MFT hole spacing?

[markorjack]

Hi All,

First post.

I have a heap of Festool gear ordered, to add to my somewhat meagre current selection of a Domino and 2 sanders.

Part of my new order is an MFT-3, the new 55 track saw, and the 1400 and 700 routers.

I have already purchased a 3m guide rail in anticipation of my order arriving.

I am really looking forward to the MFT which will fit well in my current workshop.

However, I would like to make a larger work surface to cut down full sheets before they go into the workshop.
This may be in the form of an out feed table for my table saw, which can be rolled outside when needed.

I have access to CNC and figure making a cutting table out of a full sheet with accurate dog hole spacings will be beneficial.

Can anyone tell me the exact hole dimensions and spacings of the MFT?

Also, if anyone can point me to links giving details of larger home made versions of the MFT that would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Jack.

 

[Kev]

[welcome] fellow Ozzie.

I also have that same cutting dilemma + TS55 + MFT/3 + 3m rail combo  - but on top of that, little permanent space if I'm to maintain a workable in garage space. I'm leaning towards a Walko - when laid flat it's perfect for reducing large boards (much better than the triple saw horse tango).

If you don't get a response on hole spacing - I'll measure mine for you.

Beware of the breeding characteristics of Systainers!

cheers,

Kev

 

[Roseland]

I believe they are 20mm holes on 96mm centres.

Andrew

 

[Steve R]

I believe they are 20mm holes on 96mm centres.

Andrew

Andrew is correct.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Falch]

And if you want a "copy", if i am not completly wrong, the distance from the edge to center of first row is 70mm (on all sides).

also, thickness is about 19mm, but i think you can go as high as 21-23 mm before you get trouble with the festool clamps

 

[JeromeM]

You will find mine at http://festoolownersgroup.com/member-projects/20mm-hole-on-a-96mm-grid-system-(mft-top-style)/

Also on one of my websites
http://meekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-of-photos/Wood_work_etc/Pages/Workbench.html

 

[markorjack]

Thanks All, very helpful.

 

[ablythe]

If you have access to a CNC, this will probably be helpful. I was researching the same thing last night and ran across it on Ron Wenner's website... word of warning though, if you have a Domino and don't yet have a Domiplate, you will before leaving the site  [big grin].

http://www.senecawoodworking.com/blogs/news/5927081-replacement-mft-top-cad-drawings

Andrew

 

[Kevin D.]

If you have the 32mm sled that you can put your router on and the guide rail has the 32mm holes of course, with a 20mm bit, you can execute doing all of the holes pretty easy by drilling every third hole indexed on the guide rail.  I actually think that's part of the reason that the MFT holes are spaced at 96mm apart.

 

[tbellemare]

You can also use the Parallel Guides on the LR 32 Guide Rail to move it at 96 mm spacing.

Tom

 

[JeromeM]

You can also use the Parallel Guides on the LR 32 Guide Rail to move it at 96 mm spacing.

Tom

How would you do that?

 

[tbellemare]

You can set up like you're going to make a normal row of holes using the Side Stops & Longitudinal Stops to position the first row of holes. Set the stops on the Parallel Guides to determine your starting point and using the scales, position the subsequent rows.

You will meet with a size limitation but there are ways around that also...

If you don't have the Parallel Guides or want to make a table that is too big for them, you could make sure your work piece is squared up and is the proper increment of 32 mm each way. Then, you could use the LR 32 system to make a series of holes one direction at a specified distance from the edge and then go down the adjacent edges and make a hole pattern down those edges. You can then use those holes as reference for positioning the Guide Rail.

Those are just a couple of ways to skin that cat.

Tom

 

[markorjack]

Thanks All,

I wasn't aware of the 32mm guide set up but have been looking into the parallel guides.

The 32mm rail doesn't have a need in my workshop at the moment.

As for the parallel guides, I'll see how I go with the full sized table and home made indexing spacers.

CNC seems the go for a full sheet top with 96mm spaced holes.
Without doing the calculations that is a lot of holes, I would rather let a machine do the work in that case.

Another question, while on the CNC I was considering routing channels underneath the sheet to enable the glueing of support beams.

I'm wondering if theses would interfere with the clamping abilities.
With 20mm holes at 96mm centres that leaves 76mm between the edges of each hole.
If I then have support underneath the sheet at a thickness of say 30mm that means when I insert a clamp into the hole, in some places there will only be 18mm before the bottom arm of the clamp hits a support.

Obviously these supports will be spaced and the issue won't occur in every hole.
I think there will be enough flexibility in a sheet full of holes to enable effective clamping.

What do you guys think?

I'm also considering CNCing a cut out for a Jessem router lift plate which I have spare, just in case I wasn't to use the table for large routing jobs with equipment other than Festool.

Cheers, Jack.

 

[JeromeM]

You can set up like you're going to make a normal row of holes using the Side Stops & Longitudinal Stops to position the first row of holes. Set the stops on the Parallel Guides to determine your starting point and using the scales, position the subsequent rows.

You will meet with a size limitation but there are ways around that also...

If you don't have the Parallel Guides or want to make a table that is too big for them, you could make sure your work piece is squared up and is the proper increment of 32 mm each way. Then, you could use the LR 32 system to make a series of holes one direction at a specified distance from the edge and then go down the adjacent edges and make a hole pattern down those edges. You can then use those holes as reference for positioning the Guide Rail.

Those are just a couple of ways to skin that cat.
Tom

Just for refference I've got both the LR32 & PG's

Now I can see the use for the first row but after that I don't see how the PG's either speed things up or make positioning easier.

I thought you had a "cunning plan" to quote Black Adder. Or may be it is and I can't understand it.

 

[tbellemare]

I'm planning to replace a crappy bench along one wall and need some larger tops. I want to mimic the MFT tops but hinge them from the wall so I can get them out of the way when not in use.

I'll try to document how I make them.

Tom

 

[Corwin]

Homemade parallel guides that utilize Incra's Incremental Track with metric racks and scales are the ticket for this type project.