rafezetter
Troll Hunter
I'm in the middle of re-doing my workbench come assembly table (frame is complete), now that I know more about what I want, but I'm still stuck as to what to do with the main top (it's a split level bench to accomodate my small tablesaw) with flip up router table at the other end.
Options are:
- Thin top, MFT style across whole thing.
- Thick top with dogholes to take proper holdfasts - both options include a tail vice.
- or half and half (either above options) with the other half of the bench top plain and opening up like an old school desk for additional storage underneath. The rails are 100mm deep and I was considering using that storage for all the tablesaw paraphenalia.
My reasoning for reducing the MFT/doghole area is I have a small mini bench/moxon vice and to date I've only ever used the dog hole section two or three times for planing, and so far I've not needed a larger area where campling into the middle of the workbench area was required, the old bench had no mft/dogholes in it at all.
I should say this section is also just over a meter square with the table 2m x 1m - the plan is when I need the whole area as a worksurface surface I will put boards across the whole thing.
The main open section under the top between the legs... undecided, possibly move my aircompressor under there so I can baffle the sound a little.
One of my main questions is those people who have thin MFT style tops, have you ever thought it was insufficient, and if so, what were you doing at the time?
I do have 2 proper holdfasts, generously given by another member (GS Haydon if memory serves), but I also have clamps where the heads come off that I can slip into the holes for clamping that way.
I'm not envisioning that I'll need to chop out mortices anytime (pillar drill) or need a bench top strong enough for me to whale on.
I know I could just fit an MFT and try it - but I'd appreciate any input or experience anyone may have.
Options are:
- Thin top, MFT style across whole thing.
- Thick top with dogholes to take proper holdfasts - both options include a tail vice.
- or half and half (either above options) with the other half of the bench top plain and opening up like an old school desk for additional storage underneath. The rails are 100mm deep and I was considering using that storage for all the tablesaw paraphenalia.
My reasoning for reducing the MFT/doghole area is I have a small mini bench/moxon vice and to date I've only ever used the dog hole section two or three times for planing, and so far I've not needed a larger area where campling into the middle of the workbench area was required, the old bench had no mft/dogholes in it at all.
I should say this section is also just over a meter square with the table 2m x 1m - the plan is when I need the whole area as a worksurface surface I will put boards across the whole thing.
The main open section under the top between the legs... undecided, possibly move my aircompressor under there so I can baffle the sound a little.
One of my main questions is those people who have thin MFT style tops, have you ever thought it was insufficient, and if so, what were you doing at the time?
I do have 2 proper holdfasts, generously given by another member (GS Haydon if memory serves), but I also have clamps where the heads come off that I can slip into the holes for clamping that way.
I'm not envisioning that I'll need to chop out mortices anytime (pillar drill) or need a bench top strong enough for me to whale on.
I know I could just fit an MFT and try it - but I'd appreciate any input or experience anyone may have.
