Festool MFT--yes/no?

[Matt Meiser]

I'm thinking about jumping on the deal for one of the remaining MFT1080 Basic's (if there are any.) Right now I have a "smart table" originally built to the manufacturer's plans with reinforcing beam added after it started sagging. But the banquet table legs are getting bent up since they were never intended to be used for a work table. Plus the smart table is less than optimal for just using it as a work table because you have to add a sheet of something to make a flat surface. Then you either have to clamp it down or deal with it sliding around.

Looking at the MFT a friend has its a pretty sturdy work table. Kind of heavy, but so is the smart table after adding the reinforcement. I'm thinking I could make some kind of light weight cutting grid that sits on top of the MFT with 4 pins that drop into some of the MFT's holes.

Pros/Cons?

[Peter Pedisich]

Matt,

Two options are:

1) Buy the MFT and put the Smart Table on top whan needed.
2) Get one of the new EZ Power Benches, the design has been refined and perfected, very cool and capable.

I love my MFT, I just wish I had time to make a bigger one, I would prefer it larger.

Good Luck,

Pete

[Roger Savatteri]

.

Matt,

I have several of them (linked up) and use them everyday, I actually prefer the older model to the new version. If you need to raise them I use those bed lifts they sell at Bed, Bath and Beyond for less than $10.

If your referring to the Festool discontinued sale...... hate to bust your bubble, but from my understanding at a couple of other forums the basics are all........"poof".

,,,,r

[Brice Burrell]

.

If your referring to the Festool discontinued sale...... hate to bust your bubble, but from my understanding at a couple of other forums the basics are all........"poof".

,,,,r

Festool has a page to show the availability of the discontinued tools, both the MFT 800 and 1080 basics are shown as "in stock".

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/discontinued.html

[Roger Savatteri]

.

Brice,

My apologies, When I went to look up the posts I referred to they were gone.
I think it was when Festool first put up the sale banner and there was someone I know who paid for and was then told that the basics weren't available - until someone from corporate intervened. My guess is that it was cleared up.

,,,,,r

[Dino Makropoulos]

I'm thinking about jumping on the deal for one of the remaining MFT1080 Basic's (if there are any.) Right now I have a "smart table" originally built to the manufacturer's plans with reinforcing beam added after it started sagging. But the banquet table legs are getting bent up since they were never intended to be used for a work table. Plus the smart table is less than optimal for just using it as a work table because you have to add a sheet of something to make a flat surface. Then you either have to clamp it down or deal with it sliding around.

Looking at the MFT a friend has its a pretty sturdy work table. Kind of heavy, but so is the smart table after adding the reinforcement. I'm thinking I could make some kind of light weight cutting grid that sits on top of the MFT with 4 pins that drop into some of the MFT's holes.

Pros/Cons?
Matt,
The STK ( kit) is plastic tracks that you use with your own wood and legs
to make an extendable and portable cutting table.
You can use it for other tasks such as: clamping, assembling, staining,
pocket holes and as a normal table by dropping another panel in top of it.
Plywood warps and bends.you can keep the plywood from warping by gluing some skirts on the sides and under the table.
Banquet legs are great for portability and only cost $15.00 at HD.

Our banquet legs are extra heavy duty (MADE IN OHIO) but they cost an extra $25.00 I don't think that you bought our legs.
If you did, they do come with lifetime guarantee for normal use.

Your post sounds like our plastic tracks and our recommended design is bad.
Yes, the plastic tracks slide but this is an easy fix by crimping them or using
few small screws on the tracks. ( many ways to go about it)
The goal of our DIY smart table kit is to provide an easy and affordable solution where the customer can use things that he already owns or easily find at the local big store. Banquet legs for $15.00 and few scraps plus the Smart table kit ( plastic tracks and hardware ) and you have an extendable table to support and cut large panels and not only.

Comparing the MFT to the smart table kit is wrong.
Not the same tools.

Our SPB on the other hand, ( SuperPowerBench) workbench
costs $1800.00 VS $600.00 ( MFT) and VS $60.00 (STK)
As you can see the MFT is 10 times the cost of the (STK)
and our SPB costs three times more than an MFT.



Thanks.

YCF Dino
Eurekazone.

[Matt Meiser]

I never said anything about the tracks sliding or not sliding, but now that you bring it up, that has been a complaint since day 1. 1/2 of them fall out when folding the table and 1/2 of them are very tight. What I don't like is that when I set a piece of plywood on top to make a flat work table, it slides around. There's very little contact area between that piece of plywood and the arms, which is nice when cutting up plywood, bad when you are trying to do other work on top. If I clamp the plywood to the rails, then I've got clamps sticking up.

And yes, it sagged, we've discussed that before. I added a reinforcing beam but that made it pretty heavy and I've always planned to start over on the design of the table itself. As Peter suggested, the smart top as an auxillary top would work great. Or I can build one of the multitude of cutting grids from scrap plywood.

The smart table doesn't meet my needs, plain and simple. I found that use the table more for non cutting purposes than cutting. I've probably only cut 30-40 sheets of plywood on it and 20-some of those were in the past 2 months. I need a heavy duty but portable work table that I can set something on top of for cutting when I need to break down a sheet of plywood. Those uses are probably part of the reason the legs on mine have started bending. Mine are also US-made BTW. But I spent 12 years in Catholic school and moved a lot of bingo tables. They all had bent legs.

I contacted your company about replacement tracks because I was trying to decide whether to fix this table, or go a different route. Since it doesn't meet my needs and needs a complete overhaul, why sink more money than I already have into it? The "old" MFT is on clearance for $300, BTW.


Anyway, back to my original post. Today I went to Costco to pick up something and wandered through the tool aisle. They have the Vika Twofold (http://www.vikausa.com/) work table/scaffold for $59.97. Its a "deleted item" which means when they're gone, they're gone. Its very sturdy, maybe moreso than my friend's MFT. Its got a somewhat smaller work surface, but the scaffold use will come in handy as well so I bought one. It gets decent reviews from what I can tell. I think I'm going to take off the 1/2" MDF top and replace that with 3/4" and cover over the area with the cheesy plastic tray too. I like the built-in power strip idea too. We'll see how that works in practice. It folds into a nice compact package and even has carrying handles. I really have no need for the guide capabilities of the MFT, and was thinking about a "basic" that didn't include them anyway.

[Neal Clayton]

Matt,
...

the fact that you still show up to try and advertise in the other forums here FOR FREE after your own was pulled for non payment doesn't lend alot of credibility to your pitch.

if you wanted to leave why not stay gone.

[Dino Makropoulos]

I never said anything about the tracks sliding or not sliding, but now that you bring it up, that has been a complaint since day 1. 1/2 of them fall out when folding the table and 1/2 of them are very tight.

Matt, I bring it up to inform others...
It can be easily sanded, screwed, cut and crimped.
The good thing about good plastic ( This one is Virgin ABS)
is that haves memory and it can take the abuse.
After 5 years and thousands of STK's we have no one return yet.



What I don't like is that when I set a piece of plywood on top to make a flat work table, it slides around. There's very little contact area between that piece of plywood and the arms, which is nice when cutting up plywood, bad when you are trying to do other work on top. If I clamp the plywood to the rails, then I've got clamps sticking up.

For other than cutting plywood work, You can remove the tracks?
Or, you can make another "Drop in" top?
Few ways to solve the "problem" for other work.
The main problem that the tool was design to solve was supporting large panels and eliminate the binding that results in kickbacks.



And yes, it sagged, we've discussed that before. I added a reinforcing beam but that made it pretty heavy and I've always planned to start over on the design of the table itself. As Peter suggested, the smart top as an auxillary top would work great. Or I can build one of the multitude of cutting grids from scrap plywood.

Few 1x4's can do the job. You don't need a beam.
I always believe that the best tools are the ones made by the user.
Post some pictures of your cutting grids. I like pictures.:cool:


The smart table doesn't meet my needs, plain and simple. I found that use the table more for non cutting purposes than cutting. I've probably only cut 30-40 sheets of plywood on it and 20-some of those were in the past 2 months. I need a heavy duty but portable work table that I can set something on top of for cutting when I need to break down a sheet of plywood. Those uses are probably part of the reason the legs on mine have started bending. Mine are also US-made BTW. But I spent 12 years in Catholic school and moved a lot of bingo tables. They all had bent legs.

I was worrying that our heavy duty legs started to going bad.
I have few tables and we use it for many-many different jobs.
I replaced the tops on two of them ( to many holes):rolleyes:
Actually, I just put a new top over the old ones. ( save on time and much stronger. I don't need the portability.

I contacted your company about replacement tracks because I was trying to decide whether to fix this table, or go a different route. Since it doesn't meet my needs and needs a complete overhaul, why sink more money than I already have into it? The "old" MFT is on clearance for $300, BTW.

Good idea. My price for the MFT come from the MFT-3.
My bad. At the $300.00 I may buy one.
The only problem is that I don't have an extra inch to spare.
Always running out of space.:confused:


Anyway, back to my original post. Today I went to Costco to pick up something and wandered through the tool aisle. They have the Vika Twofold (http://www.vikausa.com/) work table/scaffold for $59.97. Its a "deleted item" which means when they're gone, they're gone. Its very sturdy, maybe moreso than my friend's MFT. Its got a somewhat smaller work surface, but the scaffold use will come in handy as well so I bought one. It gets decent reviews from what I can tell. I think I'm going to take off the 1/2" MDF top and replace that with 3/4" and cover over the area with the cheesy plastic tray too. I like the built-in power strip idea too. We'll see how that works in practice. It folds into a nice compact package and even has carrying handles. I really have no need for the guide capabilities of the MFT, and was thinking about a "basic" that didn't include them anyway.

I looked into the Vika tables but I can't find one at my local Costco.
One advice here. Look and feel the tool. shake it, kick the tires, whatever
but don't read the reviews. Most reviews are a big hoax that forced the
US federal trade commissioners to pass new laws with $11.000.00 per incident for a fishy review. 90% of them are done by professional reviewers
that received free stuff in return of a "good" review.
If you see that any review by a "professional" reviewer, don't trust it.

Good choice. The Vika is a very nice setup and the price
is very-very good.
If I was to make that table, my cost was going to be double
than the selling price.

[Dino Makropoulos]

the fact that you still show up to try and advertise in the other forums here FOR FREE after your own was pulled for non payment doesn't lend alot of credibility to your pitch.

if you wanted to leave why not stay gone.

Neal,
I'm a member of this forum and I have the right to answer and post here.
The fact that things don't worked out between me and the owner of SMC
don't give you or anyone the right to attack my credibility.
To do that, All history and facts have to be taken into consideration....
and that is not YOUR business.

This is how far I'm willing to go with your post.
Anything more and I may give you the idea to start a petition.:eek:

If you see anything wrong with my postings, let the moderators know.
Don't attack me using something that is not your business.:confused:

[Matt Meiser]

One advice here. Look and feel the tool. shake it, kick the tires, whatever
but don't read the reviews.

I did--they have some braces that snap in to triangulate the leg and top and its very steady. I tried out the scaffold mode and I could make it slide on their smooth concrete floor but not significantly shake. I think it will work out well for my needs.

I read reviews more to determine reliability and construction rather than use. We are all different and what works for one won't for others.

[Paul Johnstone]

if you wanted to leave why not stay gone.

If you go into your user CP, you can put Dino on your ignore list if you don't want to read any more of his posts. That's the mature way to deal with someone that you don't want to read any more.

[Jeff Monson]

Matt,

I have a 1080 table and I do like it, I'm not really sure I would buy another one though. It depends on your primary use for it. I thought I would use mine for crosscutting and holding workpieces for sanding, etc.After using it for crosscutting I now prefer my crosscut sled for the tablesaw unless it is too wide, then I just use a festool rail and saw. As far as holding workpieces, I prefer a good workbench with dogs and vises. The mft works well for holding odd shapes and circles but anything else goes to my workbench.

I did convert my 1080, I removed the steel legs and built a rolling cabinet for the top to sit on, its very sturdy and heavy now and houses my tablesaw sleds, dovetail jig and a few power tools, it also serves as my outfeed table for the tablesaw.

[Frank Martin]

I had an MFT 1080 too and ended up selling it. I bought it for precise cross cuts, but learned that I had to check/adjust for square for every single cut, which defeated the purpose. So I went back to cutting on thick foam using the rail and adjusting for square manually. I am sure it is very useful for onsite work, where a solid workbench is not available though.

[Doug Mason]

I too bought one and ended up getting rid of it. In hindsight, the only reason I would buy one is if I were a contractor and took it to the job site.

[Dave Avery]

I had an MFT 1080 too and ended up selling it. I bought it for precise cross cuts, but learned that I had to check/adjust for square for every single cut, which defeated the purpose. So I went back to cutting on thick foam using the rail and adjusting for square manually. I am sure it is very useful for onsite work, where a solid workbench is not available though.

Yep...... Have one - haven't sold it yet, but it's - by far - my least favorite Festool purchase.....