Corona MFT build.

[gerbilunit]

Wow that is awesome. Going to bookmark this one.

 

[Firebrick43]

Received some Schaller bins for the dowels. Was going to make some wood bins but time dictated otherwise. Very happy with how this drawer turned out
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The drawer next to it will hold dogs and clamps for the dogs. Again 3D printed the organizer but changed the joint somewhat and I am happy with this method. I epoxied the keys in while clamped on a flat surface protected with wax paper leaving a perfectly smooth bottom with no sanding. The keys were 10 thou thinner than their pockets

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I received the incra track (18”) with ship stop a week ago and made these dogs. I made five but use only three. It’s rock solid. The dogs tab is in the center groove of the track. The first hole is in one of the premilled slots. The track was positioned and bolted down here. To drill the rest of the track I place a #21 drill in a small right angle drill. I place the dog into its respective hole and spotted the position underneath. You would probably want to do this before tapping the holes but I didn’t mess the threads up doing so. I then drilled the holes on the drill press and clearances them to a #7 drill I think so the bolt could be installed past the incra racks.

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[Firebrick43]

Absolutely amazing build. I'm not sure I have the skills to pull off something this clean/elaborate, but I love looking and dreaming. Thanks for documenting it so well!

-Brian

Henry ford said “If you think you can or think you can’t your probably right.”

Anyone of sound mind can do what I am doing. You might not start with a project like this but it really is not to advanced. It just takes determination and a will to do fine work. Most of this project is “new skills” to me.

 

[Firebrick43]

So I sort of got sidetracked as I switched jobs, and have also been building my railcore printer. Now that it’s complete I can print really nice prints in abs/asa.

Here is the fence with its end plates and dust adapter.
Really pleased how the turned out. Did have to turn down the head (.450”)of the 4 bolts of the adapter to fit. Amazing how easy fusion 360 made it.

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Here is a dust port for my Dewalt tracksaw. The original didn’t fit my ridgid hose well and pointed backwards. This meant it was always pulling the hose out. This one turns it 180 to the front and pushes the hose. The dust deputy cart set there anyways, the cord I wrap a couple of times around the hose and I get a snag free ride down the track!!

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The angle is just ever so slightly off. It works but I will probably tilt it up another 2 degrees and reprint. I can’t believe the quality of prints and strength. Everything recently is Push plastics ASA filament.

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And the main part of the bench, the air track lift. It WORKS, well sort of. I finally put together the pedal cylinder and have done a lot of cutting with it. The foot lift cylinder lifts the track by itself just fine. However it needs some help with the saw on it. Maybe 5 or 6 lbs of lift assistance?

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So now before I mount it permanently I have some thinking to do.

Do I ??
1. Just mount the foot pedal and install steel hard-lines and assist the track lift? It works and is much better than either pivoting the track up and having to set the saw off.

2. Just get a small air compressor in the basement and mount a valve to lift the track. I have a wonderful makita mac700 that is somewhat quiet but it’s in the car park garage mainly to air up tires and such and is insanely heavy to take up and down stairs. It would be several $ to buy another one for or a silent compressor just for the bench and shooting brad nails(which I try and avoid). I wonder if one would run a small spray gun for shellac?


Also have the rout bit storage almost done but ran out of filament today. Have to place an order

 

[bad_idea]

I would suggest a small air tank mounted into the bench (buried deep in the bowels of the bench). I assume the air cylinder will consume very little air, so a 1 or 2 gallon tank onboard the bench should last a good while. Every now and then you hook it up to an air compressor to recharge it, but do not have to have an air hose hooked up to the bench at all times.

Nice build.

 

[Firebrick43]

Finished the dust collector door and I am actually using the router.

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Router bit storage in the side vertical pull out.

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Drilled 3/4 inch holes in mdf and 3D printed the bushings. Allow some flexibility of rearranging 1/4 and 1/2 shank bits

Files to print are at
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4724524


First project off of the router table. A cover for my Brown and sharpe height gauge.
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[nicholam77]

This is super awesome work!

I don’t have a single piece of Festool equipment but I like the idea behind their system. I have a Dewalt tracksaw that will be used on this bench.

I'm of the same mindset. Or at least I used to be (In the past year I cracked and got a CT15 vac and ETS 125 REQ, basically the cheapest Festools you can get ). But yeah I am amazed and the type of solutions and jigs that people come up with built around the Festool ecosystem. A lot of them can be applied elsewhere.

Like you, in early pandemic days, I started my MFT track saw station build. Here's a link if you're curious. I've sort of become obsessed with DIY MFT benches ever since.

However it is of my opinion that the fence hinge ***** and is just terrible engineering. You have to remove the saw, hold flip the fence up, position the wood, flip the fence down, then place the saw back on the track.

100% agree. I ordered the MFT guide rail supports as separate parts for my build, about $110 total, and I am underwhelmed. Way too much slop. In retrospect I would have gone with Dashboard or made my own wood-based solution. Your air-lift brackets are incredible!!

The "U-Turn" on the tracksaw dust collection port is a great idea, too.

Anyways, from another DIY-MFT enthusiast, just wanted to say I'm glad I found your build.

 

[nadogail]

I nominate this for an AWESOME award.

 

[Ryan]

This is super rad.

 

[Firebrick43]

This is super awesome work!



I'm of the same mindset. Or at least I used to be (In the past year I cracked and got a CT15 vac and ETS 125 REQ, basically the cheapest Festools you can get ). But yeah I am amazed and the type of solutions and jigs that people come up with built around the Festool ecosystem. A lot of them can be applied elsewhere.

Like you, in early pandemic days, I started my MFT track saw station build. Here's a link if you're curious. I've sort of become obsessed with DIY MFT benches ever since.



100% agree. I ordered the MFT guide rail supports as separate parts for my build, about $110 total, and I am underwhelmed. Way too much slop. In retrospect I would have gone with Dashboard or made my own wood-based solution. Your air-lift brackets are incredible!!

The "U-Turn" on the tracksaw dust collection port is a great idea, too.

Anyways, from another DIY-MFT enthusiast, just wanted to say I'm glad I found your build.

Nice looking bench. I might steal your idea for storing the Wood peckers MFT square. Very nice solution.

I keep meaning to put the U turn piece up on thingiverse but I have not yet. I need to finish the fence bracket/adjuster. A laser cut assembly that mounts to pegs in the mft top. Thanks to ryan I have probably spent 1500 dollars at sendcutsend and oshcut in the last few months and have that much more on the drawing board.

As for the lift, it is very solid, no slop what so ever.

 

[lovetap]

Nice looking bench. I might steal your idea for storing the Wood peckers MFT square. Very nice solution.

I keep meaning to put the U turn piece up on thingiverse but I have not yet. I need to finish the fence bracket/adjuster. A laser cut assembly that mounts to pegs in the mft top. Thanks to ryan I have probably spent 1500 dollars at sendcutsend and oshcut in the last few months and have that much more on the drawing board.

As for the lift, it is very solid, no slop what so ever.

Beautiful bench. I'm building a similar style work bench, I'm wondering what you used for casters? What did you final height come out at?

 

[Firebrick43]

Beautiful bench. I'm building a similar style work bench, I'm wondering what you used for casters? What did you final height come out at?

4"x2" Swivel Caster Heavy Duty Polyurethane Wheel Brakes (2) and Rigid (2), Support 2,800 lbs, 700 lbs Each (4), Perfect for Chairs, Dolly, Furniture: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

4"x2" Swivel Caster Heavy Duty Polyurethane Wheel Brakes (2) and Rigid (2), Support 2,800 lbs, 700 lbs Each (4), Perfect for Chairs, Dolly, Furniture: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

These are the caster according to my Amazon history.

The roll great and the brakes are positive. They are wide flat crowned wheels that don’t flat spot due to the spread out load across the face BUT the wide flat wheels do make it some what more effort to steer the casters at low speeds than a narrow high crown caster.

I will check the height when I get home tonight.

 

[lovetap]

4"x2" Swivel Caster Heavy Duty Polyurethane Wheel Brakes (2) and Rigid (2), Support 2,800 lbs, 700 lbs Each (4), Perfect for Chairs, Dolly, Furniture: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

4"x2" Swivel Caster Heavy Duty Polyurethane Wheel Brakes (2) and Rigid (2), Support 2,800 lbs, 700 lbs Each (4), Perfect for Chairs, Dolly, Furniture: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

These are the caster according to my Amazon history.

The roll great and the brakes are positive. They are wide flat crowned wheels that don’t flat spot due to the spread out load across the face BUT the wide flat wheels do make it some what more effort to steer the casters at low speeds than a narrow high crown caster.

I will check the height when I get home tonight.

Thank you. For anyone else interested, the same company has an eBay store with the same casters for lower prices.

Casters

 

[Firebrick43]

What did you final height come out at?

So the bench is 36" tall. I was thinking that it was similar to my other woodworking bench and it is. I has been several years since I built it.

That number was derived from me standing straight up and with my arms hanging straight down my palms are flat and 90 degrees to my arms.

I am pretty sure I read that in one of Christopher Swartz books on benches or his articles in Woodworking magazine. He had several articles about the proper height for activities based on effort needed vs dexterity.

I am 6'2" so take that into account. I find most workbenches to be 4"~ too short.

 

[lovetap]

So the bench is 36" tall. I was thinking that it was similar to my other woodworking bench and it is. I has been several years since I built it.

That number was derived from me standing straight up and with my arms hanging straight down my palms are flat and 90 degrees to my arms.

I am pretty sure I read that in one of Christopher Swartz books on benches or his articles in Woodworking magazine. He had several articles about the proper height for activities based on effort needed vs dexterity.

I am 6'2" so take that into account. I find most workbenches to be 4"~ too short.

Thanks again, that helps. I have limited space in my garage and I'm trying to fit a small CNC in the garage where my current workbench is. I think with the removable MFT top I could nest the cabinet base underneath the CNC table and pop the MFT top on when needed. Cheers