MFT being discontinued

[bill-e]

John Russell, is that a spaniel or a setter in that pic...too small to tell for my eyes.  I have an English Setter.

 

[TahoeTwoBears]

Sometime back, Ned mentioned the idea of a router table top. I asked him what he thought and he pointed out the obvious. On a router table, you want things to slide. On the MFT's surface, you'd prefer that it didn't. Seems like too different uses. He said the jury was still out. Haven't heard any more about his experience with it.

 

[TahoeTwoBears]

It occurs to me that most of the concern about the new tables that are coming are being expressed by those of us that don't make our living using these tools. I was intially concerned and tried to find an 800 and an extension wing to fit it. I already have a 1080 and thought that it would be nice to have an extra table. But after a lot of ruminating, it occurred to me that I needed to cancel the order and wait for the new tables. I'll be able to "grow" my system as time goes on and I find a need. Trying to forecast what my "happy homeowner self" might need in the future wasn't working out so well. Trying to "buy ahead" right now just caused pain and worry. What if I got it wrong? What if I needed another table later? Time to wait and buy new in the Spring. Perhaps I'll get lucky and there will be an intro pricing model.

On the other hand, if I was making a living with these tools, then I'd certainly buy what I needed today, period.

 

[Hotwheels]

John Russell, is that a spaniel or a setter in that pic...too small to tell for my eyes.  I have an English Setter.

Bill,
He is a liver and white Brittany! He is a rescue dog, we have had him about 6 years now. He was in a shelter in Kansas with one foot in the door to being put down and we had him flown out ... a great dog with a lot of spirit. He is with me everyday I am in the shop.
John

 

[Ned]

Sometime back, Ned mentioned the idea of a router table top. I asked him what he thought and he pointed out the obvious. On a router table, you want things to slide. On the MFT's surface, you'd prefer that it didn't. Seems like too different uses. He said the jury was still out. Haven't heard any more about his experience with it.

The jury's in.  IMO, router table and MFT use conflict too much.  Things don't slide too well on my MFT top with an insert hole in it.  You could drill a grid of holes in the Pinnacle top, but you're creating a bunch of potential snag points for the sliding work.

If I decide to buy an MFT3, and someone wants to buy my MFT to put a Pinnacle top on or any other purpose, it's a great idea! 

The old MFT might also become a full-time photo stage.

Ned

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Looking in Woodcraft's latest flier...Pinnacle has released a premium Router Table Top with fence and router insert plate that replaces the existing MFT perforated top plate.

Woodcraft Details

And given a timely assist to all of us who want to sell off our "old" MFTs--the potential buyers will now include people who want this router table, not just people who bleed Festool green.

These new-to-Festool folks won't care much about the condition of the standard top or those clamps you wanted to keep anyway.

Ned

Thanks for the link.  Somehow, I had missed that router table option.  Certainly makes it more interesting to get the MFT3 when I can imagine a new use for the old 1080!

I'm thinking of converting my old MFT to a router table when I get the MFT3.  In my shop, the router table plays a major role, taking care of things often done by a table saw or a jointer.  I'm imagining that this table could give me a way to create a router table with a much bigger working surface, and I could fold it up when not in use (a big plus in my space-starved shop).  I already use a PC7518, so the Pinnacle seems ready to go.

I wish there was a longer fence and a lift...well, I just need to figure out how to attach an Incra fence to this setup and I'll have something.

Matthew

 

[nickao]

Looking in Woodcraft's latest flier...Pinnacle has released a premium Router Table Top with fence and router insert plate that replaces the existing MFT perforated top plate.

[attachthumb=#]

Woodcraft Details

And given a timely assist to all of us who want to sell off our "old" MFTs--the potential buyers will now include people who want this router table, not just people who bleed Festool green.

These new-to-Festool folks won't care much about the condition of the standard top or those clamps you wanted to keep anyway.

Ned

This top makes absolutely no sense to me.  If I wanted a portable router table I certainly wouldn't start with an MFT.  And if I had an MFT I certainly wouldn't want to get rid of the clamping surface. ???

Now if they came up with a way to mount the OF1400 to a plate and drop in into the MFT or added an extension table to an MFT where you could mount your OF1400 then they might have something that Festool users might want.

I am with you I just do not get that router top at all, whats the point?

 

[Matthew Schenker]

nickao,

I am with you I just do not get that router top at all, whats the point?

If it were not for the introduction of the MFT3, I would be thinking the same thing.  Actually, I was thinking the same thing before the introduction of the MFT3!  But now I'm thinking that I want to get an MFT3 into my shop, and what will I do with the old MFT 1080?  That makes me think the top might be worth looking at.  Then again, maybe I'm making more of it than it's worth, and I shouldn't bother.  Not sure...
Matthew

 

[Dan Clermont]

That Router table seems to big for me. I could see doing that to a MFT 800 but not a 1080. I also don't see what value the MFT rails provide compared to a simple set of folding legs

Dan Clermont (who needs another cup of coffee to get rid of the morning grumpies)

 

[mysterium]

Matt,

To me I'd add a router insert only in two cases to a MFT; if I needed it for on-site work (portable) or I was in a small shop that I needed to knock down to use the space for other things.  Adding a the Woodcraft top to the 1080 would seem excessive both in cost & seems it would not portable.  Plus it still would not offer any in cabinet storage, or have dust collection.

Since I had a shaper with powerfeeder for decades a router table is only used for small fine work edge work or with in a field.  Thus I only use a single speed PC 3 1/4 hp motor since I am only spinning small cutters in the router table.  The shaper spins the large cutters up to 6 1/2" & with the powerfeeder my hands stay well away from the cutters.

The router table I made about a 1/2 doz. years ago.  Note the idea for the slots for Incra templates came John Lucas's Workshop Demo's site.

I use a Starrett verneer height gauge to set (repeat) the cutters to the thousands for both the router table & shaper.

jim

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Jim,
Yeah, you're right.  Of course, seeing your table with an awesome cabinet underneath convinces me!  Also, I see you're using the Incra fence.  I have an Incra LS Positioner on my current table.  Since I use my router table as a jointer in certain cases, it was appealing to think of creating long-fence router set-up for longer stock.  But the MFT might not be the best way to do this.

Also, I guess I was thinking about the new MFT and the old MFT not being easily compatible.  But it seems possible that the old and new MFTs might join together, so I'd be better  off keeping my MFT in its current form and later on connecting it to an MFT3 for a nice long work space.

I've been in shop-enhancement mode lately, so I play with ideas that may or may not pan out.

Thanks,
Matthew

 

[mysterium]

Matthew,

The table top I purchased from www.woodpeck.com , the fence positioner is a Incra Linear Twin (thus the fences will off set although I have a DJ-20 for my jointing), and the lift is a Jessem Mast-R-Lift. 

The three basic parts of the router table actually built the the cabinet it now sits on by setting the table top with Linear Twin & lift across two saw horses.  I've had a number of router tables in the past so this was a follow on of prior tables.  Usually my work goes out the door and is just a fading memory.  I made this about a 6 years ago when I had a little extra time so I inlayed the corners of the face frame, did black walnut dovetails in the face of the draws, banded it with black walnut, made black walnut handles that attached with oak dowel locked with purple heart wedges etc.  Only a few friends have ever actually seen the table as I am a one-man shop with most of my work is on-site.

Matthew there are lots of ways solve problems, this is only one.  Good luck on your shop organization projects...  You will find that all shops as just works in progress... Or as my I say "Life is just a series of projects..."

jim

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew,

The table top I purchased from www.woodpeck.com , the fence positioner is a Incra Linear Twin (thus the fences will off set although I have a DJ-20 for my jointing), and the lift is a Jessem Mast-R-Lift. 

I had the Twin Linear before getting the LS Positioner.  Both are great fence systems, and both allow offsetting for jointing, which I do a lot.  I bought a Freud 1/2" diameter bit with a 2 1/2" cutting length.  I have jointer rough lumber on the router table up to 2 1/4" in width.  I also own a Craftsman jointer, which of course I need for wider pieces.  But anytime I can do it, I joint on the router table.  It's just so much better, in my opinion.  I love being able to look down on the edge as I'm routing it, easily make micro adjustments to the outfeed fence, and blade changes are rather simple.  The only drawback is cutting width (can't find a 6" cutting length!!) and fence length.

Anyway, this is why I wondered about ways to use my old MFT as a router setup.  I'd love to get a nice long fence that could better handle longer stock.

Matthew

 

[bill-e]

Matthew,

Here's an inexpensive table (plans in the writeup) you can build.  I later modified it for the Incra fence but you could change the dimensions from the get go and design it in.
http://cerealport.net/woodworking/routertable.html

 

[mysterium]

Matthew,

I do see what your thinking on jointing longer boards...  problem solving again.

I know John on Workshop demo's has mounted one in an MFT.  But one concern I would have is the MFT's top itself with the inherent sag issues.  Since all the tops seem to sag some over time it would seem you would have to reinforce the top to handle the extra weight of a router and insert &/or lift. 

If decide to do this an Incra fence could be easily mounted & de-mounted with a base with 3/4" dowels thru the 20 mm x 96 mm MFT wholes.  I've made a similar mount for another project where I cut threads on the dowel ends & made wooden nuts to secure them.

jim

 

[Frank Pellow]

...
I cut threads on the dowel ends & made wooden nuts to secure them.

jim

Jim, this interests me.  What did you use to cut the threads and to make the wooden nuts?

 

[mysterium]

Hi Frank,

Not really Festool but they work well.  Years back (10 plus years) I bought  1/2", 3/4" & 1" tap and dies for wood from Harbor Freight.  I don't use them very often... but the again you never know when you need new threads on a broom stick.

jim

 

[Matthew Schenker]

Matthew,

I do see what your thinking on jointing longer boards...  problem solving again.

I know John on Workshop demo's has mounted one in an MFT.  But one concern I would have is the MFT's top itself with the inherent sag issues.  Since all the tops seem to sag some over time it would seem you would have to reinforce the top to handle the extra weight of a router and insert &/or lift. 

It's one of those situations where I'm looking at my MFT and I keep thinking, "There's got to be a way for me to consolidate my router-jointing and cutting operations into one table."  I already consolidate a lot of cutting, sanding, routing, and Domino work on the MFT.  Even better if the MFS could be brought into the picture.

The sag issue could be solved somehow.

Matthew

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Matthew,

I do see what your thinking on jointing longer boards...  problem solving again.

I know John on Workshop demo's has mounted one in an MFT.  But one concern I would have is the MFT's top itself with the inherent sag issues.  Since all the tops seem to sag some over time it would seem you would have to reinforce the top to handle the extra weight of a router and insert &/or lift. 

It's one of those situations where I'm looking at my MFT and I keep thinking, "There's got to be a way for me to consolidate my router-jointing and cutting operations into one table."  I already consolidate a lot of cutting, sanding, routing, and Domino work on the MFT.  Even better if the MFS could be brought into the picture.

The sag issue could be solved somehow.

Matthew

Matthew,

If you want a table mounted router to work with a single MFT, I still think the best solution is a shop-made add-on router table.  One end is attached to the side rail of the MFT, and the free end extending out from the edge of the MFT is supported by one or two legs.  You could also brace the free end of that auxiliary table with an angled leg connected to the cross bar of one of the pairs of legs of the MFT.  You could design the auxiliary table so that it was self-contained in terms of a fence and support of the workpiece so that the main top surface of the MFT was concurrently available for other uses, or to use the top of the MFT to support the workpiece.  Regardless of which of these mounting arrangements is chosen, there is no need to cut the top of the MFT to insert the router or a router plate.

Dave R.

 

[Dan Lyke]

I'm sure I've posted my home-made MFT mounted router table before, but mine clamps to the top of the MFT and hangs off the side. There's stuff I'd change, and I'm seriously considering a much bigger surface and longer fence for doing stopped grooves on longer pieces (when I upgrade table routers), but I can lean it up against the wall when I'm not using it, and those few extra inches of height feel better when I'm delicately maneuvering pieces.

I should take more pictures, but the back of those rails has a slot for slipping the clamps into (from the underside of the table), and those oversized nuts for 1/2" threaded rod fit the holes perfectly, though you could as easily take a few wraps of tape around 3/4" dowel.

Still need to build an indexed fence, though.