DIY MFT / Paulk Bench Build

[crpaulk]

Jay,
Great job, I like your modifications.
Ron

 

[JayStPeter]

Jay,
Great job, I like your modifications.
Ron

Thanks Ron

My material selection wasn't good, so parts of it are getting rebuilt ... with some different mods

 

[NERemodeling]

Jay, Great looking work!  i hope to also build one someday soon    how do your element clamps fit in the 3/4 holes?  i have an older mft800 and they barely fit in that

John 

 

[JayStPeter]

Jay, Great looking work!   i hope to also build one someday soon    how do your element clamps fit in the 3/4 holes?  i have an older mft800 and they barely fit in that

John 

They are 20mm holes on the 96mm pattern.  Everything works.

The problem is the material.  The Birch ply I used has a really soft (pine/balsa) layer under the thin birch layer.  So, as I use the clamps/clamping elements in the holes the outer ply is chipping away.  A couple places with absolutely no support below the outer ply.  I am going to rebuild with MDF, possibly with countertop laminate ... haven't decided yet.

 

[crpaulk]

Jay,
I use A/C ply for all of my benches, jigs, and accessories and they hold up well yet are still light. I have a 3 year old bench that gets hauled to every job and has been set up 1000 times and shows no wear at all other than yellowing as I have no finish on it.
Ron

 

[NERemodeling]

Jay, Great looking work!  i hope to also build one someday soon    how do your element clamps fit in the 3/4 holes?  i have an older mft800 and they barely fit in that

John 

They are 20mm holes on the 96mm pattern.  Everything works.

The problem is the material.  The Birch ply I used has a really soft (pine/balsa) layer under the thin birch layer.  So, as I use the clamps/clamping elements in the holes the outer ply is chipping away.  A couple places with absolutely no support below the outer ply.  I am going to rebuild with MDF, possibly with countertop laminate ... haven't decided yet.

I see now.  I quickly saw Ron's post saying he used a 3/4 up cut bit.  I read back a bit and saw that u used the 20mm forester.    How fast/slow is the forester??    Did you use a sacrificial backer to prevent blowout on the back of the panel?

 

[NERemodeling]

Hey Ron,  I guess my first question is really for you.  Do you use the festool clamping elements and if so do the fit in the holes created by the 3/4 up cut bit?    Great bench design by the way!

 

[JayStPeter]

Jay, Great looking work!   i hope to also build one someday soon    how do your element clamps fit in the 3/4 holes?  i have an older mft800 and they barely fit in that

John 

They are 20mm holes on the 96mm pattern.  Everything works.

The problem is the material.  The Birch ply I used has a really soft (pine/balsa) layer under the thin birch layer.  So, as I use the clamps/clamping elements in the holes the outer ply is chipping away.  A couple places with absolutely no support below the outer ply.  I am going to rebuild with MDF, possibly with countertop laminate ... haven't decided yet.

I see now.   I quickly saw Ron's post saying he used a 3/4 up cut bit.   I read back a bit and saw that u used the 20mm forester.    How fast/slow is the forester??    Did you use a sacrificial backer to prevent blowout on the back of the panel?

I think it took me 3hrs. or so to drill all the holes.  The setup is the time consuming part, the actual drilling goes relatively quick.  Yes, I used a backer.  Overall worked well, will probably do the same with the new one.  I am considering looking into CNC though.

 

[JayStPeter]

Jay,
I use A/C ply for all of my benches, jigs, and accessories and they hold up well yet are still light. I have a 3 year old bench that gets hauled to every job and has been set up 1000 times and shows no wear at all other than yellowing as I have no finish on it.
Ron

Ron,

I believe it.  I have bought plywood at Lowes that they called "project panels" and was labeled "plytanium" or something like that.  It was fairly inexpensive, very sturdy, and nearly void free (although I wouldn't call it light).  I was planning on making the majority of the modules from that except the top piece where I was going to use the "nicer" birch ply.  But, whatever they are selling now as plytanium is not the same.  I could tell just by looking at it that I didn't want to use it.  It seems that in the last year or so they have completely changed their sheet goods.  I thought that it could be a positive since the Birch was now Columbia (US made) and looked really good.  So, I chose to spend a little more with the expectation of better quality throughout.  However, it is much worse than the stuff they used to carry (complete crap really).  In this case, US made does not necessarily mean better. 

Jay

 

[crpaulk]

Using the upcut with FT1400 attached to the long FT track, I was able to complete the whole operation in under 30 minutes with clean holes. The upcut bit was only $45, but I was unable to find a 20mm at a reasonable price. I stacked the two tops so I bored through both top simultaneously, cutting the boring time and layout in 1/2. The nice think about CNC is that the holes will be machine perfect.

 

[crpaulk]

Jay,
I use A/C ply for all of my benches, jigs, and accessories and they hold up well yet are still light. I have a 3 year old bench that gets hauled to every job and has been set up 1000 times and shows no wear at all other than yellowing as I have no finish on it.
Ron

Ron,

I believe it.  I have bought plywood at Lowes that they called "project panels" and was labeled "plytanium" or something like that.  It was fairly inexpensive, very sturdy, and nearly void free (although I wouldn't call it light).  I was planning on making the majority of the modules from that except the top piece where I was going to use the "nicer" birch ply.  But, whatever they are selling now as plytanium is not the same.  I could tell just by looking at it that I didn't want to use it.  It seems that in the last year or so they have completely changed their sheet goods.  I thought that it could be a positive since the Birch was now Columbia (US made) and looked really good.  So, I chose to spend a little more with the expectation of better quality throughout.  However, it is much worse than the stuff they used to carry (complete crap really).  In this case, US made does not necessarily mean better. 

Jay

Jay,
The A/C at my local lumber yard it the same stuff I have been using for over a decade and I like the looks plus it it solid and light. I use the same stuff to make garage and shop cabinets for clients and myself. I don't put a finish on it and again other than yellowing with age it holds up to the riggers of daily construction. Since my set up must be portable, weight and durability are a must. I can't use MDF as it weights a ton and is not nearly as durable in transport. If I could find something better than A/C, I would use it. I can't speak to Home Depot or Lowes's lumber as I get all of my material from frame to finnish from my local lumber yard and have done so for over 20 years. I check prices at HD, but not a single time has HD had a lower price. I have built over 200 homes with the same yard and have never been late paying the invoice so I am sure I am in their lowest tier pricing.
Ron

 

[JayStPeter]

Jay,
The A/C at my local lumber yard it the same stuff I have been using for over a decade and I like the looks plus it it solid and light. I use the same stuff to make garage and shop cabinets for clients and myself. I don't put a finish on it and again other than yellowing with age it holds up to the riggers of daily construction. Since my set up must be portable, weight and durability are a must. I can't use MDF as it weights a ton and is not nearly as durable in transport. If I could find something better than A/C, I would use it. I can't speak to Home Depot or Lowes's lumber as I get all of my material from frame to finnish from my local lumber yard and have done so for over 20 years. I check prices at HD, but not a single time has HD had a lower price. I have built over 200 homes with the same yard and have never been late paying the invoice so I am sure I am in their lowest tier pricing.
Ron

Yeah, I have a couple similar local places here I've used for big projects (finishing my basement, deck).  They are generally slightly cheaper, even for the average walk-in homeowner.  But not on everything, sometimes way expensive.  Also not very convenient.  When your not 100% sure what you want, the stock is all out in either the yard or separate warehouse buildings and they are hesitant to let you just wander around.  They do, but you can tell they don't really want it to be a habbit.  They are closed by the time I get off work, and weekend hours are usually Saturday mornings when I am running kids from game-to-game-to-game.  Since I don't go through stock like you, I have no idea what quality I'll get from each.  Frustrating, but hobby vs. professional problems.  Ideally I'd like to make it from baltic birch ply, but the only place I know of that sells 4x8 as opposed to 5x5 sheets is 2+ hrs away, closes at 5 and no weekend hrs (and it aint cheap either).  Alternately, a local cabinet shop is happy to order me 10-sheet quantities if I want it (how-to make this thing cost over a grand).

 

[crpaulk]

I am so comfortable with my local lumber yard that when I am picking up a load, I drive in load up and call them on my cell phone to tell them what I have. The owner even offered me a key to the yard incase I need to pick up on Sunday. I turned down the key as I did not want that responsibility. I am a big supporter of local business.

 

[NERemodeling]

Fantastic shop!  Fantastic work!  I've got the plans from Ron P, and am planning my build.  Question is what did you do for drilling the holes?  Looks like you've got the Festool Clamping Elements on the bench in one of the pics, so I would assume those are 20mm holes.  I can only find 3/4" up spiral bits, no 20mm.

DrD

I used a 20mm Forstner bit.  Used an MFT top as a template and a cheap drill guide.  That worked pretty well.  The only router bit I could find in 20mm is the Festool one.

What about this one?  would it work to plunge holes? 

http://www.acetoolonline.com/Freud-04-552-Double-Flute-Straight-Router-Bit-p/fre-04-552.htm

The price point is at least a little better than the one michael posted [scared]

John

 

[thender]

I know this is an old thread...  But I was wondering if there were any updates to this?

I'm contemplating a similar mod to Ron's wonderful original and was wondering what you might change if doing over.

I saw the mention that you might use MDF instead of ply.

Any other thoughts?

I like the asymmetric split and wondered how that worked out for you...

Great post;  the pics and narrative are both first-rate.

-Tom in SoCal

 

[mazmes]

I would also love to see a update or other members take on this. I have been considering this build for the last couple months. Specific points would be using existing MFT as templet technique.

 

[JayStPeter]

I got the thing up and functional, but decided not to continue and make it what I had planned.  The crappy plywood I used made the holes annoying to use.  I have bought some parts for a redesigned piece, but haven't started it yet.  I'll probably use MDF and have the holes CNC cut.  Planning a similar design, using heavier wood/MDF and some 80/20 extrusions.  Just basic sketches so far.

One of the advantages of this design is also a disadvantage ... light weight.  I put the wheels on it, which work great.  But, it doesn't need them.  It is too light for what I want.  It likes to move around without the wheels down.
I do like the design with the storage area underneath.  It is very helpful since the holey top is terrible for putting small parts on.

At this point, I have sawed up the smaller module and will eventually do the same to the whole thing.  Too much other stuff going on to spend a few weekends on another shop project.  Plus, I have another shop project that has priority right now.  Shop is almost unusable.

 

[thender]

Thanks for the update Jay -- very helpful.

I can relate to how life can make it tough for us amateur/hobbiests to get much shop time...

-Tom in SoCal

 

[Tinker]

Yeah, I know all about that to many other things going on to find i.e. to work on the shop.  This Christmas, THE BOSS and i went down to Arlington to be with daughter.  I came home Sunday whir she stayed to New Years Eve afternoon.  I spent the alone time working to finish up presents that  were only half finished. I  had been hoping to  spend  some  time making  shelves for  the shop instead.  BUT, no such luck.

It is cold in the shop and gluing and  finishing I try to squeeze into upstairs for the smaller projects. By the time my wife came home, I had the kitchen table, the kitchen counter and the bay window (a large shelf) all loaded with glue ups and drying finishes. Now, i have to get started on tax stuff and setting up schedules and proposals for next season (landscaping).  Those shelves will just have to wait for a little longer.
Tinker