Trying to decide between mft3 and an mf slab on a sturdy softwood base.
- Thread starter Stevenscustomguitars
- Start date
thedude306
Member
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2014
- Messages
- 192
TealaG said:For better or worse, I'm thinking MDF for my top because:
- Cheaper
- More stable
- Machines easily
My original plan had been 1/2" ply so I'm going to use that for my practice run and use that as a sanding table.
Yup, MDF is really nice. My only advise is to pre-finish it before you do the dog holes. I've got a finished top and an unfinished top and I like the one with the finish better (it was just a brush on varathane) Glue wipes off, small spills come off etc. Stuff slides on it nicer.
Stevenscustomguitars
Member
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2016
- Messages
- 40
So, I made my decision. Thanks everyone for the advice. I decided that I couldn't justify the price when I don't need the portability or some of the functionality and given that my workshop is small I only really want one main bench.
I'm going for a custom mft style top probably about 1.5-1.8m x 80cm. I'll either make a torsion box top (Paulk style?) or just sit the mdf on a softwood frame. For the bench frame I was thinking 4x4 for legs, 2x4 for the rest of the frame. T-track up one leg and across the front of the top. And a shelf across the bottom and a hand tool holder or shelf under the top. How does that sound? I've just posting a thread asking if the df500 is suitable for the joint work.
Cheers
Dave
I'm going for a custom mft style top probably about 1.5-1.8m x 80cm. I'll either make a torsion box top (Paulk style?) or just sit the mdf on a softwood frame. For the bench frame I was thinking 4x4 for legs, 2x4 for the rest of the frame. T-track up one leg and across the front of the top. And a shelf across the bottom and a hand tool holder or shelf under the top. How does that sound? I've just posting a thread asking if the df500 is suitable for the joint work.
Cheers
Dave
If building a work bench one thought might be to wrap the sheet of MDF with bored holes from the top down over one side. This will give you two clamping surfaces, horizontal and vertical, with varying points of attachment on the vertical, unlike what a t-track offers.
Having a top cut on a CNC will be around $150 if you supply the drawing.
If you want to save money making the top, someone on here devised a simple plate jig mounted to their router. Then using 8mm peg board screwed down to the MFD, then router jig has dowels/pins that locate to the holes in the peg board. A 20mm bit and you can create a pretty darn accurate layout. The layout does not need to perfectly match the MFT hole separation dimensions. A few mm off won't matter as long as it is square. Seneca has a drawing on their website for the MFT.
3/4" MDF means the clamps will slide thru. 1" MDF they may not without chamfering the bottom, which means you can't flip the table.
Edit: Also if you want to use rail dogs for cross cutting making the table wide enough for the holes to allow a full sheet between them might be nice. The drawing for my top has over 50" between holes since a sheet is up to 49" wide. Also added a few holes at that width for clamping the full sheet down. A sawhorse or stand can support the far end of the full sheet.
Found an example of someone's work table, although I would have the top overlap the side. Of course it will require two full sheets to make it wide enough for full width rips.
Having a top cut on a CNC will be around $150 if you supply the drawing.
If you want to save money making the top, someone on here devised a simple plate jig mounted to their router. Then using 8mm peg board screwed down to the MFD, then router jig has dowels/pins that locate to the holes in the peg board. A 20mm bit and you can create a pretty darn accurate layout. The layout does not need to perfectly match the MFT hole separation dimensions. A few mm off won't matter as long as it is square. Seneca has a drawing on their website for the MFT.
3/4" MDF means the clamps will slide thru. 1" MDF they may not without chamfering the bottom, which means you can't flip the table.
Edit: Also if you want to use rail dogs for cross cutting making the table wide enough for the holes to allow a full sheet between them might be nice. The drawing for my top has over 50" between holes since a sheet is up to 49" wide. Also added a few holes at that width for clamping the full sheet down. A sawhorse or stand can support the far end of the full sheet.
Found an example of someone's work table, although I would have the top overlap the side. Of course it will require two full sheets to make it wide enough for full width rips.
6 years ago I was in your position I decided that an MFT is great for its designed use (a mobile cutting and clamping bench) it can also be adapted to work in regular workshop (there are many examples where the legs aren't used) so that it is more stable.
It may even be the best choice if you do a large amount of cross cutting and little hand tool use. But it is not a very stable bench as designed. It is also very expensive
I made a bench with the hole pattern and am still expanding the items using the 96mm grid.http://meekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-of-photos/Wood_work_etc/Pages/Woodwork.html
I still don't do anywhere near enough cross cutting to justify an MFT my bench has had a few modifications but has stood the test of time.
Would I build the same bench? Yes
Would I make any modifications? A few, but the main structure would not change.
If you want to see the complete build it is athttp://meekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-of-photos/Wood_work_etc/Pages/Workbench.html
It may even be the best choice if you do a large amount of cross cutting and little hand tool use. But it is not a very stable bench as designed. It is also very expensive
I made a bench with the hole pattern and am still expanding the items using the 96mm grid.http://meekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-of-photos/Wood_work_etc/Pages/Woodwork.html
I still don't do anywhere near enough cross cutting to justify an MFT my bench has had a few modifications but has stood the test of time.
Would I build the same bench? Yes
Would I make any modifications? A few, but the main structure would not change.
If you want to see the complete build it is athttp://meekings.selfip.com/nui/Groups-of-photos/Wood_work_etc/Pages/Workbench.html
Attachments
Holmz said:
Thanks Holmz
This bench doesn't know the meaning of the word rack (movement) only rack as in French cleat.
I guess you didn't make it to the bottom of the page where I detail making the "Laminated plywood workbench base", the sections are mostly 5 x 20mm ply.
I think that it may be in the 200kg range now, the only things I've had to replace are the wheels, as the rubber ones broke up with the weight.
