Combo MFT/Roubo?

benwheeler

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2014
Messages
164
Hi All,

Thanks for the great resource! I've been ploughing through it for the last couple of months, and have just dived head-first down the slippery slope, buying a CT26, DF500, OF1400 and TS55.

I've been planning for quite a while to build a Roubo-style bench, and have all the timber for it. It will be 80-85mm thick. The original intention was to use hand tools almost exclusively, but I now intend to use a combination of hand tools and Festool gear, and am wondering if a combination bench would be possible and advisable?

I would have dog holes in the bench regardless, so if these were laid out to be very parallel and square, could it work in a similar way to the MFT? Has this been done? I've only seen MDF tops for the DIY MFTs. Would a timber benchtop not be flat enough? Would using the "MFT" holes as normal dog holes lessen their accuracy?

Thanks for any thoughts!

Ben
 
First, [welcome] to the FOG!

If you just want to use dogs on your benchtop to make accurate 90's and 45's, that shouldn't be a problem. The problem comes when you try to use clamps - the thicker top makes it impossible to pass the clamp through the 20mm hole because the 'bend' of the clamp will interfere.

Whatever you decide on, please be sure to post pictures!
 
What about taking the clamp apart to pass through the top and fix from underneath? Or perhaps just clamping at the edge of the bench, I suppose..
 
Sean details on the clamp in the bench please - love the way the Incra LS is buried.

Does the Incra handle lower totally below the bench surface?
 
Thanks for that. I just use an o ring on my clamps which is easy to set and makes them single handed.
 
Thanks Sean, I'll have a good look through your thread and ask any questions. I'm excited that you've included some Benchcrafted gear!
 
Ok cool, I've through Sean's thread, and I have to say that is one beautiful and very well thought-out bench! I think I'll probably end up going low-tech compared to that one, especially since I'm basically still starting out on my woodworking journey, so am not too sure what I will or won't need. A couple of questions for Sean or anyone else:

- If using either an MFT with the guide rail attachment, or Parf Dogs or whatever else, is one limited to material the width of the bench or less? At 773mm for the MFT, that would seem like a surprising limitation. Unless, of course, hardly anyone crosscuts things wider than that. I wouldn't know!
 
Whoops! To continue:
- Is the Benchcrafted gear all it's cracked up to be? I decided against the expense and bought some cheaper screws for a tail and leg vise, but I do so lust after them, and could be easily convinced to change my mind..

- Could using those Veritas hold downs cause the dog holes to be bent out of shape at all and compromise their accuracy? Also, what about seasonal movement of a timber top as opposed to MDF?

Thanks again!
 
I dealt with wood movement by laminating. Top: 3/4 hard maple, substrate 4/4 mdf, backer 2 3/4 birch ply. Yes the dog holes will get messed up with veritas clamps, I have lots so I just don't use my common reference holes for clamping. The benchcrafted stuff is stupid nice. If you're building a multi decade bench go for it. Also check out hovatar custom vise they're the same price but make more sense for this type of bench.
 
As for the Benchcrafted stuff it is great. I have the crisscross and their moxon vise kit.  All first class.  I have a Roubo bench I built a couple years ago and at the time Benchcrafted did not have the classic vise screw they have now or I surely would have got one.  Being low on funds I had to settle for a cheap screw for the leg vise but it works ok.  You can't go wrong with the BC stuff.  As for the Roubo type workbench, I love mine.  With a 4" thick top and being about 7' long it is one heavy bench but that is what you want for handwork.  I did build the split top type, I think that is the way to go because much easier to handle the two top pieces than one 22" or 23" slab of wood.

Rusty
 
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