Festool MFT

[Eric DeSilva]

Mine isn't wobbly, and saying that I "especially" like it for certain activities does not usually mean that is "mostly" what it is for. I use my MFT for a lot of things, but since others were citing it as only a device for crosscutting accurately, I thought I'd throw some other possibilities out there. Funny thing about the MFT is that the more I use it, the more things I tend to use it for.

If you bought a new MFT without having figured out how to use your old MFT, you probably shouldn't go around accusing other people of poorly allocating their tool funds.

[Julian Tracy]

I didn't buy either one new, and I'm not sure that I would. Most of the Festools I own were bought used - only a few new, like the Domino, Ro90, etc. Quite a few are great for what I paid used, not sure I'd buy again at new retail. Though the RO 90 and the Domino are keepers to be sure.

1080 bought for about $350 and sold for about $380, the MFT3 I think I paid about $340 for...

At those prices, I'll probably keep, but at $600+ I'd give it a bit more thought and certainly wouldn't get a second one just for added support or additional clamping surface. Drill a pattern of 3/4" holes in mdf is easy enough.

My attitude comes from all of the impractical "You've got to buy this, and this and this..." that flies around the fog forum when new comers ask advice for initially tooling up with Festool products.

Enjoy yours, I still give it only a 7 out of 10 in terms of value for the cost. But I'll admit that though I have a ton of green stuff, I ask a little more out of my spent dollars than some.

JT

[Erik Christensen]

I built a massive MFT style bench a couple of years ago - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...rent-workbench

I can cross cut around 36" at a perfect 90 degrees and with the depth stop can cut multiples with absolute accuracy about every minute, it is a bit high for hand tools but for power work it rocks... it does not wobble but then again it is not portable either

[Jeff Monson]

I built a massive MFT style bench a couple of years ago - http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...rent-workbench

I can cross cut around 36" at a perfect 90 degrees and with the depth stop can cut multiples with absolute accuracy about every minute, it is a bit high for hand tools but for power work it rocks... it does not wobble but then again it is not portable either

Erik, that is ALOT like mine. Mine is not portable either(jobsite to jobsite that is).....but that is not a concern for me.

[Jim Becker]

It's interesting, Matt. I don't use my MFT very much, but when I do use it, it serves the purpose well. Although most of the time, I utilize it as a portable workstation for home improvement tasks, I keep it handy to my shop and pull it out to use when a particular operation that can leverage it's unique capabilities comes into play. I suspect I only use it less than some folks because I have the slider.

Don't assume that the MFT is only a saw-focused workstation, either. I've used it many times with my OF1010 and OF1400 routers.

[Ted Miller]

The wobble is a definite issue in my opinion but they do at least acknowledge that on the MFT/3 and sell, at extra cost of course, a set of braces. I'll probably end up buying them.

Even in my shop, I think its the best wide-board crosscutting method I've got by far. A TS sled is limited to some extent, and a large one becomes unweildy, especially with an correspondingly large panel. A square and Festool rails can be used, but the prefinished ply is pretty slippery and its not hard to knock that out of alignment, even if clamping--putting on the clamps can do it. And since most of my cabinet parts were over the limits of the parallel guides in at least one dimension, there was no repeatability beyond measuring.

+1, But the braces do help a bit, but the table is not very stable with or without the braces unless you are cutting small stock.

I removed the legs from my MFT/3. When I need to make large crosscuts on longer sheet stock, I throw the legless MFT up on my large outfeed table, in 2 minutes you are set up and square and begin crosscutting...

[trevor adair]

I have had my mft/3 for more than 2 years and find it invaluable. I too do not notice a "wobble" probably because my hand plane work is done at a proper workbench vice. I recently did a kitchen and dont know how I would have managed without it. My plywood supplier ripped all my 3/4 sheets to 24 1/4 so I could handle them easily, then it was a simple task of setting my stop on the MFT and presto I had my sheets cut down to perfect lengths. Quick rip on the table saw and the widths are perfect. Where I found it really shined was on the repeatable cuts for the rails and stiles for all of my doors. Most would have been too long for my Incra HD stops and the MFT handled all with ease.. With a full set of clamping elements it makes a great surface for sanding as well..
Mine has never been folded up since the day I put it together, it is easily the most used surface in my shop