What size would be your most 'useful' or 'ideal' stationary MFT

[James Watriss]

In my last shop, I used my outfeed table as a work table all the time for freehand routing, Domino work, as well as a place to rest parts while I was working on the band saw, etc. So when I moved into this shop, I set up with an MFT as an outfeed table behind my SawStop, instead of building a regular outfeed table. I use a couple of bridging pieces to connect the saw to the MFT for a continuous outfeed surface. But I can pull part of the bridge, to make room to use the miter head if I want. So I treat it as stationary, but I can bring it out of the shop if I need. I also fitted the SawStop with a cast iron router table, so the combination covers most of my power tool needs for everything but milling of stock. Underneath the MFT I keep my CT, metal dust deputy, and a milk crate that I use as a rest for the TS55, and I just leave everything set up that way. I also use rail dogs and an 80/20 fence for faster setup, and just pull the rail mount off of the back when I'm not using it. The front alignment tab stays on.

A little bit of a wider table might be nice, sometimes, but it hasn't proven to be a deal breaker. Given the proximity to a big dust collector, I'm debating the virtues of adding downdraft capability to the MFT, too. I'm on the fence about how to do that: Do I just add a box under the MFT as is, or pop the legs off, and set it on top of an actual stationary base? (I'd use a box with a weather strip that would mate with the underside of the MFT's top, so the legs would be in the way.) The virtues of the big base are that it would be easier to keep it in rigid alignment with the table saw surface, and storage of tools might be easier in a big plywood box, vs under an MFT. But I'm not sold on the idea yet. To date, the setup as is works pretty well.

I've seen a lot of other MFT-ish surfaces. Rembo's posts in here are definitely worth looking up...

 

[Sean KS]

I did a little research on the downdraft idea a while back. To draw enough air through 20mm holes with the standard dimensions of a MFT you need something like a 15hp motor with a 29" impeller. It's a cool idea I just dont know if it is really possible to combine these two distinct tables.

 

[James Watriss]

Yeesh.

I was figuring a square area, mid-table, with the gasket mounting to the surface, not to the frame of the table. Even still, that's a lot of juice, you're right.