More MFT Enhancement Ideas

You could also use some wing bolts with nuts in the t-track to secure the brackets to the table.

Tom
 
Ok everyone, not to get too off topic, but I have to ask:  What do you all use your MFTs for?  I'm thinking of buying one since I have a large job coming up, but I don't know if I can justify it.  I typically don't do much sanding or planing, so the table would be used primarily for cross-cutting plywood for cabinet carcasses.  I also install cabinets quite often and I find myself asking the question "what would I use the table for on-site?" 

Thoughts?

 
Tom Bellemare said:
Roger:

Excellent idea!

I wonder if you turned the brackets 90 degrees if it would work even better?

That would take most of the sway out both directions and the same could be used on the MFT/3 - it doesn't have the top t-slots.

Tom
Click to expand...

Tom,
I'm sure that could work as well!
I only have the 1080 & 800 versions, so I don't have that issue.

Tom Bellemare said:
You could also use some wing bolts with nuts in the t-track to secure the brackets to the table.

Tom
Click to expand...

Nice punt Tom,
I just got use of my clamps back and used these misc left over Festool parts that I seem to accumulate.
With a T handle metric allen wrench you get a lot of torque.

[attachimg=#]
 
Or wing nuts with t-bolts...

Is that one of your micro-shavings that the hardware is sitting on?

I saw one of those Joint Makers a couple of weeks ago. They are pretty slick.

Tom
 
Tom Bellemare said:
Or wing nuts with t-bolts...

Is that one of your micro-shavings that the hardware is sitting on?

I saw one of those Joint Makers a couple of weeks ago. They are pretty slick.
Tom
Click to expand...

Good eye!
Yup, ..........."plane" smooth!

.
 
Jonhilgen said:
Ok everyone, not to get too off topic, but I have to ask:  What do you all use your MFTs for?  I'm thinking of buying one since I have a large job coming up, but I don't know if I can justify it.  I typically don't do much sanding or planing, so the table would be used primarily for cross-cutting plywood for cabinet carcasses.  I also install cabinets quite often and I find myself asking the question "what would I use the table for on-site?"  

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I work primarily as a finish/trim carpenter and for a long time I asked myself the very same question.

Here's the conclusion(s) that I came to.

After spending 2+ months on a job trimming out a house I gave thought to how much I used my table saw as a work surface, as opposed to using it as an actual table saw. The answer was way too much. Of the times I was using the saw as a table, I realized also how much time was spent 'screwing around' to get a clamp to secure the work adequately, as the clamping surfaces are few and far between and very poor for the task.

Now I have an MFT/3. I find that there are countless silly little tasks that I had been avoiding and/or wasting countless amounts time at because I did not have a decent table to work from/clamp to. Now I find it indespensable! Nearly every day that I use it I find some new task to do on it.

No more holding the stock with one hand while routing with the other. I can now have both hands on the router. No more holding a piece of stock with my elbow when trying to chisel. No more wondering if my clamps are going to hold a cabinet door securely while I try to drill for a cup hinge.  The list goes on & on. A huge increase in quality of work! As quality goes up so too does efficiency simply because there are fewer `re-do's`.

Admittedly, I rarely use it for my first cut on sheet goods. I find the table to be a little too small and coupled with my transportation issues (tools & stock can rarely travel together in my truck), I find it easier to just have the first cut done at my place of purchase if the sheets are going straight to the job.

I do not know how Festool handles the 30 day return on the tables, considering there is a rather spendy consumable involved (the table top itself). However if the same rules apply and you can purchase the table locally (shipping is expensive), I would take them up on their 30 day policy and give it a test drive. Just make sure you schedule the purchase to coincide with some actual work. I highly doubt that you would return it after the 30 days once you have gotten a chance to use it.

 
Jonhilgen,

You might want to also check out this short thread on how people use their MFTs.  There are many other threads around here on this subject.

Try this one:  MFT - is it worth it

Peter
 
Somewhat jumping back a bit in this thread, I saw the suggestions of a saw shelf on the side of the MFT.  Awhile back, I had a similar idea (though I was going to put it under the table due to space constraints at the time), but I realized that at the time, I did a lot of work out on the driveway.  That meant that a saw in the cradle tethered to the vacuum created a sort of garage-Limbo dance I didn't want to play (though I rock at Limbo...)  Instead, I wanted the tethered tool on the vacuum.  I know most of you put the tool on a Systainer on the vacuum, and a few had had it fall off.  I knew I'd be clumsy enough to do the same so I made a tool landing pad (as I called it):

[attachthumb=1]

The Systainer is for my vacuum attachments and the landing pad snuggly fits overtop of it (felt pads make a snug fit). The inside of the pad is lined with cork so I can put a sander that's spinning down on it with no problems.  Naturally, I saw that the wood frame of the pad was convenient to attach a plastic bin for a utility knife, pencil and vacuum brush attachment.  The other side has a magnetic tool bar for two 4" combination squares and a digital caliper as shown here:

[attachthumb=2]

On the back of the pad is a utility hook with a tool cord looped since when cutting sheets in the driveway, I often don't run the vacuum (this just makes it faster to plug into the vacuum's power feed).

While I was taking pictures, my favorite boom-arm enhancement I put in place was a hook to let me hook the vacuum hose/power cord up and out of the way:

[attachthumb=4]

The hook is a "drill hook" accessory for peg board.  I attached it with 3 zip ties as shown here:

[attachthumb=3]

The final pimped CT-22:

[attachthumb=5]
 
Your landing pad is pretty cool. Might be nice if it could also be attached to the side of the MFT. As for the boom arm hook, no need, just hook the power cord on one of the hooks on the black plastic hose/plug-it cord holders.
 
Peter Halle said:
Jonhilgen,

You might want to also check out this short thread on how people use their MFTs.  There are many other threads around here on this subject.

Try this one:  MFT - is it worth it

Peter
Click to expand...
harry_ said:
Jonhilgen said:
Ok everyone, not to get too off topic, but I have to ask:  What do you all use your MFTs for?  I'm thinking of buying one since I have a large job coming up, but I don't know if I can justify it.  I typically don't do much sanding or planing, so the table would be used primarily for cross-cutting plywood for cabinet carcasses.  I also install cabinets quite often and I find myself asking the question "what would I use the table for on-site?"  

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I work primarily as a finish/trim carpenter and for a long time I asked myself the very same question.

Here's the conclusion(s) that I came to.

After spending 2+ months on a job trimming out a house I gave thought to how much I used my table saw as a work surface, as opposed to using it as an actual table saw. The answer was way too much. Of the times I was using the saw as a table, I realized also how much time was spent 'screwing around' to get a clamp to secure the work adequately, as the clamping surfaces are few and far between and very poor for the task.

Now I have an MFT/3. I find that there are countless silly little tasks that I had been avoiding and/or wasting countless amounts time at because I did not have a decent table to work from/clamp to. Now I find it indespensable! Nearly every day that I use it I find some new task to do on it.

No more holding the stock with one hand while routing with the other. I can now have both hands on the router. No more holding a piece of stock with my elbow when trying to chisel. No more wondering if my clamps are going to hold a cabinet door securely while I try to drill for a cup hinge.  The list goes on & on. A huge increase in quality of work! As quality goes up so too does efficiency simply because there are fewer `re-do's`.

Admittedly, I rarely use it for my first cut on sheet goods. I find the table to be a little too small and coupled with my transportation issues (tools & stock can rarely travel together in my truck), I find it easier to just have the first cut done at my place of purchase if the sheets are going straight to the job.

I do not know how Festool handles the 30 day return on the tables, considering there is a rather spendy consumable involved (the table top itself). However if the same rules apply and you can purchase the table locally (shipping is expensive), I would take them up on their 30 day policy and give it a test drive. Just make sure you schedule the purchase to coincide with some actual work. I highly doubt that you would return it after the 30 days once you have gotten a chance to use it.
Click to expand...

Harry/Peter,

Thanks for your insight.  I do have a rather large cabinet build and install coming up in the next couple of months, so I think I'll do the 30 Day return tryout to see if it is something I can't live without (I think I'm kidding myself, I know I'll love it).  Just ordered a CT22 for my TS55, next up MFT3, then the Domino...MAKE IT STOP!

>
 
John, I'm not sure if the MFT/3 has the 30 day return policy. Festool USA's 30 day return policy applies to their power tools and not accessories. I don't know what category the MFT/3 falls into.
 
Brice Burrell said:
John, I'm not sure if the MFT/3 has the 30 day return policy. Festool USA's 30 day return policy applies to their power tools and not accessories. I don't know what category the MFT/3 falls into.
Click to expand...

Yes, the MFT is considered a tool and therefore falls within the 30 day return policy.

Bob
 
There was another thread that I read recently regarding returned MFT's with cut tops.  I guess they are used for demo and training units.
 
JohnDistai said:
There was another thread that I read recently regarding returned MFT's with cut tops.  I guess they are used for demo and training units.
Click to expand...

And I'll bet the get darn few returned. The tables are the lynchpin to the whole system.
 
An interesting bit of information that Christian gave at our class - More MFT's are sold in North America than anywhere else in the world.

Peter
 
Peter Halle said:
An interesting bit of information that Christian gave at our class - More MFT's are sold in North America than anywhere else in the world.
Click to expand...

That's interesting.  Might be because we have more space available?  I'm guessing that most European flats don't have a big garage available for one or more 'permanent' MFTs besides the one for the road.
 
Okay, here are some piddly little MFT enhancements that I don't see anywhere. First up is something I added the day the guide rail dropped down onto my head. It's just one of those 29 cent child-proof door catches, but it works really well. When I return the guide to vertical, it stays there until I push the catch out of the way. Saved my head numerous times.
guidecatch.jpg


Next up is a lighted magnifier that's worth its weight in gold. I can't live without this thing attached to my MFT. I use it mostly as a light, but nothing beats having a big magnifier anytime you want.
lightarm.jpg


I have the base for the light attached to the fence protractor since I never move the fence.
lightbase.jpg


Here's a really high-tech option that always keeps the boom arm out of the way. When you are done with it, it returns to the side all by itself.
boomarm.jpg


Like probably everybody, I added a tape measure to the fence.
imperialtape.jpg


What I really want, though is a metric-only tape for my fence, like this one:
metrictape.jpg


Anybody know where I might score one of these?

I've got some enhancements to other tools, post them here or start a new thread?
 
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