My Custom Built Expandable MFT on Rolling Cart

[Bob Kalb]

Just finished my custom built mobile expandable MFT and thought I might share it with this forum

My shop shares a two bay garage with one car. One bay houses all the shop equipment, most on wheeled carts to allow ease of transition into various working configurations utilizing the second bay. Needless to say, space is at a premium & I find it necessary to constantly try to get 10 pounds of stuff into a 5 pound bag. Instead of purchasing two MFT's for maximum working surface I decided to build a custom MFT that would fit my needs. I am a hobbyist, so mobility out of the shop was not a requirement.
I wanted a unit that would be as compact as possible and still house my TS-55, CT Midi DustCollector, MFT accessories, custom accessories, guide rail components, and other MFT usable tools. I also wanted a rest platform for the TS-55 between cuts, vac hose & power cord management and fold away in-feed /out-feed extensions that would expand the working surface to that of two MFT's side by side.

Converting the unit from storage mode to full expanded size with all components in place takes less than ten minutes.
Hope you find it interesting.

1 MFTC.jpg
Unit in designated shop storage location

15 MFTC.jpg
Unit in full expanded mode

For 17 detailed views of this Custom MFT please view my album "Custom Built Expandable MFT Mobile Cart" in the album section.

[glenn bradley]

Nicely don Bob. Thanks for taking the time to post all the pics.

[Dick Mahany]

Beautifully executed, and what a space saver. Clever design!

[Rick Potter]

Pardon my ignorance, but where is there an 'album section'?

Rick Potter

[David Wong]

Bob,
That cart is fantastically well thought out. I love the flush fitting extension wings, and the articulating support for the wings. Very clever!

Did you construct this with your ts55 or did you need a table saw? Also, can you say how you created the MFT top?

Rick,
Look in Bob's profile for his album.

[Bob Kalb]

Bob,
That cart is fantastically well thought out. I love the flush fitting extension wings, and the articulating support for the wings. Very clever!

Did you construct this with your ts55 or did you need a table saw? Also, can you say how you created the MFT top?

Rick,
Look in Bob's profile for his album.

David
The top section was built first using my table saw & router table to fabricate the frame assembly that I then mounted a Festool MFT/3 replacement top into, added 1-1/2" PVC legs & T-track. That allowed me to add Festool components to complete the MFT portion of the unit.
Then using my TS-55 to rip sheet goods & the newly minted MFT for crosscutting panels I was on my way.
Using the Festool replacement top as a master template I produced a wing template out of 1/4" mdf to use to fabricate both wings. This resulted in a spot on hole grid that matches the Festool grid.

[Michael Mayo]

Pardon my ignorance, but where is there an 'album section'?

Rick Potter

Click on the OP's name and go to his profile and you can see the album.

[Rick Potter]

Bob,

That is an outstanding table setup. A lot of thought there.


David and Michael,

Thanks for the help. I have never seen that done before.

Rick P

[Eric DeSilva]

Bob,
That cart is fantastically well thought out.

"Well thought out"--took the words out of my mouth. I esp. like the variable height support for clamping things in a vertical orientation.

Did you use standard T-Track or some kind of 8020 extrusion for the sides?

[Bob Kalb]

The track was Lee Valley 48" with 5/16" T-slot. Cat# 12K79.38

[Jay Park]

David
That allowed me to add Festool components to complete the MFT portion of the unit.

How did you order the MFT components from Festool. Wasn't aware they sold those indivually

Thank Jay

[Bob Kalb]

Link for ordering parts - http://www.festoolusa.com/service/sp...g/default.aspx

I was fortunate to find a Festool #494071 MFT 1080 Hardware Kit on e-Bay which provided me with all components to upgrade a basic MFT 1080 ( a basic 1080 is just the frame profiles, legs & top). However, they are no longer stocked by Festool USA & are very hard to find. You would have to go to above link and using e-kat (the online parts catalog), list all individual parts from the MFT 1080 parts diagram & then order them. I picked up the 494071 for $87 on e-Bay, it originally listed for $115 from Festool. Of course buying individual parts will come at a premium.

[Wakahisa Shinta]

Bob, excellent work. You should sell plans for this.

[Keith Hankins]

Excellent work.

[Dave Zellers]

I'm sorry but you have exceeded the number of clever ideas that are allowed in a single project.

You're going to have to remove the variable placement horizontal support.