Planning an MFT cart

[Guido_de]

Hello everyone,

I'm in the progress of planning a MFT/3 rolling cart. However, I don't have an MFT/3 yet but I'd like to replace an old workbench with a rolling cart - mostly to store several systainers. The idea is to not have to build it twice and since I do see an MFT/3 in my immediate future.

I do have some questions regarding layout an design which I hope can be answered by this community.

-Overall length and width of a systainer: Festools homepage states 1157 x 773 mm are these the outmost dimensions (i.e. minimal table size)?
-Would you design the cart, so that the MFT /when mounted) is flush to the sides of the cart? to maximize the utilization of the cart I'm currently considering to only place it flush to two sides and to make the cart slightly bigger mostly in length with the idea being that I can get 3 stacks of systainers in it.
-I won't be able to access the table from all four sides. Instead, it will be placed against a wall. This of course means, that I cannot access systainer trays from both sides.
Does anyone have experiences with placing two systainers behind one another on a single tray? Is this practical?

Any thoughts and experiences are greatly appreciated.

Guido

 

[Sparktrician]

I designed mine to do several things:

• It leaves the folded-up MFT at 900mm in height so that work on this one will be at a consistent height with any other MFT or the CMS.
• The outside dimensions (length and width) are the same as the MFT so that I can clamp materials vertically to any side of the MFT.
• It's moveable on locking casters.
• It's accessible from both long sides due to the use of a longitudinal center panel which keeps it rigid and prevents racking.
• It has two columns for Systainers on each side with a narrow center section.  When I make another, this center section will be eliminated in favor of an accessible end section which will have full-width drawers for small parts and tools.
• A future model may also have a full depth section in which I can keep my CT 22 with its boom arm.  This will eliminate two Systainer columns (one on each side), and may eliminate the center section and the end section of drawers.  I've not dimensioned it yet.

You may want to read this thread for other thoughts and ideas.

 

[grbmds]

If you will be buying more than one MFT then it makes sense to make it the same height as the second For me, though, when I build one, the finished MFT height on the cart will be the height of my table saw so that I can use it as an infeed and/or out feed table for the saw. I plan to put mine on casters that will lower the MFT cart to the floor so that I don't have to depend on locking casters (as I've had problems with these moving slightly after locked). I use the Rockler workbench casters to make my workbench mobile if I need to move it out of the way for additional space.

 

[Sparktrician]

If you will be buying more than one MFT then it makes sense to make it the same height as the second For me, though, when I build one, the finished MFT height on the cart will be the height of my table saw so that I can use it as an infeed and/or out feed table for the saw. I plan to put mine on casters that will lower the MFT cart to the floor so that I don't have to depend on locking casters (as I've had problems with these moving slightly after locked). I use the Rockler workbench casters to make my workbench mobile if I need to move it out of the way for additional space.

I took the approach of having everything the same height (900mm).  I'm planning other modules such that my REAXX table saw (when it's available) will be at the same working height as will my DeWalt 735X planer, and I'll be able to use the MFT/3s as infeed and outfeed tables, even for the CMS in certain circumstances. 

 

[Amalix]

-Would you design the cart, so that the MFT /when mounted) is flush to the sides of the cart? to maximize the utilization of the cart I'm currently considering to only place it flush to two sides and to make the cart slightly bigger mostly in length with the idea being that I can get 3 stacks of systainers in it.
-I won't be able to access the table from all four sides. Instead, it will be placed against a wall. This of course means, that I cannot access systainer trays from both sides.
Does anyone have experiences with placing two systainers behind one another on a single tray? Is this practical?

Being relatively new to the forum and festool, (first post, yay [big grin]) I feel like I might help you out with something I felt was useful to me in mostly the same situation.

I have 2 systainers on the same shelf/drawer but I have them placed sideways. See picture 1.
When standing to the left of the systainers it's really easy to pick the systainer and tools you need and close the drawer again.
It does require you to make the bench somewhat bigger then the MFT table though. (I don't have one, planning to make my own mft top with the LR32) I made mine 970mm deep, the systainers take up almost 900 of that. With 900mm full extension slides this would work perfect. The way I made mine was really cheap, construction lumber and mdf with only some plywood...cost me 120 euro in total including hardware...obviously you could make it properly and save space taken up by the construction lumber. I can fit 2x Sys 3 and 4x Sys 2 in this. In the rest of the bench I have my miter saw on a sliding shelf and small item storage. I used 600mm slides because of my space, my "workshop" is 1,70m by 3m...with the bench being 1m there is only just 650mm room to extend my drawers...this means I have to take the first systainer off to open the second but you got to work with what you got...

Credits to Half-Inch Shy for the idea of placing the systainers sideways in a bench, spotted it on his shop video and decided to copy. 

 

[mike_aa]

[member=50329]Amalix[/member],
Nice idea - thanks for posting!

And, Welcome to the FOG!

Mike A.

 

[rmwarren]

[member=22505]Guido_de[/member] I am working on a cart very similar to what you describe, 3 Systainers wide and 2 deep.

The thread is here.

RMW

 

[RogerP]

Here's one that I built based on a layout from another Festooler post. The pictures are from the other Festooler's post. I am very satisfied with the outcome of the project. I used SYS-AZ drawers in my cart.

 

[RogerP]

Here is the original post of the Festooler for the mobile cart: http://festoolownersgroup.com/festool-jigs-tool-enhancements/mobile-mft3-build/msg331957/#msg331957