Cutting into MFT top
- Thread starter Jimhart
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Corwin
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Your MFT's top might experience some sagging as gravity takes its course -- my first one did after/over many months and I attribute much of this to the humidity level at my location. The sagging issue I have does not really equate to a problem of any kind, other than I no longer use the top to check a board for flatness.
As to your specific question of the cuts in the table causing a problem, well, I may be the only one here that does not have any cuts in his/her top -- and I'm not counting those that have just acquired their first table. No, I always use a backer of some kind. And yes, I am rather the odd man out on that note...
As to your specific question of the cuts in the table causing a problem, well, I may be the only one here that does not have any cuts in his/her top -- and I'm not counting those that have just acquired their first table. No, I always use a backer of some kind. And yes, I am rather the odd man out on that note...
Michael Kellough
Member
Don't cut it, you'll void the warranty! 
The general practice is the keep the guide rail in the same position and only move the fence. That way thre is only one kerf. Some people use a longer guide rail and put it on table in the other direction so they end up with two kerfs. And some people move the guide rail all around so the kerfs look like they were made by a bunch of drunken Nazcas.
Obviously the fewer kerfs the better if you want to use the table for glue-ups etc. but since the kerf should only be about 2mm deep it makes little difference structurally.
The best practice (in terms of preserving the table) is to use a separate sacrificial board on top of the MFT's MDF. Very thin MDF is ideal. Thin double tempered Masonite (aka "tileboard" with white melamine on one side at home centers) is good and cheap and handy to have a round for zero clearance inserts and jigs.
The general practice is the keep the guide rail in the same position and only move the fence. That way thre is only one kerf. Some people use a longer guide rail and put it on table in the other direction so they end up with two kerfs. And some people move the guide rail all around so the kerfs look like they were made by a bunch of drunken Nazcas.
Obviously the fewer kerfs the better if you want to use the table for glue-ups etc. but since the kerf should only be about 2mm deep it makes little difference structurally.
The best practice (in terms of preserving the table) is to use a separate sacrificial board on top of the MFT's MDF. Very thin MDF is ideal. Thin double tempered Masonite (aka "tileboard" with white melamine on one side at home centers) is good and cheap and handy to have a round for zero clearance inserts and jigs.
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I'm one of those Nazcas that cut all around the table ;D, but mainly I have about 5 wide kerfs on the right side of the table.
After 18 months I decided to flip my MDF top, mostly for cosmetics. After flipping it, I noticed the center of the MDF had sagged about 1/16 of an inch. I don't think it was from the kerfs because the sag is right in the center but probably from leaving heavy objects on the table overnights. I'm sure the high humidity of South Georgia didn't help much either.
Now that I've flipped the top, I still cut all over the table. ;D
After 18 months I decided to flip my MDF top, mostly for cosmetics. After flipping it, I noticed the center of the MDF had sagged about 1/16 of an inch. I don't think it was from the kerfs because the sag is right in the center but probably from leaving heavy objects on the table overnights. I'm sure the high humidity of South Georgia didn't help much either.
Now that I've flipped the top, I still cut all over the table. ;D
dirtydeeds
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my mft top get changed sort of once a year or so
the photo below shows the abuse it gets
the photo below shows the abuse it gets
Mike_Chrest
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You can fill the saw kerfs with bondo. Unless it looks like Dirty Deed's ;D
dirtydeeds
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mike
do you mean that zinnser bin (in those quantities)
isnt filler ???
do you mean that zinnser bin (in those quantities)
isnt filler ???
Mike_Chrest
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DD,
I've seen cheese graters with smoother surfaces What did you do to that poor MFT?
Mike
I've seen cheese graters with smoother surfaces
What did you do to that poor MFT?Mike
dirtydeeds
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the MDF cops
ne, nah, ne nah................... screech of tyres, blue flashing lights, doors slam, rushing feet
mdf cop 1:- what are you doing
dd:- wot
mdf cop 2:- own up....... you did it
dd:- im sawing a bit of mdf
mdf cop 1:- you're deliberatly damaging that MFT
dd:- im a carpenter
mdf cop 2:- thats vandalism
mdf cop 1:- AND criminal damage
mdf cop 2:- AND tool abuse
mdf cop 1:- watch out he's got claw hammer on his belt
mdf cop 2:- he's got a stanley knife as well
mdf cop 1:- thats two deadly weapons already
dd:- they aint............ im a carpenter
mdf cop 1:- dont make it worse for yourself
mdf cop 2:- thats criminal damage and carrying deadly weapons with intent to cause grevious harm to mdf
mdf cop 1:- thats enough, you're a dangerous criminal son, come with us........... you're nicked
ne, nah, ne nah................... screech of tyres, blue flashing lights, doors slam, rushing feet
mdf cop 1:- what are you doing
dd:- wot
mdf cop 2:- own up....... you did it
dd:- im sawing a bit of mdf
mdf cop 1:- you're deliberatly damaging that MFT
dd:- im a carpenter
mdf cop 2:- thats vandalism
mdf cop 1:- AND criminal damage
mdf cop 2:- AND tool abuse
mdf cop 1:- watch out he's got claw hammer on his belt
mdf cop 2:- he's got a stanley knife as well
mdf cop 1:- thats two deadly weapons already
dd:- they aint............ im a carpenter
mdf cop 1:- dont make it worse for yourself
mdf cop 2:- thats criminal damage and carrying deadly weapons with intent to cause grevious harm to mdf
mdf cop 1:- thats enough, you're a dangerous criminal son, come with us........... you're nicked
DD - great script. You must have grown up with the Goon Show! I used to love that as a kid. I still have a couple of books of their scripts, and crack up every time I read them.
"A floor so cunningly laid that everywhere you looked, it was under your feet!"
"A floor so cunningly laid that everywhere you looked, it was under your feet!"
dirtydeeds
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;D
i didnt grow up with the goon show
but ive been on the planet long enough to hear lots of sketches
i didnt grow up with the goon show
but ive been on the planet long enough to hear lots of sketches
dirtydeeds
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mad AND english :
i clearly fit the sterotype ;D
i clearly fit the sterotype ;D
dirtydeeds
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mad dogs AND englishmen go out in the noon day sun
so dogs arnt a particular requirement
but i DO go out in the noon day sun :
so dogs arnt a particular requirement
but i DO go out in the noon day sun :
