Old MFT Paul Marcel Hack Revisited

[jeffinsgf]

Paul Marcel's MFT 1080 video has some great ideas. Don't know how many folks here still use this table instead of the MFT/3, but I do. I only recently found the "half-inch shy" videos and loved the idea of increasing cutting capacity by eliminating the protractor head. I happened to have two complete sets, so I had the required two stops for the back fence. 

However, I didn't like that the fence wiggled up and down. Going through all the old threads on this, Paul said that he had never had the fence move out of alignment, even though it wiggled up and down. I played with it last night, trying to find a way to firm up the grip, and I stumbled upon one. If you put a 1/16" spacer between the back of the fence and the stop, it will force the front of the fence down to the table. It is absolutely rock solid and completely non-destructive to the components. I used a 3/8" flat washer on both stops and my rail is now flat on the table and completely secure. I'll be making a more elegant 1/16" spacer to replace the washers...probably mill down some phenolic.

 

[VirTERM]

Paul Marcel's MFT 1080 video has some great ideas. Don't know how many folks here still use this table instead of the MFT/3, but I do. I only recently found the "half-inch shy" videos and loved the idea of increasing cutting capacity by eliminating the protractor head. I happened to have two complete sets, so I had the required two stops for the back fence. 

However, I didn't like that the fence wiggled up and down. Going through all the old threads on this, Paul said that he had never had the fence move out of alignment, even though it wiggled up and down. I played with it last night, trying to find a way to firm up the grip, and I stumbled upon one. If you put a 1/16" spacer between the back of the fence and the stop, it will force the front of the fence down to the table. It is absolutely rock solid and completely non-destructive to the components. I used a 3/8" flat washer on both stops and my rail is now flat on the table and completely secure. I'll be making a more elegant 1/16" spacer to replace the washers...probably mill down some phenolic.

This is great, I will confirm it in the next few days.

 

[Bob D.]

Interesting, I too viewed Paul's video some time ago and I removed the protractor since I have never made other than a square cut on my MFT/3. I bought a second rail clamp and use the two of them to fix the rail to the table. It's rock solid. I use a pair of tall Parf dogs to square the rail to the table and then square the track to the rail using a Woodpeckers square.

Could you post a photo of your setup, I don't understand the need for the washers since I have not had a problem with my rail.

 

[jeffinsgf]

This is about the older MFT 1080 and MFT 800. The edge extrusion and the fence clamps are completely different than the MFT/3. I'll snap some pics tonight. It will actually be easier to see with the washers I'm using now than with the spacers I am going to make.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Sorry it took me a couple of days to get to this. I'm deep into an assembly table build. Anyway, this is just a 1/16" thick washer placed between the back fence and the edge of the clamp.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Okay, that didn't seem to work. I uploaded the photo to Google drive then used "create a link" and it isn't showing. Any help?

 

[Mario Turcot]

Okay, that didn't seem to work. I uploaded the photo to Google drive then used "create a link" and it isn't showing. Any help?

If you have the image on your device:
1) When editing your post, you will find a text "Attachments and other options" click on it,
2) Click on "Choose File" and browse where your image is on your device,
3) Click on "End-of-post expandable thumbnail" and select how you want it to show,
4) Click on "Post"

To add more picture, click on "(more attachments)" and repeat steps 2 & 3.

 

[jeffinsgf]

Thanks, Mario.
Fixed.

 

[Bob D.]

Thanks for the photo, I understand now. I did something similar but didn't use washers. See attached photos.

In the top left of the first photo and the bottom left corner of the second photo you can see how the clamps are rotated to push the rail out against the Parf dogs I have in the top row of holes. This gives me maximum crosscut capacity.  Once I have the rail set I move on to align the track using the dogs inserted in a column of holes that will position the track in my 'normal' cutting position using my spacer/setup block.

The rail is rock solid and remains square with the track.

 

[johnyhuh]

Thanks for the photo, I understand now. I did something similar but didn't use washers. See attached photos.

In the top left of the first photo and the bottom left corner of the second photo you can see how the clamps are rotated to push the rail out against the Parf dogs I have in the top row of holes. This gives me maximum crosscut capacity.  Once I have the rail set I move on to align the track using the dogs inserted in a column of holes that will position the track in my 'normal' cutting position using my spacer/setup block.

The rail is rock solid and remains square with the track.

I have attempted to make the fence work without the protractor. With two clamps, I couldn’t get it to fasten it down. Used a f-clamp to secure but now I see the brilliant hack on the your solution.

Thanks so much for this!