Is there a cheap MFT out there?

[Keith Hankins]

I have the mft/3 and love it. It's one of my fav go to's. The sides are 80/20. If you go over to the FOG and search there you will find many a wild copies, and IMO some improved versions. Start there. I bought mine years ago, and don't regret it.

[glenn bradley]

Have a member with a CnC make one for you?

[Kevin Wolfe]

I bought a replacement MFT top and precision dogs. All in it was about $130. I built my own rolling stand for it that has an addition section for a future router insert. The only thing it does do as well as the MFT is travel. The MFT is very portable

[James Zhu]

I have the MFT/3 table, it is expensive, cannot justify the cost to buy second one. For all the accessories, I agree only the guide rail is useful, you need to use the rail dogs to make square cuts. I found precision dogs (http://precisiondogs.us/products/precision-bench-dogs) is little cheaper than Qwas dogs.

After seeing this young guy's slick method to make the MFT top using LR32, I am going to make my own MFT/3 top and table.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jAqE6OZgk

Also, this Bosch 20mm euro hinge boring bit (http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-T15020-B.../dp/B000AS327K) is only half the price of the Festool 491072 euro hinge boring 20 mm bit.

[Jim Dwight]

I think the Paulk setup is the best alternative I've seen, other than perhaps getting a MFT replacement top for your own stand or bench. You can bore the holes using a plunge router on a guiderail ensuring that they line up in one direction but have to depend on marking or spacer blocks to line things up the other way. This seems accurate enough for clamping and lots of other things but not for using the holes to determine angles. Ron Paulk also has a crosscut setup that is similar to the Festool in function but made of plywood scraps so it's a whole lot cheaper. The Paulk setup has the desirable attribute of a two layer top with space in-between for tool storage. He made it for portability but I don't see why the same sort of top arrangement wouldn't work well in my shop. I plan a 3x6 rolling workbench with storage drawers and a Paulk style top complete with crosscut setup. This will store better than Ron's 4x8 setup and still allow me to cut up sheets of plywood. I'm a ways away from building it but hopefully will get other stuff done and do it yet this year.


I think there are ways to do anything the Festool tools do except for the Domino (although a plunge router can make sliding tenons too but it is a much more challenging process). But the work arounds are going to have some disadvantages but also possibly some advantages. The key reason to avoid the green kool aide is the price. Roughly twice the alternatives is steep.

[Fidel Fernandez]

The best MFT Stationary is this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb7j6QGZoF0 This video shows more or less how is constructed (German).

This other one shows all the functionality and it is shown my the creator Guido Henn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cepg...CO8k5m&index=3

If you have the LR32 you can do this with ease. http://www.talkfestool.com/vb/festoo...html#post14833

If you use google chrome you can see it in English and order the magazine with the steps and plans: https://www.holzwerken.net/shop/abos...zember_2012__1
https://www.holzwerken.net/shop/abos...ebruar_2013__1

they are downloadable pdf. I think they cost around US$ 10,00 each.

[Jim Dwight]

If you want to build your own (I do) you should check out Woodrave.com. The guy sells a clever jig that lets you space the holes on 4 inch centers using pegboard. The MFT is on 96 mm centers so it isn't exactly the same but I like the idea of 4 inch centers. You "drill" the holes with a plunge router. I plan 3/4 holes (not 20mm like the MFT). You could drill 20 mm diameter holes with the proper router bit (apparently Bosch and Festool offer one).

[Homer Faucett]

If you have a router and a drill, you can do it on your own. It takes a little precision drilling, but it's not impossible even with just hand power tools. I find the Paulk bench too heavy and bulky. Making your own jig from scrap MDF or plywood takes some fussing. Making the pins from 1/4" spacers turned down on a drill chuck with sandpaper to fit the pegboard holes gets you what you need.

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