I have been thinking about the MFT/3 for quite some time now. I already have MFT 1080 and 800 and had been trying to figure out how to get the best utility out of mixing the old style with the new /3.
A year or more ago, I had purchased the parallel guides w/extensions but had difficulties using them. I did not want to construct a solid cutting frame as there is so little space in my cellar shop. I fiddled around with them on several occasions, but was totally bummed out on them. As everybody was so enthused about them, i decided to hang in there and a solution would come to me. A short while ago, somebody showed their own idea for a cutting frame (sorry but I cannot give proper credit right now, as I cannot even recall the subject of the posting.). He had set some 2x4's (or something similar in size) on his MFT table and using clamps and loose spacers held by pressure from the clamps, he had a very portable cutting frame. Yesterday, I was rained out and decided to get serious about cleaning my shop so i can get going on Christmas presents. I had a couple of 2x4's lying in a corner and decided to make up some cross members and spacers for a copy of the cutting frame i had seen earlier here on the FOG. I then dragged out the PG's and experimented making some parallel cuts and sizing some plywood. I have, as I said, tried using the PG's earlier using loose scraps to get above the table, but it had still been somewhat of a PITA. The Unknown FOGGER's solution, once clamped in place worked perfectly.
This morning, I went down to start sizing some short lumber scraps for starting a couple of my Christmas presents. As I set up with the cutting frame, I got a new inspiration. I grabbed my steel tape and measured the height of my MFT 1080 with the frame clamped on the top. It came to just about 35-1/2 inches. Voila! I dropped everything and made a fast trip to my toy store (luckilly, i was in between heavy rain showers.).
The package was clumsy heavy for me to drag off of my pickup and grapple thru the house and down the cellar stairs. That MFT/3 weighs, so the book says, somewhere around 60 lbs. That 60#'s has more stuff in them than the used to have, but i managed. Two hours later, i have done some rearranging and the MFT/3 is set up and ready for action. Well, set up, and disassembled the fence and protractor to put a coat of Danish oil on the table surface. Tomorrow, after the D-oil has dried I will apply a coating of wipe-on Poly and later a coat or two of wax buffed in with my RO 150. by the weekend, i will be rolling.
Before disassembling, i checked the fence for square. It was almost perfectly square with no adjustment. With just a losening of the two screws that hold the curser in allignment and retightening, there is no air between the tip of my 12" square and the guide bar. Perfect. I moved the fence and protractor around the table and resetting in various locations with no loss of accuracy. I could never do that with the 1080 fence. Anytime i ever move the fence/protractor, i have always rechecked. I could never get the 1080 to reset perfectly without considerable checking and tightening. I am quite thrilled.
Back to the cutting rack for the PG's. There is almost no change in height between the old table with the 2x4 frame mounted on the top and the MFT/3. I did not check closely, as i had t pile a buch of stuff on top when moving things around to make room for the /3 and relocatin of the 1080. From a quick look, i might need to take a shave off of each 2x piece. I had questiond about the height of the two tables on an earlier post. I did get some good replies, but I am not going to try to match the two tables for height. For most work, i can use the /3 the same way i have always worked. The 1080 is now located in tandem with the /3. The same pieces that form the cutting frame for use with the PG's can, if needed, perform duty as an infeed bench when i an cutting long boards. I am leaving the guide mounts in place so, if need arrises, I can set up bothe tables for multiple and different sized cuts. I have lost a bit of floor space, but I think some operations will be much more efficient.
My only complaint with the /3 setup is: There is no place to put the allen wrench. ??? The old tables had a hole in the protractor frame. I could never lose that wrench. I can see spending time looking for my mislaid allen wrench on many occasions, usually when i am in a hurry. Oh well, I am planning to leave the old table and fence set up, so I will probably file the new wrench away in a drawer (with no label >>> naturally) and the old wrench will always be where it has always been.
Now, the next problem is going to be justfying keeping three MFT's. I think i wil wait til after I have been fed to get into that subject [scratch chin]
Tinker
A year or more ago, I had purchased the parallel guides w/extensions but had difficulties using them. I did not want to construct a solid cutting frame as there is so little space in my cellar shop. I fiddled around with them on several occasions, but was totally bummed out on them. As everybody was so enthused about them, i decided to hang in there and a solution would come to me. A short while ago, somebody showed their own idea for a cutting frame (sorry but I cannot give proper credit right now, as I cannot even recall the subject of the posting.). He had set some 2x4's (or something similar in size) on his MFT table and using clamps and loose spacers held by pressure from the clamps, he had a very portable cutting frame. Yesterday, I was rained out and decided to get serious about cleaning my shop so i can get going on Christmas presents. I had a couple of 2x4's lying in a corner and decided to make up some cross members and spacers for a copy of the cutting frame i had seen earlier here on the FOG. I then dragged out the PG's and experimented making some parallel cuts and sizing some plywood. I have, as I said, tried using the PG's earlier using loose scraps to get above the table, but it had still been somewhat of a PITA. The Unknown FOGGER's solution, once clamped in place worked perfectly.
This morning, I went down to start sizing some short lumber scraps for starting a couple of my Christmas presents. As I set up with the cutting frame, I got a new inspiration. I grabbed my steel tape and measured the height of my MFT 1080 with the frame clamped on the top. It came to just about 35-1/2 inches. Voila! I dropped everything and made a fast trip to my toy store (luckilly, i was in between heavy rain showers.).
The package was clumsy heavy for me to drag off of my pickup and grapple thru the house and down the cellar stairs. That MFT/3 weighs, so the book says, somewhere around 60 lbs. That 60#'s has more stuff in them than the used to have, but i managed. Two hours later, i have done some rearranging and the MFT/3 is set up and ready for action. Well, set up, and disassembled the fence and protractor to put a coat of Danish oil on the table surface. Tomorrow, after the D-oil has dried I will apply a coating of wipe-on Poly and later a coat or two of wax buffed in with my RO 150. by the weekend, i will be rolling.
Before disassembling, i checked the fence for square. It was almost perfectly square with no adjustment. With just a losening of the two screws that hold the curser in allignment and retightening, there is no air between the tip of my 12" square and the guide bar. Perfect. I moved the fence and protractor around the table and resetting in various locations with no loss of accuracy. I could never do that with the 1080 fence. Anytime i ever move the fence/protractor, i have always rechecked. I could never get the 1080 to reset perfectly without considerable checking and tightening. I am quite thrilled.
Back to the cutting rack for the PG's. There is almost no change in height between the old table with the 2x4 frame mounted on the top and the MFT/3. I did not check closely, as i had t pile a buch of stuff on top when moving things around to make room for the /3 and relocatin of the 1080. From a quick look, i might need to take a shave off of each 2x piece. I had questiond about the height of the two tables on an earlier post. I did get some good replies, but I am not going to try to match the two tables for height. For most work, i can use the /3 the same way i have always worked. The 1080 is now located in tandem with the /3. The same pieces that form the cutting frame for use with the PG's can, if needed, perform duty as an infeed bench when i an cutting long boards. I am leaving the guide mounts in place so, if need arrises, I can set up bothe tables for multiple and different sized cuts. I have lost a bit of floor space, but I think some operations will be much more efficient.
My only complaint with the /3 setup is: There is no place to put the allen wrench. ??? The old tables had a hole in the protractor frame. I could never lose that wrench. I can see spending time looking for my mislaid allen wrench on many occasions, usually when i am in a hurry. Oh well, I am planning to leave the old table and fence set up, so I will probably file the new wrench away in a drawer (with no label >>> naturally) and the old wrench will always be where it has always been.
Now, the next problem is going to be justfying keeping three MFT's. I think i wil wait til after I have been fed to get into that subject [scratch chin]
Tinker
