Router bit help

[Dan Steely]

Hi All,
I'm planning a simple MFT table top to an existing work bench and would like to use a 1/4" router to cut the 20mm holes.
So I need a router bit that is bottom clearing and has a centre spur so I can align to my pre punched hole centres, much like a Forstner bit. What is such a router bit called? Many thanks.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A unicorn cutter?

 

[baldkev]

Boom... kinda. No centrepoint. Can you start the hole with a forstner bit?

 

[Inspector]

I would be more inclined to use a bearing over pattern router bit with a pattern, plywood with 20mm hole. You could ballpark drill the hole with a forester bit of 15mm or so and then route to clean it up.
Wolfride 1/4 Inch Shank Top Bearing Flush Trim Router Bit Template Router Bit Top Bearing Pattern Router Bit (4PCS) : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement You can hunt down the bits wherever you like.

Pete

 

[Dan Steely]

I could indeed start the hole with a Forstner bit and follow up with a router. I also have a cheap and cheerful Axminster drill guide which might well be square enough for the job in hand. Axminster Drill Guide
I can do some trials to see what will work best.

BTW: I plan to use dress making pattern paper to mark out the holes at 100mm centres.
Any thoughts of this?

 

[baldkev]

Obviously accurancy is the key....
Just a thought.... but i think they do a jig for mft holes, where you can make your own benchtop etc.... so is it possible to buy one, then sell it qhen done? Or borrow or hire one?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I could indeed start the hole with a Forstner bit and follow up with a router.

You would need to centre the router and fix it down for every hole. Tedious.

 

[Dan Steely]

Tedious++ I'm hoping the Axminster drilling guide will be fine for the job.

I can't see an MFT hole template on the Axminster site. Do you know who does make one?

 

[Hsmith192]

Axminster make a UJK parf table Jig kit. Best person to watch is rag n bone brown on YouTube. He did it without jigs and seems quite happy with it.

 

[Ollie78]

Why not just use a forstner bit?

I bought a cnc made MFT jig years ago, it was set up to use a guide bush and 12.7mm worktop bit.
It sort of worked but required such finicky setup, perfect centring of guide bushing, use of aluminium tape to shim the bushing perfectly etc.
Total ball ache. Not worth it.
If making loads then maybe get a parf guide or something but if only making one measure it carefully and drill it with a small pilot drill then a sharp forstner bit.
I buy the plywood ones off ebay for my MFT once they wear out.

Ollie

 

[StephenArfer]

100mm centres? Convention is 96mm spacing and AFAIK all jigs will be same.

 

[Spectric]

The whole point of these holes, excuse the pun is precise accuracy and without some type of jig or CNC it will be very difficult to achieve the results needed with so many locations, just one out will ruin the job. You have some options with jigs, Axminsters Parf guide system at around £200 UJK Parf Mk II Guide System or a CNC made template from MDF Pro Jig to make Replacement Perforated Festool Type MFT /3 - LP Top at about £50 where you just use a 30mm bush and 12.7 mm cutter and both work well. The parf guide system fits in a tube whereas the template is around 3.5 ft by a ft so takes more space to store, but depending on what you make and want the top for it may be that like myself you class these tops as consumable so having an easy means to make a new one saves money long term. With the jig I find it easier to use the router and you have more freedom on hole locations if you are not fully populating a board because the parf system relies on either 3mm drilled holes or finished 20mm holes to locate the drilling jig. In my opinion I find the router more stable because you are pushing it down onto the workpiece as you plunge whereas a cordless drill and boring bit as used by the Parf system has to be supported because of the height above the workpiece and unless you clamp the parf jig it could / can move. I have used both and both can give comparable results so it will be down to cost and how you think you want to produce the top. If you will only need one top in a blue moon then it may be cheaper to just buy one, look at this one Birch Ply Replacement Perforated Festool Type MFT /3 - LP Top with dimensions: (L) 1102 x (W) 718 mm x (D) 18 mm for £70 in Birch ply.

 

[Ollie78]

That mdf pro jig Spectric linked is the one I had, I would not say it worked well.
The pre made plywood tops he linked are the ones I get, they are great, nicer and cheaper than the festool ones.

Ollie

 

[baldkev]

I'm pretty sure i found a full sheet of medite mr in mft for £85 online somewhere...... you could get a router bit and bearing follower and use the original sheet as a jig?

 

[Tezza1]

Hi All,
I'm planning a simple MFT table top to an existing work bench and would like to use a 1/4" router to cut the 20mm holes.
So I need a router bit that is bottom clearing and has a centre spur so I can align to my pre punched hole centres, much like a Forstner bit. What is such a router bit called? Many thanks.

Hi there,

I am planning to convert an existing drodo

Hi All,
I'm planning a simple MFT table top to an existing work bench and would like to use a 1/4" router to cut the 20mm holes.
So I need a router bit that is bottom clearing and has a centre spur so I can align to my pre punched hole centres, much like a Forstner bit. What is such a router bit called? Many thanks.

I am planning to modify a hinged and fold down work bench into a mft top. I have located a mft jig from cncdesign in Wales. The reviews are positive so I intend to purchase this jig soon and will hopefully update in the very near future. This jig may be your solution.

Very best of luck in which ever option you decide to use.

 

[Ollie78]

Hi there,

I am planning to convert an existing drodo

I am planning to modify a hinged and fold down work bench into a mft top. I have located a mft jig from cncdesign in Wales. The reviews are positive so I intend to purchase this jig soon and will hopefully update in the very near future. This jig may be your solution.

Very best of luck in which ever option you decide to use.

You could have had mine before I launched it into the skip.
My experience does not match up to the positive reviews.
If you get it make sure to centre the guide bush with a mandrel if you can and you will need to do a test row to check. Dust will get in the way of bush causing undersized holes unless you are fastidious with it. I would suggest drilling clearance hole to allow for better dust extraction.
I tried it with 2 different routers one Makita and one Festool, similar results.
A compression bit would probably help but I don't have one in 12.7mm and couldn't be bothered to get one.

Good luck.

Ollie