Thread: CNC service in Sydney to make a MFT style table top?

If you fancy a trip up to Newcastle I'll do one for you. Best to turn up with whatever dogs you plan on using so we can get the holes an exact diameter to suit.

If you can't take up Bernard's kind offer you can make your own with no jigs

Amazing offer, thanks Bernard. I'll get in touch by PM.

Just buy a power drill and suitable drill bit, if you are building a bench I'm sure you already have a tape measure pencil and square

CNC or parf guides are out there because there are two issues with making fe$tool-style tops without:
Accuracy - you've got to be a pretty decent woodworker to get that grid of holes drilled exactly square (if you're going to use the top as an accurate cut station)
Dog fit - I tried a number of drill and router bits, and none were a good, tight fit for the dogs. And if you're not drilling perfectly perpendicular to the surface, you've introduced another source of error.

If all you're doing is using the holes for clamping or holding, then you can afford to be a lot less accurate. If you have a router/template ring/20mm bit, then something like Timothy Wilmot's basic jig is very quick: system workshop: workbench construction part 2 - YouTube

Originally Posted by China

Just buy a power drill and suitable drill bit, if you are building a bench I'm sure you already have a tape measure pencil and square

Having used a Parf guide to lay out a couple of tops, I would have thought that this method might not be accurate enough if the intended use of the top is to be able to cut accurately at 90 degrees, or other angles?

I would imagine the 20mm holes would really need to be dead-on, or you'd be introducing a level of inaccuracy.

If you're not relying in the holes to be perfectly accurate for cutting angles, and are simply using them for stop/work holding purposes, then probably no issue.