Budget MFT Build

[Chems]

A local cabinet maker has one of these in his shop and I thought it was excellent so I decided to copy it!

Step one was to laminate two pieces of 12mm MDF to get 24mm MDF. Reason for this was I had a sheet of 12mm going spare. Then I layed out a grid at 4" intervals and went to work with a 20mm spade bit. The actual festool hole is something like 19.6 so 20mm is close enough.

Domino on some nice 1inch by 40mm oak strips I had.

Some elaborate clamping to make up the right length.

Quick test.

Round over the edges so the hose runs up easily.

Job done.

Material cost: Pair of saw horses from Argos £9.99
Sheet of MDF £0 in stock
Oak Lipping £0 in stock
MFT Clamps: £51
Total: £60

Real MFT: £278 - Saving £218

The best thing about the MFT clamps is they free slide, then as you lock them in the extend by about 3-4mm giving you good pressure, very neat and just what you'd expect from festool! There are also a pair of hand knobs that you can use to tighten on from below but don't really need them.

 

[Henning]

Nice work, Chems!

Have you fixed it to the sawhorses somehow?

 

[Chems]

Thanks. No it doesnt attach, just rests on them. Its pretty heavy so it doesnt move about in use.

 

[wobblycogs]

As always Chems a very nice build. I'm tempted to put together one myself.

 

[Chems]

Definatly do it wc, the mft is perfect for powertool working. Plus takes up zero space just store it out of the way when you don't need it.

 

[speed]

if you add a t track round the edges you can use festool screw clamps to clamp vertical timbers, just like the real mft :wink:

 

[superunknown]

Nice!

 

[chippy1970]

Nice but it doesnt have the bridge thingy that allows your rails to attach to it.

Ive not seen many people use MFT's over here they seem more popular in the States if the FOG forum is anything to go by, they look good but well over priced.

 

[Chems]

I think I have a length of T track still somewhere I could add it to a single edge.

I don't have any railed tools at the moment but wouldn't really need that feature of this as the table saw is always at hand for crosscuts.

TY all!

 

[white_sw]

I like it. I've been meaning to build a similar table, but as a cover for my table saw so it can double up as a MFT too. Out of interest, what is the diameter of the holes to accept the clamps and were did you get the clamps from for that great price ?

Ta,
Sam

 

[Chems]

They are 20mm holes. I got the clamps from a Festool shop. They are pretty much the same price everywhere, cheapest here thou:

http://www.angliatoolcentre.co.uk/festo ... 36791.html