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  1. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bernmc View Post
    ......

    Easy enough to add T-tracks in the future if you're building your own, or even routing t-slots in hardwood.

    Attachment 482411

    Nice, Bern, looks good.

    You could also use an aluminium extrusion.

    Aluminium T Track.jpg

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  3. #47
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    Ah right. I do have some surplus T-Track floating around so I can give that a go.

    Mind you, without having thought hard enough about this, given the holes are evenly spaced, couldn't you arrive at most mitre angles with bench dogs?

    And there seem to be clamps that purchase in the dog holes - is this fussier than the T-Track?

  4. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    ..... given the holes are evenly spaced, couldn't you arrive at most mitre angles with bench dogs?...
    I doubt that the MDF in the MFT top is thick enough or hard enough for bench dogs to work well, snafuspyramid.

    .... And there seem to be clamps that purchase in the dog holes - is this fussier than the T-Track?
    That's what I do. I just use Quick Grip clamps through the dog holes - works very well.

    But the advantage of T-Track is that it is infinitely and minutely adjustable. My dog holes are on 101.6mm centres, only. (aka 4")

  5. #49
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    The bench dogs would not bear any weight; they would just serve as a reference against which the workpiece is registered for the cut. Vertical clamping force would applied using the Bessy or Quick Grip clamps (which is a great idea). So does the strength of the worktop matter?

    I take your point about infinite adjustability - anything much harder than 45 or 90 degrees would otherwise need to be done with measuring and marking the old fashioned way I suppose. How do angles work with the T-Track?

  6. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by GraemeCook View Post
    We have a different philosophy on this point, MM.

    While I accept that initial oversizing was a very valid technique when the best available tool was a hand saw or a hand held and hand guided circular saw, I suggest that the world has moved on.

    A prime reason for using a track saw is that it can cut straight and accurate every time. Why not use this feature?
    You're right, of course. Sometimes I do - often times, there's wastage on the sheet anyway, so if some of the edges on the piece are factory edges after planning the break-down of a sheet, I will intentionally oversize so I can put them through the table saw and get other edges nice as well.

    For sure if I can get a sheet breaking down to perfectly sized parts, I'll do my best... but the table saw has an Incra positioner on it, and that means it's accurate to 0.1mm... and whilst I may try, I can't get a track saw that accurate. And yes, I do realise in most things 0.1mm isn't a required level of accuracy...

    Plus there's a bit of cavalier approach in there too - whilst I will always steer to accuracy wherever possible, sometimes it's nice not to have to sweat the small stuff, y'know?

  7. #51
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    Ah right. I do have some surplus T-Track floating around so I can give that a go.

    Mind you, without having thought hard enough about this, given the holes are evenly spaced, couldn't you arrive at most mitre angles with bench dogs?

    And there seem to be clamps that purchase in the dog holes - is this fussier than the T-Track?
    The tracks just add a bit of versatility, particularly if you need to work with thinner stock - like milling domino's into edges.
    If your tops are 15-18mm MDF thick, and the dog holes are milled accurately, then bench dogs will be rock solid and extremely accurate for holding and setup.

    Examples:

    Screen Shot 2020-10-07 at 19.15.53.jpg

    One of my benches under construction - UJK parf guide in action. The dog holes are tighter than a camel's 4rse in a sandstorm.

    bech parf guide.jpg

    If you have a look on youtube for Peter Parfitt's New Brit Workshop videos, there are plenty of examples of using the MFT-type top with dogs for very accurate cutting

  8. #52
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    True. Also, I got it wrong originally. The fabrication is only $130.

    Plus the cost of MDF or HDD which isn't much.

    So assuming it's accurate that's a pretty good deal
    I reckon it’s a bargain. Were the dimensions the same as the Festool one?

  9. #53
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    Quote Originally Posted by jack620 View Post
    I reckon it’s a bargain. Were the dimensions the same as the Festool one?
    Not sure. Seneca Woodworks provides the plans free of charge in PDF and DXF formats:

    Replacement MFT Top CAD Drawings – Seneca Woodworking

  10. #54
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    718 x 1102. Same as the Festool one.

    would you mind sharing the name of the CNC company please?

  11. #55
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    ... I take your point about infinite adjustability - anything much harder than 45 or 90 degrees would otherwise need to be done with measuring and marking the old fashioned way I suppose. How do angles work with the T-Track?

    The answer is shown in the first photo in Bernmc's Post #44 above.

  12. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by jack620 View Post
    718 x 1102. Same as the Festool one.

    would you mind sharing the name of the CNC company please?
    AusWide CNC in Bayswater. Helpfully, it's close to Allboards Bayswater, which sells moisture resistant MDF (MRMDF) - albeit it costs more than twice as much as the regular Bunnings MDF since they charge so much for cutting.

    I'll let you know how I go. Or I can get an extra one cut at the same time as mine (from the same sheet) if that's cheaper and you can pay the difference and pick it up from my place, assuming we ever get out of lockdown.

  13. #57
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    I've given some further thought to the protractor issue. I do have a few complex angles on the upcoming jobs but don't want to spend hundreds on a tool I'll use once in a blue moon as a renovator / hobbyist.

    I reason I could use a bit of T-Track with a rail dog in one end (as a pivot) plus a bit of trigonometry (courtesy of Google) to mark up the table top itself with protractor marks.

    EDIT: SketchUp would be a quicker way to work out where the marks should go, without needing to think about maths at all (and it's free).

    Given the size of the table, you're working with a pretty large triangle and marking to even 0.5mm accuracy should result in an extremely accurate angle.

    Will that work? I reason it will take 30 minutes or so.

  14. #58
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    Quote Originally Posted by snafuspyramid View Post
    Or I can get an extra one cut at the same time as mine (from the same sheet) if that's cheaper and you can pay the difference and pick it up from my place, assuming we ever get out of lockdown.
    That sounds good. I still don't know what I will do with it. I think I would just use it to make a torsion box style clamping table for picture frames and small boxes. It would sit on saw horses when needed. It would hang on the wall when not in use.

    If you go ahead with the order please PM me and we can sort out payment/collection.

  15. #59
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    Thanks Jack, I'll get in touch once it's done in a week or so. Separately, I have been following up an earlier forum member's recommendation of the Bora Centipede as a support for the MFT top and notice they now sell their own MFT style tops for $90 (at Carbatec anyway). The CNC shop option will still work out quite a bit cheaper for multiple tops since they'll cut additional items for free but this would also work.

  16. #60
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    Forgive me, as I haven't read every post in this thread to refresh my memory.

    Whilst I recognise you have an ability to get an MFT top at what amounts to a pretty decent price, have you considered buying a PARF guide system with which to make your own?

    Initially more expensive, no doubt. Over time, as you need to replace the top, it becomes cheaper. It also means you aren't dependent on others in terms of price, availability or quality in order to obtain another - with a PARF system, one can literally whip up a new top, with a custom hole pattern of their choice in very short order.

    UJK Technology Parf Guide System Mk2 | Carbatec - very occasionally, these come up here second hand.

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