Warning! You can NOT eat off the floor

[bill-e]

New round of pics of the shop.  I just installed the blue foam insulation in front of a set of double doors.  Made a huge difference with the temps below zero and the wind blowing.

Clicking on a thumbnail will open the full size pics with navigation buttons.

Clicking on the Panoramic link will give a 360° view using Flash.
http://cerealport.net/woodworking/myshop/

 

[Dave Rudy]

Thanks Bill!  Great to see your shop.  I think the Domino is the only tool that got into multiple shots .
Do you use the Incra for the tablesaw only, or is there a router table under the wing that I missed?

Dave

 

[bill-e]

Dave, I didn't "pose" any of my tools for this shot so the Domino is just the only one I'm using at the moment.

I actually dislike TS router wings.  If you notice, picture #5 shows my TS router table in storage hanging on the wall .  Pics # 6 and 7 show the Incra on my Router table.

 

[HowardH]

Hey Bill, I'm curious how you were able to get ahold of a Domino before the official release.  You may have said in another post but I didn't see it.  Is there anything left Festool makes for the US market you don't have yet?  ;D  I hope to be able to match you on tools someday.  Gotta start somewhere, though.  Is the Domino everything you would have hoped it would be?

 

[bill-e]

Howard,

There are tons of Festool tools I don't have...you should check out some of the other guys collections   I just picked up the MFT last month after procrastinating for a couple of years and I'm glad I did.  I may some day get rid of, or at least move out of the way my primary bench and get another MFT and join them like Daviddubya did and make the MFT my primary bench/assembly table.

As for the Domino, I evaluating it for a tool review.  And up until a month or so ago, when that FWW article came out, I hadn't given the Domino a second thought...after all, I don't need another biscuit jointer.  But that FWW article really piqued my interest and the Domino IMO lives up to all the hype.

 

[HowardH]

Thanks.  I ordered my MFT 1080 yesterday frm Bob along with the clamp set.  next on the list - the Domino -  and then the 1400.  That should hold me for awhile.  I hope...

 

[bill-e]

Thanks.  I ordered my MFT 1080 yesterday frm Bob along with the clamp set.  next on the list - the Domino -  and then the 1400.  That should hold me for awhile.  I hope...

Congrats!  I guess it all depends on how long your definition of "awhile" is

Here's something else I think you need.

Jorgensen hold down clamp

Get 2 pairs, I think they are worth their weight in gold, work great with the MFT and with the Domino it is important to secure your work in order to get very good results.

 

[Ned]

Jorgensen hold down clamp
Get 2 pairs

Amazon wants 16.40 per pair with "free" shipping--2 pair for $32.80.

The manufacturer, Adjustable Clamp will sell them to you for 6.99/pair + shipping.  Shipping for 2 pairs to California was $8.92 UPS Ground, for a total of $22.90.


Coastal Tool's offering them for $10.95 a pair.

Ned

 

[bill-e]

Thanks Ned, I had another pair on order with Amazon and canceled it.

At AJC one pair shipped is $14.10 so I saved 2 dollars plus the $8.60 filler I didn't really need

 

[John Miliunas]

Thanks.  I ordered my MFT 1080 yesterday frm Bob along with the clamp set.  next on the list - the Domino -  and then the 1400.  That should hold me for awhile.  I hope...

Congrats!  I guess it all depends on how long your definition of "awhile" is

Here's something else I think you need.

Jorgensen hold down clamp

Get 2 pairs, I think they are worth their weight in gold, work great with the MFT and with the Domino it is important to secure your work in order to get very good results.

Yeah, those clamps work great on my Soby bench, too!  BTW, very nice shop, Bill!  However, I DO envy you for having that Domino thingy!  :

 

[The Woodentop]

Thanks Bill. I'm getting some good ideas from this. I like the way you store your clamps. Mine are stored where they land!

Come on chaps (and chapesses) more workshops please?

 

[bill-e]

Thanks.  I ordered my MFT 1080 yesterday frm Bob along with the clamp set.  next on the list - the Domino -  and then the 1400.  That should hold me for awhile.  I hope...

Congrats!  I guess it all depends on how long your definition of "awhile" is

Here's something else I think you need.

Jorgensen hold down clamp

Get 2 pairs, I think they are worth their weight in gold, work great with the MFT and with the Domino it is important to secure your work in order to get very good results.

Reading this post caused me to look up these clamps again, Jorgy is currently selling the hold down clamp for $8.99 plus shipping each which is the least expensive offering after doing a quick Google.

Or you can get about the same performance by making your own and my design does not require you to reach under the table. DIY MFT Hold Down Clamp

 

[bruegf]

Thanks Bill,

I just ordered a couple pairs, at that price I couldn't resist.

Happy New Years to everyone.

Fred

 

[bill-e]

Thanks Bill,

I just ordered a couple pairs, at that price I couldn't resist.

Happy New Years to everyone.

Fred

Fred, you're welcome, I love spending other people's money   But to tell you the truth I use my DIY ones more often simply because I hate reaching under the MFT.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Bill,

I have a pair of these clamps, but frequently find I must reach under the table to turn their plastic nuts to achieve a good grip with the cams.  I use them but still find the Festool FSZ lever Quick Clamps (Item 491594) much more useful, and able to apply much more clamping pressure.  Too often my workpiece slips under those Jorgenson cam-action clamps.  What am I doing wrong?

Dave R.

 

[bill-e]

Dave, I think that the hold down clamps are not designed to apply the kind of force the quick clamps do so I try to use them within their limits.  Once thing I do rather than reach under to tighten the nut (did I mention I hate reaching under the table) is to make sure I slide the clamp head back away from the work before I flip the lever.  This tightens the clamp head before the lever is applied to give it the final cinching.

I've not had a problem with either the Jorgy or my DIY clamps and slipping work but I'm careful to always have the work pushed up against the fence or stops or both to restrict its movement before I clamp.

 

[wnagle]

I don't care much for the jorgensen clamps my self...cumbersome to use...unless I'm working with hand chisels.  festools clamps are cumbersome to use as well.  What I prefer to use is the vice grip type of clamps that come on the kreg clamping table.  The kreg clamps are strong and work quickly with one hand and don't need reset when changing out repetetive pieces.  I'd like to figure out a way to adapt them to the MFT/3 without changing the cutting surface of the table.  I could just clamp a kreg track to the mft but I bet theres a way to quicly put them in the dog holes... but I'm still pondering the best way to do it.  Attaching them to the V groove channel would be nice as well.  Maybe I could use the auxilliary side table from the Kapex to mount the clamp on then drop it in the V Groove.  I'm sure theres a better and less expensive way to use thme.  I don't have room to keep my kreg table top set up and it's heavy to move round so it would be handy to just grab one of the clamps and use on the mft/3.

 

[Dave Ronyak]

Wayne (I hope I got your name right!),

I would focus on attaching the Kreg clamps to or through the top of the MFT rather than to the side rail of an MFT.  Doing the latter is going to apply a twisting force to the side rail when you cinch down the clamp.  Not a good thing,  The side rails of the MFT/3 may be more resistant to twisting loads than the side rails of the older MFT 1080 and MFT 800 (which I have).  Other members of FOG have modified several of the holes in their MFT top so the Kreg clamps can be used by simply replacing the screw that holds the Kreg clamp to the Kreg Clamp Track with a longer one.  The modification is a short, narrow slot  ?routed? from the side of selected holes.  The modified holes look like key holes. 

Dave R.

 

[wnagle]

Dave,

I think your probably right on twisting the side rails... those clamps apply a lot of force.  I have seen the slots added to the dog holes as you mention, I guess I'm just not ready to cut into the top yet.  I'd prefer someting that would go in any of the dogholes without modification.  I have some clamps from lee valley that expand with a wedge as you tighten them, but they are sized fro 3/4 inch and don't tighten up in the 20mm holes in the mft top.  Plus I'm not sure if constant use would degrade the holes since its notthat thick.  I think the best might be a 20mm post on the bottom of the kreg clamp with a thread and nut on the bottom of the table... sandwiched between large washers (similar to the jorgensens).  It would take  a second to put them on the table, but they would work in any hole and distribute the force over a larger area of the top.  Maybe I could draw someting up and see if qwas from the other forum could make them from aluminum.  I bought some qwas dogs from him and they fit the 200mm holes perfectly.