MFT or Workbench

[electricald]

Hello everyone.
Since the introduction of the MFT to the market, would any of you take it over the normal custom made woodworking bench that most everyone usually aspires to build?
Those of you that have the MFT or more than one, would you say that you can do without a woodworking bench? Or the MFT can handle anything that your normal custom made bench can?

Regards,
Dan

 

[Runhard]

Hi Dan,

I have one MFT/3 in a small shop and it's great, but I can't wait to build a custom work bench for hand tools. If you are going to be using hand tools (chisels, planes, hand saws) then the MFT/3 may not be sturdy enough for you, unless you attach it to a wall or something. If you were mainly using Festools then the MFT/3 (or more than one) should be good enough. The clamping possibilities are great!

Daniel

 

[Frank Pellow]

I have had two MFTs and have made extensive use of them, but I still prefer my home made bench for many tasks.  

For a period of about two years, while I was planning my "ultimate" bench, I used only on MFT and it is possible to do so.  But, I am really happy that I augmented the MFT's with a trqaditional bench.

 

[sgryd]

I have 3 MFTs. One of which I use as a router table. They have served me well for many years, but now two of them are for sale since I have built myself a really sturdy bench with an MFT-like top. It's built out of aluminum profiles, has a bench vise and weighs in at about 150 kg. I have no problem planing on this bench. It's rock solid. The extrusions are easy to build more upon. I'll soon be attaching a router table to my bench, all built with extrusions.

Planing on an MFT is not very fun. MFTs are portable - that's one of their strengths (non-sturdiness comes as bonus to portability). The other strength lays in the hole pattern. Have a look at Paul-Marcel's videos about MFT and Qwas dogs (www.halfinchshy.com) to get a grip of the dog-nirvana that comes with an MFT-top.

In my opinion the real treat comes with a sturdy bench and an MFT top.

//Michael.

 

[JayStPeter]

It may also depend on how tall you are.  Yeah, you can make something to raise the height of the MFT.  The low height is good for cutting tasks and such, but not so good for routing and hand work if you are tallish.  I think I'd give up the MFT before the big workbench.

 

[panelchat]

i find that the precision/90 degree grid hole pattern combined w/ qwas dogs is really a surprising benefit to the table. very versatile, you can keep on inventing new tricks and methods the more you use it. if you make your own bench, you might consider buying an mft replacement top, there are three sizes to choose from, and incorporating it to the top.

i suggest poking around the forum extensively on this if you are deciding buy an mft or build a table- there are many helpful adaptations and methods to check out. one obvious and quick arrangement is buy the mft and place it, legs folded, onto a work top. it has little hard rubber leg points for this. then that little bit of wiggle goes away, and you still have a portable table.

 

[electricald]

Hello Daniel,
I was leaning towards your line of thinking. I do not have one obviously, but it seems to me that the MFT is convenient in the sense of it being lightweight and portable. But combined with the clamps that you can use with this really makes it a useful tool. I have a decent selection of Festool gear but hand tools are in my sights as well. Thanks.

Regards,.
Dan

Hi Dan,

I have one MFT/3 in a small shop and it's great, but I can't wait to build a custom work bench for hand tools. If you are going to be using hand tools (chisels, planes, hand saws) then the MFT/3 may not be sturdy enough for you, unless you attach it to a wall or something. If you were mainly using Festools then the MFT/3 (or more than one) should be good enough. The clamping possibilities are great!

Daniel

 

[electricald]

Thanks Frank,
I am leaning towards at least one, but I do plan to build a full fledged bench. But from what I have seen the thing with the MFT's is they are faster to set up. At least that's what I can see from them. For example, I just purchased the Domino 500 and it would seem that using a MFT would augment this tool.

Regards,
Dan

I have had two MFTs and have made extensive use of them, but I still prefer my home made bench for many tasks.  

For a period of about two years, while I was planning my "ultimate" bench, I used only on MFT and it is possible to do so.  But, I am really happy that I augmented the MFT's with a trqaditional bench.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have a pair of MFTs tied together that replace a home made bench. I really missed having a heavy duty woodworking vise so I built an attachment to one of the MFTs. The vise attachment added a much needed degree of solidness to the MFTs. I can now saw, chisel, and plane on my modified MFTs without even a hit of wobble. I have posted pictures of my vise attachment on this site.

I strongly recommend the QWAS dogs. They, with the Festool track saw and rail, make an excellent platform for very accurate cross sawing. I have never used the "protractor" MFT attachment. It sits on a shelf gathering dust.

 

[electricald]

Michael,

I agree that with the portability of the MFT then stability is somewhat a tradeoff, though I have seen the angled supports you can buy for them. Three MFT's are alot, but I do believe that one would suffice in any shop (an uneducated guess here).
But there is still the tired and tested handmade heavy-weight of a rock solid bench that I believe just about everyone desires and as I previously mentioned I want to get into hand tools as well.

Dan

I have 3 MFTs. One of which I use as a router table. They have served me well for many years, but now two of them are for sale since I have built myself a really sturdy bench with an MFT-like top. It's built out of aluminum profiles, has a bench vise and weighs in at about 150 kg. I have no problem planing on this bench. It's rock solid. The extrusions are easy to build more upon. I'll soon be attaching a router table to my bench, all built with extrusions.

Planing on an MFT is not very fun. MFTs are portable - that's one of their strengths (non-sturdiness comes as bonus to portability). The other strength lays in the hole pattern. Have a look at Paul-Marcel's videos about MFT and Qwas dogs (www.halfinchshy.com) to get a grip of the dog-nirvana that comes with an MFT-top.

In my opinion the real treat comes with a sturdy bench and an MFT top.

//Michael.

 

[electricald]

Hello Jay,
I am 5' 6" so I am thinking one MFT will suffice.
Regards,
Dan

It may also depend on how tall you are.  Yeah, you can make something to raise the height of the MFT.  The low height is good for cutting tasks and such, but not so good for routing and hand work if you are tallish.  I think I'd give up the MFT before the big workbench.

 

[fastbike]

I don't see this as an either or. The MFT with some of RMWs extention designs allow me to cut full sheets of plywood. Any full bench I've had has by necessity been against a wall.
As mentioned, the solidity of the bench has its good points. Also haveing a bench top thats totally full of holes is a disafvatnage to those of us that do more than woodworking on the bench.

My solution is an MFT/3 and a workbench with the "holy" pattern at one end.

 

[skids]

I have a pair of MFTs tied together that replace a home made bench. I really missed having a heavy duty woodworking vise so I built an attachment to one of the MFTs. The vise attachment added a much needed degree of solidness to the MFTs. I can now saw, chisel, and plane on my modified MFTs without even a hit of wobble. I have posted pictures of my vise attachment on this site.

I strongly recommend the QWAS dogs. They, with the Festool track saw and rail, make an excellent platform for very accurate cross sawing. I have never used the "protractor" MFT attachment. It sits on a shelf gathering dust.

So would you recommend the basic table and get the rail with the TS saw? Or get the full blown kit?

 

[nclemmons]

I have an MFT/3 as well as a traditional bench.  I also have a Walko and three other benches / assembly tables.  All in a basement workshop that is about 20 x 24.

I would suggest you get the MFT with the rail and fence.  It's incredibly useful and helps with not only cutting but accurate assembly.  Plus it's a great way to quickly deal with crosscuts as well as knocking down sheet goods accurately and quickly.

The fence that comes with the saw is longer than the one that comes with the table.

Good luck!

neil

 

[fritter63]

I have had an "old style" workbench with shoulder and tail vises for many year, made in Germany. I really on use it set stuff one now, since I've built my own "box beam" workbenches.

It's basically a copy of the Box Beam Workbench from Fine Woodworking, but with 20mm holes in the tops like the MFT. I also drilled holes on the side of one of the beams, so i can clamp
vertically. Basically, it's a  narrower version Ron Paulks bench, discussed here on the FOG quite a bit.

So I'm thinking I will sell my traditional workbench and get an MFT/3 as well.

 

[sancho57]

Depends on what you are using it for. In my case i have 2 they do everything I need

 

[Birdhunter]

I would buy just the basic MFT and add the side braces. They do stiffen the table a lot.

As I said, the "protractor attachment" has never been used.

I use the TS55 and its rail system often in conjunction with QWAS dogs.

 

[moody]

...but now two of them are for sale...
//Michael.

Where do I find the ones for sale? Blocket?

 

[Peter Durand]

Here is what I have done. The big bench is stationary and the MFT is on wheels.

[attachimg=1]

 

[sgryd]

Moody, they will go out at Blocket when I have the time (probably in a couple of weeks). There is also a CT22 with boom arm, so I'll have to figure out if I should bundle them or not.