How square is the MFT/3

[ChuckM]

Holes used with steel dogs/ clamps are subject to wear over time, not to mention such factors as the rail, the saw, the techniques, etc. that can throw a cut off. What matters is the degree of tolerance. I've used an MFT to cut stock for building some outdoor Free Little Library projects, because they were not furniture-grade builds. I only trust my SawStop cabinet saw or the Kapex for repetitive and precision cuts.

 

[Mini Me]

I did a kitchen cab build this past summer with my buddy, and we "squared" it all up based on the dog holes and that Woodpecker MFT triangle (Black phenolic?). It has holes that you place dogs through into the holes of the MFT.

Big mistake.

I have one of those and if I lived in the US it would have gone back because it is not as accurate as it seems. I ran a dial indicator down both legs ignoring the reference leg and both have the same dip in them about midway down the leg. Fundamentally it is close to square and good enough for what I use it for but it is not truly accurate. I use it for setting the crosscut fence on my slider and not much else.

 

[Birdhunter]

This is an interesting thread. I have two MFTs joined together. I use two dogs across the top and butt a Woodpeckers framing square against them and check the rail for square. It is always totally square. This setup always provides excellent 90 degree cuts.

Everywhere on each table, I get excellent 90 and 45 degree cuts using dogs. I do not rely on the holes on the two tables to be aligned however.

I wonder if my two tables are exceptions.

 

[thudchkr]

This is an interesting thread. I have two MFTs joined together. I use two dogs across the top and butt a Woodpeckers framing square against them and check the rail for square. It is always totally square. This setup always provides excellent 90 degree cuts.

Everywhere on each table, I get excellent 90 and 45 degree cuts using dogs. I do not rely on the holes on the two tables to be aligned however.

I wonder if my two tables are exceptions.

My experience is similar to yours. I can place a row of dogs in the holes and a straightedge contacts them all. I use the the Dashboard rail hinges with a Bosch rail and a Mafell saw for cross-cutting and end up getting square cuts by butting my pieces against the dogs.

I picked up the ParfGuide 2 in anticipation of making a new top that is “square” in all respects but don’t have the need till these factory tops wear out on me.

 

[BobInOhio]

My understanding is the following:
-- The grid layout is not necessarily perfectly square
-- The grid layout is not necessarily perfectly square to the edges of the table surface
-- The grid layout and/or edges of the table surface are not necessarily perfectly square to the table frame

Watching Peter Millard YouTube:=494s

At 2:23, he claims the grid is absolutely square. He is using the older MFT 1080. I have trouble believing that a later model is less accurate. I have even more trouble believing that I bought all these holes just for clamping