MFTs v's "real" clamps

[Kev]

The MFT and the compatible clamps Festool have made for them are specific to the tracks and compatible with the little holes in their tables. Al good I suppose.

Are these Festool offerings the best compromise for a fixed location setup?

For in and out site work I have little doubt that the system is a good option, but I'm sitting on the fence between MFT's and traditional benches.

HELP! [unsure]

 

[fisheye]

If you are using a Festool track saw, the MFT setup is much more useful.

 

[Timtool]

i have a homemade mft style workbench which can be seen here and also a more traditional workbench/assembly table with a row of dog holes and a vise. Since i had the feestool clamp system i have basically never used the traditional system anymore.
I think that for a workshop setup you are better off making your own workbench like i did, combining the stability and weight of a traditional workbench with the versatility and clamping options of an mft.

 

[Kev]

i have a homemade mft style workbench which can be seen http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/my-sysport-workbench/here and also a more traditional workbench/assembly table with a row of dog holes and a vise. Since i had the feestool clamp system i have basically never used the traditional system anymore.
I think that for a workshop setup you are better off making your own workbench like i did, combining the stability and weight of a traditional workbench with the versatility and clamping options of an mft.

I had to chop the "here" off in that link for anyone following.

Really Nice! I like your workspace a lot.

 

[honeydoman]

both are good and it depends on what you do in your shop,  as the mft is great, clamping, sanding  cross cuts using the rail and especially using the stop guide for repeat cuts,(for example cutting shelves to length  over and over)

but if you do need larger work space then make one that is geared to your type of work.  I have both and use both a lot. 

 

[tiralie]

The MFT and the compatible clamps Festool have made for them are specific to the tracks and compatible with the little holes in their tables. Al good I suppose.

Are these Festool offerings the best compromise for a fixed location setup?

For in and out site work I have little doubt that the system is a good option, but I'm sitting on the fence between MFT's and traditional benches.

HELP! [unsure]

If you have the room for a fixed bench then I would definitely build the biggest and baddest mother to suit your needs.
There are some great books to help you design one for your specific requirements.
The MFT is a great table if you have no fixed workshop and to use with your TS saw for cross cutting etc.
I think a well built fixed bench is going to be better than an MFT, unless of course your partner wants to reclaim your work area for a family room or your son wants to practice hockey slap shots and then an MFT which can be folded up and stored neatly out the way is the solution.
Tim

 

[semenza]

For the shop I have a large permanent cutting table that can also be used for a secondary bench, and a large permanent bench. The MFT is stored in the shop folded up. I use it mainly for site work. If / when space allows I will "store" MFT set up with rail installed in the shop ready to go for wide crosscuts. But I would still want the other big benches.  Sometimes the MFT gets set up for an auxilliary bench in the shop (or for special clamping), and is also handy when I do work in/around my own home.

If your space allows, I think you will be better off with a a large permanent bench. Though maybe not traditional. A home built MFT top bench or something else may serve the power tool user better than a traditional  style bench. My main bench is 4' x 8' , has T-tracks mounted in the top surface, storage underneath (MFT,CT Mini, and other stuff), and horizontal clamp racks around the sides.

Seth

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I have both, wouldn't want to be without either.  For handplaning and sawing by hand, a traditional bench works better.  For TS work, drilling and sanding, the MFT excels.  The MFT and its clamping accessories are superb for working with curves.  I have the WCR parked right next to the MFT and pretty much whatever I need is right there.

 

[JSands]

Tim, gorgeous set up, thx for sharing......

IMO, like many Festool products...they have the unique ability to work in both the shop and on the job site....and when in the shop, if space is tight, and ya gotta pull the car in the garage to save your marriage, you breakdown the MFT table and your wood shop virtually disappears...  like magic.

However, if you have room for a fixed bench and don't work on remote job sites, I think its a no brainer, fixed workbench wins.... if you want to use the track saw for cross cuts, you can add that feature to your own fixed bench by installing the side fails that hold the MFT set up....

My only complaint about the MFT set up (which is otherwise brilliant) is the when you cut an angle, the workpiece turns, vs. the track.  This means, the bench can not be against a wall.  If the track turned, it would not force a long board to consume such a massive footprint, which is one of the major reasons MFT are used, i.e. lack of space.  I hope the next version MFT angles the track, not the work piece...

 

[peter halle]

I am going thru this to some degree right now.  I have always been totally mobile carrying my MFT/3 with me every day.  I recently rented a 10 x 30 area so that I am not always at the mercy of the job site or weather.  My MFT is set up there right now, and over the last two days I have been using left over wood to experiment with extensions that could also become mobile if needed and then also utilize the other Festool things I have.

Peter

 

[jtwood]

I have both, wouldn't want to be without either.  For handplaning and sawing by hand, a traditional bench works better.  For TS work, drilling and sanding, the MFT excels.  The MFT and its clamping accessories are superb for working with curves.  I have the WCR parked right next to the MFT and pretty much whatever I need is right there.

I agree, I have and use both.  I use them in my garage-workshop to build furniture.  The regular bench is much more stable for things like planing, and the MFT is great for using with my Festool saw, sanders, domino, etc., because of the ease of clamping and alignment.

 

[Kev]

Last time I ask an A or B question here ... or worse an A, B or C question - coz the Festool answer always tends towards "All of the above"  [big grin] [big grin] [big grin]

My workspace is currently in a state of flux - so it's starting to look like I'll but a single MFT/3 and use it as the birthplace of the solid workbench.

Here's the big irony ... I started making a really solid bench quite a few years ago - then we moved house. During the transition my wife somehow acquired the bench and incorporated as a "rustic" piece in the kitchen. So as a heads up, if I ever get round to making a new bench and show it here ... if you consider a few elements of it appearance to be "dog ugly" ... you'll understand why!

 

[Jesse Cloud]

....

Here's the big irony ... I started making a really solid bench quite a few years ago - then we moved house. During the transition my wife somehow acquired the bench and incorporated as a "rustic" piece in the kitchen. So as a heads up, if I ever get round to making a new bench and show it here ... if you consider a few elements of it appearance to be "dog ugly" ... you'll understand why!

Brilliant! - can't tell you how many shop fixtures have wound up in the kitchen.  The wife still complains that my tool cabinets are way too nice to be in the shop...

 

[gkeas]

I have a 1080 that I love, but I needed a larger cutting/assembly table for the type of work I like to do(I'm a hobbyist).  I made a large table with a 4x8 mdf top that I drilled with the 20mmx96 hole pattern using the MFT as a template. 

I use the new table for breaking down sheet goods and I use the MFT for crosscuts.  Both get used for sanding, domino, jigsaw clamping, etc.  The large table is quite heavy, and works quite well for hand planing. 

I have a mobile base under my MFT, and my large table is also on casters (as is my router table and my Kapex stand), making everything quite portable.  All the surfaces are the same height, so anything can be used for outfeed/support. 

I suppose I could get by with just the larger table if I rigged up a good/quick means of repeatable crosscuts (there's a thread on here somewhere that a guy had a large table ), so if I HAD to give up one of the two, it would be the MFT, but I'll definitely always use the MFT style tops.  If you have the space, it is nice to have both!