MFT type table vs 3 hp Saw Stop with 52" fence

[Nick Drake]

I have a torsion box type outfeed table (ala Paulk) with the 20mm dog holes that I made using the parf guide. I made a cross cut jig by drilling holes in some 1/2" scrap ply, drops into holes on the outfeed table. That allows you to have a zero clearance kerf and not cuts in your table, but more importantly it lets me located the track out past 3' to extend the width of my bench.
On the long piece I used an incra track as a stop block. The main reason being that with it's V shaped teeth I can drop right back in to the EXACT same measurement every time. If you ever mess up a piece later on down the process it's very easy to duplicate.

I was making some bookshelves and routing a dado instead of doing shelf pins (built in furniture look). The jig with the incra track worked great for this. I set up my router to run on a track, noted down the measurements I had used on the incra track for the first piece. For all the following ones I could drop the stop block in exactly the same spot, all panels came out dead on identical dados. No need to route prior to cutting the side panels and it allowed me to nest cuts on the sheet to get more yield.


For me with a very small shop currently going with a smaller TS fence and this cross cut jig really is the best of both worlds.

[Dan Rude]

There is a current alternative to a MFT. Bora has a Fold-n-Half top for the Centipede Saw Horse with either 20mm or 3/4" dog holes. https://www.homedepot.com/p/BORA-Cen...K22T/314105613. ACME Tools has the 20mm https://www.acmetools.com/shop/tools/bora-ck22t. Dan

[tim walker]

Bit the bullet and ordered the Park MK 2 system.

[Jon Kenton]

My shop is only 14x24 so my outfeed table is also my track saw cutting station and also my bench and assembly table. The top is two separated layers, Ron Paulk style. Each is 3/4 plywood. The holes are 20mm made with a special router base and pegboard. They are not completely accurate. For crosscuts I clamp a fence with a stop to the edge of the table. The fence has a screw I use to square it. The table is 3x7 feet. My SawStop is the 36 inch PCS with 1.75hp.

There are several ways to do repeat cuts. There is a good youtube I saw on the FOG of a guy who cuts cabinet parts using blocks that index off the dog holes. Seems like a good system if you want to cut the same size a lot. I use what I call track positioning guides that have an adjustable stop with an adjustable hairline pointer and stick on rule to put the track where I want it. So I move the stop of the guide, position one end of the rail, position the other, and then check the first one again. I clamp when possible and get really accurate cuts. There are also parallel guides that position both edges of the rail at the same time. I have some but I find the simpler positioning guide handier. The short version is you need to make or buy some sort of jig to do repeat cuts.

I do not think a MFT is a good buy for use in the shop. Maybe if you do a lot of work outside your shop. But I would look at Ron Paulk's workbenches and view youtubes of cross cutting with dogs instead of the MFT system. I saw one where a guy sold off his MFT crosscut fence because he liked dogs better. If you are going to use dogs, all you need is a holey top to your bench. The holes are also very useful to clamp workpieces to the bench for sanding, cutting domino mortises, etc..

Hi Jim,
I just read this post and my situation is nearly identical to yours. My shop is a tad smaller than yours and I will be getting a new 36 inch sawstop pcs next week. I am noodling on a solution for outfeed/bench/assembly/tracksaw and it looks like you have a solution that works for you. I would be very interested to learn more about your experience.

Thanks in advance

Jon

[Joe Hendershott]

Bit the bullet and ordered the Park MK 2 system.

I think you won't regret the Parf system. Some great videos by Peter to reference from. While I do not use my MFT with a Sawstop I do use it everyday to clamp items to while performing all kinds of tasks. The rails on the sides are great for clamping things vertically.

The initial pain of laying out a bunch of money for a great tool fades soon after as you see the value and the pleasure of using something well engineered and well thought out. The resale value is also very high if you decide you want to sell.

[Bill Dufour]

Never seen one in person. Is there any reason a MFT table can not be leaned against a wall like a panel saw? Or mounted on a cart in the same orientation?
Bill D

[Christopher Glanton]

Hi Jim,
I just read this post and my situation is nearly identical to yours. My shop is a tad smaller than yours and I will be getting a new 36 inch sawstop pcs next week. I am noodling on a solution for outfeed/bench/assembly/tracksaw and it looks like you have a solution that works for you. I would be very interested to learn more about your experience.

Thanks in advance

Jon

Ditto. My Sawstop PCS just got delivered a few days ago. I too plan on making dog holes on my outfeed table using Woodpeckers Hole Boring Jig. So many options

[Thomas Pender]

I have the Sawstop PCS 3HP with the 52” fence and the MFT. Use them both. Find cutting 45 degree angles on the Festool is a breeze and they are precise. (You can also sneak up on perfect cuts.). Also and maybe this is heresy, to me the Festool makes better repeatable cuts for cross cutting, cross cut sled or not. But the the Sawstop is the best ripper (super precise fence) and boy is it wonderful for plywood and squaring things up and my dado there is also wonderful. Only thing I am contemplating now is buy the EQ 75. Sometimes I like to cut thick stuff. Alternatively, perhaps the Kapex. I think we are ever so lucky to have these tools like these and others, like the Noden Adjusta Bench, the Rotex or the Bosch 6” two function, inexpensive planers like the Dewalt 735, the helix head jointers Grizzly sells, and the whole line of Veritas bevel up planes. irony is how Festool bought Sawstop once its patent stood up.