MFT Usage Question

[mot]

Hi folks,

Thanks to the Domino, I'm a new Festoolian and am starting to see how I'm going to incorporate other tools into my shop.  One of the tools that interests me is the MFT 1080.  I like to build alot of pieces that involve panel cutting and I'm really not a fan of doing this on my tablesaw.  I've used guides and circular saws but always to varying degrees of satisfaction. 

My plan is to get a TS55 and an MFT1080.  There is a "But," though...I have a small shop and had originally thought that I would replace my outfeed table with an MFT.  Thanks to Bill-e for a discussion on same.  The problem I have is the placement of my jointer and planer.

Current outfeed:

Planer location:

The legs on the MFT 1080 are going to interfere with the outfeed on my planer...

Here are two options that I have thought of:

Option 1: Create a tressel sub base for the MFT to sit on.  Basically leaving the legs folded upo and creating another leg system for use as outfeed table.  Then when portability is required (about twice a year) I just lift it off, lug it out of the shop and pop the legs on.

Option 2: Leave my current outfeed table and use the MFT as a "T" table off my current workbench.  By creating any leg extension that may be required to make sure heights are the same, have half of the MFT resting on my existing bench with it's legs folded up, and have the other half supported on the floor of the shop using the MFT in it's full capacity until the job is done, folding it up and letting it collect dust until needed next time.

Current Bench:

Mockup of what I thought I could do with MFT:

I was hoping I could get thoughts/opinions on the viability of either of these options.

Thanks!

 

[bill-e]

Mot,

I dont like the T option because with the DC on the right, your only access to the MFT is from the front on the short side...and a little bit from the left side.  This would severely limit the use of the MFT for assembly and sanding. 

Here's another layout option with two variations.

First, since you will likely use the MFT for most of your panel operations, you can simply pull the MFT to the right until its legs clear the planer. this would leave less of the MFT behind the blade area but enough to support most pieces up to about a foot or so wide...plenty for most ripping operations since panels are not going to be worked on the TS anymore.

Second variation is that you leave the MFT where it is and simply pull it to the right to clear the planer when you use the planer, putting it back where it was when you're finished.  The MFT will move easily especially if you put teflon or UHMW footed levelers on the MFT to raise its height.

With the MFT behind the TS you would set up the stops so that you slide on the rail/pivot assembly from the right (as you stand behind the MFT and look at the back of your TS).  This way you can easily install those pieces for cutting panels when needed.  And if you had already squared it all, including the angle stop at the left end, and installed a stop behind the angle stop so that you could also accurately reposition it, setting the MFT to square those panels would only take a minute.

 

[mot]

Thanks Bill.  You make a great point.  I keep forgetting that the thing only weighs less than 80 pounds.  A bear to cart around, but not a big deal to slide 1 foot to use the planer.  In further support of your idea of the outfeed table, my small shop is setup to be able to use any tool I need when I need it, but it is not setup to use any two tools concurrently.  As I have yet to clone myself, I don't need that and I'd just be bumping into me all the time anyway. 

Thanks for the tip on the stops/brackets etc.  I think that will work fine.  I had originally thought about having it coplaner with my tablesaw like it is now, but my floor is so uneven that if I just have it so my mitre gauge clears the top of it, it will be an effective outfeed and assembly table as well as be available for panel operations at a moments notice.

Thanks for letting me bounce this idea off of you.

Tom in Canada

 

[Dave Rudy]

Tom,

Your option 1 is a possibility.  Others here have built MFT's on casters.  This one is an expanded size, but you could do the same thing with the standard 1080 (and adjust the height exactly as you need for outfeed:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/index.php?topic=213.msg1800#msg1800

The casters would also give you the ability to easily move the bench if it got in the way of hte planer or jointer.

HTH

Dave

 

[mot]

Okay...I can visualize how this is coming to be...Right now my outfeed has an asymmetrical base to avoid the same problem I'm trying to avoid with the MFT:

If I create a similar base with ofset legs and mount the MFT on top of that, I'm golden!...I currently have levelling feet on that table on all four legs in order to achieve a coplanar relationship with my tablesaw on my uneven floor.  I CAN do the same thing with the MFT and have all the functionality of the MFT, and my outfeed table having it in the same place.  It's only 2" wider than my current table and 3" shorter so size is moot.

Thanks for all the input guys, you gave me the info to solve my problem.  Have to order one tomorrow.  This is an expensive week.  ;D