Cutting Table

[Steve Jones]

Thought I would share my cutting table layout - I had mentioned it a couple of times, but maybe some pictures would help someone else up against similar problems - I love the MFT, but it's simply not big enough when you've got a pile of plywood sheets to cut.

First couple of picture are general views of the table with the home made dust cart in it's usual work position..

 

[Steve Jones]

The top is a full sheet of 3/4 MDF (there is a sheet of plywood on it ready for "surgery" in these pics - solid fence with "Top Track" from Kreg used as a measering scale on the working side...

 

[Steve Jones]

The rear end of the rail is up against an adjustable stop (I made it adjustable just to make it easier to set it, it's basically a set it and forget it setup).

Under the outfeed end is a roll of butchers paper ready for when the table becomes an assembly table (after all the cutting is done)

And under the infeed end is a planer mounted on a flip top - I can slide the table top with fence down a few inches, flip the top and I'm in business preparing board stock.

 

[Steve Jones]

The outfeed end also houses the relevant systainers...

On both sides.

I keep the systainers on slide out trays for easy access

 

[Steve Jones]

The cutting surface (as I said earlier) is simply a full piece of 3/4 MDF with fence and rear stop attached - under that is a 1 1/2" MDF top with three flip top sections built into it. I no longer use the larger ones in the center - they are set up to mount two router tables but once I progressed from a one man shop, I found I needed to access more than one tool at a time, so the router tables had to have a new home - I still use the area for storage (like for my small compressor)

 

[semenza]

Hi,

  Looks like you have incorperated a lot into that, nice.  Could you post a couple pics of the planer flip up and show how it works?  Also does the measuring track / stop set up work well?  Accurate enough for final dimension cuts?

Seth

 

[Steve Jones]

Seth,

First pic - I slide the cutting surface down about 20"

Flip out two home made latches....

And rotate the planer to the fully upright position...

 

[Dave Rudy]

Slick setup Steve.  Thanks for posting it, and for the great pics.  Easy to understand, worth learning about.

Dave

 

[Steve Jones]

Seth,

Sorry, halfway through posting the pics my camera is making pictures slightly too big to upload, I guess I got you enough to get the idea, so I'll carry on with the description (since i really got to do some work today)

The design for the flip top cabinets came from one of the woodworking magazines - I changed the sizes of the cabs to suite my own needs, the hinges for the tops are 1/2" steel rods - the orginal design of the top called for two pieces of 3/4" MDF with 1/2" dados for the rods, I used a sandwich of 5/8", 1/2" center and 5/8" top wich gave me a slightly thicker top and removed all the work machining dados (I just left gaps in the 1/2" center level for the rods).

The latches are flat aluminum strip drilled and then sliced into latches - bolted through the tops with a locking nut recessed into the top.

 

[Steve Jones]

Thanks for the kind words Dave,

Seth - your question on cutting accuracy - yes, I use it for final cuts (actually my first cuts ARE my final cuts, got to pay those bills!)

to set up the table I used the cut-and-reverse method to ensure my settup is exact for 90 degrees, then cut a piece of scrap and measure the cut piece and then adjust the sight glass on the stop - OK, i'm slightly anal about having exact right angles and measurements (I need the cabinets to go together without having to "adjust" things

Square is dead on, accuracy of the sight scale is only as good as my eyesight, but I generally get within 0.2mm - I used to use the Incra fence on the table, but found it quicker and accurate enough to use the scale shown.

 

[Corwin]

Very nice cutting table.  This is very much like what I had planned before I shifted towards the multiple/modular MFT direction.  I still will be making an upgraded cutting table with similar features, but it is great to see your setup.  Again, very nice job.

 

[John Stevens]

Thanks for sharing Steve.  The "multi function" aspect of the MFT is great when space is a premium, but it makes a lot of sense to use specialized work benches for cutting sheet goods or miters.  Great job you did with yours.

Regards,

John