MFT template

[Doug B]

Having watched Peter Parfitt's video I've been toying with the idea that an MFT table might be a good addition to the van for site work.

As I had a load of shavings, off cuts & pallets to take to an engineering mate I tucked a piece of 12mm MDF in with them & this afternoon headed over to his. After a cup of tea & drawing a grid out on the MDF I coaxed him in to firing up the Bridgeport.

First off a little setting up

Then on to the drilling which was made easy with the X Y axis.

The holes are 30mm to fit my router guide bush,

I'm thinking of turning wooden parf dogs, if they aren't accurate enough I could always get some metal ones turned, but I think they should be fine.

Next up a sheet of 18mm MR MDF (hammer)

 

[RickN]

I reckon the Parf guide is a tad cheaper than that Bridgeport behemoth, Can't fault the accuracy though 8)

 

[adidat]

excellent idea! and I have a bridgeport!

adidat

 

[porker]

Looks good. I also fancy doing this as I have a Bridgeport too but haven't recommissioned since moving nearly 2 years ago . Is this a template to make a larger table or are you going to use a smaller one? How big a grid did you manage to make (I'm guessing the Bridgeport has a 48" table)? Already have the dogs which I turned up out of stainless on the lathe ages ago. What did you use to cut the holes? Sorry so many questions.

 

[Roughcut]

Looks good. I also fancy doing this as I have a Bridgeport too but haven't recommissioned since moving nearly 2 years ago . Is this a template to make a larger table or are you going to use a smaller one? How big a grid did you manage to make (I'm guessing the Bridgeport has a 48" table)? Already have the dogs which I turned up out of stainless on the lathe ages ago. What did you use to cut the holes? Sorry so many questions.

I would imagine a 30mm slot drill was used to bore the holes.
FYI those dogs are usually made out of aluminium rather than stainless just incase you accidently cut into one.
The blade might survive an encounter with ally but will be trashed hitting stainless.

 

[porker]

Good point about the stainless. I've got plenty of ally so I think that would be better as I have been known to have a few mishaps. Never really tried my metal tools on MDF but those holes look clean. I can't make out whether there is a sacrificial backing board but I guess there is.

 

[Wuffles]

Parf dogs are stainless, every other dog that was around before Peter stuck his name on some were ally I believe, probably for that very reason.

 

[LancsRick]

Nice template, utility more importantly what a machine!

 

[Doug B]

Looks good. I also fancy doing this as I have a Bridgeport too but haven't recommissioned since moving nearly 2 years ago . Is this a template to make a larger table or are you going to use a smaller one? How big a grid did you manage to make (I'm guessing the Bridgeport has a 48" table)? Already have the dogs which I turned up out of stainless on the lathe ages ago. What did you use to cut the holes? Sorry so many questions.

The template is is to make a larger top, after moving the head of the Bridgeport back we managed another row of holes than those shown in the photo & so ended up with a grid of holes 7x4.
As for the holes they were done in two passes the first with a 25mm slot drill to remove a lot of the material the finished hole was cut with an end mill that gave a really clean cut.