Here is how I've made several MFT tops without starting with an oversized piece of MDF. First, if you are only interested in making replacement tops for an MFT/3 table, the regular 1400 mm holey rail is all you need. If you’re interested in making an MFT style top that is considerably longer, the long holey rail for the first row is best, but it’s not required, as you can...
1. Use your rail and TS55 to create a known straight edge along the short side of your MDF. Use the TSO Guide Rail Square and your rails, with connectors, to create a perpendicular cut on the long edge of the MDF. You now have a known right angle corner.
2. Place a mark at the center of where you want the first hole to be. On an MFT/3 replacement top the mark would be 71 mm from each edge of the new corner.
3. Lay the holey rail along the short edge, and space it from the short edge by the distance you determined the first column to be from the edge. Again, for an MFT/3 replacement top, that would be 71 mm.
4. Use the LR32, the holey rail, OF1400, and 20 mm router bit to create the first column of holes after you have first placed the LR32 jig on the holey rail with its pin through a rail hole and confirmed that the tip of the 20 mm bit is on the mark for the first hole. Clamp the rail to the MDF, and plunge through the MDF, preferably with a foam spoilboard under the MDF, and the holes spaced at 96 mm (3 pin holes) apart.
5. With the router off, plunge the 20 mm bit into one of the holes in the first column that you just created. Then, slide the holey rail under the LR32 jig, and move the rail so that the pin on the jig goes into one of the holes in the rail.
6. With the 20 mm bit in a hole and the LR32 jig sitting on the rail with a pin in one of the holes, attach the TSO Guide Rail Square to the holey rail, and slide it against the short, squared end of the MDF, then create as much of the row as the length of your holey rail permits. Repeat for each hole in the original column.
7. At this point you will have to extend the rows, but you know how far the first row must be from the long edge, so plunge the 20 mm bit, insert it into one of the holes in the first row, make the pin of the LR32 jig go into a hole in the rail, adjust the far end of the rail to the appropriate distance for the first row, e.g., 71 mm, and create the new holes for the first row.
8. With the first row complete, follow the steps above to form the remaining columns.
9. Cut the remaining short and long edges to their final dimensions, if necessary.
Sandy
