MFT insert / blanks to fill holes

[Simon89]

I’m looking to build an 8x4 MFT bench but unsure if having it peppered with holes will be a bit of a pain when using the bench for work with screws. It will be one of two main work benches.

I had a quick google for infill plugs to stop screws falling through the holes but couldn’t find anything.

do any of you out there have any neat solutions? I’m sure there must be loads of options and I’ve just not found the right search terms! My initial thought was 3D printed short dogs that sit just below surface level.

 

[marcros]

Have a look on benchdogs.co.uk. They do some.

 

[marcros]

https://benchdogs.co.uk/products/copy-of-3mm-bench-top-protectors

 

[Simon89]

Thanks for the link, I was more thinking something that sits below the level of the bench top so you can slide work around the bench without knocking screws down the holes.

 

[Richard_C]

For my DIY version I cut some dowel to the thickness of the top, cut some bigger diameter dowel/ broomhandle as heads and fixed to one end with a single screw, and just push them in from below. Snug fit, good enough to stop things falling through.

 

[Doug B]

a forum member kindly 3d printed some for me

 

[GarF]

Those look lovely, but I think I'd get bored of taking them in and out, really quickly. Could you cover the top, or maybe the half you're working on with 6mm MDF using the dog holes to locate it?

 

[Doug71]

It is surprising the amount of stuff that drops through the holes in mine, I am forever losing screws and countersinks etc. I built mine in a Paulk style so I could keep things I use all the time in the space beneath the top, I find I need to hoover it every week which means removing everything I have stored under there.

Most of the holes never get used so I might go with Richard_C solution so I can just push them out when needed, thing is there are about 230 holes to fill

 

[shed9]

I think the better solution would be in line with Doug71's situation, a permanent lower shelf below the table. Using tools is about convenience, I suspect you will soon get bored plugging all the holes in an MFT table 8 x 4 in dimensions.

 

[marcros]

is a piece/strip of tape a silly suggestion?

 

[Doug71]

is a piece/strip of tape a silly suggestion?

I guess you mean underneath, nice simple solution to stop the dust falling through but you do need to be careful of things getting caught in the holes.

A few of the holes in my top fall over bearers, these holes are okay to put dogs in but obviously I can't put clamps through these holes, never thought this would be a problem.

What has happened a few times (I never learn ) is a screw has dropped in to one of these holes but as it can't fall right through part of the screw has been left sticking up out of the hole, I have then slid whatever I have been making over said screw causing a big scratch in my workpiece .

For this reason I would personally go for something that fills the holes to the level of the bench top so nothing can get caught in the hole.

 

[marcros]

I guess you mean underneath, nice simple solution to stop the dust falling through but you do need to be careful of things getting caught in the holes.

A few of the holes in my top fall over bearers, these holes are okay to put dogs in but obviously I can't put clamps through these holes, never thought this would be a problem.

What has happened a few times (I never learn ) is a screw has dropped in to one of these holes but as it can't fall right through part of the screw has been left sticking up out of the hole, I have then slid whatever I have been making over said screw causing a big scratch in my workpiece .

For this reason I would personally go for something that fills the holes to the level of the bench top so nothing can get caught in the hole.

No, I meant straight over the top of the surface actually. It would be easy to remove and shouldn't stop things sliding. I think I would rather have antislip pads myself but I can see the advantages of both.

 

[shed9]

No, I meant straight over the top of the surface actually. It would be easy to remove and shouldn't stop things sliding. I think I would rather have antislip pads myself but I can see the advantages of both.

On a similar vein in covering the top you could also implement a paper roll the width of the top along the edge of the bench on a dispenser. You could pull a new piece over, it would cover everything, double as a glue up table and a fresh piece can be pulled when needed disposing of the previous sheet. Admittedly you end up with grip and friction issues but depends on the work itself. I use a similar process when epoxying rib structures on my own large MFT - not quite 8x4 but 190cm c 100cm so not far off. It works well and forces me not to leave unnecessary bumpf on the work top.

 

[Doug B]

Those look lovely, but I think I'd get bored of taking them in and out, really quickly. Could you cover the top, or maybe the half you're working on with 6mm MDF using the dog holes to locate it?

They don’t get taken out that much as has been said I use mostly the same holes. What I have done is apply self adhesive foam rubber circles to the top of each one, this not only protects the material being cut but also lifts it 1/4” off the mft top so I don’t cut into the surface when in use.

 

[PerryGunn]

I'd just cut a piece of hardboard or ply/mdf to the size you want, either to cover the whole table or slightly smaller so you can use holes along the edge for clamping.

If it was ply/mdf I'd put some threaded inserts into the MFT (sunk just below the surface) so I could fix the position of the ply/mdf using countersunk bolts. Alternatively, you could countersink some Neodymium magnets into the MFT surface and steel washers into the underside of the ply/mdf

 

[C64]

Do you really need all those dog holes? Most people have a table side that they work on virtually all of the time meaning some holes just don’t get used at all because they are too far away or inconvenient. In the past I simply drilled more holes as and when I truly needed them.

 

[Simon89]

Thanks for all those ideas there. I’m keen to keep the bench flat rather than having a sheet cover half and have the option to set up different processes from either end of the bench at the same time.


Having never used an MFT before I’m not sure exactly how I will be working so want to go for a full array of holes.

would there be any issue in routering a 26 diameter hole, >2mm deep in the top around each dog hole to accept a 2p in each unused hole? I’m thinking they would be easy enough to remove if needed and cheap enough to not worry if one goes up the hoover!

 

[Doug71]

would there be any issue in routering a 26 diameter hole, >2mm deep in the top around each dog hole to accept a 2p in each unused hole? I’m thinking they would be easy enough to remove if needed and cheap enough to not worry if one goes up the hoover!

Not a good idea if there is a chance of you catching them with a router cutter or saw blade, it will damage the blade and potentially turn the 2p in to a deadly projectile

 

[Simon89]

Good point!

what about if I went for mdf or ply circles to infill?

 

[C64]

Having never used an MFT before I’m not sure exactly how I will be working so want to go for a full array of holes.

In that case, why don’t you try the table out when the holes are all drilled out and see if it is a problem before creating infill plugs? I mean the Festool crowd would had created a solution (or 20) if they thought this was an issue.