MFT: Anyone cover the table with hardboard and template route the holes?

[MikeDeuce]

Still admiring the MFT from a distance, but I plan to add it to my humble stable as soon as funds allow.

I've been wondering: does anyone cover the MDF table surface with hardboard or similar materials to act as a cheaply/conveniently replaced sacrificial cover?

Sure, it would be somewhat labor intensive (probably couldn't be too bad with a template/flush bit), but the price would be hard to beat.

 

[bill-e]

Mike,

I could see laying a piece of hardboard on the MFT to protect the top for assembly/painting/gluing operations which don't require clamping through the holes but for the relatively small price difference (for me anyway) between a 15$ sheet of hardboard and hours of preparation and routing vs the 90$ 1080 top and whatever time it takes, once every couple of years to replace....I'd opt for the latter.

The MFT is like owning a new car.  Once you get that first ding in it your anxiety over protecting its "newness" disappears and life is good.  Same with the MFT, it seems to become much more usable after the first glue stain and kerf cut.

 

[fpsnyder]

Mike - The great thing about the MDF surface on the MFT is that cuts and damage can be easily repaired and filled using Plastic Wood filler or Bondo. Fill the voids, let cure, then sand flush and good as new. I've also read of some members here applying a few coats of poly to protect it from water.

 

[Corwin]

I usually use 1/4" hardboard as a backer, but always use something.  So, I still do not have a kerf down my MFT's surface -- several scraps around the shop cannot say the same.  Just keep several handy sizes around.  Works great for me!  I like it!

Corwin

On Edit, Again: 
Let me start over.  I use either a foam or hardboard backer that is sized (around the length of the cut by something wider than the width) such that the backer extends to the right of the cut enough for proper support.  This way the backer does not cover too many holes that would otherwise be of use.  With a few different sizes, this has worked for me -- I don't know if I really want to continue this practice, as it must be simpler without...  guess I'll keep doing this for now.  Kinda nice, not a cut to be found (yet) and a top that's as smooth as a baby's you know what!  

As to the holes;  I would think one of the reasons others are not doing this (or at least I don't recall anyone admitting to such) is that the Festool accessories that fit in the 20mm holes do not work in a hole that is deeper than the thickness of the existing top (Clamping Elements and MFT Fence can work w/easy fix).  There are other clamps on the market that will work in 1" or deeper holes -- but none of these are among my favorites (Festool, of course).  Of these other clamps, you can get some that clamp vertically (clamp to table top) or horizontally (clamp to fence or dog).  Back to the Festool clamps;  each of the different Festool clamps are very good for MFT useage -- very good...  oh, I already said that.  Other clamps are nice, IMO, and do have a few additional uses -- so, I like to have an assortment -- but it is the Festool clamps that I use most often.

 

[Loren Hedahl]

If I were to visit someone's shop and they had a MFT with many kerfs filled with Bondo, would I:

1)  consider them a sloppy worker

2) think they were too poor to afford a replacement

3) think they were too busy making bucks to be concerned with the condition of their tools

4) think I better take a look at their work and check for Bondo filling poor fitted joints

5) figure they were maintaining their tools in the most efficient way and their efficiency might be reflected in the quality and price of an item I may be interested in.

I think I would choose #5.

Loren

 

[Lou Miller]

You guys do realize that an MFT top is only MDF and a new one can made in about 15-20 minutes, right? Never did understand why so many are so concerned over protecting their tops. I've made several of them since buying my MFT. One of them is out of melamine, which I like because its resistant to glue sticking to it.

 

[Dave Rudy]

Lou,

How do you manage to duplicate the exact hole alignment/spacing in 15-20 minutes?

Dave

 

[Lou Miller]

I cut the MDF to size. Then I mark centers along the long side and the short side. Then I take a 48" drywall square (that I know is square) and draw intersecting lines. I use a punch at every intersection to keep the drill bit from wandering. Then I just drill all the holes out with a 20mm bit. Sure, its not as accurate as one that is made on a CNC router, but its pretty darn good. Everything lines up fine when I'm done.

Every time I finish a project (fortunately there aren't many) out of MDF or melamine and there is a piece large enough left over, I make another top and put it away. I use and abuse my MFT all the time and I don't have to worry about the condition of the top. If I butcher up the one that is on there too bad, I just switch it out and move on. 

 

[CharlesWilson]

I am still trying to find melamine with MDF core. The local HD's and Lowes just have particle board cores (except for some 11" wide shelving at HD). The local lumber supply yards just have particle board cores.

I live near Hartford, CT.

Any suggestions?

Charles

 

[Lou Miller]

Charles,

Try to find a place that caters to cabinet makers. Most of them have everything you could ever want including the choice of different cores. The only downside to places like that is they usually don't want to sell to you unless you're in the trade. It doesn't hurt to ask though. Little white lies don't hurt either...

 

[LaserGecko]

Charles,

Since the last time I paid attention, my HD is now carrying only PB core melamine, too. I did LOTS of calling around and in Las Vegas, there's only one place that has MDF core melamine...and it's only one sided and $45 per sheet.

I did a bit of reading online and found that there are various grades of particle board coring (makes sense, but I never thought about it), so it's not as bad as you might think. One local supply house carries the Roseburg line of melamine products. That stuff is fantastic looking and it's all PB cored. Heck, the lady at Austin Hardwoods actually said "Man, it seems like everyone is looking for that right now", but they didn't carry it.

So, after an hour on the phone, I found MDF core but it won't really do me any good. I did find that all of the "trade only" shops were happy to sell in regular guy quantities of their in stock items. Most of them seemed happy to help a DIYer get some quality products, too.

Of course, your mileage may vary, too. Best of luck.

 

[bill-e]

I still say one should use it the way it is supposed to be used.  Yes, protect it during glue ups with paper or the like, even hit it with some poly like I did but don't stress over normal wear and tear.

 

[MikeDeuce]

One of the reasons this was floating around in my head was that I, like you, Mr. Esposito, want to use the MFT as an outfeed table for my tablesaw. And (in theory) I'm favoring the idea of having the top of the MFT be near-flush with the tablesaw top, with dados cut to match the miter slots to allow for miter runners. But since it's only in theory, and possibly a future failed experiment, I didn't want to commit to something (I probably wouldn't want to fill a rather large 12"x3/8"x3/4" groove in the MFT top with bondo, though it is a brilliant idea for saw kerfs... I supposed I could glue in a thin strip of MDF and sand it flush...).

The alternatives would be having the MFT sit 3/8" lower than the table saw, which would work great with any fixtures that used the miter slots... but what about for traditional cuts using the fence? I realize 3/8" is not a huge differential in height, but would it be enough to cause any potential difficulties with longer rip cuts? I was thinking that with 1/4" hardboard or similar, the 1/8" differential would be almost negligible.

And then again, I guess a solution would be to slap a piece of solid hardboard on top of the MFT only when I'm making those longer rips (if it is, in fact, going to be problematic). This is probably the best idea, as it also won't require me to commit to any particular configuration, since it wouldn't lock the miter runner path to any specific orientation or area... and still allow me to treat the MFT as a mobile work surface.

Thanks for letting me think out loud... looks like there's a lot of ways to skin a cat. Though I'd still appreciate any opinions on any of the above.

 

[bill-e]

Mike,

I've been using an outfeed table which is lower than the saw for years with no ill effects.  I doubt you will even notice the lower table.  Give it a try before you dado your top.

 

[MikeDeuce]

Works for me... it's certainly the easiest solution!

Thanks a lot for your input.

 

[Tinker]

i have every thing in my shop lower than my TS.  I have several rollers and roller stands that i move around wherever needed for outfeed purposes.  Some rollers i have set up withonly the verticle post so i can clamp to sides of benches, including MFT.  With nearly every horizontal surface being used for all sorts of purposes from gathering of (you fill in this space) to assembly surface, having everything lower than the TS eliminates a lot f extra moving when I do use the TS.  My MFT is on the oposite side of the shop, out of line with the TS, so nothing else impacts the working space there.  I do use the MFT more than the TS and it is permanently located so I do not have to move it around.  All horizontal surfaces on that side of shop are equal to or 1" or more lower than the MFT so I can use those surfaces as out feed for the MFT.  I, so far, have very few kerf marks on the MFT other than where I have the guidebar mounted for cross cutting.  Most of those marks were made before i realized I could actually make my cuts without going clear thru as I had always done w/TS.  When i do make a kerf mark, it is so slight it does not affect the table in anything serious. more like just a scratch.  i do have plenty of those.
Tinker

 

[MikeDeuce]

Just set up my MFT this past weekend, thanks to Mr. Marino and surprisingly quick freight delivery.

I arranged it like Mr. Esposito, perpendicular in length to the table saw, and flush with the bottom of the miter slots. It works fantastically as an outfeed table, but it doesn't seem like it will be ideal as a cutting table because a workpiece can only be so long before the offcut end collides with the cast iron table.

Seems like the two best options for me might be: 1) Route miter slots into the MFT top, which I'm not too keen on because I'm not sure I'm committed to this specific layout or 2) Make a short-outfeed table with miter slots between the table saw and MFT, and flush the MFT top to the table saw top.

#2 might work especially well, as there's already an 8" gap between the two thanks to the TS mobile base. Using the MFT and TS in tandem would also give me a longer assembly table.

Any thoughts?

Thanks for letting me think out loud.
-mike

 

[Dave Rudy]

Mike,
What about turning it 90 degrees?  Then you would (presumably) not have the problem for cutting on the MFT, and still have an outfeed (and a longer one at that).

Dave

 

[bill-e]

Mike,

You can do that or do what I do and just drag the MFT away from the TS when needed.  I actually removed a short out feed table when I installed my MFT.  Like you I wanted to raise the MFT to the same height as the saw and not have to drag it if I needed the room.  I opted to take off that short table in favor of recovering the 10" of space though I kept it close in case I wanted to reinstall it. 

You might want to just leave things be for a while and see how often your kind of work actually causes you meed that short table.

 

[mastercabman]

what about flipping the mdf around when the top gets to bad? then when you finish with that side like,you can cut a new piece of mdf and lay out the lines,like lou does,or you could take the old top,clamp it with the new piece and use each holes as a guide for your 20mm bit.  would that work?