Bench attachment for HL 850 Bench Unit

[RONWEN]

Hey man,
If you saw the size of my work area, then you would understand why I try to use the MFT for just about everything.  The MFT, the Kapex/CT 26 homemade bench-stand, and the CMS GE, leave me with almost no space for me!  (Consequently, I may be the world's best 50-something at the limbo!)  [doh]The MFT is used as my in-feed for my Kapex, CMS and lunch!  
I'm thinking that it would be good to have an out-feed table for the HL 850 bench top for long pieces. 160 cm+

I definitely feel your pain about the small work shop. Im using a UK size one car garage now.

Down from a Kalif 2 car garage.

I use a systainer for my infeed out feed. I dont remember the size but i have to open the lid to get the correct height.

Living in NYC spurs some remarkable & efficient use of living space (I suppose due to costs).  I remember a few years ago pictures of a guy's workshop that was in his bathroom -- as I recall probably not even enough room for an MFT.  [eek]

 

[NYC Tiny Shop]

LOL...I have more room to walk in my bathroom!

 

[Kodi Crescent]

I have the 850 and the bench unit.  It sits on the MFT without sliding.  I think you want to clamp it to the edge, but I don't think that's possible at the moment.

Here's what you can do in the mean time.

Get the closest size Systainer that will sit just below the planer sole (while in the bench unit).  Get a piece of 3/4 or 1" material, and place it on top of the Systainer.  I use a scrap of MDF, a little larger than the Systainer top.

Plane away.

Although this isn't the same height as the bench unit, it limits the amount of tipping as the workpiece is entering the infeed of the unit.  You can do the same thing at the outfeed.

Not ideal, but certainly helps a lot.

 

[leakyroof]

My 850 pretty much lives in the bench unit and is usually clamped to the mft. I keep saying i'm going to make an in/out feed table to go around the bench unit but I just never have the time. My idea is to make the feed table roughly the length of the mft so it can be clamped to the mft along with the 850, surround the bench unit and attach at 1 or 2 points to make it secure. Sounds simple enough but I just don't have the time. Even have good sized sheet of steel that would work.
Another option I thought of was to make a box, sort of like the TS waiting station box some guys have made, that would hang off the end of the mft attached to the tracks. The top of the 850 would then be even with the surface of the mft. Once again time.
As someone else mentioned the stock set up works well for pieces 3-4 foot long. I've done longer pieces but it gets a bit rough.
Markus

  Can you post a picture of your set-up?  I'm about to get a nice used HL 850 and will buy the bench unit and several acc.
's for it once it's in my hands for a bit.  [big grin]