Expandable (Triple Wide) Mobile Compact MFT3 Cart

Dick Mahany

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Joined
Jan 8, 2016
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555
Thanks to the many good ideas from folks here, I finally got around to building my own mobile MFT cart.  It lives in a very tight space and so I needed to be able to store it compactly, yet have sufficient length for cutting long stock.  By nesting a second MFT type top and an extension under the folded MFT3, I was able to accomplish that. Here are a few pics of the set up.

Close up of stowed extension and nested aux top.
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Simple $12 boom arm on stored MFT3 taken from right rear corner. 
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MFT3 being slid to side and one set of legs dropped.
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Side by side.
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Nested top lifted into position and right side extension installed.
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This set up works fine for my needs however the nested top when lifted into position isn't up to the rigors of hand planing.  It does work great as an extension, assembly table and material support.  To keep the intermediate MFT top from sliding around on the cart when stored, it is simply registered to the MFT cart with a few 20mm pegs.  In all I have less than $160 into the cart

 

Attachments

  • Packed up.jpg
    Packed up.jpg
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  • Partially extended.jpg
    Partially extended.jpg
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  • Side by side.jpg
    Side by side.jpg
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  • Fully expanded MFT.jpg
    Fully expanded MFT.jpg
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  • Closeup of nested top and stowed extension.jpg
    Closeup of nested top and stowed extension.jpg
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Very nice. I like it. The extension and saw dock are both ideas I could use in my small basement shop. I don't have enough space to setup a full table next to the MFT but I could get an extension like yours out the left side for about 60 inches which would help with long workpieces greatly.
 
I like the cart, but like the floor even more.  Please tell us the details about the floor.  Epoxy?  Color?  Who did it?
 
RobBob said:
I like the cart, but like the floor even more.  Please tell us the details about the floor.  Epoxy?  Color?  Who did it?

The floor is Granitex 2-Day system from Arizona Polymer Flooring.  Color is Portabello.  The stuff is bullet proof and easy to maintain.  Unfortunately some distributors won't sell to individuals due to concerns about improper installation so I had to hire a guy who had formal training from them.  I also had the expansion joints in the floor filled with epoxy.  Cost was about $2200 for 450 sq.ft.
 
Dick Mahany said:
RobBob said:
I like the cart, but like the floor even more.  Please tell us the details about the floor.  Epoxy?  Color?  Who did it?

The floor is Granitex 2-Day system from Arizona Polymer Flooring.  Color is Portabello.  The stuff is bullet proof and easy to maintain.  Unfortunately some distributors won't sell to individuals due to concerns about improper installation so I had to hire a guy who had formal training from them.  I also had the expansion joints in the floor filled with epoxy.  Cost was about $2200 for 450 sq.ft.
Thanks for the info on the floor.  Did not know they could fill in the expansion joints.  That's a big plus in a (garage) shop if you move machines around at all.  I've got to have that done to my garage.

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I really like the cart and the boom arm.
    I would really like a second mft but don't have room for it, and this gives me some good ideas. 
  My mft cart looks like yours and is on wheels but doesn't really move around much.  I have a DIY boom arm on the ct26, but I really don't use it except for when I am working at the mft.  I am going to change it to your set up. 
    Thanks for the post.
 
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