New UJK mft worktops and bench

[tazprime38]

Just saw these on the Axminster site.

http://www.axminster.co.uk/ujk-technology-hdf-valchromat-top-for-parf-dogs-102537

MFT style work bench.

There are also twist dogs and a twist lock wortop.

video link

 

[thylaxene]

Mmm nice. Tempting considering the price of a MFT in AU! Guess depends on cost of shipping. Thanks for the heads up!

Cheers.

 

[Roseland]

I really like the idea of a more durable, stiffer and less creep-prone work surface for my MFT.

However from what I can see, Valchromat has a similar modulus to HDF (the standard MFT top).  Furthermore the material used is only 18mm thick, whereas my MFT's top is 20mm.  It doesn't sound a big difference, but stiffness goes with the cube of thickness, so by going down 2mm loses over 25% of the rigidity.

Am I missing something, because I'd happily get one of I thought it was better.  Now if it was phenolic faced...

Andrew

 

[Kev]

Mmm nice. Tempting considering the price of a MFT in AU! Guess depends on cost of shipping. Thanks for the heads up!

Cheers.

[member=38970]thylaxene[/member]

I think a few of us need to band together and get some MFT surfaces made down under ... been thinking about it for a while, but probably need ~3 sizes and maybe a couple of pre-fab bench options. We could start an Oz threat to gather opinions ???

 

[thylaxene]

I think a few of us need to band together and get some MFT surfaces made down under ... been thinking about it for a while, but probably need ~3 sizes and maybe a couple of pre-fab bench options. We could start an Oz threat to gather opinions ???

[member=13058]Kev[/member]

Count me in!

 

[Gregor]

I think a few of us need to band together and get some MFT surfaces made down under ... been thinking about it for a while, but probably need ~3 sizes and maybe a couple of pre-fab bench options. We could start an Oz threat to gather opinions ???

With the LR-32 system you can turn a slab of MDF into a top near identical to an original MFT within a few minutes using a 20mm chamfer (490972).

Only slight problem: when aligning (the new to the old) on one side with a bench dog through the holes then the last hole on the far other side was off ~1mm, but since I replaced the old top it dosn't matter: when I need a fence now I just treat a piece in the right thickness with the LR-32 and then I can put it down on the table where I need it and drop in two bench dogs to fix it in place (since I made the holes with the same rail they line up perfectly).

 

[thylaxene]

Yeah but the LR-32 system costs almost as much as the MFT here in Australia. For that price I suspect you could get a several CNCed tops made in a shop locally. Anyway I already have the UJK MFT hole drilling set so good to go. But making our own units similar to UJK mft tops and benches in AU might be worth doing. Even if just to serve the AU/NZ markets.

Cheers.

 

[Kev]

I think a few of us need to band together and get some MFT surfaces made down under ... been thinking about it for a while, but probably need ~3 sizes and maybe a couple of pre-fab bench options. We could start an Oz threat to gather opinions ???

With the LR-32 system you can turn a slab of MDF into a top near identical to an original MFT within a few minutes using a 20mm chamfer (490972).

Only slight problem: when aligning (the new to the old) on one side with a bench dog through the holes then the last hole on the far other side was off ~1mm, but since I replaced the old top it dosn't matter: when I need a fence now I just treat a piece in the right thickness with the LR-32 and then I can put it down on the table where I need it and drop in two bench dogs to fix it in place (since I made the holes with the same rail they line up perfectly).

Over the size of a typical MFT top, a 1mm error would annoy the living heck out of me! I want to know that the tools I'm using are as near to dead on as possible and that any error introduced is by me .. so I can then take actions to address it.

I've got no issue with making an MFT top using a jig for the purpose of clamping (sanding, assembly, etc) but I'd want anything that I use for cutting to be either CNC'd or similar.

I already have an LR32 setup and I'm certain it's accurate enough for one axis, but you still need to manually measure the other.

 

[Stone Message]

....

Over the size of a typical MFT top, a 1mm error would annoy the living heck out of me! I want to know that the tools I'm using are as near to dead on as possible and that any error introduced is by me .. so I can then take actions to address it.

I've got no issue with making an MFT top using a jig for the purpose of clamping (sanding, assembly, etc) but I'd want anything that I use for cutting to be either CNC'd or similar.

I already have an LR32 setup and I'm certain it's accurate enough for one axis, but you still need to manually measure the other.

Hi Kev

I am wondering whether you have considered the Parf Guide System to create a custom top. It really is amazingly accurate as the 4 cut test video demonstrates.

Peter

 

[Kev]

Hi Kev

I am wondering whether you have considered the Parf Guide System to create a custom top. It really is amazingly accurate as the 4 cut test video demonstrates.

Peter

Hi Peter,

I'd consider it if I was planning on making one myself. I'm playing with the idea of 1200x2400mm CNC'd sheets as a local offering. I've got no idea of the sort of $'s to do this locally and what the the minimums are. There's some other stuff I'm looking to do in the near future that I'd want to get done by CNC and this'd be a good excuse for me to get an understanding of what's involved, but with a simple pattern (the stuff I planning in the future will be in 12mm marine ply).

Another option for me is to start looking into small CNC's. I could make the smaller parts that way, but then I'd need to hand shape the larger ones and that'd probably be 40% if the material and I can't see me getting a full size CNC setup [sad]

cheers,

Kev.

 

[Gregor]

Over the size of a typical MFT top, a 1mm error would annoy the living heck out of me! I want to know that the tools I'm using are as near to dead on as possible and that any error introduced is by me .. so I can then take actions to address it.

The difference was when comparing the new tops I made to my original one, comparing the new ones among themselves showed no deviation and the holes aligned perfectly (and are square). Result of my search for a reason is that the holed in the FS 1400/2-LR 32 rail I used are spaced slightly wider than the original top on my MFT.

I already have an LR32 setup and I'm certain it's accurate enough for one axis, but you still need to manually measure the other.

I setup the second axis using the holes I made for the first, rotated the setup, put the OF with the (at rest) bit into a made hole and then adjusted the guides onto the hole before it, rotate back and did the other rows. Worked nicely.

 

[bobfog]

I quite like the top, but using saw horses is just pathetic. Why not integrate some folding legs?

 

[joiner1970]

I quite like the top, but using saw horses is just pathetic. Why not integrate some folding legs?

I use saw horses with my version of an mft top. I use the dewalt horses that are really solid. I'd hardly call it pathetic ;-)

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

 

[bobfog]

I quite like the top, but using saw horses is just pathetic. Why not integrate some folding legs?

I use saw horses with my version of an mft top. I use the dewalt horses that are really solid. I'd hardly call it pathetic ;-)

Sent from my ALE-L21 using Tapatalk

Don't get me wrong. If you've got a £/$15 piece of MDF and some saw horses that's great. But when spending £250 on a portable work bench I want legs that fold into the bench and don't eat anything in terms of space in my vehicle, not having to lug two saw horses around eating up my load space!

 

[thylaxene]

For those who care the shipping cost to AU is around $370 AUD! So that makes it slightly cheaper than the MFT3 and I know which I'd prefer... Mind thanks to Axminster for even considering shipping down to the colony!

Cheers.

 

[Steveeh]

This is only my second or third posting, so please with gentle with a "newbie" who so far has pretty poor woodworking skills!

I needed a portable workbench for work I was doing on my daughter's house and up to now have been using an old B&D Workmate. I thought I could do something a bit better, so I built a small MFT slab and supported it on two trestles:

Shortly after, I saw this thread and decided to turn it into a UJK MFT "look alike":

I dimensioned the support structure so that I could put the bench upside down in the back of the car and place systainers between the ribs where they won't move around too much:

I also came up with the idea of using the dog holes in the front and back aprons to fix adjustable rail supports, fulfilling the same function as those on the MFT/3:

Please excuse the rough woodwork - I'm still learning. Just need to do some finishing off work now.

Steve

 

[joiner1970]

Well done I like the rail holders

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[Steveeh]

I simply inserted a small dog with an 8mm thread into the existing holes from the inside of the bench, and then used 8mm bolts with a knob to fix the rail support. Perhaps Axminster/UJK might like to do a properly-engineered version as an accessory 

Steve

 

[Gregor]

In case you can live with the rail holders not occupying the holes but some space between them, maybe attach treads for the knobs into the side panels using drive-in nuts? These are cent articles (in my local store I can get them for 0,1 € / piece) so it should make for a cheap solution, plus it's simple since you only have to drill a hole and hammer them in from the other side...

 

[Steveeh]

I'll have to look at that. At the moment the regular width of the support means you always cover one column of holes, so they would not be available anyway. But it might be possible to reshape the support so that it was thinner lower down the apron, and wider at the top where it supports the rail.

Steve