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Thread: Project: Wilmots "MFSC" - Multi-Function Shop Cart (Build Thread)

  1. #1
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    Project: Wilmots "MFSC" - Multi-Function Shop Cart (Build Thread)

    Not too long ago, someone posted a thread in GW&PT that linked to a YouTube video for a very interesting and versatile "shop cart" by a woodworker named Timothy Wilmots in Belgium. I actually ended up watching that video several times...and then ended up bing-watching the rest of his videos about his shop build and a bunch of other things. This dude's systems are very nicely thought out...

    I was already considering buying another Festool MFT because I find that my existing one (older MFT 1080) is getting more and more use...in fact, I recently raised it up to match the current version's 900mm table height which is substantially more comfortable and would obviously play better with a new one beside it. And then the thought struck...why not build Timothy's MFSC (Multi-Function Shop Cart)? Same height when used as an MFT style work surface, but it does a whole lot more that would be very useful. So I ordered the plans (honestly, I bought the whole combined set of his plans for the MFSC and some other things...great ideas in them) and arranged for the materials, etc.

    I will note that in getting started on this project, I was somewhat limited in what I could do because my recently-completed commission is still on my bench and is so large that I could not start actually cutting large sheet goods on the slider for fear of damaging it. I'm hopeful that on the weekend that I'm posting this, it can at least be moved to my client/friend's home, but the weather is now iffy for the weekend. No matter, there's still things to do and it's time to get started with this build thread.

    If you watch the video(s), you'll note that one feature of the MFSC is the wooden knobs/bolts that function to secure things in different configurations. The plans do offer the option of using steel bolts, but since I hadn't touched the "spinny thing" in some time, this was an opportunity to make a mess, err...turn something. Heh...heh. And further, I have plenty of scrap wood lying about to use for things like this. For the actual knobs, I selected some oak that was a cut-off from a long ago project. For the middle section of the assembly that provides relief between the knob and the threaded shaft, I just used some available dowel stock that was large enough to turn down slightly to proper diameter. Both of these items were sized to the metric dimensions stated on the plans...I'm doing this entire project in metric with one exception....the threaded shafts for these wooden bolts is 3/4" dowel stock because that's the correct size for the threading tools I was able to purchase.

    The first thing to do was to test out my idea for making the knobs "knurled" using the router table. So, I turned a stick of scrap material (walnut in this case) to the 44mm diameter and then marked it for six passes across a round box bit. At that point, I felt that six was a good number...more on that later.

    IMG_1591.jpg IMG_1592.jpg

    Using some scrap pieces of plywood, I made some supports to hold the piece as I passed it through the router bit for the intended profile and then did the setup on the router table.

    IMG_1593.jpg IMG_1594.jpg

    The first cut was fine, but I quickly discovered after rotating the workpiece that I was trying to cut way too deeply and as a consequence, the bit started to "follow the grain" and actually turn the workpiece in the jig, despite the screws being cranked down pretty hard.

    IMG_1595.jpg

    Lesson learned...these knobs really didn't need a very deep cut for the "knurling" and it also wasn't necessary to do six. Four would suffice. So I moved on to turning the real knob blank from the piece of oak previously mentioned. After getting the 44mm diameter cylinder, I used the parting tool to create a smaller 35mm diameter section that would remain after I cut things apart. This would allow for additional glue support when things are assembled later as you'll soon see..

    IMG_1596.jpg IMG_1598.jpg

    I bolted that piece to my quick and dirty jig and then proceeded to run it across the router bit setup...with the bit lowered substantially. (I actually could have lowered it a little more, but hindsight is golden)

    IMG_1599.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  2. #2
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    At this point, the basic formation of the knobs was done and they needed to be cut apart before proceeding further...that occurred at the band saw using a miter fence and carful cutting.

    IMG_1600.jpg

    I took each of the knobs (eight required plus one extra) and lightly scuffed the sharper edges with some sandpaper (for my own comfort) and then it was back to the lathe for the next steps. The first thing to do was to flatten the bottom of the knobs, reverse them in the chuck and then do a slightly dished finished cut in the face.

    IMG_1601.jpg IMG_1602.jpg IMG_1604.jpg IMG_1603.jpg IMG_1605.jpg

    Then, they were returned to the chuck to drill a 30mm recess in the 35mm diameter shoulder. This provides for both alignment and glue support for the middle, intermediate portion of the knob assembly.

    IMG_1619.jpg IMG_1620.jpg

    I will admit that the "knurling" isn't even. But I'm not going to worry about it...it provides a good grip the way it is.
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 12-08-2017 at 9:43 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    Next, I took a piece of larger dowel stock I had lying about and turned it down to 30mm minus a proverbial hair to create the intermediate part of the wooden bolt assemblies. These would be 15mm long, so the parting tool was used to remove most of the stock between them so they could be cut apart the same way as the knobs originally were.

    IMG_1621.jpg IMG_1622.jpg

    I turned multiple extras of these, which came in handy as I needed to fill up the chuck a little to provide enough exposure to flatten the ends and do what comes next while still having enough grip on the stock. And that next step was to drill a 3/4" recess for the threaded portion of the wooden bolts to get glued into. This is a deeper recess...about 10mm.

    IMG_1623.jpg

    And the test fit is just right...so the rest were completed accordingly.

    IMG_1624.jpg IMG_1625.jpg

    Lastly for these two portions of the wooden bolt assemblies...glue them up. They will ultimately get a screw through all three pieces for additional strength, but since my bench vice was blocked by the commission piece waiting to be delivered, I chose to put off the threaded pieces until later.

    IMG_1626.jpg

    And that was day one...
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 12-08-2017 at 8:54 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    The next step was to create the jig that would be used to "drill" a whole bunch of precisely located and spaced 20mm holes for the MFT-style work top. Timothy used 12mm MDF for his jig, but I didn't have a piece of 1/2" scrap MDF lying about that was long enough for the job. I did, however, have a piece of 1/2" veneer plywood and used that instead. The hole pattern on an MFT-style worktop is based on the 32mm system with the holes spaced at 96mm. The first row starts at 71mm from the edge of the top. This simple jig consists of just two pieces of material...the base which will have a series of 30mm guide holes spaced appropriately and a "tee" piece that will not only keep the jig perpendicular to the edge but also help with measuring the spacing across the rows. The layout is critical on this jig...if any guide hole is not exactly on the mark, the spacing of the hole grid on the work surface that is created with the router will not afford a square assembly environment when dogs are used to locate workpieces. I took great care in that respect and checked the measurements multiple times before heading to the drill press and very carefully boring the 30mm holes that will accommodate the 30mm OD guide bushing on the router. Because my normal workbench is inaccessible, the MFT is serving as my work space for this portion of the project.

    IMG_1627.jpg IMG_1628.jpg IMG_1629.jpg

    Once the "tee" portion is carefully added, this jig is essentially complete. However, I chose to extend all the markup lines to and down all edges to assist with laying out the worktop...a custom tee-square, if you will.

    IMG_1630.jpg

    Of course, in order to make the 1102mm x 718mm worktop piece, I needed to cut it from a larger sheet of MDF. I cannot lift a full sheet of MDF onto my slider and because of the size of the item on my workbench, couldn't really cut it up there even if I could. So I blocked the heavy sheet up off the floor slightly with scrap and used the track saw to, well...saw off a nice 718mm wide piece to work with. I did do the off-cut to length on the slider as I had just enough room to to that without whacking the other project in an unkind way. And now there is a worktop "blank" to turn into the fiber-rich version of Swiss cheese.

    IMG_1638.jpg IMG_1642.jpg IMG_1643.jpg
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 12-08-2017 at 9:14 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    Let me reiterate a very important point here...precision is truly important for creating these MFT-style work surfaces. The layout has to be spot on so that each row of holes is in the exact place it needs to be. And from the "lessons learned" category, the jig must be very securely clamped down when the holes are being bored. It cannot move. At. All. Disclosure...I had to make a second blank when a clamp let loose on the very first row of holes. {insert foul language)

    Using the jig is easy, more or less. The router is equipped with a 30mm OD guide bushing and a 20mm straight plunge bit. In a bit of a comedy of the moment, when I went to start this operation, I discovered I didn't have a 1/4" collet for my OF1400 which was the router I happen to have the 30mm OD guide bushing for. {insert additional foul language} At the time I bought mine many years ago, it wasn't included in the box like it is now. I only had a 1/2" collet and an 8mm collet. So I quickly went into my office and ordered the part, resigning that I was not going to get this part done on the day I planned to do it. However, on a whim, I texted another 'Creeker who is local to me and has and OF1400. I must have petted my daughter's pet, Rufus the Flemish Giant Rabbit, just the right way while giving him a treat, because my friend had the collet and was happy to help me out. I ran up to his shop a few miles away, picked up the part, returned to my shop and got to work.

    This is pretty much a "clamp", bore, move, rinse, repeat type operation, moving across the workpiece and again, being very, very careful to check alignment and clamp things down very securely.

    IMG_1644.jpg IMG_1645.jpg

    You may recall from an earlier post that I mentioned that the "tee" part of the jig not only provided support, but also is used to align for the next row of holes. Here's a photo that shows how this works...the edge of the tee is brought right to the center-line of the previous row of holes. That provides the exact 96mm spacing for each row and you just move things over. Because I extended the whole grid of layout over the whole piece, I was able to check alignment on the other end. I think my jig wasn't perfectly square, but because of the care I took in clamping, the grid did end up square.

    IMG_1646.jpg IMG_1647.jpg

    In the end, we're left with a bare-naked MFT-style worktop. I gave it a very light sanding with the 180 that was still on my ROS and then applied a generous coat of BLO/beeswax finish I had in the back of the cabinet. That was allowed to sit overnight and then I applied a coat of Mylands wax, allowed it to dry for awhile and then buffed it out with my Rotex and a sheepskin pad. It will be some time before glue will likely stick to the surface. I'll likely wax the back-side, too, since the clamping function on the opposite side of the flip-top brings the potential of glue drips.

    IMG_1648.jpg IMG_1652.jpg

    There's a clear difference between the completed worktop and the original MDF...

    IMG_1654.jpg

    Lastly, I quickly created some 70mm x 70mm pieces of scrap 18mm BB plywood and knocked off the corners. These are listed as an optional feature in the plans, but they provide a way to make the pretty Swiss cheese-like table top easily removable and replaceable. They are fastened in the corners of the frame that will support the top and will be used with threaded inserts and countersunk bolts to hold the top to the frame.

    IMG_1656.jpg

    The next steps in this project involve taking some nice multi-layer birch plywood and parting it out based on the cut-list for the project. That will have to wait until I have that large piece of commissioned work out of the shop...
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 12-08-2017 at 9:41 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
    Thanks for those tips. I've got the plans and will eventually get this done.

    I discovered Wilmots last year he's got quite a shop, doesn't he?

  7. #7
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    Great ride-a-long Jim. thanks for taking the time. I'm going to enjoy this one.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

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    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Engel View Post
    Thanks for those tips. I've got the plans and will eventually get this done.

    I discovered Wilmots last year he's got quite a shop, doesn't he?
    He's really built a very thoughtfully put together shop. What I truly appreciate, aside from the very functional setups in his assembly room, is that he had the ability to maintain a lot of space around his machines. That makes his production work smoother and safer, IMHO. We should all be so lucky to be able to have that kind of space available!

    Quote Originally Posted by glenn bradley View Post
    Great ride-a-long Jim. thanks for taking the time. I'm going to enjoy this one.
    I'm going to enjoy this project, both from the build standpoint and for the utility that the finished product will bring to future projects. I'm starting to work on picking up more commissions, so anything I do "to" the shop will to be support more efficiency and ease for myself. This piece certainly fits into that idea, I believe.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    Today, I continued by starting on some of the smaller components that will go into the table raising system, etc., since that large commission item is still on my bench and preventing me from butchering large pieces of plywood. In essence, I started on these lovely parts:

    IMG_1691.jpg


    Timothy provides templates that can be printed out to help layout these critical parts and I will give you one major hint right now: be sure that your computer is actually printing them at 100% so they are accurately sized. The first time I printed them out, I didn't realize that the print utility was slightly scaling to 92% and that caused a short few moments of consternation until I went back to my office from the shop and investigated things more closely. Cutting them out with fine scissors was definitely a "reading glasses" moment.

    IMG_1698.jpg

    Two of the parts require some hardwood milled to 10mm thickness, so I found a piece of scrap cherry that was perfect for the task. I don't like to waste material, so I first re-sawed it at the band saw, planed it to the required thickness and took the remaining piece and planed it into some 1/8" thick veneer that will come in handy at some point, I'm sure.

    IMG_1687.jpg IMG_1689.jpg

    I next cut out the blanks for the two components requiring this material. One will be a boring rectangle with a small hole in it. The other will be a more delicate piece that acts as the "position lock" for the work surface raising mechanism. That one was laid out using one of the templates...and this was where I discovered the scaling issue from the printer when I printed them out for the first time...

    IMG_1690.jpg IMG_1692.jpg

    Having dealt with that, I ganged the two pieces together using a few 23 gage pins in the waste area so I could begin shaping the pieces at the band saw...the "bottom" cut was first and that's the most delicate.

    IMG_1693.jpg IMG_1694.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    After nibbling away the material, I took advantage of the two pieces being ganged and having full support under them. That made it easy to clamp them down and clean up the profile using a rasp and some 100 grit paper on a block.

    IMG_1695.jpg

    Once that smoothing was done, I needed to remove the waste on the "upper" side of the pieces...a simpler cut than the first one. To be sure nothing went flying, I did a quick wrap of some painters' tape in the area that would not be cut before moving back to the band saw and doing the deed. I cleaned these up while they were still taped together. They don't have to be "finish quality" as they are not really "seen" under normal circumstances. The edges just need to be clean and even.

    IMG_1696.jpg IMG_1697.jpg

    The last thing I did before running off to cook the evening meal was to transfer the paper template for the lifting arm to some thin plywood. I may or may not choose to do a template routing setup for these, so I wanted to see how well the shapes transferred and cleaned up relative to that potential idea.

    IMG_1699.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    Today was more work on the "little parts"...it's been somewhat relaxing because 1) I need to work out how to actually best create some of these parts and 2) it's necessary to work slowly to get quality and exactness. I did decide to go ahead with template routing most of these parts and started today's work creating the remaining hard patterns with thin plywood and MDF. Since these parts will be painted or otherwise out of view, there was no issue with just screwing them to the workpieces...the holes will be filled later before painting or "hiding" them inside the construction.

    The first parts I milled were the lift-arms using the template shown in the last photo in the previous post.

    IMG_1721.jpg IMG_1722.jpg IMG_1724.jpg

    From there, I moved on to a couple others; one that required template routing for the whole profile and one that only needed one edge template routed since the other edges were just straight cuts. These all still require cleaning the edges.

    The hardest parts to make in this design are the "racks" which have "teeth" regularly spaced so as the worktop height can be adjusted in 30mm increments. While it would have been nice to template route these (or even better...use a CNC, which I don't {yet} own), I don't have a pattern bit small enough to negotiate the inner radius of the "teeth". So I spent a bit of time carefully making a template out of some scrap 1/4" thick cherry which served two purposes. Obviously...it will be the template to layout the parts on the material they will be cut from. But more importantly, it was effectively a dry run for going through the steps required to manufacture the parts as consistently as possible. While not as critical as a round gear, the "teeth" need to be pretty regular so that they interact smoothly with a corresponding part that will engage them.

    The first step is to transfer the pattern from the paper template to the blank piece of wood. A long, flimsy piece of paper like this doesn't work well by itself, so some tape was used to help keep it aligned. Even so, two pencil sharpenings were required to accurately run the pencil around the edge of the template.

    IMG_1710.jpg

    The next step was to carefully mark the center points for a series of holes that would be drilled to create the inner radius of the "teeth"...after locating the distance from the edge and drawing a guide line, I established the center point of the hole by measuring over 1/8" from the known straight edge of the "tooth". That measurement was chosen because I will be using a 1/4" drill bit to make the hole. Although my general intention is to stick with metric for this project, there are some times when tooling availability requires a momentary switch of systems...this was one of them. The center points were then carefully marked with a sharp awl which would in turn, provide a positive position for the brad-point bit I would be using to bore the holes as shown in the photo. Let me repeat that all of the steps shown here to create this wooden template are repeated when making the "real" parts.

    IMG_1713.jpg IMG_1714.jpg

    One side of the "teeth" is a straight cut perpendicular to the edge. That is made on the table saw using the miter fence and a sacrificial fence for support. The blade height was carefully measured to just meet the centerline of the holes and I took great care in matching the edge of the cut to the edge of the hole. After each cut, the saw was turned off so that the workpiece could be positioned using the edge of a saw tooth "right at the spot". Slow it was; excellent was the cut.

    IMG_1715.jpg IMG_1716.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    Ah, and now those pesky angle cuts....off to the band saw we go! I created a quick and dirty sled to hold the workpiece at the required 45º angle. As you'll note between the photos, I realized that I didn't provide enough support on the left side of the band for the later cuts and added to the jig to account for that. This was done by eyeball, but the cuts did end up on the line where they were supposed to go.

    IMG_1717.jpg IMG_1718.jpg

    The remaining step was to clean things up with some rasps and files as well as some sanding. And then it was time to move on to the "real parts". As with the template, the two "racks" were laid out on the material. Each piece is 53mm x 320mm. Despite their importance, none of these things is very big...which surprised me. The same process was followed as was done with the template; carefully mark things out, establish the hole centers and then drill them out. Then the straight cut at the table saw (adjusting the blade height as the actual piece starts out taller than my template did...because of a boo-boo on the template that was immaterial in the end.

    IMG_1726.jpg IMG_1727.jpg IMG_1728.jpg IMG_1731.jpg

    Before cutting the angles of the "teeth" on these "real parts", I quickly relieved the material back to just proud of the teeth. (The last one on the end is longer) This would make seeing the line for the angled cuts easier. And then I cut them as before, using the sled.

    IMG_1732.jpg IMG_1733.jpg
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    The last step for the "racks" is to do the rasp/file/sand dance, but to be sure they are "reasonably" identical, I chose to gang them together for this process using a couple clamps. This worked out well and assuming I created them accurately enough, they will hopefully work as intended in the completed project.

    IMG_1734.jpg IMG_1735.jpg IMG_1736.jpg

    So work to-date has all of these important parts created...with a little sanding remaining. The last small part to be made is the "tooth" piece that mates with the "rack"...I just ran out of time today.

    IMG_1737.jpg

    And once that's done, I really, really, REALLY need that big old commission piece out of my shop before I can start cutting the goods for the majority of the structure.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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    What, pray tell, is "GW&PT"?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    What, pray tell, is "GW&PT"?
    General Woodworking and Power Tools forum here at SMC....er... Sawmill Creek.
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    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

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