Homemade MFT and QWAS dogs

A

andy5405

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Joined
May 14, 2011
Messages
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I've been thinking about the MFT for a long time but can't afford it. I also want to build a site bench on lockable castors as I like the ease of moving it around. I can get a top machined for very little or no cost by a friend and can build a portable base myself.  I would also like something a bit bigger than the MFT at around 1400-1500mm long. I want to be able to put the top on either tressles for a quickie setup or a more substantial base on castors for longer duration jobs.

Does anyone use this kind of setup who has also used an MFT and what are their thoughts.
 
Hi Andy
I have seen several MFT's on the the jigs part of this web site not too sure how movable they are though!
I am in the process of building a new work shop myself and I am thinking of building an MFT with a difference mine will be 8 X 4 with systainers all built under mine will also be on casters with extraction built in
Where in Sussex are you maybe we can compare notes
Meatman
 
hi there. i have a mft top mounted to my dewalt chop saw stand. mine is 1 section long but 2 would fit. 3 might even fit but you would need a leg support for the extension.
i want a real mft but cant afford it. i can bearly justify it for the cutting part but cant for the clamping as my free one is most of the way there.
search the fog for cheap mft.
 
The MFT is my favorite Festool... I use it all the time.  It is not hard to move around.  And as others on FOG have shown, you can build a larger bench around it.
 
meatman said:
Hi Andy
I have seen several MFT's on the the jigs part of this web site not too sure how movable they are though!
I am in the process of building a new work shop myself and I am thinking of building an MFT with a difference mine will be 8 X 4 with systainers all built under mine will also be on casters with extraction built in
Where in Sussex are you maybe we can compare notes
Meatman
Click to expand...

I'm not too far away from Eastbourne, famous for Beachy Head. I do love Sussex and did you know that it has more woodland/forestry than any other county in the UK apart from one in Scotland. Superfluous but nonetheless interesting. Oh and Julius Caesar landed here too (actually Pevensey Bay, 2 miles from Eastbourne) Sorry for going off topic.
 
We definitely need to organise a UK FOG meet.  Have there been previous meets in the UK?
 
I think a UK FOG meet would be a great idea but I have seen the same type of thing proposed on other forums and it never seems to happen despite lots of apparent interest. It needs someone to grab the bull by the horns and make it happen. I can assure you it won't be me as I know as a dairy farmer's son that grabbing a bull by the horns isn't always a great idea!
 
andy5405 said:
I think a UK FOG meet would be a great idea but I have seen the same type of thing proposed on other forums and it never seems to happen despite lots of apparent interest. It needs someone to grab the bull by the horns and make it happen. I can assure you it won't be me as I know as a dairy farmer's son that grabbing a bull by the horns isn't always a great idea!
Click to expand...

You guys had a get together last year.
 
Ken Nagrod said:
You guys had a get together last year.
Click to expand...

Happy days, did the evening culminate in a competition to see who had the most cumulative guide rail length or something that you wouldn't tell the missus? I would attend both, I just need to be prepared!
 
andy5405 said:
Ken Nagrod said:
You guys had a get together last year.
Click to expand...

Happy days, did the evening culminate in a competition to see who had the most cumulative guide rail length or something that you wouldn't tell the missus? I would attend both, I just need to be prepared!
Click to expand...

No, they just sat around discussing JMB's sweater and tossed darts at my picture.
 
andy5405 said:
I've been thinking about the MFT for a long time but can't afford it. I also want to build a site bench on lockable castors as I like the ease of moving it around. I can get a top machined for very little or no cost by a friend and can build a portable base myself.  I would also like something a bit bigger than the MFT at around 1400-1500mm long. I want to be able to put the top on either tressles for a quickie setup or a more substantial base on castors for longer duration jobs.

Does anyone use this kind of setup who has also used an MFT and what are their thoughts.
Click to expand...

Hi Andy,  what is it that your friend can machine?  Is it the rail metal which surrounds the MFT?  Just curious....

I have three MFT's set up in a row in the shop, with connectors joining them together.  The only thing that I don't like is that the tables aren't solid (they aren't designed to be).  I would love to have a heavy bench with the MFT style top and rail around it.
 
Rob Z said:
Hi Andy,  what is it that your friend can machine?  Is it the rail metal which surrounds the MFT?  Just curious....

I have three MFT's set up in a row in the shop, with connectors joining them together.  The only thing that I don't like is that the tables aren't solid (they aren't designed to be).  I would love to have a heavy bench with the MFT style top and rail around it.
Click to expand...

He can machine the top only. If you want to see what can be done I highly recommend reading . Jerry Work's guide to getting the most out of the MFT

He has built a large one from components he bought from Festool. I believe there is a 2 metre extrusion available to do this. I did briefly look into the cost of the components based on the old mft ( mft 1080 spares ) and it was more than I would like to spend on a homemade table.

Other people on here have done a similar thing with 8020 extrusions.
 
Sam Murdoch said:
Not exactly an MFT but check this out www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/09/09/the-ultimate-work-bench/.
I'm sure you could modify this to suit your needs beautifully.
Click to expand...

I have actually watched his videos in the past. It is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship but made me think that you guys across the pond have no real concept of how small everything is in the UK! I often work in very tight spots and wouldn't even be able to set that table up outside on a lot of the jobs that I do.

I might do a Google search one day to compare the average size of a UK house (in square feet of course!) to a US one. Trying to fit 70 million people into a country that is only 600 miles long and even narrower poses some interesting problems when you become a tradesmen. 
 
andy5405 said:
Sam Murdoch said:
Not exactly an MFT but check this out www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/09/09/the-ultimate-work-bench/.
I'm sure you could modify this to suit your needs beautifully.
Click to expand...

I have actually watched his videos in the past. It is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship but made me think that you guys across the pond have no real concept of how small everything is in the UK! I often work in very tight spots and wouldn't even be able to set that table up outside on a lot of the jobs that I do.

I might do a Google search one day to compare the average size of a UK house (in square feet of course!) to a US one. Trying to fit 70 million people into a country that is only 600 miles long and even narrower poses some interesting problems when you become a tradesmen.   
Click to expand...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_and_dependent_territories_by_population_density

UK comes in at number 53. Stop moaning! Mind you, I suppose if you include Wales and all those bloody sheep, the UK would probably be in the top 20.

I'm in Canada, number 230! Time for a larger workshop methinks!
 
Ah yes but statistics are misleading! We have some strange planning laws over here, If anyone even hears a rumour that a great crested newt or some insignificant but allegedly rare species can be found in a area then we can't build within 100 miles of it. It would only take about 4 animals to make the whole of the UK a green belt. That's the point though, we do have a green belt that can't be built on to protect our countryside and that does make houses and gardens rather small. Consequently our work benches tend to have to be smaller too. That is of course where the small analogies end before some smart ar*e even thinks about making "that comment"!

Room to swing a cat?

Aussies build the biggest!
 
andy5405 said:
Sam Murdoch said:
Not exactly an MFT but check this out www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/09/09/the-ultimate-work-bench/.
I'm sure you could modify this to suit your needs beautifully.
Click to expand...

I have actually watched his videos in the past. It is a wonderful piece of craftsmanship but made me think that you guys across the pond have no real concept of how small everything is in the UK! I often work in very tight spots and wouldn't even be able to set that table up outside on a lot of the jobs that I do.
Click to expand...

I did think that you might need to modify the design a bit  [unsure]. It is quite big - even for my US shop.
 
hat link is for a forum that you have to be regestered to see. can you post the pics
 
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