Cross cut sheet goods: MFT/3 & MFT

[JamieMcGannon]

I am about to embark on a closet build and was wondering if anyone has joined 2 MFT to handle 4x8 sheet goods?

I was thinking of connecting my two tables and 2 55" guide rails, this was i could easily cross cut using the mitre fence and guide system. Or is it just easier to break down sheet goods on the floor?

Curious minds want to know!

Thanks
~J

 

[Wooden Skye]

I think it is better to break down the sheets on saw horses with ridgid foam.  I am sure what you want to do would work, but with grain direction and doing rips, makes more sense to me to do on saw horses. 

 

[rljatl]

This may be a stupid question...Don't the layers of plywood alternate grain direction?  If so, you are not really ripping or cross cutting because you are doing both regardless of whether you are cutting along the length or cutting along the width, right?  So, "grain direction" is irrelevant when cutting plywood and other sheet goods.

 

[sancho57]

Thats how I do it.

 

[Wooden Skye]

There is a finished side to plywood like oak, maple and others and maybe I am just weird, but I do factor grain direction if I am going to stain.  Painting or using a lower quality plywood, MDF or melamine, dont focus on grain direction that much.  But to jaimeM's question, I personally think breaking down a 4x8 sheet on saw horses or the ground is better.  Assuming he is using a TS55 or TS75, he should get glue ready joints, provided his setup is square.  If he needs angled cuts maybe using MFT would work better.  In the end it all comes down to personal choice and what works best for their work process.

 

[promark747]

My preference is to do full sheets on the floor, on top of a piece of rigid pink insulation.

 

[CarolinaNomad]

Most of the time, I'm ripping the sheets to width at the back my truck using the parallel guides and rigid insulation foam and saw horses.  And then rolling them to the MFT's for cross cuts to length.  If I have to cross cut the sheet due to layout of panels, I won't cross cut it to exact measurement.  I would connect the two MFT's together but have one 55" rail setup for cross cuts near the middle of the two.  This way you can setup stops for repeat cuts at length.

My first thought of using the two 55" rails with the MFT's connected, is that you would use it the same way as with one 55" Rail.  But the problem would be trying to get the 4x8 sheet under the long rail that is pinned to one side.  It can be done, but I think it would be harder than the before mentioned option.  Moving 4x8 sheets should be kept to a minimum due to harder work and more opportunity to get damaged.

 

[Stone Message]

I have just completed a video about my portable trestles which I use for breaking down sheet goods. It also doubles up as an MFT extension - complete with top. Take a look at:



Peter

 

[fshanno]

If it's closets then I assume you're planing on doing as many 8' rips as possible and you'll end up with a bunch of 11 3/4" x 96" strips to break down.  Or maybe 15 3/4" x 96" - whatever.

So, first, set up your two MFT's as if they were two very big (and very expensive) saw horses.  The crosscut station will have to be removed.  Join your two 55" guides, lay your sheet down on the MFT's and make your 8' rips.

I rarely have the foam but I should because it's a very good idea.  It improves dust collection and it saves the MFT's top when doing these rips.  You could screw it down to your extremely expensive MFT sawhorses so it won't squirm around as you or loading sheets.  Also this will keep it from blowing away if you're doing your cutting in the driveway.

I assume you're going to have several tall pieces for ends and columns and maybe some long pieces for tops and bottoms.  Let's do those first.  Set up your MFT's in normal connected fashion.  Set up the crosscut station down at the extreme right end of the right hand table.  Personally I wouldn't trust either end of these long pieces to be square so I would cut from both ends to be certain they are square.  In this configuration the bulk of these long parts will be supported by the full length of the two MFT's and you can comfortably cut off the two or three inches from the ends.

Now it's time to do your shorter pieces such as shelves.  Move the MFT's around so the crosscut station is at the right end of the left table. 

Let's say your going to have a bunch of 23" wide shelves.  Lay the first 96" long piece down so that about 23 1/4" is under the guide.  Make your cut.  Now flip that piece and mark your 23" on it.  Set it down so that the mark is at the cut line and set the stop at the end of this piece.  We will leave that stop at the 23" spot until we've cut all the pieces of that length.  They may be a tiny bit off but they will all be the same and that's the important thing.  Make the cut.  Now you've got a 23" wide piece that is square at both ends.

Now you have 72 3/4" left from the first long piece.  The end that was the other side of our first cut is automatically square because it was the right side of a square cut .  Just slide that end down to the stop lower the guide and make the cut.  Do that two more times and you've got 4 identical 23" wide shelves.  You really need to have the green anti-chip gizmo on so that you're getting pretty good cuts on both sides.

 

[sancho57]

I just  separate my 2 MFTs  place 2 or 3  2 X 4s length wise place them on the MFTs, set the ply on the 2X4s use the PGs cut off the factory edge and start ripping,

as I make each rip set them on the deck (floor) by the MFTs, when Im done with my rips, remove the 2X4s and start cross cutting.

I sincerely believe in the kiss system.

Not over complicate things

 

[harry_]

MFT/3, with your CT parked at one end with the appropriate combination of systainers to support the last couple of feet works for me.

 

[PeterK]

My shop is way too small to do the initial cuts on plywood sized stuff. I just get 2 sawhorses set up in my carport with some sacrificial 2x6s - 1 goes under the cut line - and make my long cuts using guide rails and the TS55. I rough cut all the pieces for cabinets and such and true them up in the shop on the MFT/3. Hate having to haul the full sized sheets around but works for me.

 

[Stone Message]

My shop is way too small to do the initial cuts on plywood sized stuff. I just get 2 sawhorses set up in my carport with some sacrificial 2x6s - 1 goes under the cut line - and make my long cuts using guide rails and the TS55. I rough cut all the pieces for cabinets and such and true them up in the shop on the MFT/3. Hate having to haul the full sized sheets around but works for me.

I try and do the same but the rain can get in the way sometimes. When I buy sheet goods I do my best to cut it to size before it ever reaches the workshop - not always possible though.

I too have some trestles that fold flat.

Peter

 

[Kodi Crescent]

I use a Walko table with some 2x4's over the top.  I guess I could lay the Walko flat and use the sacrificial strips, but the standing with 2x4's is working well for now.

 

[sancho57]

I just lay 4 2x4s about 40" ong down on my 2 mfts and set the sheet of ply on them and rip away