MFT/3 is it worth it?

[sancho57]

I got 2 MFT3s and a Kapex MFT, when I get back to the states, Im buying another MFT3

I'm thinking of getting a 3rd one myself. I love them and use Qwas dogs as well as the protractor for repetitive cuts.

I don't see how it goes out of square by lifting the rail; return the rail in the front before you tighten the back clamp. After using

mine for about 5 years, if it's out of square I never noticed.

Are you bringing the burger girl with you when you return?  [big grin]

Mines don't go out of square when raising or lowering the rail. I use 2 protractors on the fence and use dogs to align it make sure its parallel then set the rail up to the fence that makes it bomb proof.

Burger girl is in the states, she's in Las Vegas at the Heart Attack Grill. You can see her if ya go there or go to a end user class there. Check out their website  [tongue]

 

[MGB]

I would say if you use it daily/weekly yes its worth the money.

Instead i built two MPT's. Including my labor I still saved alot of money, and theyre just as functional as the MFT. Bonus to this route is you end up with a sturdier table, lower shelf, and the satisfaction of building it yourself.

 

[bigfella]

I really like my MFT and use it all the time. I have limited space and like the flexibility of being able to move it around easily.

I debated buying it for a few months, but glad I did.

Don't Festool have some sort of 30 day money back guarantee in the USA?

 

[Woodwork Wizard]

The MFT/3 is a fabulous tool, though mine is purely workshop based. It's very easy to make modifications so you can do many many things to it to suit personal requirements.

I find them to be very accurate, very versatile and worth every penny. They are brilliant.

 

[Hnnguyen85]

Thanks for all the great replies guys. I ended up ordering one this morning.

I do have an mft style table top as an outfeed table for my table saw. I use dogs and all that to line up my cuts but it still requires me moving the tracks out the way every cut. It gets old after awhile. I thought about buying the support mounts for the flip up guide rails but that would also require me to remove it whenever I use my table saw. I use my track saw and table saw back and forth on every project so removing the support mounts for the guide rails every time would be a nightmare. I figured having an MFT/3 table off to the side of the shop would be the best solution. I can break down full sheets of ply on my outfeed table, do all the clamping and heavy work over there and I can do cross cuts on the MFT/3. I'll likely build a small stand for it so I can just sit the MFT table on it to eliminate the wobble issue some of you guys have mentioned.

 

[McNally Family]

To be honest I wouldn't even bother with the MFT.  I had one for awhile and sold it after building a MFTC.  I wish I would have looked more closely at the complaints people had about it. 

1) It's not stable.  You basically have to purchase the braces, which are an additional $80 to stiffen it up.  They really should be included with the table as many consider them a necessity. 
2) You have to square the rail every time you adjust the height.  The engineering on that part of the table is poor and they designed it that way for cost saving reasons I'm sure.  I'd like to see a keyed dovetail design out of aluminum that ensured everything stays square as you raise and lower the rail.  The way it's made now it racks and you'll go from being dead on at 1/2" cut height, then raise it to cut 3/4" and be noticeably off.  Then you have to resquare.  It's a major pain.  Not only that but it develops slop so then you have to go out and buy another accessory part called "SLOP STOP" to try and combat that.  It's insane.
3) There's a reason Parf dogs, precision dogs and qwas/rail dogs are so popular.  No one uses the stock flip down rail/fence/protractor setup.  If you're not going to use the flip down rail/fence/protractor you're essentially paying $700 for a piece of MDF with a proprietary aluminum extrusion frame.
4) The tops sag.  Few people even talk about this but many people notice it.  You'll see it brought up in threads and when someone points it out other people will respond with "oh ya, I guess my does sag, but it's okay with me, you can always flip it over".  Seriously?  The table offers a nice large work surface but it's made out of MDF and  only supported around the perimeter.  At those dimensions you're gonna get some sagging.  To combat it people suggest rigging up a support beam on the underside of the table?  Really, another modification?

I really wanted to like my MFT3.  Unfortunately I came to the conclusion that it's not worth it, IMO atleast.  After the necessary upgrades the MFT3 is almost $800 in the US and you'll still need to make modifications.  That's mind blowing to me.  I think there are a lot better options out there.  I'm sooo much happier with my MFTC and it was many, many times cheaper.  I even like the MFTSlab concept better than the MFT3.  My suggestion would be to look at some of the other options.  I wish someone would have broken it down like this for me before making the purchase.

I am thinking to will build an alternative to the MFT/3, as shown on this link, from "Very Super Cool Tools.com"
http://vsctools.com/shop/the-ultimate-work-table/

It is stronger and bigger, with more storage and versatility.  In the end, it looks like $19.99 for the plans, and a few hundred dollars for materials vs. $660.00 for the MFT/3.  Of course, I am shop bound, so portability is not a concern for me.  I also really like the fact this guy has made 47 YouTube video's, walking you through the building process. 

I like the fact he has so many built in drawers for misc tools, without using all his storage space for Systainer's (which I keep locked up in a large cabinet anyway). 

Just watch the first two or three video's for a pretty good picture of what he is doing.  They are relatively short so you don't get bored easily.  He also points out that even if you don't build the table according to his plans, you can pick and choose different aspects that would fit your scenario, or even add your own ideas.  He is a pretty bright guy, and understands the intricacies of both woodwork and metal work.  Pretty interesting stuff!

Edit:  He also has a pretty interesting alternative to a Boom Arm for your CT:
http://vsctools.com/shop/askwoodman-woodworking-plans-01/

 

[waho6o9]

I like the side holding clamps from a pair of wood vises that he made, very versatile.http://vsctools.com/shop/the-ultimate-work-table/

Baltic Birch ply comes in 5 x 5 sheets and if you have the room that would be a nice

table to work on.

 

[McNally Family]

I like the side holding clamps from a pair of wood vises that he made, very versatile.http://vsctools.com/shop/the-ultimate-work-table/

Baltic Birch ply comes in 5 x 5 sheets and if you have the room that would be a nice

table to work on.

As I recall from one of the videos, he has based his table dimensions on 5ft square.  He said he preferred this size so he could have room for everything on top, as he works.    That also means his large drawers, under the top, also are 5ft long, and pull out from either side.

 

[teemacs]

I really want to get an MFT/3 and nearly pulled the trigger on it but stopped myself before I did. I do a lot of case work and wide cross cuts so the MFT would be great at that to insure square cuts. On the other hand, I can just streak a line and line my track saw up to it and make the cut, same thing. Only down side is, that gets old after awhile and have a stop to make multiple cuts of the same lengths more accurate.

So, tell me why I should get one or why I shouldn't. I really want one so the more reason to get one would be better  ;D

From my point of view, it's one of the best DIY purchases I have ever made. Why? I only have a little garage, and I have to put away all my toys when I've finished, so that I can get the car in. The MFT folds up nice and flat and is parked against the wall. It has more or less become my major work surface, with my big traditional solid work bench being used to hold the tools. Unlike a previous commentator, I have never felt the need for the braces. It is also transportable to the daughters' places, when they need something done.

 

[kixnbux]

Totally worth it. I refinish a lot of cabinetry on site as well as build to match existing doors/cabinets etc. daily. Love my Mft [emoji1303]