MFT top warped/expanded beyond belief...

[harrym93]

Hi guys, long time lurker here but finally registered after today's events... sorry for the length of post but I'm trying to cover every angle to work out what on earth has gone wrong here!

I purchased an MFT ~6 months ago - it's had very little use since I purchased it due to the type of work I've been doing / Christmas break - I think the top has maybe 10 cut lines in it.

Luckily (so I thought), the table has been kept indoors since I purchased it; first at a clients house for a couple months then inside a spare room at home (set up as a cut room for my house reno). It has been used outside twice (cold days but no rain) and been transported in the van a couple more.

I've gone today to use the table for a client job and I noticed I was unable to slide the fence onto the retaining tabs - after a brief 'wtf' moment I've noticed the table top was bellied outwards - the middle of the table is sitting proud about 15mm more than it should.

OK, I thought, will work that one out later. I'll just flip the top and use the machine screws to pull it flush (better for the belly to be inwards, right?)... Well, the top has expanded to the extent that I'm not able to get it to seat again. It's a good 4mm too large length and widthways to fit into the extrusions.

Worse than that, it wouldn't fit again once I flipped it back!

Current status:  [scared]

I know I could screw some batons on the back to pull the top back into something close to flat - but I'm concerned any trimming I do to make the top actually fit into the extrusions is going to throw off the accuracy I bought the table for... and in honesty the thought of having to do all that after dropping £600 on something hurts me a little on the inside!

What do, FOG?

Harry

 

[ear3]

Strange.  I accidentally left my MFT out in the rain for a couple of minutes, but there was no visible warping after I had sanded off the wet spots, so I'm not sure why yours would be acting that way if there was no exposure.  Could it have been left next to a steam radiator?  Sounds like you need a new top.

 

[AlexThePalex]

What do, FOG?

Contact your dealer or Festool. You should have warranty for that.

 

[greg mann]

I'll bet it is a lot flatter outside of the extrusions than it was in them. It has to have taken on a significant amount of moisture to do what you have described. I do agree with Alex that you should contact Festool because, whatever the cause, this is a real outlier.

 

[Corwin]

I purchased my first MFT-1080 ten years ago and it took about eight or nine months for the top to sag a little. Still usable, just not the nice flat surface it once had been. My next MFT's top wasn't as flat to begin with. Seem odd to learn that your top has taken to new heights, or uh, gone the other direction.  [scared]

One would have thought that the MFT/3 "upgrade" would have included some additional support for these tops.

 

[KescoNY]

While we are on the subject, does anyone use any type of coating to prevent from glue sticking to the table or to prevent damage from moisture?

I ve been meaning to do something to my tables 

 

[Holmz]

While we are on the subject, does anyone use any type of coating to prevent from glue sticking to the table or to prevent damage from moisture?

I ve been meaning to do something to my tables

Linseed or Tung, or do a Maloof and mix them 50:50.

In a pinch waxed paper between the glue and the table works a treat.

 

[KescoNY]

While we are on the subject, does anyone use any type of coating to prevent from glue sticking to the table or to prevent damage from moisture?

I ve been meaning to do something to my tables

Linseed or Tung, or do a Maloof and mix them 50:50.

In a pinch waxed paper between the glue and the table works a treat.

Thanks 
I ve been using the waxed paper trick but would like to do something more permanent for 90% of the time that i forget to lay down the wax paper  [laughing]

I think i ll try the Linseed...

 

[Holmz]

It was that 99% that convinced me too. [wink]

I was using linseed, but lately I have been slipping in the tung.  8)

 

[tjbnwi]

Waxed butcher paper in 3' wide rolls. I use brown builders paper when I spray on the MFT's the paper goes on dereelers.

3- MFT 3's under the paper.

Tom

 

[KescoNY]

Waxed butcher paper in 3' wide rolls. I use brown builders paper when I spray on the MFT's the paper goes on derealers.

3- MFT 3's under the paper.

Tom

Great idea  I like it.
  Most of my MFTs are constantly traveling and I'm not always the one using them so this may not work on my portable ones but i will definitely steal this idea for the shop and see how tung works out for the others 

Great, now i have something to do tomorrow morning 

 

[tjbnwi]

Waxed butcher paper in 3' wide rolls. I use brown builders paper when I spray on the MFT's the paper goes on derealers.

3- MFT 3's under the paper.

Tom

Great idea  I like it.
  Most of my MFTs are constantly traveling and I'm not always the one using them so this may not work on my portable ones but i will definitely steal this idea for the shop and see how tung works out for the others 

Great, now i have something to do tomorrow morning 

In a couple of photos the wing nuts are visible. The holder take seconds to remove and install. Cut the paper, reel it up, loosen the wing nuts, the bolts/holders slide out of the C-channel.

Tom

 

[Cheese]

Hmmm, strange that you can extract the MFT from the frame but you cannot reinstall it in the frame either top up or top down.

Maybe it just needs a quick nip to size with a TS 55?

 

[harrym93]

Hmmm, strange that you can extract the MFT from the frame but you cannot reinstall it in the frame either top up or top down.

Maybe it just needs a quick nip to size with a TS 55?

My guess is that as the top has expanded, the aluminium extrusions prevented it from growing 'outwards' so it forced the centre of the table to belly up

Now I've removed it from the extrusions, there's nothing to stop the MDF from springing back which would account for the lateral spread. Just for further info, if I lay the table top on the floor it takes me standing on it to get it to sit near enough flat.

Will call Festool today and let you know what they say...

 

[Tayler_mann]

Hmmm, strange that you can extract the MFT from the frame but you cannot reinstall it in the frame either top up or top down.

Maybe it just needs a quick nip to size with a TS 55?

My guess is that as the top has expanded, the aluminium extrusions prevented it from growing 'outwards' so it forced the centre of the table to belly up

Now I've removed it from the extrusions, there's nothing to stop the MDF from springing back which would account for the lateral spread. Just for further info, if I lay the table top on the floor it takes me standing on it to get it to sit near enough flat.

Will call Festool today and let you know what they say...

I would check square of your extrusions and check square of your top. Maybe the top was holding the extrusion square or the top was holding extrusion out of square. Which could have given enough pressure maybe to make the table convex.

 

[scgwhite]

Any news Harry?

 

[Bigchasbroon]

Exact same thing happened to mine. I bought in April and by December/Jan itvwentbtge same way. It had been sitting in my brick built garage which has no damp issues so it must have just been moisture in the air. Festool sent me a new top via my dealer. It's still packaged up in the garage and I've left the original on.
I've got some shop display cabinets to do soon so will need to sort it out for that.

I'd suggest getting in touch with your dealer or festool directly and try some treatments like have been suggested.

Where in the UK are you?

 

[rst]

I use this on the two MFTs and extensions I built:http://www.amazon.com/Howard-FW0016-Feed-N-Wax-Conditioner-16-Ounce I coated both side and in the holes and I periodically re-coat.

 

[kixnbux]

That's a bit disappointing. I'm planning to buy an MFT/3 to keep in my work trailer. Wonder now how it'll hold up?  [emoji16]

 

[peter halle]

That's a bit disappointing. I'm planning to buy an MFT/3 to keep in my work trailer. Wonder now how it'll hold up?  [emoji16]

I have been hauling my MFT around for years.  It has held up fine and it is probably one of the ugliest ones around because it is not babied.

Two out of thousands does not a pattern make.

Peter