Can the CMS Table be joined to MFT table?

[Acrobat]

Hi, excuse me if this is a dumb question or been asked before.., I assume it can be done, but can the cms table and the mft table be joined together?
I have the complete CMS GE table saw (exactly the same as the router table) and was wondering if its compatible with an mft table and if I could join the two together. Probably putting the cms on the left so I would be standing in front of both tables. The cms has the v groove set up which I gather is the same as an mft. I am thinking of getting an mft so since space is a premium it would be good if I could join them. If so, is there any attachment piece thats required to align them and keep them together? Or is it a bad idea entirely?

thanks
kerry

 

[nclemmons]

They are the same height.  You could take a piece of plywood, perhaps 4-6" wide to span between the CMS and MFT table and craft a V on the underside along each edge to fit into the V-groove and align with the top.  This could be clamped down into the groove. 

Use a couple of screws down through the bridge piece and wing nuts to go through a clamping piece of wood that would clamp under the V channels.

I have not done it, but seems like it would be relatively easy to do.

neil

 

[AlexThePalex]

I don't have either of them, but knowing Festool I'd figure they are both the exact same height.

I do know there is no out-of-the-box connector from Festool. One can only guess why this hasn't crossed their mind.

But it shouldn't be difficult to make your own with some wood or aluminium. Be creative.

 

[Acrobat]

They are the same height.  You could take a piece of plywood, perhaps 4-6" wide to span between the CMS and MFT table and craft a V on the underside along each edge to fit into the V-groove and align with the top.  This could be clamped down into the groove. 

Use a couple of screws down through the bridge piece and wing nuts to go through a clamping piece of wood that would clamp under the V channels.

I have not done it, but seems like it would be relatively easy to do.

neil

Hmm, yeah I thought they would be the same height tables, so your suggestion re the ply sounds like a good idea. If I get an mft table I'll look at doing something similar. Would be cool to have all the table area combined.

 

[tjbnwi]

The tables are different dimensions. One of these along the front;

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/MFT_table_connector.pdf

Lock the MFT fence free end device onto the groove of the CMS, then use a quick or screw clamp in the MFT clamp channel to draw the backsides of the tables together.

Tom

 

[Acrobat]

The tables are different dimensions. One of these along the front;

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/MFT_table_connector.pdf

Lock the MFT fence free end device onto the groove of the CMS, then use a quick or screw clamp in the MFT clamp channel to draw the backsides of the tables together.

Tom

Sweet, that would be the ticket.

 

[GarryMartin]

The tables are different dimensions. One of these along the front;

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/MFT_table_connector.pdf

The CMS-GE doesn't have T-slots, only the V-groove. Hence you can't use table connectors.

 

[RC]

Sorry to poop the party, but that connector will not work with the CMS-GE since Festool in some kind of brain-fart decided to use a slightly different side profile for the CMS-GE i.e. it only has the top V-groove and nothing under it (the T-track is missing - just went to double check in the shed). So you either build yourself a custom connector or just be content with having them side-by-side.

They are identical in height, but the CMS-GE is shorter than the MFT3 is wide (notice how the CMS-GE optional fence shares dimensions with the CS50 and the MFT3-VL module shares dimensions with the CS70 and the MFT3 i.e. is longer).

I regularly use my MFT3 as the outfeed table for my CMS-GE just by butting them against each other, but to make the transition smooth it would benefit from a filler bit of wood in the V-grooves to get rid of the edge/crack even if the connection would not have much structural strenght. Probably the simplest joining design would be to slide a block of wood over both V-grooves - see attached concept drawing.

[attachimg=#]
Disclaimer: Haven't built one myself - this is just an idea.

 

[tjbnwi]

The tables are different dimensions. One of these along the front;

http://www.festoolusa.com/Web_files/MFT_table_connector.pdf

The CMS-GE doesn't have T-slots, only the V-groove. Hence you can't use table connectors.

Nothing a drill and tap didn't solve.

I believe it is a different profile due to the way the stand is assembled.

Tom