Today in the shop (shopsmith MFT V2)

[reible]

I've not seen a 3/4" hole table pre-made, doesn't mean there isn't one just that I have not seen it.

Why 3/4" holes? If you have existing stuff I guess it makes sense but other wise I would check out the 20mm as there is an extensive amount of things designed for it world wide.

My tops on my workmate are looking a little worn so I have even thought about redoing them with the 20mm but then the stuff I have for them would also need to be replaced so I can understand the reason for not going to 20 mm.

Ed

[berry]

I've not seen a 3/4" hole table pre-made, doesn't mean there isn't one just that I have not seen it.

Why 3/4" holes? If you have existing stuff I guess it makes sense but other wise I would check out the 20mm as there is an extensive amount of things designed for it world wide.

My tops on my workmate are looking a little worn so I have even thought about redoing them with the 20mm but then the stuff I have for them would also need to be replaced so I can understand the reason for not going to 20 mm.

Ed

The main reason for the 3/4" is that it will work with Rocklers Risers and Bench Cookies. I'm trying to follow Stanton use of a mft.

[reible]

I use the bench dogs on my MFT. If you need to secure them it is just getting a knob with the 1/4-20 and a washer if needed. 3/4" is smaller then 20mm so so they fit but loose, add the knob and it doesn't move.

For the risers I got the t-track risers and use a 3/4" collet set so the cookie pulls it tight. If you want I will shoot a couple of pictures tomorrow.

I've also seen adapters in fact I almost ordered some, they were like 30 cents each which sounded to good to be true and it was.... postage was $20 for the $3 parts. If you needed a lot of them it might be worth it but.....

Ed

[berry]

That would be excellent, no rush. I'm off to a wake and funeral in Chicago this weekend. So I won't be around.

[reible]

Take a look here for using rockler risers on mft type tops:

https://www.shopsmith.com/ss_forum/wood ... 22149.html

Ed

[reible]

Yesterday I got a little shop time since it had warmed up enough to work without adding heat. So progress has been slow finishing this up and it may be spring before it sees any action.

To catch you up, the idea is to use the 5 foot tubes and have this clip on to those. The last time I made something like this I had no problem finding the clips, this time it was no so easy. Those clips which I had used don't seem to be in the local big box stores anymore.

I did find some clips which are designed to mount to pegboard so that is what I went with. I've not used these before so I hope they work well enough. The first task is to get the pegboard clip portion off, so to the drill press to take care of that. The rivet is gone and the clip that I need is left.

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The hole from where the rivet had been is now used to mount the clip.

IMG_8648sc.jpg (155.39 KiB) Viewed 19146 times

This next bit is a stop to regulate how deep the tubes can go. Not sure if I needed it but I added it any how.

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Now if I measured everything right this should just pop on and off the extension tubes....... But I can't really play with it now so one day in the spring when the temperatures allow I'll test it.

BTW those cross strips the clips mount on are held to the top with brass screws that are recessed. I don't think it is a problem but being they are now brass the saw blade or router bit or what ever tool might hit them will not get damaged by them.

IMG_8652sc.jpg (295.37 KiB) Viewed 19146 times

So see you in the spring when we find out if I got it right or not.....

Ed

[sehast]

I have Peter's first version of the jig. The second version looks to be lot better but I will not invest in that. It is a slow process and while it gets the job done well you really need to be making several tops to make it cost effective.

If you have a MFT/3 it is indeed a good idea to just invest in a new top since the material is better then the MDF you get at the box stores. What may not be obvious is that top can possibly be rotated and certainly be turned over to extend the life. If and when I get to the point of needing a new one I will more then likely order one rather then make my own unless I find a source for the material.

Now I have the woodpecker jig, the SO and a set of dogs I had made up which uses the old MFT for hole locations. All of these work well with smaller tops and the SO so far seems to be accurate enough for a base which can use the holes for location and square cutting.

There are drawings and even cnc files out there that would allow you to go to a shop and have your own made up but I have no idea how much that would cost you. I've read that a "one of" might be more expensive so people will have at least a pair made to reduce the cost of each. But if you go custom sixe or shape then you may have to go another path.

Ed

Ed,

I plan to make a MFT top and was wondering if after using yours for a while you think the SO adequately placed the holes over the full 4 feet grid for most operations.

Thanks,

Steve

[reible]

I have no way of checking measurements over that long a span with the accuracy needed to see just how far off the holes would be. Over the shorter distances the SO does well, but where the ends I don't know. I think the general opinion is that it will be off too much to be useful.

At some point I'd like to come up with a test of the hole spacing maybe using the MFT top and dogs in the SO made table to see where the hole no long align but so far have not done that. If I get some time this coming couple of weeks that would be an interesting check. Not sure that can happen as I have a lot of other stuff going on and soon winter will be here and that would be a much more difficult experiment then.

BTW I really need to get some new pictures of the setup the way it is now. I no longer use the screws in the top but rather the holes are used for mounting which allows more options of where this mounts on the shopsmith. It has been a very busy year and it hard to keep up with all that is going on much less posting projects and the like.

Ed

[sehast]

Thanks Ed. I think I am going to press on using the SO and see how it works out. My grid size is going to be about 45" x 30". That is too big to get on my traditional CNC so unless I want to manually drill 35 holes I have no other option. I have decided to double the hole spacing to 192 mm from 96 mm to make things a little easier. I don't know that I will be using the holes for anything besides clamping anyway because of the of the aids I have purchased from a company called TSO. They make guide rail squares and a parallel guide system that attaches to the Festool guide rail. I have found the accuracy and ease of use of these tools to be excellent. Just like anything that is associated with Festool they cost a fortune but so far I think they are worth it.

https://tsoproducts.com/tso-parallel-gu ... de-system/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmNyPvsfSCo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQIrcclxqMU&t=19s

[Ed in Tampa]

Ed Reible I am always fascinated with you ideas, I admire your work and I appreciate your excellent photography, and I realize the amount of work I am asking of you. That said I would love to see your various setups for work tables that you use. I know many are scattered all through the forums but truthful as I examine them through the threads I get distracted by the all info and lose sense of what I was originally doing.

So if you would be so kind to arrange them in one forum thread including your centipedes and how you use them, you MFT type work surfaces and how you use them and the ones you have that attach to Shopsmith and SPTs I would greatly appreciate it and I believe many others on the forum would too.

A million thanks in advance.
Ed