MFT worktops, uses etc

[MikeK]

I wish I had seen Dennis's workbench, with the router table, before I went down the path I chose. I suppose timing is everything, but I'm happy with what I have now.

I assembled my new workbench this evening to test fit all of the pieces and double check my measurements for the internal plywood panels and drawers. From start to finish, it took me about an hour and a half to complete the assembly. Nothing is torqued to specs, but it is a stable rolling platform.

I have to take some of it apart to fit in the divider panels and make some relief cuts in the extrusion for the Festool clamps, but it's a good thing I assembled it first. I was off by 20mm in three places for my internal plywood layout because I didn't account for the center offset of the 40x40mm extrusion.

 

[Spectric]

Hi Mike

What ever you build something else will come along and make you wish you had done it differently but at the end of the day you have a Rolls Royce router table and the only difference will be two benchs instead of one, in terms of space this could be benificial. I assume your new workbench will be similar to Dennis's minus the router part which actually means you will have a bench for assembly that will not be disturbed whilst doing any routing.

What extrusion are you using, is it the 3030, 4040 type with a choice of 5,6 or 8mm slots? And how do you fix the corners?-

 

[MikeK]

Roy,

I'm using this Series 8 40x40mm extrusion for the main chassis and this Series 8 80x40mm extrusion from item24 in Germany. My workbench will be very similar, but smaller, to Ryan's workbench in Post #7 of this thread. His workbench top is a full 4x8 foot sheet of MDF, but I don't have the space he has, so my workbench top will be 1x2 meters.

The extrusion pieces are joined using special fasteners that attach to the end of the extrusion and slide into the T-slot of the mating piece. There must be a 7mm hole drilled through the mating piece so the 5mm hex key can access the button-head screw. The screw is torqued to 25Nm and makes a secure joint. There are other types of fasteners for each range of extrusion, depending on the application, but the standard fastener works great. I'm not exactly a lightweight, but I can sit on a piece of 40x40mm extrusion that is attached on both ends using the standard fastener, and it won't move.

Image courtesy of item24.de



Here is a picture of the temporarily assembled workbench from last night.

The slots in both are 8mm wide and 12.25mm deep, and the Festool clamps fit perfectly in them. When I disassemble the workbench to insert the divider panels, I'll mill some slots in the tops of the vertical extrusions so I can insert clamps into the T-track. As assembled now, there is no way to insert a clamp because both ends of the track are blocked by the horizontal sections of extrusion.

Here is a view of the 80x40mm extrusion showing the dimensions.

Image courtesy of item24.de

 

[billw]

Roy, have you seen the Youtube videos by Hooked on Wood?

Here is Part 1 of his workbench build that incorporates a router table and MFT-style layout.

Oh now I really like that.

 

[Shortsta]

I'm building an MFT-like workbench to use as a mobile assembly table and workbench for my hand-held power tools that can be connected to a vacuum instead of the shop dust collection system. My workbench is derived from Ryan's BF/MFT, but will be 1 x 2 meters instead of a full sheet of MDF.

This is Part 1 of a four part video series of the BF/MFT:




Like Ryan's workbench, the frame of mine will be made with 40x40mm and 40x80mm aluminum extrusion. However, I don't have access to the source he used and must rely on a German vendors. I chose item24 because I can create the design on their website, place the order online, and wait for a ready to assemble kit. The online engineering tool develops the parts list of all cut and drilled extrusion and assembly hardware.

Here is the 3D view of my workbench from the vendor's online CAD tool.

Mike...is there any chance you would be willing to send a copy of your PDF document from the supplier Via email as a baseline reference To use with my supplier? I’m in Australia, and item24 doesn’t seem to be available. What I’m hoping is to be able to generate a BOM based on my size thoughts, but using your documents as a guide. A bit cheeky, but hoping you may be willing to help.
Thanks in advance...Simon

 

[MikeK]

Mike...is there any chance you would be willing to send a copy of your PDF document from the supplier Via email as a baseline reference To use with my supplier? I’m in Australia, and item24 doesn’t seem to be available. What I’m hoping is to be able to generate a BOM based on my size thoughts, but using your documents as a guide. A bit cheeky, but hoping you may be willing to help.
Thanks in advance...Simon

Sure. Check your email.

 

[JobandKnock]

Most UK house builders would not know what a router is though!

I think that's a tad unfair. Pretty much every experienced site carpenter I know owns one or more trim routers (often cordless these days) which see a lot of use for hinge recesses, keep recesses, etc (especially where they are weird shapes that must be produced with a router and jig) as well as for lip and laminate trimming. Also anyone installing kitchens in particular simply can't do it without a 1/2 in plunge router for mason's mitre joints, hot rods, drainer grooves, etc

Not router table use, I know, but these tools do exist in everyday site use

MFTs don"t really have much of a place in a site arsenal in the UK though - too big and bulky to carry around and a tad fragile, too, I suspect. Also they can't crosscut a 8 x 4 sheet, which a rail square and appropriate rail can do. In the UK we generally depend on cabinetry coming out from the workshop which is then installed on site - this is cheaper and faster than trying to build from scratch on site. So horses for courses?

 

[Spectric]

I think I did not differentiate between a proper house builder and the other lot that believe in battery farming humans in some very shoddy sheds.

 

[JobandKnock]

They're called architects, or property developers, aren't they?

 

[Spectric]

property developers , oh yes the people whose only objective is profit, and have given good builders a bad name, I have heard them now called site workers so want a new house then oversee it yourself and use tradesman with credentials.

 

[JobandKnock]

Let's just say that I've had a few where there was too much emphasis on profit, too little emphasis on quality of design, too much pressure on the tradesmen to cut (unnecessary) corners and the whole shebang has been liberally soused with marketing hype.

And as for DIY project managers, some of them you see on programmes such as Grand Designs patently couldn't run a bath