Mft3 or this work bench

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

Was just about to pull the trigger on an mft3 but then saw this beech workbench with 50mm top front and tail vise for £100 more than Mft3 on a special deal from Axminster and now I'm a little torn on what to go for? Both have pros and cons the bench look very nice quality with good vises but the Mft has the portability option aswel as the other bells and whistles. What to do?

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

This is the bench

 

[Bohdan]

Get one of each as they are two different animals.

 

[Stone Message]

The choice of bench will depend on your type of work.

The MFT3 is really portable, makes an excellent track saw station and is one of the best bases for jig work (with Parf Dogs of course !). However, it is not stable enough for hand planing, it has no vice nor any after market option that I am aware of.

The Axminster bench is a (relatively speaking) cheap and cheerful example of its class. It is really solid, has a pair of excellent vices and will be perfect for planing and all the hammering and chiselling that you can manage.

When I wanted a bench similar to the Axminster one I made it from scratch. It was not difficult at all and from your FOG name it appears that you have more than enough ability to design and make one of your own. Mine cost about £200 and much of that was for the ball bearing drawer runners which are perhaps not really needed. I bought Veritas vice bodies from Axminster and I have been very pleased with them.

If you then decide that you want a track saw cutting station then all you need is a pair of trestles, a third of a sheet of 18 mm MDF and some cleverly placed 20 mm holes (and Parf Dogs - of course !).

Peter

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

Get one of each as they are two different animals.

That would be a nice option but the pocket won't allow at the min  [crying]

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

The choice of bench will depend on your type of work.

The MFT3 is really portable, makes an excellent track saw station and is one of the best bases for jig work (with Parf Dogs of course !). However, it is not stable enough for hand planning, it has no vice nor any after market option that I am aware of.

The Axminster bench is a (relatively speaking) cheap and cheerful example of its class. It is really solid, has a pair of excellent vices and will be perfect for planing and all the hammering and chiselling that you can manage.

When I wanted a bench similar to the Axminster one I made it from scratch. It was not difficult at all and from your FOG name it appears that you have more than enough ability to design and make one of your own. Mine cost about £200 and much of that was for the ball bearing drawer runners which are perhaps not really needed. I bought Veritas vice bodies from Axminster and I have been very pleased with them.

If you then decide that you want a track saw cutting station then all you need is a pair of trestles, a third of a sheet of 18 mm MDF and some cleverly placed 20 mm holes (and Parf Dogs - of course !).

Peter

Thanks for the info Peter, I would love to build my own bench but simply don't have the at present, I like the portability of the mft and the options it opens for cross cutting and sanding. I would not have considered the Axminster bench at its rrp just shy of £1k ( it's there premium monster bench)but at the min it's in there clearance sale at £578 which is only slightly more the the mft3 paired with a set of clamping elements and I like the option of the hand tool work it would allow.
I know there 2 completely different animals and would love both but only money for one work bench at the moment just which one? [scared]
Options are to go with the workbench and pair my Dewalt saw horses with an mft style top or plumb for the mft and one day build a larger bench, 1st option gives the best of both worlds 2nd just ties in with the Festool system which I am heavily invested in tool wise and would double as an out feed table for my small table saw.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have a pair of MFTs joined together. I needed a big solid woodworking vise so I built an extension to one of the MFTs on which to mount the vise. The extension is supported by a set of steel legs I bought from Amazon. I had the vise from a prior work bench.

The addition of the steel legs gave the MFT enough stability that I can plane and handsaw without the MFT moving.

I later built an island using the MFT top. I use it for assembly and, underneath, storage.

If I was to do everything over again, I'd buy one MFT and build a second bench using an MFT top. I'd mount the vise to the home built bench. I'd attach the MFT to the home built bench so as to add the needed stability.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

I have a pair of MFTs joined together. I needed a big solid woodworking vise so I built an extension to one of the MFTs on which to mount the vise. The extension is supported by a set of steel legs I bought from Amazon. I had the vise from a prior work bench.

The addition of the steel legs gave the MFT enough stability that I can plane and handsaw without the MFT moving.

I later built an island using the MFT top. I use it for assembly and, underneath, storage.

If I was to do everything over again, I'd buy one MFT and build a second bench using an MFT top. I'd mount the vise to the home built bench. I'd attach the MFT to the home built bench so as to add the needed stability.

Sounds like a nice set up, I was also toying with making a base that the mft could sit/ clamp down on top of with the legs folded up and maybe have a moxon vise be able to be mounted so the tops of the jaws were in line with the mft top and then if I needed to take the bench to site I could lift it off and do so.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

I think the Axminster bench has just an impulse thought because of the price reduction coupled with a quick fix option and I'm now thinking i may just stick with the mft3 with base option, if I can make the base heavy and stable enough to do handtool work on and can solidly clamp/bolt down the mft3 table to it with a quick release operation and have all its flexibility and options open to me this would be the best all round set up. Thanks for the help with this foggers [wink]

 

[Stone Message]

From what you have said and the huge price reduction on the Axminster bench I would go for it. You can easily build a track saw cutting station with just a pair of trestles and a lump of MDF - you probably have this already. If you do not want to make the trestles then get some of the cheap ones from Screwfix.

Hopefully I will produce a video in the next 6-8 weeks on how to put the 20 mm holes in the top.

Peter

 

[charley1968]

There are crossbraces available for the MFT. While they don't give the stability of a bench, those in the know say the braces stabilize quite a bit .

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

From what you have said and the huge price reduction on the Axminster bench I would go for it. You can easily build a track saw cutting station with just a pair of trestles and a lump of MDF - you probably have this already. If you do not want to make the trestles then get some of the cheap ones from Screwfix.

Hopefully I will produce a video in the next 6-8 weeks on how to put the 20 mm holes in the top.

Peter

Hi Peter
I have a makeshift mft top on a set of trestles which has surficed up until now but can pick an mft sized cnc'd top for about £45 if I wanted to be certain it is spot on square, not sure what to do now  [scared] [eek] was thinking to get the mft and mount it on a base with a vise to cover all task types but the Axminster bench does look nice and I could always pick up an mft in the future when funds allow, what to do think i'l have a sleep on it and a good think through the options I think Axminster had 5 left so not like there's only one and need to rush in

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

There are crossbraces available for the MFT. While they don't give the stability of a bench, those in the know say the braces stabilize quite a bit .

I think the braces do stiffen up the mft but not enough to work with hand tools on and that sticks another £60 on he price

 

[bertv]

IMO the braces should be part of the base configuration of the MFT/3. They are really necessary if you use the table in a shop setting.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

IMO the braces should be part of the base configuration of the MFT/3. They are really necessary if you use the table in a shop setting.

I agree for the money you'd think they'd include the bracing it's not like anyone would want to take them off to make a bench less stable, so why make them an option.

 

[charley1968]

True, that.

 

[joiner1970]

The choice of bench will depend on your type of work.

The MFT3 is really portable, makes an excellent track saw station and is one of the best bases for jig work (with Parf Dogs of course !). However, it is not stable enough for hand planning, it has no vice nor any after market option that I am aware of.

The Axminster bench is a (relatively speaking) cheap and cheerful example of its class. It is really solid, has a pair of excellent vices and will be perfect for planing and all the hammering and chiselling that you can manage.

When I wanted a bench similar to the Axminster one I made it from scratch. It was not difficult at all and from your FOG name it appears that you have more than enough ability to design and make one of your own. Mine cost about £200 and much of that was for the ball bearing drawer runners which are perhaps not really needed. I bought Veritas vice bodies from Axminster and I have been very pleased with them.

If you then decide that you want a track saw cutting station then all you need is a pair of trestles, a third of a sheet of 18 mm MDF and some cleverly placed 20 mm holes (and Parf Dogs - of course !).

Peter

go with the workbench and pair my Dewalt saw horses with an mft style top

That's what I did, the dewalt saw horses are the most stable thing going lol did you see that horses - stable.

Seriously though I always thought the mft over priced but those who have them love them. My version cost me 150 for the horses and 28 for a sheet of mrmdf and 20 for a 20mm router bit to drill the holes. I put a 40-50mm MDF edge all round mine to stiffen it up. Also if I need a bigger bench I just take off the holed one and put a larger frame on used for cutting 8x4 sheets.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

The choice of bench will depend on your type of work.

The MFT3 is really portable, makes an excellent track saw station and is one of the best bases for jig work (with Parf Dogs of course !). However, it is not stable enough for hand planning, it has no vice nor any after market option that I am aware of.

The Axminster bench is a (relatively speaking) cheap and cheerful example of its class. It is really solid, has a pair of excellent vices and will be perfect for planing and all the hammering and chiselling that you can manage.

When I wanted a bench similar to the Axminster one I made it from scratch. It was not difficult at all and from your FOG name it appears that you have more than enough ability to design and make one of your own. Mine cost about £200 and much of that was for the ball bearing drawer runners which are perhaps not really needed. I bought Veritas vice bodies from Axminster and I have been very pleased with them.

If you then decide that you want a track saw cutting station then all you need is a pair of trestles, a third of a sheet of 18 mm MDF and some cleverly placed 20 mm holes (and Parf Dogs - of course !).

Peter

go with the workbench and pair my Dewalt saw horses with an mft style top

That's what I did, the dewalt saw horses are the most stable thing going lol did you see that horses - stable.

Seriously though I always thought the mft over priced but those who have them love them. My version cost me 150 for the horses and 28 for a sheet of mrmdf and 20 for a 20mm router bit to drill the holes. I put a 40-50mm MDF edge all round mine to stiffen it up. Also if I need a bigger bench I just take off the holed one and put a larger frame on used for cutting 8x4 sheets.

Lol, I saw your set up a while back that's what made me pick up Dewalt saw horses I knocked up a quick mdf top and drilled 20mm holes with a Forstner bit, I was gone splash out on an mft for my garage workshop and i'v been swaying between that and the Axminster bench since last night but I'm now leaning toward the solid bench again, I have a friend with a cnc so might get him to knock me up a custom mft style top to sit on my horses then I can have a proper bench for vise work and hammering on and still have an accurate custom sized mft top and i'l use the mrmdf for it.

 

[Mbconstructionjoinery]

Decided I'm going for the Axminster bench and going to pimp up my existing mft style bench set up with a new cnc'd top  [big grin].
All the best for 2016 happy new year to foggers everywhere

 

[mike_aa]

I think you are making the best decision.  If you didn't get it at that price you likely would have had regrets for missing out on the deal.  You know you will find lots of use for it and you can always get the MFT later on.

Happy New Year!

Mike