MFT 800

[Jab]

I need some advice.  First of all I am a hobby woodworking.  Mostly furniture and some remodeling for my own house and some family and friends.  I work out of a two car garage and on site at their houses.  I have a few festools like the TS55 REQ, CT 36, and rotex 90.  I have a slew of other tools I had already accumulated prior to taking the festool plunge.  The dust collection is what has sold me that and the portability of everything.  I plan on a domino 500 and probably the 1010 router later. Hopefully soon.  But for now I want a mft3. I have looked at the table and researched it and it seems folks either love it or don't see the value.  I see the value.  I use the 55 mostly for big sheets instead of the table saw and if offsite I use the TS55 or the mitre saw for everything. 

My question is this:  I was about to purchase an MFT 3 and then I came across a MFT 800 for $225.  That's with the rail and other accessories.  Is that a good price on the mft 800, is it worth it? Has anyone rigged some height to it and been able to attach it to an mft3?  I still plan on the mft 3 but if the 800 can attach somehow I might snag that one for now and later use it as a side table or extension.  It folds up, easy to store, and if I am only working on trim or something I could just take the little table.  There is a lot of experience on this site so just looking for any advice. 

Thanks

 

[mouppe]

Hi,

I have two MFT 800s which complement my MFT/3. You could rig up a way of connecting them, but they are different heights as you wrote, and I haven't bothered to do it. I have connected my two MFT 800s in the past however. I think $225 is a fair price for the MFT, but I don't think you will use the fence very much once you get the MFT/3. The fence and mitre gauge on the two MFTs are incompatible. I think I paid $200 for my MFT800 in a past recon sale- with no fence or accessories.

I converted one MFT to a router table for the CMS module, and made a spare top for it so I can use it as a small assembly table.

Also, I now keep an MFT800 in the garage at home which comes in very useful and saves bringing an MFT to and from the workshop.

In conclusion, I would say go for it.