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.
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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.
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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.
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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..
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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)
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