Breaking down large sheets on MFT

[bp122]

I made an mft router table last year using the parf guide system.

The table is 1350 x 750mm

But I still struggle to cut bits from large sheets, almost full size sheets. The dog holes for the track, the saw etc take up some room already. Plus I can't do a cut longer than the two extreme holes on the long side as I don't have a hinge system.

How do people manage it on their smaller festool mft tops etc?

Is it a case of taking the tool to the workpiece in those cases or am I missing something (rail square, parallel guides etc)
And how do you support the larger offcut as you are cutting it?

Apart from the obvious solution of having a larger table, I don't know how people do it.

Any thoughts?

 

[Bingy man]

8 x 4 ft sheets are quite difficult and potentially dangerous to handle especially on your own . So my take is a couple of saw horses with the slots to take a 4 x2 . Fix a sacrificial top to it unless you don’t mind scoring the 2x4,s and if you don’t already have one invest in a track saw . Break down those 8x4,s with ease into more manageable pieces.

 

[MintSauce]

I made an mft router table last year using the parf guide system.

The table is 1350 x 750mm

But I still struggle to cut bits from large sheets, almost full size sheets. The dog holes for the track, the saw etc take up some room already. Plus I can't do a cut longer than the two extreme holes on the long side as I don't have a hinge system.

How do people manage it on their smaller festool mft tops etc?

Is it a case of taking the tool to the workpiece in those cases or am I missing something (rail square, parallel guides etc)
And how do you support the larger offcut as you are cutting it?

Apart from the obvious solution of having a larger table, I don't know how people do it.

Any thoughts?

What I do is cut down sheets using my Stanley saw horses with two lengths of CLS timber in the slots. I also have a couple of pieces of timber that fit across the gap with brackets at each end so the board is supported. Then track saw for the cuts.

Once the prices are of manageable sizes I cut them to accurate dimensions of my workbench that has an MFT top in it.

^^^^^^Bingy man’s setup is posher than mine

 

[bp122]

Thanks, @Bingy man and @MintSauce

I do have a pair of good saw horses and that's what I use now, but I can't really use the track saw with repeated precision like the MFT top offers because I don't have parallel guides. So wondered what others here do.

 

[Amplidyne]

I used to break up sheets by cutting them with a hand held circular saw on some pieces of 3 X 1 on the garage floor. Not something I did often though TBH.

 

[robgul]

Thanks, @Bingy man and @MintSauce

I do have a pair of good saw horses and that's what I use now, but I can't really use the track saw with repeated precision like the MFT top offers because I don't have parallel guides. So wondered what others here do.

I quite often "rough cut" sheet material to near size on the saw horse/3x2 bearers set up and then cut to precise size on the MFT with track saw, rail and dogs.

 

[MintSauce]

Thanks, @Bingy man and @MintSauce

I do have a pair of good saw horses and that's what I use now, but I can't really use the track saw with repeated precision like the MFT top offers because I don't have parallel guides. So wondered what others here do.

As others have mentioned (and me in my reply) - Cut to near dimension on the saw horses and then to dimension on the MFT.

 

[Bingy man]

The thing with 8x4 is that they are not always exactly 1220 x 1240 or even square . Trend guide clamps have also served me well . I have a parallel guide system for my t/ saw but to date I’ve not used it . I just make sure the panel is square and use the tape measure or meter rule allowing any offset ( sole plate of c. saw to the blade ) and check twice and off you go . If it’s melamine faced then I cut good face down . Good thing about the saw horse method is your cutting at a comfortable height and you can double up the horses if weight is a concern . I mean how many members used a straight edge long before we had track saws and parallel guides and precision tee squares etc ..

 

[Ollie78]

Couple of battens on the floor and a track saw, much easier with full sheets than lifting them up and balancing them on a bench.

 

[Brtone]

I made an mft router table last year using the parf guide system.

The table is 1350 x 750mm

But I still struggle to cut bits from large sheets, almost full size sheets. The dog holes for the track, the saw etc take up some room already. Plus I can't do a cut longer than the two extreme holes on the long side as I don't have a hinge system.

How do people manage it on their smaller festool mft tops etc?

Is it a case of taking the tool to the workpiece in those cases or am I missing something (rail square, parallel guides etc)
And how do you support the larger offcut as you are cutting it?

Apart from the obvious solution of having a larger table, I don't know how people do it.

Any thoughts?

I use a cutting board table, 8 by 4, sacrificial top of mdf for cutting down to manageable sizes for campervan furniture, track saw gives reasonable accuracy for what I need to do, haven’t ever found anything else worth using, stored on its side when not in use.

 

[TRITON]

I see axminster do sawhorses like Bora ones but 1/2 the price
https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...MI2dOGk_ThigMVmpFQBh0yfAALEAQYAyABEgKY2vD_BwE

 

[Sideways]

8 x 4 ft sheets are quite difficult and potentially dangerous to handle especially on your own . So my take is a couple of saw horses with the slots to take a 4 x2 . Fix a sacrificial top to it unless you don’t mind scoring the 2x4,s and if you don’t already have one invest in a track saw . Break down those 8x4,s with ease into more manageable pieces.

Same here.
If you get a few 4 foot lengths of 40x20mm or whatever it is roofing batten and lie those crosswise to the 4x2 timbers, inc along the tops of the trestles, you can cut through and just score the sacrificial batten. It's easy to set a tracksaw cut to just 3 to 5mm deeper than the thickness of the sheet.

I was never bothered about parallel guides. I use a 600mm steel rule with a ruler stop. Alternate it end to end of the track to set the back edge of the saw track parallel to the back edge of the sheet. You can walk the track into parallel in half a dozen iterations and it will be MORE accurate than using parallel guides as well as costing under £40 for a really good rule and a stop.

 

[Bingy man]

I see axminster do sawhorses like Bora ones but 1/2 the price
https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...MI2dOGk_ThigMVmpFQBh0yfAALEAQYAyABEgKY2vD_BwE

Even cheaper are these from Toolstation and other outlets . I’ve looked at these and had they been available when I got the speed horses they would have been a decent contender .

 

[paulrbarnard]

I use a sheet of Celotex on the floor. I have rail square and parallel guides for this stage.

 

[Pedronicus]

Even cheaper are these from Toolstation and other outlets . I’ve looked at these and had they been available when I got the speed horses they would have been a decent contender .

I think those TS ones are priced individually.

 

[Bingy man]

I think those TS ones are priced individually.

Think they have 2 types - as you say I type sold in singles the others sold as pairs but I might be wrong .fyi also worth looking at are the tough built brand - apologies if this has also been mentioned..my very 1st horses were from machine mart and wobbled like a jellyfish under the slightest hint of any weight.
550-2 Sawhorses Jobsite Table Twin Pack
£79.50£93
Free by 13/01
https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...xoqMy-OKAxWSXUEAHfj5OhIQwg8oAHoECAoQDA&adurl=
Power Tool World
(702)
Toughbuilt
·
Sawhorses

 

[bp122]

I have the Excel pair with adjustable height function. It is rock solid, but heavy.

The ones from TS I have seen at my work, without the height adjustment, it's still absolutely solid and planted, but still manageable weight.

 

[Bingy man]

I have the Excel pair with adjustable height function. It is rock solid, but heavy.

The ones from TS I have seen at my work, without the height adjustment, it's still absolutely solid and planted, but still manageable weight.

With all these horses height adjustment is vital for uneven / sloped drives etc edit - - next to the overall stability of course..

 

[Ollie78]

I see axminster do sawhorses like Bora ones but 1/2 the price
https://www.axminstertools.com/axmi...MI2dOGk_ThigMVmpFQBh0yfAALEAQYAyABEgKY2vD_BwE

I found the best ones by quite a way are the Metabo version. Cheaper than the Bora or the Toughbuilt yet has all the features of the top of the range Toughbuilt ones and nicer build quality as well.
I got a pair for £100, excellent things. A couple of things not on other versions are the holes on top for using clamps and the adjustable side "ears" with a quick clamp for different sized wood when making a work table, better feet as well.
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/access...sories/work-trestle-set-mab-82-626990000.html

https://www.powertoolmate.co.uk/wor...bo-mab-82-work-trestle-sawhorse-twin-pack.htm

 

[bp122]

I found the best ones by quite a way are the Metabo version. Cheaper than the Bora or the Toughbuilt yet has all the features of the top of the range Toughbuilt ones and nicer build quality as well.
I got a pair for £100, excellent things. A couple of things not on other versions are the holes on top for using clamps and the adjustable side "ears" with a quick clamp for different sized wood when making a work table, better feet as well.
https://www.metabo.com/uk/en/access...sories/work-trestle-set-mab-82-626990000.html

https://www.powertoolmate.co.uk/wor...bo-mab-82-work-trestle-sawhorse-twin-pack.htm

Metabo ones look good. I must say I like the hole for the clamping.