mft1080 compliment mf3?

[Hotwheels]

I have a couple of MFT1080s connected that have worked fine for me. I have not used them much in the last year because of the nature of my projects ---  more carpentary than woodworking -- but woodworking projects are now at the front of the the "todo"list. I am wondering if there is any advantage to adding a MFT3 to my shop. Any thoughts?

JR
PS  I have the kapex with the newer table and that works for me.

 

[Loz_S]

I'm having trouble understanding the question. You have two MFT 1080's that you don't use much but you think buying another one that your old fences and fittings wont fit will somehow be an improvement?! 

If you have two MFT 1080's there are only two (very minor) advantages the new MFT3 has over them. 1: It is slightly higher. 2: The fence also works on the newer CMS tables. Up to you if you think it's worth buying yet another table that is virtually identical to what you already have.  :-\

 

[Hotwheels]

I have had the 1080's a while and they are well used ... the past year they have been used more as a work surface than for other uses. I need another work surface, so the choices are either an MFT3 or some other sort of table, like the Kreg. My question is how or if the MFT3 is a compliment to the 1080?

 

[Benjamin Miner]

You might consider instead buying the components to make a large table - check out Jerry Work's site, I got the idea from him. The parts are available from Festool, in the back of the catalog (the older 1080 profile). If you're not using it as a portable work surface, this could be worth considering. You'd have to use a longer guide rail to perform panel cuts, but this also means you can crosscut wider panels!

 

[Loz_S]

I use my MFT's a lot, but they remain basically a mobile workbench for the back of your van. If you need more work surface in your workshop I don't think you can beat a proper, traditional, solid wooden workbench. That's what I went for after using two MFT 800's for a couple of years as my only bench and I'd never go back. It all depends on what you are going to be doing on it. No matter how many cross braces you fit on an MFT it'll never be as sturdy as a real bench, especially if you are hammering and planing on it.
However, if you mainly use your MFT as a hold down for routing small items or cutting up small sheets with the guide rail then making a bigger MFT with the old profile, as Benjamin suggests, could be useful for larger work. The downside of a new MFT3 remains though, your old MFT's will have to be raised up to meet the height of the MFT3 and the fence wont fit on the old tables.