My new MFT/3 stop fence with 80/20 aluminum.

[erock]

I'll try to keep this short.  You guys want pictures more then words......correct?

The MFT/3 is meant to be mobile. But,  I don't need mobility with my MFT/3. 
I wanted a longer stop fence for the MFT/3 for longer repeatable cross cuts.  With the supplied MFT/3 stop fence, how I had the fence setup the max length of cross cut I could get was 1098mm (43-1/4").  The wides  cross cut I could make was 620mm (24-1/2").

Tool Improvements sold bench dogs on eBay for adding a 80/20 25 series aluminum extrusion as well as Incra track or a second Festool MFT/3 stop fence.      I bought two bench dogs, but wanted too buy more.  I contacted John to see if I could buy more, but he sold his CNC and is busy with his life.  Sadly he is not making the dogs at the moment.  No big deal for me.  I have a machine shop at my place of employment and was able to get our machinist to make me 4 more bench dogs.  So the bench dogs in this enhancement are not my design/idea, I copied Tool Improvements bench dogs.

The 80/20 aluminum is the two slotted 25 series.  It's 1830mm (72") long.

With my new setup, I now have long repeatable cross cut capabilities up to 1844mm ( 72-1/2") and I increased the cross cut capacity to 650mm ( 25-3/4").    SO I'M A HAPPY HAPPY GUY !!!!

okay......here are the pics.......

The bench dogs used....

[attachimg=1]

The 80/20 aluminum used.........Like I said, I have full access to a machine shop.  So the end was milled to match the Festool fence so that the guide rail would function properly.

[attachimg=2]

Action shot of me sliding the 80/20 into it's new home....

[attachimg=3]

Close up of how the bench dogs work with the 80/20.  I used 1/4-20x1" bolts, so the head of the bolts need a little grinding....

[attachimg=4]

The 1/4-20 knurled nuts are tightened to hold the 80/20 to the bench dogs.....

[attachimg=5]

All done.....

[attachimg=6]

Obviously you need two MFT/3 tables for this setup. And you need two MFT connectors. 

In the end, I have a little room available if I want to change the 80/20 to a longer piece.  I'll  use this setup for a few month and see how I get along with it.  Also, I needed to modify the Festool flag stops.  Both the M6 square nut and the flag stop needed some TLC.
I did some grinding on the M6 square nut to fit inside the t-slot of the 80/20.  I had to cut the long end of the flag stop so that it would flip down towards the table.  So by no means is this modification an average DIYer mod.  But maybe this will get someones gears turning in the old noggin.  [wink]    [tongue]

Take care FOGGER !

Eric

 

[ScotF]

Cool, Eric.

Question - do you know if the fence will fit the protractor head tabs or does the profile not line up? I use my profile for different cuts -- not all the time, but on occasion.

Thanks

 

[erock]

Cool, Eric.

Question - do you know if the fence will fit the protractor head tabs or does the profile not line up? I use my profile for different cuts -- not all the time, but on occasion.

Thanks

[member=6605]ScotF[/member]    I need to run out to my shop and double check....but I'm 90% positive that the protector will not line up with the 80/20 25 series.  In all the years I've owned the MFT/3 I've never used the protractor so I didn't even bother checking to see it it would fit.

Let me get back to you......

Eric

 

[erock]

[member=6605]ScotF[/member]

Okay.....the protractor has 2 dowel pins and 2 "T" pins.  The dowels line up, but the "T" pins would need some fudging with in order to line up.  It looks like a lot of grinding would need to take place on the "T" pins.
 
Heck, If you try bumping and grinding on your protractor and you mess it up, I think I know a guy who never used his and may be willing to sell you one........ LOL !!!!    [tongue]

Eric

 

[ScotF]

[member=6605]ScotF[/member]

Okay.....the protractor has 2 dowel pins and 2 "T" pins.  The dowels line up, but the "T" pins would need some fudging with in order to line up.  It looks like a lot of grinding would need to take place on the "T" pins.
 
Heck, If you try bumping and grinding on your protractor and you mess it up, I think I know a guy who never used his and may be willing to sell you one........ LOL !!!!    [tongue]

Eric

Thanks, Eric! I may have to buy a piece of the 80/20 and try it out. Would work well for 90 degree cuts, which is 95% of the time what I use. Thanks for posting this idea -- good stuff!

 

[SoonerFan]

That is cool Eric.  Good enhancement to your two MFT work space.  I am thinking about another MFT but will likely build a new Kapex station first.  I have a similar, although shorter, solution where I have the Kapex mounted now.

BTW, I watched the video on your new shop recently.  Very nice space.  You clearly you put a lot of time into the design/layout. 

 

[Acrobat]

Hi Eric, that's awesome. We can only drool....

You say in all the years you've had the mft, you've never used the protractor....
Have you then thought about moving the fence back further away from the dog holes and have the fence held in place by another way? - say attached to the outside back extrusion of the mft, rather than having dogs in the holes as it takes up about 2 inches or so, so wasted space? Minor but sometimes just that little bit extra can be a real help. I guess now in your huge setup it's not really an issue but for those with only the one table and who don't use the protractor at all then the fence could be moved as far back as possible.

 

[Peter_C]

Just a thought of another way to do it, although the length won't be the same (Up to 48"), is to use a Woodpeckers T-slot and rail dogs. No machine shop needed, nor modification, so anyone can buy them and put them to use right out of the shipping box. A 3/4" board is taller than the top of the T-slot track, but it would need to be slide back for cutting 1/4" etc. The piece under my rail is removable since I use the Woodpeckers track from the parallel guide kit that offers accurate measurements and stops. Works for me, as I said just another way, since there is no "right" way.
http://www.woodpeck.com/dptrack.html

 

[erock]

Hi Eric, that's awesome. We can only drool....

You say in all the years you've had the mft, you've never used the protractor....
Have you then thought about moving the fence back further away from the dog holes and have the fence held in place by another way? - say attached to the outside back extrusion of the mft, rather than having dogs in the holes as it takes up about 2 inches or so, so wasted space? Minor but sometimes just that little bit extra can be a real help. I guess now in your huge setup it's not really an issue but for those with only the one table and who don't use the protractor at all then the fence could be moved as far back as possible.

[member=4404]Acrobat[/member]
I'm guess you could use a few 2 hole straight connectors on the mft profile and a 80/20 profile.  I  don't know what series of 80/20 you would have to use.  It should be wider than what I used because moving the fence further towards the back would mean that you'd more than likely need a longer rail to ensure that you have enough rail to complete the cut and support the saw. 
You're idea of moving the fence back and finding a way that attach it to the rear mft profile is great for guys who don't use the protractor and want more cross cut capacity.  I'm sure that you could find a bracket from the 80/20 catalog,  it's gotta be over 2000 pages !  [eek]

Eric

 

[sancho57]

Good Idea Eric,

But Im not that cleaver,

I use the old style extension wings for the Kapex. It will mount to the angle stop on the MFT (I use 2 Angle Stops) and it will extend out over 8 Ft.

 

[Kev]

My go to approach for a long repeatable cut on my single MFT/3 is to hang the left UG extension off the MFT/3. Obviously not as solid or permanent as Eric's setup.

 

[ear3]

Sweet setup.  Wish I had room to keep my MFT setup permanently -- let alone have 3 of them!

 

[John1102]

Great 8020 idea, I think the 1010 series might would work well also.

 

[rst]

I went a different route with my MFT to increase it's function.  I made brackets to hold an Incra 52" track and their flips stops.  The brackets keep the track even with the edge of the MFT, this allows me to cutoff 27.5.
View attachment 1  View attachment 2

 

[rst]

Getting back to 8020, here's my mitersaw station.
View attachment 1