Tablesaw to Tracksaw, the MFT build - harder than you think!

I thought making my own MFT would be pretty simple once I'd measured the holes. Turns out though, there's a lot more to it, who would have thought?!
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[@10MinuteWorkshop]

Looking good Dean, and thanks so much for the shout-out! 🙌 Cheers, Peter.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Getting there buddy, thank you!

[@mickblizzard1408]

Hi Dean, I love the way you embrace “mistakes”. A great lesson for all. As someone much wiser than myself once said, “If you can’t make mistakes, you can’t make anything “ Cheers 🍻

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks Mick! I’m great at making mistakes 😂

[@shahzadakram4667]

Great idea using the straws as drilling bushes... a much better use than originally intended

[@WoodworkJourney]

Cheers

[@c.a.g.1977]

Great project Dean! Those MFT holes came out pretty good! Hope you'll get to use the system often and make some nice projects to share here on KZbin. Maybe instead of having the mdf spoil board strip being loose, make an extra cut with the router so you end up with an absolutely straight and paralel groove and then just cut a wider spoil board that fits perfectly?

[@WoodworkJourney]

That would be a good idea if I hadn’t wasted the thinner MDF I had LOL It doesn’t have to be perfect to work though so I’ll leave it as is and get to work with it first 😁

[@c.a.g.1977]

@@WoodworkJourney well, they are meant to be cut up and (ab)used, right, so it's no big issue if the fit is a bit off. It'll work just the same.

[@jillianreeseart6759]

Your videos are inspirational and your presentation is clear and friendly! Thanks, Dean!

[@WoodworkJourney]

Very kind, thank you!

[@binaermensch]

Thank you.

[@jonathanskrine770]

Thanks for all the videos and information. Like yourself I've been fighting disability for many years and it's good to find similar attitudes being publicised. I started my own wood journey over 40 years ago when the woodwork room was the only one I could access at school. It's amazing the mental attitudes making stuff in wood creates in me and others. Have fun!

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thank you Jonathan, keep up the good fight fella!

[@ozzyeyre]

That's a cracking job, Dean - love all sorts of woodwork videos, but particularly yours, as you're working to a more realistic budget for the average bloke in the UK but don't let that restrict you from getting things done.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thank you!

[@christopherharrison6724]

Love this because it shows exactly the problems I would hit if I went down the mft route.Thanks for the honesty much appreciated.

[@WoodworkJourney]

My pleasure

[@tresgarcia1725]

😂😂😂 Brilliant!!!! This is my new favorite channel. ❤❤❤

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thank you

[@patrickguyot1290]

It is nice to find somebody from the UK,definitly suscribing ❤

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thank you Patrick

[@richh5392]

Great video. Bought the parf guide and had a problem. Sorry, meant I had NO problem. Love it.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Sorry to hear that

[@dannybaker2763]

Great build, Dean, and well ppresented, too. It is making me rethink my table saw in favour of a similar set up.

[@WoodworkJourney]

The lack of tablesaw definitely makes you think about things differently

[@dannybaker2763]

@@WoodworkJourney, I bet. Mine has a terrible fence (although the idiot using it doesn't help), but it was cheap, so a track saw, when I can afford it, is definitely an option.

[@mandyleeson1]

Love it, Dean. 3D router mod is genius🌟

[@WoodworkJourney]

It’s definitely very helpful 😊

[@onehandedmaker]

Hi That was a great DIY MFT build with lots of tips and I loved the video. Just found your channel and worthy of a subscription. I will check out more of your videos and I look forward to the next one. Regards James One Handed Maker - Australia

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks! I hope you enjoy the channel

[@cornhole1335]

Really enjoyed your video! Absolutely love your attitude about routing the sacrificial strip!! Refreshing to see mistakes; "jealous" of the way you laughed it off. You've got a new subscriber in me. Cheers from the U.S.

[@jimrosson6702]

Great idea looks good

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks!

[@ashleymears8072]

Nice one Dean look forward to your first project video on the MFT👍

[@WoodworkJourney]

I can’t wait to get to it, there’s been so much stuff to do recently and so little time to do it!

[@gbwildlifeuk8269]

To cut the rebate for the sacrificial insert, you could have used the tracksaw for the left and right edges, then the router to move the centre waist

[@WoodworkJourney]

Now that is a bloody good idea, wish I’d have done that!! I’ll render for next time

[@michaelplays2449]

Nice Job !!

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks!

[@David.M.]

Look good Dean!

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks David!

[@fionanaylor6104]

Thanks Dean 👍🏻😃

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thank you Fiona!

[@victoryak86]

Maybe make a drill guide template from a thick board with one series of holes that run the length of the mct table, and spaced out according to the pattern. Do this carefully on the drill press os uhave a story board with accurate 90 deg holes. Set up so can be secured to table on either end w clamps. Then just drill each series of holes with the template securing security of accuracy.

[@jonathanskrine770]

Just a thought - You have a drill press and can bore totally vertical holes. Boring a 2" deep hole in a piece of scrap makes a guide for boring the MFT holes especially with the type of hole boring 'drill'(?) you are using. Yes it will wear in time depending on the hardness of the scrap but at no cost for extra tooling even if it took half a dozen to make the table it's pretty cost and time effective. Great video BTW.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Definitely an idea, the guide would have to be flat to the table the whole time which may be awkward, but thanks for the comment! 👍

[@jonathanskrine770]

Hi again. That's not needed. It would work the same as the drilling guides but as your 20mm drill has a lead screw it would be easier to locate. Drill the scrap at 90 degrees and then slide on to the drill. Pushing the drill through by a couple of inches allows the lead screw to be located exactly at the point needed. Making sure not to delocate the drill slide the guide down until it is flat on the board. If you need extra help with location punch a starter hole in the board that will stop most movement. I am disabled myself and naturally think laterally and have spent many years getting around inability and cost problems. It should work I've always had to use a variation of the process on drill guides anyway the little lines never seem to give the right result. I hope that is a bit clearer and it works for you. BTW Peter Millard uses a cotton reel for smaller sizes....... @@WoodworkJourney

[@bobx2387]

Any Tooling takes time Dean... You are getting there .. Bob (weston super Mare)

[@WoodworkJourney]

Cheers Bob!

[@tellthemborissentyou]

You could have left the spoil board for a year or two and let the track saw carve a divot in the top. Then when it got too bad, router it and put the spoil board in. I really like your build.

[@dannymurphy1779]

Great video Dean, just on the same journey myself. One idea I had for anyone boring the holes is you can use a workmate top as a guide if you have one to hand. Perhaps a 20mm bushing is the answer???

[@WoodworkJourney]

May be! I guess it depends on the spacing of the workmate ones

[@clemfisher5727]

The problem I had with the MFT self-build was that d you have to be very careful to line the centre of the 20 mm drill bit up with the centre of the 5/6 mm pilot holes. Also, 20 mm drills don't always drill a 20mm hole - the holes I had came out a bit undersize and I had to open them up manually to get the bench dogs to fit (as they are accurately sized). I did try and use the type of drill bit you showed but found it was far too aggressive and very difficult to control, owing to to the tapered threaded part at the tip of the drill bit

[@rickhurstpies6243]

Given your talent with the 3D printer, I wonder if it’s possible to print a router template for the MFT holes and produce the holes in the MDF using a bearing guided bit with the template? It would probably only need a maximum of 3 holes on the jig, then use the first few holes to position the next lot and so on.

[@WoodworkJourney]

That’s absolutely doable. I think there are a number available on Printables or Thingiverse already. I’d probably have to make my own from scratch or adapt another to accommodate my 100mm spacing

[@oneeyedphotographer]

Peter has a DIY rail hinge. I'm pondering how to use a random (big) router to drill holes like Peter did with his LR32 thing.

[@theatticwoodworker4594]

the dog hole v micro jig has also been done by PeterMillard with some interesting results. i agree with your 100mm centres £200 for a setup guide to drill out the holes is incredible. OZnest are great for extrusions well done for the plug for them

[@shaun30-3-mg9zs]

Hi Dean good job mate, I was watching Dave Stanton he was using his track locks and I've seen Peter at 10 workshop. There is the new Brit workshop Peter Parfit I think he made and designed the Parf-dog MFT and Peter mentioned the 3 4 5 system. I hope your Parf top come up ok for you.,great video take care see you soon👍

[@WoodworkJourney]

Cheers

[@paulhodgson4790]

It's all starting to really take shape Dean. Look out for a drill guide from Rutlands, they come up every now and then on special. I got mine for about £40 and it's bang on.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Funnily enough I was discussing that exact thing with my Dad recently lol Unlikely to be something I’ll be buying though, it just wouldn’t get a whole lot of use

[@paulhodgson4790]

@WoodworkJourney you'll be surprised. I use mine loads more than I thought I would.

[@TootEmCarMan]

The MFT table is looking really good Dean! :) Tip - don't use double sided tape to hold the spoil board down. You will have a bit of a battle removing it once it's been there a while. Instead go for the super glue and masking tape trick. There a some vids about it including one from Crimson Custom Guitars. I use it all the time and it holds things down very firmly but also comes off quite easily and doesn't leave tons of residue to clean off.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Good idea, I use the masking tape and glue idea quite a lot, don’t know why I didn’t think of it lol

[@philaandrew100]

@@WoodworkJourney Just drop a screw in one end. Jobs a goodun.

[@WoodworkJourney]

I would absolutely put the tracksaw blade through the screw Phil

[@philaandrew100]

Hahahahahaaaaa, yeah. I can totally see that happening to you 🤣 But if you off set it so it sits clear of the cutty slicey bitz you should be good to go. Rather than the tape and CA glue method, use the rubber adhesive double sided tape. Works much better than tape and glue and is easy to remove.

[@michaelbright9162]

I had always thought that there was no need to religiously stick to the 96 mm. grid. So long as the spacing in x and y directions are the same them the 45 degree angle is covered.

[@philaandrew100]

Simple trick to drill holes that are straight is to grab a chunk of tree and drill a hole using your drill press. Then clamp it on the board and drill away. Nice straight holes every time.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Very true, and while not impossible it is a bit awkward in this case. It would work though

[@franceshawe9572]

John Heinz did a useful looking drill press/drill guide kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3LKm2Ckgb9oq6ssi=GxVqCGPxmvEKrFoN

[@philaandrew100]

Awkward just adds to the challenge. Use a length that allows for easy clamping and it becomes much more managable. Keep an eye out for the Milescraft portable drill press thingy, I picked one up from my local woodie shop for around the $50 AUD mark. Payed for itself on the first job. Cheap and cheerful but does the job like a champ.

[@matthewcarr7952]

Hi Dean, I happened across your channel and love your content. I too am new to the world of workshop carpentry so just starting on my journey. I have a couple of suggestions, and a question. Firstly, where did your apron come from? I hate leaving stuff on my bench and can never find it again abdvthinkbthis could be a perfect solution. My thought on the dog holes, could you have used a wider bit of stick and drilled 20mm holes at 100mm centres, then used a guided router bit to make the holes? Would then be square. For the sacrificial dado, perhaps running the plunge saw to create the straight edge, then a router bit to remove the waste would have given best results. I like the modular setup if your bench and might look at something similar in my own build. Keep up the great content 👍

[@WoodworkJourney]

The apron was from Amazon, think I made a video about it with a link to the right one a while ago. As for the strip, absolutely, someone else mentioned that and I can’t believe I didn’t think of it! I’m really glad you’re enjoying the channel

[@HewAndAwe]

The dog issue was never resolved as far as I know, to much of a ball-ache to figure out as theres so many difference thickness you cut, drove me nuts that set up mate! Not to mention cabinet work with a track saw is a nightmare!

[@WoodworkJourney]

I’ll be making a decent cross cut sled for the tracksaw at some point which will help a lot I think

[@lincoln8279]

A plunge router would be good for the holes

[@WoodworkJourney]

It would indeed

[@monkeysausageclub]

That's a neat jig and pretty clever to use the straw as bushings. On a side note I 3D printed some insert/caps for my MFT. They just stop things falling through because my MFT is also a work bench.

[@WoodworkJourney]

Thanks! They’re actually on my list to print myself at some point lol

[@byronlovesey1290]

Regarding your bandsaw could you make and put the saw on a turn table top ? Like a lazy Suzan

[@WoodworkJourney]

That is something I’ve thought about before. Certainly a possibility

[@kevinwillis6707]

trend make a template for the router thats about 40 quid, its accurate and quick to use, i wish id got it before i paid for the ujk parf guide jig.

[@simoncarpenter5771]

Hi will your JCB cordless router work off a Makita 18v battery as they look very similar

[@WoodworkJourney]

Absolutely no idea, there’s quite a few that look similar purely because the way tools are produced these days

[@cerberus2881]

Look at everything as an experiment and crack on. I find that I'm much less precise than my tools so the errors are all mine.

[@jessejameson154]

Why not cut a few wider strips Dean ? Then re-cut groove to match.

[@WoodworkJourney]

No more thin mdf I’m afraid

[@jessejameson154]

@@WoodworkJourney ok. I understand 👍

[@JohnRR]

17:21 17:28 probably just me but i see plenty of light

[@WoodworkJourney]

I didn’t with my eyes but who knows

[@richardstevenson2727]

🫡

[@johnmack537]

Enjoy your videos, but have wondered, if “MFT” stands for “multifunction table”, when people say “MFT table” isn’t that redundant; multifunction table table?

[@WoodworkJourney]

It is normally, but in this case I have a multi function table table because the MFT is an interchangeable part of a unit that does multiple things - it’s all very confusing

[@kenerickson4923]

What does MFT stand for?

[@WoodworkJourney]

Multi Function Table

[@kenerickson4923]

@@WoodworkJourney thanks