MFT/3 and hand planing?

[dinkjs]

How does the MFT/3 handle hand planing?  Does it have to much raking from the momentum?  Basically smoothing hand planes up to jointers....not including block planes on this since there isnt alot that goes into moving a block plane

 

[wubears71]

I don't find the MFT very useful for hand planing as it doesn't have enough heft to prevent it from moving while planing.  This is one thing I still do on my woodworking bench.

 

[spikfot]

Far too much wobble for a hand planer.

 

[mouppe]

It's not the best table for planing, but it's not terrible. It's also a couple of inches too low (for me), but the dog hole layout is very useful so sometimes I do some quick planing on it. I don't find the "wobble" to be too bad.

The other problem is I don't like to be whacked on the head by the guide rail when it falls down.

If I didn't have a workbench I could definitely get by with an MFT. I spent over a grand building my own workbench, including the vises, and I could have got two MFTs for the same price. I'll bet if I connected the two MFTs together, I would have a bench every bit as stable as my maple workbench, and it would be a bit larger too.

 

[MarkF]

The other problem is I don't like to be whacked on the head by the guide rail when it falls down.

I fixed that problem:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/mft-guide-rail-catch/

 

[flair woodworks]

Sorry, but hand planing is one thing the MFT can't do. Like the other poster I have a traditional bench for that. But that's the great thing - having both types of benches covers just about anything you could ever imagine.

Yes - for me it would cover everything including all of my floor!

 

[wubears71]

The other problem is I don't like to be whacked on the head by the guide rail when it falls down.

I fixed that problem:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/mft-guide-rail-catch/

I love it.  My MFT is to my back when doing work on my woodworking bench.  There is nothing worse than the guide rail falling down when I'm zoned in doing something on the bench.  It scares the crud out of me. [scared]  I'm definitely making this simple accessory.

 

[Mr Handyman]

Surely the MFT's are not very good for hand planing, but when I have to use them for it, I clamp a double stop, i.e. a board, on the table and put the workpiece against the end of the stop that is on the table. The other end of the stop is put against a wall. For that of course, the MFT must not be too freestanding.

 

[gojira]

I have used my MFT3 for handplaning, including flattening with a jack plane and jointer plane. The racking and movement are definitely less than ideal. I find that using the cross members and planing only in the long direction of the table with the workpiece at one of the short ends can somewhat reduce this. You can also brace the other short end up against a wall if you are indoors. If you use the clamping elements to secure the workpiece, then remember to monitor the thickness or put a spacer underneath. Don't ask how I know this. The MFT is not a hand tool bench but, if it's all you have at the moment, you may still be able to get most things done (as I have) until you can develop a better solution (which I still need to do).

 

[davee]

When I had a single MFT, I didn't use it for hand planing.  However, I now have two tables connected along their short edge.  It makes a great outfeed and assembly table.  However with the two tables connected together, I find it acceptable for hand planing.  I might get a more conventional table when I have my new shop.  However, I might also just get a third MFT and use it as an infeed table instead.