mft or walko
- Thread starter Alan m
- Start date
ok heres my plan .
get the walko.
put my mft top(already have) on top of the walko
get two table sepports (or whatever they re called) and put a router table on them like my own vl
dont need festool mechanism off mft for angles as qwas dogs give me 90 and 45 degree cuts (what i usualy use)
i feel the walko can do more than the mft can and is a better use of space
get the walko.
put my mft top(already have) on top of the walko
get two table sepports (or whatever they re called) and put a router table on them like my own vl
dont need festool mechanism off mft for angles as qwas dogs give me 90 and 45 degree cuts (what i usualy use)
i feel the walko can do more than the mft can and is a better use of space
rnt80
Member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2008
- Messages
- 953
I have the Walko 4 and I love it. I use the qwas dogs to get square cuts and it works great. It is a very versatile bench but I think it's a different animal compared to the mft. It really depends on what you plan doing with it. I've used my Walko as a low platfrom to cut up full sheets of ply. I've also used the configuration where you tilt it on it's side to cut up sheet goods as well. It sometimes serves as a stand for my Kapex and the holes are perfect for clamping. With all of that said I haven't figured out a good way (truth be told I haven't put a lot of thought into it) to get repeatable square cuts. I guess dogs could be used for that as well but it really limits the length you can do. I love the Walko and I probably won't get an mft but I could see how both benches would fill a niche.
PaulMarcel
Member
One issue with the Walko is that while the tops are CNCed, the bamboo moves a lot compared to the HDF of an MFT top. I got mine just before monsoon season and the amount it puffed up made some holes less than round. I can fit a Qwas dog in most holes, but some I cannot. That would be enough to convince me that you couldn't get a reliable square cut using dogs on a Walko top. Personally, I'm getting an HDF top CNCed a la MFT for another bench of mine and the offcuts will become replacement Walko table tops so I get that benefit again.
MFT and Walko are similar, but different. I have both (MFT-1080 and Walko-4) and to me they serve different purposes.
MFT and Walko are similar, but different. I have both (MFT-1080 and Walko-4) and to me they serve different purposes.
nclemmons
Member
I have a Walko 3 and an MFT/3. Both are useful. A few points:
- walko holes are not on a square grid so you can't easily use Qwas dogs for 45 degree cuts like on an MFT
- the walko table top braces attach from each side and angle down. So creating a large table top that would span the two sides is possible but you'd need to accommodate how it attaches as it would need to slide as it locks into place. Doable but you would need the top to attach with slotted holes.
- walko is more portable than the MFT if that is a consideration at all.
- walko is a lot more money for equivalent space if that matters
- walko is looking for new distributors in the US so access to them and parts to build your own top could be limited. It appears from their walkousa.com site that it is no longer operational. But walko.nl mentions they are seeking a new distributor. It was FestoolJunkie but that relationship appears to be over.
Good luck. Both are good products
Neil
Really comes down to how you will use it
- walko holes are not on a square grid so you can't easily use Qwas dogs for 45 degree cuts like on an MFT
- the walko table top braces attach from each side and angle down. So creating a large table top that would span the two sides is possible but you'd need to accommodate how it attaches as it would need to slide as it locks into place. Doable but you would need the top to attach with slotted holes.
- walko is more portable than the MFT if that is a consideration at all.
- walko is a lot more money for equivalent space if that matters
- walko is looking for new distributors in the US so access to them and parts to build your own top could be limited. It appears from their walkousa.com site that it is no longer operational. But walko.nl mentions they are seeking a new distributor. It was FestoolJunkie but that relationship appears to be over.
Good luck. Both are good products
Neil
Really comes down to how you will use it
neilc said:
i dont follow you exactly.
i think you are saying that as the support bracket engages it has to move (if looking from the side) sideways as well as down. the problem with this is that with 2 sets of brackets (one for each side) is that they will not allow this sideways movement
could i mount the mft top so that it sits on the brackets on the other side but is not perminently fixed to it. maybe i could have a slot in some timber that would sit over the bracket and stop it moving.
nclemmons
Member
Sorry for not being clear, but you have the right idea.
You'd have the top attached to the two brackets on one side of the Walko legs, but have it rest on the brackets on the other. You could use thumb nuts to secure it with bolts that drop through the top into the second set of brackets depending on how frequently you want to remove the top. Plus that would give you more stability if you were doing more strenuous work.
The other thing I don't recall you mentioning is which Walko table. The Walko 3 is almost the exact height of an MFT/3 - I use mine as an outfeed table and it lines up within a millimeter or so - and that is with the tops in the highest position. With the Walko 4, you are about 3-4 inches higher I believe. You'll need to check those dimensions. The Walko 4 height may be too high for comfortably using the MFT top with handwork. So check that out.
neil
You'd have the top attached to the two brackets on one side of the Walko legs, but have it rest on the brackets on the other. You could use thumb nuts to secure it with bolts that drop through the top into the second set of brackets depending on how frequently you want to remove the top. Plus that would give you more stability if you were doing more strenuous work.
The other thing I don't recall you mentioning is which Walko table. The Walko 3 is almost the exact height of an MFT/3 - I use mine as an outfeed table and it lines up within a millimeter or so - and that is with the tops in the highest position. With the Walko 4, you are about 3-4 inches higher I believe. You'll need to check those dimensions. The Walko 4 height may be too high for comfortably using the MFT top with handwork. So check that out.
neil
neilc said:
Neilc,
It appears that Walko has a problem. Woodcraft was selling them at some hefty closeout prices just a week or so ago. Now when you go on Woodcraft's website, it tells you that they no longer carry that product. I also checked Amazon.com and they also claim it is no longer available. Ace Tool did indicate it had the Walko3 but I am not sure what would happen once you actually went to the checkout with it.
I am not surprised. I am sure they made a great product, but as a hobbyist, they certainly priced me out of the market.
I am not concerned about portability. The price they wanted would go a long ways towards buying a pretty fine stationery workbench. I am sure that was a reason they did not sell more.
The MFT, on the other hand, as Dan James mentioned, is an integral part of a system that is necessary to properly utilize other components of the system.
Neill
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