MFT custom shop bench, dust collection boom and bench accessories

[Chadhamel]

This is awesome! I love the MFT bench and the boom arm. I like how the bench is utilitarian and practical with the tools out of their cases and at the ready, but still some really nice detailing like the rounded corners that echo the MFT itself, and "T-Loc" pulls. If you do have pics of the boom arm construction, that would be very cool to see, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around how the internals work.

Is that a single vac hose on the boom? The hose on my CT15 is like 1/3 the length haha.

Awesome shop, thanks for sharing!

I love the systainers for site work and transport.  Nothing better.  I also love the clean look of tower walls of systainers in shops.  I just always had a bunch open in the shop as I was always swapping out tools. when I get going in the shop I just get tool explosions on all the work surfaces and am left without space for the work I was trying to finish. 

The tools that hang off can all be moved wherever using the 20mm holes everywhere.  I used the veritas bench anchors.  It basically operates like the hardware for a bike stem.  The hooks and track saw both pop off with an Allen wrench.

I never store clamps in the closed position either. One of the first things I learned in the first shop I ever worked in.  Clamps look nicer closed but doubles your work closing them to store them and again opening them to use them.  Open clamps are ready.  So hanging all the clamps and jigs off the sides speeds things along.  Common theme with this build is everything is a reach away with no more than one interaction required. 

The pulls are pretty great.  I really wanted the bench to fall as close in line with a Festool aesthetic as possible. 

Gimme a few days on the boom details... Its super simple and any of you could make it in a Sunday afternoon.  I haven't really delved into content creation but a video on the boom would be easy to pop out. 30 seconds of video and it would all be clear.  Its been possibly the best thing I've done for my shop.  Super cheap to make and can be easily adapted to different height ceilings.  The bad news is that the longer hose which is fairly new only works on the larger size ct vacs. The hose is the D36mm x 7m.  So its both larger diameter and about 22 ft long.  You'll also need an adapter to size down to the tool dust ports.  I'll put a parts list together on that for people to adapt to their own shops. 

 

[Chadhamel]

I’d like to thank you folks for the compliments and thoughtful replies.  I don’t want to be the one to bump my posts replying to everyone but thanks to these folks as I didn’t respond directly. 
[member=70363]MikeGE[/member]
[member=41086]Vondawg[/member]
[member=75093]dashboardpws[/member]
[member=71478]FestitaMakool[/member]
[member=1619]SRSemenza[/member]
[member=2912]Don T[/member]
[member=297]Michael Kellough[/member]

It’s always great to have feedback among peers.

 

[mino]

I really like the idea of making the bench into an extraction/power nest. NEAT!

Combining the extraction boom run with power delivery to a moving "island" bench is a true mark of an inventor.

But the best by fart is the paper storage with the extremely simple yet effective separators between the papers. Those win 1st prize with me!

 

[Chadhamel]

I really like the idea of making the bench into an extraction/power nest. NEAT!

Combining the extraction boom run with power delivery to a moving "island" bench is a true mark of an inventor.

But the best by fart is the paper storage with the extremely simple yet effective separators between the papers. Those win 1st prize with me!

Dude..  "power nest" is a really really great description. 

I had plans for much more complex sandpaper organizers so I waited a while to settle on something practical. The triangle ones were still more involved I used a table saw to kerf and a few passes with a large radius bit to get the same slight curve as the sandpaper.  I couldn't figure out a way to efficiently organize those laying flat. 

ha, you said "fart"  [big grin]

 

[krismarkduthie]

Wow what a fantastic set up! I recently made my own MFT style bench with an aluminium extrusion base. I've been trying to plan a boom arm setup for my workshop as I need to be able to break down big sheets down before they get to the MFT. Would love some photos for inspiration if you'd be so kind?  [big grin]