Your total cost of MFT 3 and accessories

[W1ngnu7]

I'm interested in purchasing an MFT 3 and have read many threads about the additional accessories people buy to get the most use out of it.  just curious, all of you that own one, when it's all said and done, how much have you spent total on the table and accessories, not counting track saws and other tools but the table, fence, clamps, dogs, etc...

How much if you subtract the cost of accessories that didn't really pan out?

 

[peter halle]

If you are considering the MFT my advice would be to look at the system as part of the accessory purchases.  The mft can stand on its own and be totally productive out of the box.  Clamps - the most inexpensive rail clamps will clamp as well as the more expensive quick clamps.  Depending on what you do you might not even need clamps.  The clamping elements are also in my mind a "if you need them" accessory.

Dogs - of any brand - are not really needed unless you convert over to using the holes as reference versus the side extrusions.

Peter

 

[packratpop]

+1 I added accessories as I needed them.

 

[panelchat]

i use two qwas dogs for that hybrid way to quickly set the fence/rail to 90 deg.
and two rail clamps for holding workpieces as needed for sanding, biscuit joining, assembling, etc.
this should be about $60 or $70 extra.
i got very fussy about the 90 degree setting as i was making cabinets and needed high 90 deg. accuracy with no fuss and that's why i used the dogs.
depending on what you are doing, you may not need them at all.
you can easily avoid buying a big accurate square, which is expensive, by checking for square by cutting a rectangular piece, all four sides, and doing diagonal measurements.

it is a great table and the more you use it, the more functions you learn or make up for doing all sorts of operations. a lot of fun, actually.

 

[Stone Message]

There are many cheap alternatives to the MFT3 but whatever else you get you will find that it does not deliver the range of options and portability (and storability) of the MFT3.

You need to think of it as a base component of a system that will aid productivity and give you some reassurance of accuracy when using dogs (of any sort).

Even though I stopped using the rail fixings and fence a long time ago (I use my dogs instead) and I rarely need the portability, my MFT3 is an important tool in the workshop. It cannot be beaten for jig work and multiple clamping options. I have lost count of the number of videos that I have made that show the MFT3 when sanding, dominoing, routing, sawing, gluing and finishing.

Peter

 

[RKA]

MFT Set $625
Parf Dogs (short and long) $35
2 Festool Quick clamps $80
2 Kreg Automaxx clamps ~$80
2 Seneca clamp dogs $80
18" woodpeckers square $150ish

In addition I like that the extension wings from the kapex could be used as outfeed support on the MFT.  At $500+ I wouldn't buy them only to use with an MFT, but if I was going to use them on the Kapex, it's a nice side benefit that they could be used elsewhere.  At some point I'll probably add a set of the horizontal clamping elements (the ones that come in a set for $105.  I haven't had an immediate need for them that I couldn't accomplish another way, so I haven't bothered. 

 

[Stone Message]

I forgot to mention...

The MFT3 is 900 mm high. My (very) old workbench was 840mm. After using the MFT3 I realised that the extra height made a significant difference to the comfort over a working day. I have now standardised all of my bench heights to 900 mm and it is super. I have no end of outfeed supports etc.

Peter

 

[iamnothim]

First, you'll be buying a second table.
Total Festool:  $1,756.90
Woodpecker: $110.40
Precision Dogs: $35.49
Qwas Rail dogs: $82.00
Total:  $1,984.79

It's great as a table for a veneer bag too.

 

[sancho57]

Since we are all different, methods type of woodworking etc. I found the best way to buy accessories is as needed.

Since I dont know what other festool you own.

Say you get a 1010 and the LR32, well you'll need some F type clamps, maybe a pair of bessey clamps (at least thats what I use).

So to answer your question It depends.

 

[Motown]

I went back and forth for a while about whether I should purchase the MFT 3 mostly because of the price and also possibly because it isn't a tool exactly. I finally made the decision to jump in and I am really glad that I did. The cost does add up when you include quick clamps, clamping elements, etc. but I really enjoy my workflow now with a variety of operations.

I also have to say that I recently picked up some Parf Dogs and use them all the time. Do you need them? That's really up to the user but for me they save a ton of time and make quickly lining up the rail so much easier.

 

[iamnothim]

I went back and forth for a while about whether I should purchase the MFT 3 mostly because of the price and also possibly because it isn't a tool exactly. I finally made the decision to jump in and I am really glad that I did. The cost does add up when you include quick clamps, clamping elements, etc. but I really enjoy my workflow now with a variety of operations.

I also have to say that I recently picked up some Parf Dogs and use them all the time. Do you need them? That's really up to the user but for me they save a ton of time and make quickly lining up the rail so much easier.

+1

I said this before I bought my MFT/3 "You can never have too many clamps"
It's still true.

 

[Motown]

Absolutely true and your previous post also made me realize I forgot about the Woodpecker Square [tongue]

 

[Birdhunter]

I added the leg braces and a set of Qwas dogs to my dual MFTs. The Qwas dogs have 101 uses. I use mine all the time.

The best addition was an extension on which I mounted a heavy duty vise and a set of heavy steel legs. I can use the vise for sawing and planing without the MFT moving at all. Of course, the addition of the vise extension means my MFTs are not portable.

The protractor that came with the MFT has never been used.

I use the track all the time with my TS55. There is a gadget that eliminates all the slop in the track. I don't remember its name but I bet someone on this forum knows.

With the addition of the vise extension, the MFTs have been a wonderful upgrade to my shop.

 

[AIPDX]

I got an MTF/3 recently and need more time to gain experience with it, but my take on the question of cost is as follows:

In order to use the table for cutting with the track saw, one needs only a good quality square in the $90 - $150 range. It is required to accurately set the 90 degree cutting angle.

A couple of clamps are desirable but not required for basic cutting.

All other tasks which do not involve track saw may require additional clamps, but it is very much task and individual preferences dependent.

Please note that the table is rather small. You can only cut around 24" in its standard configuration. Even if you start with 2'x4' project panels, you will have no easy way of cutting them along the 4' side.

 

[rljatl]

Please note that the table is rather small. You can only cut around 24" in its standard configuration. Even if you start with 2'x4' project panels, you will have no easy way of cutting them along the 4' side.

Hmm, maybe I don't understand this statement.  I make long rip cuts quite often on my MFT.  That's when parallel guides come in handy.

 

[AIPDX]

For clarification, I used "Standard configuration" to refer to the table without additional accessories. In order to rip sheets with parallel guides, one does not necessarily need MFT 3. I am not sure if parallel guides should be even considered MFT accessories, they are more like guide rail accessories.

 

[panelchat]

rip cuts on sheet goods or long boards are best done on a different setup, which can be an extremely simple and cheap one- then cross cuts can be done very effectively on the mft.
as well as sanding, assembling, etc.
above posters have done some great things with their kits and setups, but you really can start into good and efficient workflow for any kind of woodworking with just two clamps, and then two dogs as well if you want them. additional fixtures can be purchased in the future if and as you need them.
if you really want to save, you should still be able to buy makita track saw clamps instead for a little less.

it doesn't take much extra to make the mft a central part of your woodworking or cabinetmaking that boosts efficiency.

 

[sancho57]

I added the leg braces and a set of Qwas dogs to my dual MFTs. The Qwas dogs have 101 uses. I use mine all the time.

The best addition was an extension on which I mounted a heavy duty vise and a set of heavy steel legs. I can use the vise for sawing and planing without the MFT moving at all. Of course, the addition of the vise extension means my MFTs are not portable.

The protractor that came with the MFT has never been used.

I use the track all the time with my TS55. There is a gadget that eliminates all the slop in the track. I don't remember its name but I bet someone on this forum knows.

With the addition of the vise extension, the MFTs have been a wonderful upgrade to my shop.

Dont forget the rail dogs. They come in quite handy to.

 

[Stone Message]

If the top of your MFT3 is not big enough for the cutting that you need to do then you can make an impromptu bench top from some MDF or ply. Put just three 20 mm holes in it (two along the top and a third at right angles to the line of the other two) and use some dogs as stops for your work piece and as a guide for your rail.

Peter

 

[iamnothim]

I made these "Outriggers" and a four piece modular veneer platen.
The platen is a sandwich with AL mitre rails in between to hold the sections.  Full size it's 4' x 8'

The outriggers are also handy for handling large sheets.