MW 1000 practicality

[ackmartin]

Hi. I am designing a rolling tool cabinet based on the MW 1000 and using some of the ideas on Timothy Wilmots rolling tool cabinet.
Almost every job I go to has some stairs. Is it reasonable to drag it up  stairs fully loaded with Systainers?
The MW1000 has 8” wheels and I am debating between 8” and 10”. Bigger wheels roll over things more easily but they are heavier.
Also debating between pneumatic and solid tires.
Has anyone here built either the Wilmots cart or their own version of the MW 1000?
If so how has it worked out?
Any thoughts/experiences appreciated.

 

[woodferret]

I have the MW1000 and have absolutely no desire to drag it up stairs.  Even the front steps are a nope for me.  The wheels are 200mm dia (8"), so it can make it up modern code stairs - but old homes, nope.  This is assuming I unload it too.

I can't imagine wilmots being lighter.  My plan C right now is just to grab the MFT profile, slap it on a knock-down carcass and carry that piecemeal up the annoying flight of stairs.  The MW1000 ext table is light enough to carry by itself and maneuver.  Plan B was just cutting some holes in a MDF and screwing it down to a miter station stand (or your choice of sawhorse).

 

[squall_line]

One advantage to the MW-1000 compared to the SYS-Roll is that you can really only reasonably put so many Systainers on an MW-1000.  The handle also feels much more robust than the SYS-Roll.

That said, the SYS-Roll is much more friendly to moving up and down a set of stairs, not least in part because it has rub rails near the wheels.  The other reason the SYS-Roll goes up and down better is because it's plastic and you're not dragging around the MDF top or extension table.

I've carted my MW-1000 into my basement (1960's house) and back up once.  I think I had a Vac-SYS in the drawer and the bare pump on the bottom.  I dragged a full MFT-3 into the basement and left it there for future use instead of carting the MW-1000 up and down.

 

[mcfal12]

I have the MW1000 (with extension table) and without being loaded down with systainers it's not fun pulling the combined up a flight of stairs. I can't imagine and wouldn't try it with an additional 100+ pounds of tools and systainers. Honestly after years of use I've come to accept that the MW1000's most practical feature is the sliding shelves (I outfitted mine with 3 additional). As a work surface (base unit) it's too small for most practical uses other than placing a systainer on it or clamping a small piece. The extension tables helps with that and while I do like the extension table it rather heavy compared to many other offerings that offer the same footprint.

 

[mcfal12]

One advantage to the MW-1000 compared to the SYS-Roll is that you can really only reasonably put so many Systainers on an MW-1000.  The handle also feels much more robust than the SYS-Roll.

That said, the SYS-Roll is much more friendly to moving up and down a set of stairs, not least in part because it has rub rails near the wheels.  The other reason the SYS-Roll goes up and down better is because it's plastic and you're not dragging around the MDF top or extension table.

I've carted my MW-1000 into my basement (1960's house) and back up once.  I think I had a Vac-SYS in the drawer and the bare pump on the bottom.  I dragged a full MFT-3 into the basement and left it there for future use instead of carting the MW-1000 up and down.

I concur with the sysroll being more practical for "transport" purposes. Of course there isn't a work surface (but add the sys-mft and gain almost the same "table surface" as the base MW1000 offers). The downside to this is that opening systainers (t-lock_ on the sysroll is a no go as they hit the handle (except the top 1, maybe 2 if they are M112's). Also, that the sysroll is all plastic, the durability is less than that of the MW1000 (all aluminum). I have thought about creating a mount for the MW1000 extension table to use with the sysroll. but ruled that out as a substantive option due to it being all plastic. What could be dine is to replace the vertical sysroll hand supports with aluminum extrusion and then you would have the weight bearing support needed for the extension table (and can carry the extension table separately.

Another concept I have played with is manufacturing a solution to allow the extension table to work with a stack of systainers and syscart. Thats not a perfect solution either as you limit what can be done with opening the systainer on the bottom of the stack, but makes for a lightweight more compact solution than the MW1000.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

I use a SysRoll to move my "daily driver" hand tools from my Shop to my van for on-site work. I have no problem pulling the fully loaded SysRoll into my Sprinter, but I can't imagine using it to haul tools up- or down- a flight of stairs. In particular, if I'm working on-site the home are usually fully finished, so, like my shoes, anything on wheels stays outside. If I'm in need of moving tools around a finished home, I'll bring some Sys-RB carts.

If the site conditions were unfinished, I'd feel better about bringing the SysRoll or MW1000 inside, but I'd unload them prior to going up- or down- a flight of stairs.

 

[Hawkeye0001]

I built Timothy's design years ago and it is absolutely amazing, it became my primary workbench and I use it every day since I built it.
The features that made the MFTC stand out for day to day work are
1. the drawers with your most used tools. I included a Sys-4 TL / Sort 3 with all my frequently required hand and measuring tools in the top shelf and
2. the tool shelve - this feature is by far the most genius thing about it and seriously lacking on the MW 1000. I always got my track saw, domino, palm router and sander within reach. That completely changed my workflow, saves a lot of time and keeps stuff organized.
3. the height matches any Festool worktop height of 900mm and I often times use it as an extension
4. vertical clamping all around
5. a custom made hose and cable holder I can attach anywhere to the clamping channel.

The one advantage of the MW 1000 however is the optional extension table as it can also be used as an extension on e.g. the MFT, Kapex, CS50/70, CMS, etc. Also the attachment of the optional MFTC extension tables can be a bit fiddly; not a biggy if it's not an everyday thing for you though. I think with a bit of adjustment to Timothy's original design you could probably pair the MW 1000 extension with the MFTC quite easily.

Surprisingly the empty weights of the MFTC and the MW 1000 are more or less on par at around 26kg (depending on how you build it). That being said you will not drag it either upstairs without unloading; more than 2 or 3 steps are out of the question. The 8" tires are generally enough (use solid ones for sure, no air tires! They'll bounce if you work with a hammer and pressure differences might require frequent adjustment of the other legs!).
The entire trick that allows the MFTC to be pulled up stairs are the sliders on the front side btw. You need to carefully design and mount them in a way that their apex coincides with the outermost tangent of the wheels and ensure you mount / make them long enough for common riser heights. If you mess that up the wheels will always get stuck under the treads / nosing.

If you regularly have to tackle stairs I'd take a serious look at the Bora Centipede. Setting up (including the worktop) takes less than 20 seconds (you can use a MDF slab, 2x4's or a Paulk style bench), you can carry it in its pouch like a backpack, and it uses hardly any space or weight. It is self leveling and the more weight you put on it the sturdier it gets, with anything over 70kg of weight on it you can even use a handplane on it (I've loaded it with half a metric ton of dry wall sheets no problem).

 

[ackmartin]

Thanks for all the thoughts/comments. Mine would not have a big extension table like the MW 100 or Wilmots.
Mostly just to get all my essential tools to the site and give me a small work surface.
My plans for the sides is a panel made of 30 mm ash Frame with a 1/4 plywood panel glued in for strength. I will have to put a filler on the inside at the back to have a place to screw the 2 Sys AZ drawers into.
In the bottom I’m going to put a 4 drawer sortainer and then the two Sys AZ drawer above. My top is only going to be the size of the cart with 12mm or 16mm Baltic Birch edged with a 30 mm thick hardwood edging to keep the weight down. T tracks on both sides to attach clamps with the Wilmots idea of mortises in the side to support work. There is a proper name for that but I can’t remember it???
Also a small extension that can slide into tracks, probably with an angled support back to the cart so no leg to the floor.
I’m thinking if it’s too heavy to drag up stair then I could take out the systainers, carry them up then pull the cart up.
In Timothys video he pulls it full loaded into his trailer. I think mine would be lighter with a smaller top and light stucture. I decided on only 2 Sys AZ drawer that can each have 2 Systainer on them to keep the weight down. Drawer slides add a lot of weight. 

 

[Hawkeye0001]

I just remembered a design from a Dutch company that I've seen a couple years ago that did similar things to the MFTC / MW 1000 but took a completely different direction. It seems the company stopped making them but if you turn to Pinterest and do a search for "Build dog transportainer" it'll spit out a bunch of pictures to get the idea across. Really intruiging design option.

Edit: just found an old French website that showcases it:http://www.metabricoleur.com/t13621-etabli-mf-tc

 

[ackmartin]

Hawkeye. That was interesting. Just what I have in mind minus the extension tables. I don’t need a big work surface so I wasn’t considering an extension table which if you buy the MW 100 saves 6.5 Kg. I a worst case scenario (a lot of steep stairs) I would just unload a couple of the heavier Systainers and carry them up separately.
I think overall the MW 100 is a poor design. Cantilevering the work service means the structural members need to be a lot bigger than they need to be and probably still isn’t that stiff.
On the sys roll they put the wheels further under the base which I think makes the rub strips necessary but you can park it closer to a wall. They stick out more on the MW 1000. I have a handcart with 10” wheels and I can pull it up stairs pretty easily loaded up with Systainers. I think the 10" pneumatic wheels help. It is set up so that when the base is on the ground the wheels aren’t taking any load. I would mostly just use it as a surface to put tools I’m using and plan the odd bit of trim. Occasionally put my miter saw on it if I only had a few short pieces to cut. Otherwise I would bring my Dewalt stand.