF goes in front of my other sheet goods. 

For Drilling holes, I'd recommmend the LR-32 SYS.  I drilled a top for my downdraft table using a 3/4" forstner bit similar to the way you described using a handheld drill, which took me the better part of the day for a 2'x4' top. 
 
Thanks for the replies!

I like the idea of the short table with the MFT, but in order to be able to reach under the top and tighten knobs, there has to be a space of at least 4" or so.  And the original idea was to incorporate a torsion box into the project for flatness.  If I  do the MFT thing to the short table, by the time I take four inches from the height of the cabinets, there won't be much left.  I know that these projects are all about compromises, but I am fighting to have it all.  Looks like I will have all of the weight as well!

Someone suggested building the short table first, then building the MFT part that could be added and removed from the short table.  I want to explore this idea.  Since the cabinets will already be sitting on top of a torsion box (with the wheels attached), a replaceable piece of melamine on top of the cabinets would make a nice sized and flat assembly table - certainly much better than my Costco tables.  When time permits, I could make up a lighter version of the MFT top to put on and take off of the assembly table.  I will try to sketch this up later.
 
Roland--

If you can ignore the storage, or store things that are readily unloaded, think about a cuboid in which height, width and depth all differ.

If you make the longest dimension the same as the working height of the MFT, you've got a ready-made support.  The other dimensions would allow two lower working heights for assembly.  It could still be used for storage if one side is open.

Ned
 
Thanks for helping me work out the kinks.  I really hate to give up on the storage as this unit will be taking the place of some existing storage.  If I don't replace or increase what I take away, it will catch up on me in short order.  If I wasn't working on this project, I would be trying to make a sysport to fit in that area.

I was originally ready to start drilling today, but with the possibilty of moving to a lighter removeable MFT top, I may consider ordering from Festool.  I can return some of this, but I already have spent part of the way there. 

$25  MDF
$20  2x20mm bits
$30  drill attachment
$20  Top bearing router bit

Originally, I was going to make a torsion box with the home made MFT top the top layer.  A torsion box wouldn't work very well with the top layer in 3 pieces, but maybe I will make it a lighter frame where after it is attached to the short assembly table, I could drop in and attach the 3 pieces of Festool MFT top.

Perhaps after making the short assembly table, I will consider attaching the tops with something like Jmatz or Chris did on their projects.  Reusing the corners and extrusions from my existing MFT and ordering 2 of the larger extrusions.  It would be almost like setting an MFT on the ground with the legs folded up, except that it would be sitting on top of the short assembly table.
 
Roland,

I'd recommend seriously considering CD Coney's suggestion to use the router instead of a drill to drill the top.  The LR-32 is ideal (someone on here posted a methodology -- maybe on the old website -- that was well-explained and excellent).  The other alternative is to use a guide bushing.  Drill your holes in 1/8" mdf, sized to fit a guide bushing big enough to take a 20mm router bit (probably 7/8 or larger).  You only have to drill them once.  After that, every MFT top is quick and easy.

Keep us posted.

Dave
 
Dave Rudy said:
Roland,

I'd recommend seriously considering CD Coney's suggestion to use the router instead of a drill to drill the top.  The LR-32 is ideal (someone on here posted a methodology -- maybe on the old website -- that was well-explained and excellent).  The other alternative is to use a guide bushing.  Drill your holes in 1/8" mdf, sized to fit a guide bushing big enough to take a 20mm router bit (probably 7/8 or larger).  You only have to drill them once.  After that, every MFT top is quick and easy.

Keep us posted.

Dave

Dave,
As an alternative, could you simply use a Festool MFT top section as your template with a Forstner bit, or a top-bearing router bit to directly drill the holes in a section of MDF?  Or use the Festool MFT top as a template over a piece of 1/4 hardboard to make it into a template for subsequent use?

Roland,

The tooling and supplies you have purchased can be used for other purposes, if you change from your original plans for your table.  For example:

The top bearing router bit can be used with any top-mounted template with your hand-held router, and with a bottom-mounted template when the bit is installed in a table-mounted (inverted) router.  I used a flush cutting bit this past weekend to quickly make 3 inserts for my table saw, using the factory supplied metal insert as my template.

The 20mm bit can be used anytime you want a 20mm hole, e.g. for jigs with which you want to use the Festool clamps.  I recently bought a 20mm bit from Rockler's for such purposes, and if I want to make a mini-MFT, or extension for my MFT.

I am guessing that your drill attachment is a guide that helps keep the forstner bit perpendicular to the surface of the workpiece.  You can use that guide with your 20mm bit as above, and with other bits, e.g. to machine hinge cup holes for Euro style hinges.

Dave R.
 
Dave Ronyak said:
Dave,
As an alternative, could you simply use a Festool MFT top section as your template with a Forstner bit, or a top-bearing router bit to directly drill the holes in a section of MDF?  Or use the Festool MFT top as a template over a piece of 1/4 hardboard to make it into a template for subsequent use?

Yes indeed. Any of the alternatives work.  I prefer using a router bit to the drill bit, so for me it is preferable to either use the LR 32 or make a template in which each hole is larger than the final to allow for the template guide.  Quick, easy, always square to the work surface and keeps chip out to a minimum.  If you use the original MFT to make a 1/4' hardboard template, every time you need a replacement is faster.  By the way, going from memory only, doesn't the MFT require 19mm holes instead of 20?

Dave
 
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