Could a tablesaw fence be installed on the MFT?

[Toolpig]

My new Biesemeyer tablesaw fence ($80 at Lowes--stores are closing them out by the way down from $400) is so sweet, it got me thinking that this thing might be great on an MFT -- provided there's a way to bolt it onto the sides.  Or even a home-made table of some sort.  Just set the fence -- butt the guide-rail alongside it -- and zoom!!

Whad'ya think?

TP

 

[The Dude]

Keep the MFT the way it was intended.  However, I think your new Biesemyer would be great on a router table.  Perhaps some sacrificial MDF for zero clearance bits; ie. Reverse Glue Joints, Lock Miters, etc.

Timmy C

 

[Greg B]

TP, you either read my mind or are proof positive that brilliant minds think alike! ;D ;D.

Yesterday, while gawking at the Incra site, I realized that their TS-LS system, might easily be modified to fit an MFT. The base support bars would have to be lengthened, Incra will already do that, and the mounts would need to be modified to fit the skinnier MFT extrusion, but it could add significant levels of precision and reapeatability to the MFT. Additionally, it can be removed very easily. If your large MFT also happened to have a router table built-in like John Lucas', the fence could pull double duty. It ain't cheap, but adds even more function to the multi-function table.

Greg

 

[Toolpig]

Yeah, one of the complaints (and there aren't many) that I've read about the MFT is that some people have a hard time getting perfectly parallel, square, and repeatable cuts.  Something like that could really help, I think.  Or an MFT-like table could be built around the INCRA fence.

TP

TP, you either read my mind or are proof positive that brilliant minds think alike! ;D ;D.

Yesterday, while gawking at the Incra site, I realized that their TS-LS system, might easily be modified to fit an MFT. The base support bars would have to be lengthened, Incra will already do that, and the mounts would need to be modified to fit the skinnier MFT extrusion, but it could add significant levels of precision and reapeatability to the MFT. Additionally, it can be removed very easily. If your large MFT also happened to have a router table built-in like John Lucas', the fence could pull double duty. It ain't cheap, but adds even more function to the multi-function table.

Greg

 

[Dave Ronyak]

TP,

Great idea and great purchase price.  I've got a new-in-the-box fence that came with my General TS.  Instead of using that fence I equipped with a JoinTech fence machine (much like the Incra machine) because I also use that TS as my router table.  Biesemeyer fences are heavy and therefore not what I want in a portable MFT.  But as others have said, equipping an MFT with an Incra fence and machine could be a good combination.  Both the Incra and JoinTech fences have capability for dust extraction, and adjustable rules that you could offset to compensate for the exact width of the guide rail.  Downside is that you then have two reference items that need to be aligned - the guide rail and the Incra fence mechanism - to ensure repeatable square cuts.

Dave R. 

 

[Corwin]

Naw, I won't even get started here...  Oops, well, maybe I'll just note that you can use the LS just fine on the MFT -- don't think one really needs the added stuff that comes with their table saw arrangement.  I've had one for my MFT for about a year and a half.  I like it.  Now if only they produced one with a metric lead screw...

Corwin