Building a MFT: Part Six – Why did I build this?

I was asked why did I build the MFT, given that I have a great Roubo bench ...

There is not a lot to mention that is original. Festool developed the MFT about 20 (or more) years ago. It was not something I paid a lot of attention to as, in my understanding, it was essentially a transportable bench for tradesmen, and principally a substitute for a tablesaw (using the tracksaw).

My focus in woodworking has been largely traditional joinery, and interest in- and use of mechanical joints, such as Dominos, has been pretty low. Similarly, I have not owned a tracksaw as I do not work with sheet goods, such as ply or MDF. I have machines, but they are the traditional ones: tablesaw, jointer-thicknesser/planer, and bandsaw. With occasional exceptions, power tools rarely get used outside of a drill or router. The point being that these power tool-based systems did not enter into my thoughts.

Some months back I decided that it would be a good idea to re-build the small work surface (I hesitate to refer to it as a bench) I had in the workshop. It was this ...

... just a laminated top on a steel stand. It was used for storing some tools, but not many as the steel legs got in the way. At the time I was storing many of my power tools in a chest (rather than hand tools in a chest!), and it was a pain to access as the top of the chest often was used to store something ...

In addition to the storage aspect, I started to look at MFT tables and all their dog holes. The tables were like Swiss cheese with dog holes. No way I would do that to my Roubo bench! However, these dog holes offered great opportunities for work holding, and I was also becoming aware of the various accessories to accomplish this.

What you see here is storage plus a work top ...

Another principal need is an assembly table. I wanted something separate from my main bench, which is for building on and is usually covered with tools. My work space is small - everything fits into half a double garage. The idea for the bench top extension comes from the need to create as much work surface as possible, and which can be folded up and stored away.

All packed up for the day. The new bench is alongside the bandsaw ...

Room for my car (my wife's lives outside!) ..

The idea of adding a tracksaw was only a recent one. I acquired a "new" 20-year old Festool saw (AT65E, for those who want details). I mean it had been used once or twice only. The blade is brand new. And it was too cheap to pass up. The Makita track is as good as a Festool track - identical in design - and cost 1/3 as much. I had it anyway, having thoughts once upon a time of using it with a router.

My intention was to build this MFT/storage/assembly table as cheaply as possible. The whole thing was partly fun, since I just like building stuff, but I did not even know if it would be viable or useful, and so did not want to lay out much. So we have a Pine frame, all mortice-and-tenon joinery (I guess I could have used the Domino!) with the same laminated Merbau top from earlier on. The base was sized to fit the top, and the height was chosen to be the same as the machines, so as to act as an outfeed. Attention was given to the height of the shelves, which needed to allow for the Systainers I have. All the mechanical parts, such as the fence and the track hinge, I designed and built. There is an aluminium track at the top of the base to allow for clamping.

Some of the work holding features:

It is possible to clamp boards or doors to the side of the bench ..

In addition to the Record tail vise, there is storage for a metal vise ...

This is attached to the top using the dog holes ..

These small steel dogs are very cheap as dogs go, under $10 each.

When done, it is stored away ..

The dog holes were routed using a template made by a friend's CNC machine. The result is extremely accurate. The grid creates perfect square and diagonals. Using the dogs, all manner of shapes can be held ...

Seats for carving ..

Panels for sanding or routing ...

Perfect diagonals ...

... mean perfect mitres ...

There are also these "buttons", which are reversible.

Pointy side up, they will hold parts while glue or finish dries ...

Lastly, and most importantly, there is a place to keep a pencil!

Regards from Perth

Derek

January 2023