With the MFT box sat in situ I gave it a couple of coats of OSMO. To be fair MDF doesn’t look completely unattractive with a bit of Osmo!
MFT-style vs. Trad-style workbench design (is there a middle ground??)
- Thread starter Calum Bettison
- Start date
Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:
Cabinetman
Established Member
I’m not an MFT sort of person but I can tell when something has been planned and well made. The Beech side of things and the underframe I can say from experience is really very good indeed!
It’s normal for a woodworker to make a few benches over a lifetime using the experience of the previous ones, so it will be interesting to hear what you think in a couple of years time about the two sides of the bench.
Brill work.
Ian
It’s normal for a woodworker to make a few benches over a lifetime using the experience of the previous ones, so it will be interesting to hear what you think in a couple of years time about the two sides of the bench.
Brill work.
Ian
Alongside doing all this I had been restoring a big old Record 53 vise.
I got it at an auction for £40 which I reckon was a right bargain.
Here it is pre-treatment.
It want in too bad nick. Everything moved, it just needed some love.
I dismantled it and gave it all a good wash.
Then went at it with some wire wheels.
A few hours and it was looking pretty nice.
I got it at an auction for £40 which I reckon was a right bargain.
Here it is pre-treatment.
It want in too bad nick. Everything moved, it just needed some love.
I dismantled it and gave it all a good wash.
Then went at it with some wire wheels.
A few hours and it was looking pretty nice.
Cheers Ian, a lot of planning for sure. The design is an exploration more than a confident idea. I know I have a tendency to over complicate things sometimes, but I’ve tried to keep clarity of concept for this design. Hopefully it will at least do a lot of things I need it to do.
As its a work top, i would think you'd do a bit of sanding there.
What about adding a downdraft section to the table ? I know its probably not the type of thing any would have thought and probably tricky to install even if the holes did line up. But came across it again the other day researching "Anything to keep dust low" and wondered if it could be retrofitted into an mft im building.
Im using the Ujk frame,, so i've got room below it to fit some sort of sealed section.
https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...utm_content=2266&tagrid=63158213&glCountry=GB
While the vise was in its raw state, I started on making its house in the beech.
I masked and marked out where it would go.
Then chiselled out the edges, following behind with a palm router to clear out the remaining mass of material.
I masked and marked out where it would go.
Then chiselled out the edges, following behind with a palm router to clear out the remaining mass of material.
Once I’d got the depth I chiselled out the gaps for the curvy brace bits on the vise (no idea what these are called)
Ive sat the rear part of the vise about 18mm back from the bench side. A piece of beech facing will sit in front once it’s bolted in.
Ive sat the rear part of the vise about 18mm back from the bench side. A piece of beech facing will sit in front once it’s bolted in.
At this point I realised I’d have to remove the whole beech part of the bench top as I wouldn’t be able to drill the hole or drive in one of the coach screws for the vise.
But with that off I could clamp the vise in situ and drill the pilot holes for the coach screws and do a dry-fit.
But with that off I could clamp the vise in situ and drill the pilot holes for the coach screws and do a dry-fit.
Cabinetman
Established Member
Oh good you’ve done it right, none of this mounting it proud nonesense.
Those things are called Webbs or sometimes ribs btw.
You might want to consider fitting a planing stop whilst the top is off?
Those things are called Webbs or sometimes ribs btw.
You might want to consider fitting a planing stop whilst the top is off?
Molynoox
Established Member
Very interesting thread to follow. Loving the planning and attention to detail. 
Martin
Martin
It's going to be a fabulous workbench. What are you planning on making on it?
BTW, if you ever want to move the workbench, these retractable castor wheels are quite neat, and the feet adjust to the floor:
4pcs GD-60F 3.2" Industrial Casters Plate Casters Swivel Wheel Retractable Leveling Castor Load Capacity 551lbs
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SCXSFDC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Those particular ones are now "unavailable", but Amazon suggests similar alternatives, and even higher weight ratings. Perhaps not suitable for vigorous planing, but I have some and they are sturdy.
BTW, if you ever want to move the workbench, these retractable castor wheels are quite neat, and the feet adjust to the floor:
4pcs GD-60F 3.2" Industrial Casters Plate Casters Swivel Wheel Retractable Leveling Castor Load Capacity 551lbs
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07SCXSFDC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Those particular ones are now "unavailable", but Amazon suggests similar alternatives, and even higher weight ratings. Perhaps not suitable for vigorous planing, but I have some and they are sturdy.
Hey Andy that could be a good shout. And maybe something I could retro-fit. I am fortunate though in that I have access to another workshop space where there is a decent through draft to take care of any lingering dust.
I honestly don’t know how people back in the day could work without a mask
Ha I did think about it, would certainly have been a lot quicker!
Cheers Martin. There’s a lot of faffy detail I’ve not included in the thread too, mostly because I was cracking on and forgetting to take photos.Very interesting thread to follow. Loving the planning and attention to detail.
Martin
One thing was that two of the beech staves are domino end-jointed half lengths (didn’t have enough full length timber). Working out a way to send a long and weak-jointed length of beech through the thicknesser was tricky!
I spent far too long deciding what kind of finish to put on the vice, but found out that you can get 2pack paint in a spray can. I thought it was only available for pros with proper spray gun setups.
I bought some panel wipe to clean of all the residual muck and dust from the vice, masked off the slidey bits, then primed and top coated.
I went for RAL 5004 black blue.
^ After first dusting coat
Then with three top coats it got much darker.
Apparently 2k paint need to be about 20°C to properly cure so I sat the bits in front of some heaters to keep toasty.
I bought some panel wipe to clean of all the residual muck and dust from the vice, masked off the slidey bits, then primed and top coated.
I went for RAL 5004 black blue.
^ After first dusting coat
Then with three top coats it got much darker.
Apparently 2k paint need to be about 20°C to properly cure so I sat the bits in front of some heaters to keep toasty.
The main part installed with its facing panel bit on.
Then with the front part. The quick release mechanism was a bit of a faff to get in, the lever spring needed to be held in tension whilst I held the slidey bar and hammered it in place. Three hands would have been ideal.
I’m so impressed with how far the jaws open on this thing, it’s seriously lanky.
Then with the front part. The quick release mechanism was a bit of a faff to get in, the lever spring needed to be held in tension whilst I held the slidey bar and hammered it in place. Three hands would have been ideal.
I’m so impressed with how far the jaws open on this thing, it’s seriously lanky.
Then with a piece of beech on the front part. I ground off the end of some m7 coach screws to attach it on.
It’s a handsome looking thing with a fresh paint job. I think the cool black blue colour sits really nice with the warm pinky beech.
What’s slightly confusing is that the angle of the vice’s front jaw tilts inward. A pal who fitted a record vice recently said his did the same. Not sure why this is but will probs end up putting a shim at the bottom between the iron and the beech to make the beech sit flat against the bench side.
It’s a handsome looking thing with a fresh paint job. I think the cool black blue colour sits really nice with the warm pinky beech.
What’s slightly confusing is that the angle of the vice’s front jaw tilts inward. A pal who fitted a record vice recently said his did the same. Not sure why this is but will probs end up putting a shim at the bottom between the iron and the beech to make the beech sit flat against the bench side.
With the vice fitted I tentatively started the MFT grid with the Peter Parfitt parf system. Reading the manual and watching the videos seemed really complicated but in practice it was pretty intuitive.
Marking out, pilot drilling, and finally 20mm drilling with the parf kit was an absolute pleasure. What an excellent design and well made product.
As my bench layout is a bit unconventional it took a bit of head scratching to work out how to extend the grid to the full length of the bench.
My holes are drilled at 35mm centre from the edge. This is because that’s where the bench dogs quad hinge needs it’s holes positioned.
Having the entire row at this distance would come back to bite me in the buttocks further down the line.
Marking out, pilot drilling, and finally 20mm drilling with the parf kit was an absolute pleasure. What an excellent design and well made product.
As my bench layout is a bit unconventional it took a bit of head scratching to work out how to extend the grid to the full length of the bench.
My holes are drilled at 35mm centre from the edge. This is because that’s where the bench dogs quad hinge needs it’s holes positioned.
Having the entire row at this distance would come back to bite me in the buttocks further down the line.
Thanks for the link, I did consider these and was about to go for them but then thought about how infrequently I’d need to move it.
The bench in its current state can be shuffled along on its plastic feet relatively easily, whilst not budging too readily either.
I’m looking forward to the day when I’m not building this bench any more!
but I plan to build furniture, lighting, homewares etc. mainly medium sized furniture I’d say.
Shortened working life with respiratory complications. Leading to a premature demise.Hey Andy that could be a good shout. And maybe something I could retro-fit. I am fortunate though in that I have access to another workshop space where there is a decent through draft to take care of any lingering dust.
I honestly don’t know how people back in the day could work without a mask
I know the feeling, having worked in a shop that have nothing bar chipping extraction on the thicknesser, and that was about it. Table saw, radial arm - nowt. no air cleaners nothing that healthy.
Havent done my health any favours working there, thats why for my own small workshop, and given its where I live/eat/sleep, im keen to get all dust emissions down to as near zero as i can. Hench buying that big extractor thingy.
