Author Topic: Upgrading from 3x MFTs to 2x Dashboard PWS (Read 6155 times)

mattbyington · « **on:** December 29, 2021, 11:54 PM »

Team,

I have been working with Rob at Dashboard PWS for a few months. We've been designing 2 of his tables to replace my 3 MFTs.

I plan to write more about what I believe to be the benefits, but let me say that so far I am loving it.

Some pictures below - I'll try to answer questions. They're bolted together, and bolted to the workbench at the 4 corners with threaded inserts.

Rob has been nothing short of fantastic. I would highly recommend checking him out.

The feet are all custom, we worked together and I order stuff from 80/20 and he fabricated some brackets for me, etc.

Normally his benches have legs on them but of course I was putting these on my existing workbench.

I like how continuous it is compared to the 3 MFTs and I am excited to use the hole pattern to square things up which I could never do with 3 MFTs since it's next to impossible to get it all aligned.

Matt

Upgrading from 3x MFTs to 2x Dashboard PWS

mattbyington · « **Reply #1 on:** December 29, 2021, 11:55 PM »

mattbyington · « **Reply #2 on:** December 29, 2021, 11:56 PM »

mattbyington · « **Reply #3 on:** December 29, 2021, 11:56 PM »

neilc · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2021, 12:04 AM »

Very nice upgrade!

Svar · « **Reply #5 on:** December 30, 2021, 12:12 AM »

I wonder what is the advantage of using custom Dashboard frame over same thing made of 8020 or Bosch-Rexroth, etc.? It's probably lighter, but less rigid and fewer stock hardware and accessories.

MrToolJunkie · « **Reply #6 on:** December 30, 2021, 01:38 AM »

Awesome! Rob is great to work with and they make quality stuff.

Crazyraceguy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 30, 2021, 06:02 AM »

That is a good looking set-up. I especially like the end trays for the clamping elements.

MikeGE · « **Reply #8 on:** December 30, 2021, 08:17 AM »

Great job, Matt! I can't tell from the photos, but does the 96mm dog hole spacing continue across the joined tables, with a 192mm center to center gap at the joint?

squall_line · « **Reply #9 on:** December 30, 2021, 09:46 AM »

Quote from: Svar on December 30, 2021, 12:12 AM

I wonder what is the advantage of using custom Dashboard frame over same thing made of 8020 or Bosch-Rexroth, etc.? It's probably lighter, but less rigid and fewer stock hardware and accessories.

Less guesswork, likely.

In some ways, it's the same, just with the engineering expertise of Rob and Dashboard PWS doing the heavy lifting of figuring out the design.

Plus he got to work directly with Rob and help out a small business owner, which seems like a pretty decent way to spend one's time.

Very cool, Matt! You should have gotten him to screen print some sawdust onto the top so we could stop giving you a hard time about the cleanliness of your shop!

Cheese · « **Reply #10 on:** December 30, 2021, 10:42 AM »

Quote from: squall_line on December 30, 2021, 09:46 AM

Matt, You should have gotten him to screen print some sawdust onto the top so we could stop giving you a hard time about the cleanliness of your shop!

Now that's funny...

It looks good Matt, a very nice upgrade for how you use the table. I like the clamp trays on the ends and the black cutting strip. What's the hose on the end of the table that's attached to the brush used for...it seems like it has a very defined purpose?

vkumar · « **Reply #11 on:** December 30, 2021, 11:47 AM »

Very nice job Matt. Well executed. Will have to stop by one of these days when this pandemic abates and admire your work.

Vijay

p.s if you want to sell one or more of your MFTs please let me know.

mattbyington · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2022, 07:39 PM »

@neilc thanks!

@Svar you could totally make your own, too. I think the benefits are:

1) It's a well thought-out design with accessories that Rob sells that work extremely well with it
2) It supports a small business who really cares about woodworkers
3) Rob is a great guy and worked with me on making custom components to fit my existing bench
4) You'd benefit from future accessories or innovations that Rob does

All of the standard Festool clamps, dogs etc etc work perfectly in it.

@MrToolJunkie yeah!

@Crazyraceguy thanks!!

@MikeGE that's a great questions. I'm not sure. I'll try to measure it when I get down to the shop for you. I suspect that the distance between the dogs from bench to bench isn't the same as it is within one bench.

@squall_line yeah I think you're spot on with your answer there. Hahahah. thanks. I swear I do have sawdust like everyone else, I just clean it up!

@Cheese thanks man! Sort of yes and no. It's honestly just a walnut dowel that I have screwed onto a 90 degree bracket from 8020. It literally just holds the 1 ft. section of 27mm hose for me so it isn't sitting on the bench. I use that short piece with my sander and domino, and the 36mm on the boom arm for the track saw and router.

@vkumar thanks man! I gave the 3 MFTs to a great for free. Sorry!

Matt

neilc · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2022, 07:51 PM »

Matt - what’s the green tray holding the clamps and other items. Do you have a source?

Crazyraceguy · « **Reply #14 on:** January 02, 2022, 08:19 PM »

Quote from: mattbyington on January 02, 2022, 07:39 PM

@MikeGE that's a great questions. I'm not sure. I'll try to measure it when I get down to the shop for you. I suspect that the distance between the dogs from bench to bench isn't the same as it is within one bench.

Matt

Unless that was a specific goal, it's not likely. You would even have to be pretty careful to line them up the other direction, when attaching the tables together.

mattbyington · « **Reply #15 on:** January 02, 2022, 08:44 PM »

@neilc check out RabTools on Etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=rabtools&ref=auto-1

@Crazyraceguy I also don't think it matters, right? IMHO it doesn't need to be 96... basically as long as the grid is still square, I can still square off of it.

Matt

tsmi243 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 03, 2022, 08:44 AM »

Hey Matt- What am I seeing on the vacuum brush underneath? Is that a vacuum wand with the green sleeve on it, or an optical illusion?

Either way, I was already jealous of your triple setup- now I'm jealous of THIS thing.

Let's see if Bent upgrades his, now!

Crazyraceguy · « **Reply #17 on:** January 03, 2022, 09:56 AM »

Quote from: mattbyington on January 02, 2022, 08:44 PM

@neilc check out RabTools on Etsy!

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=rabtools&ref=auto-1

@Crazyraceguy I also don't think it matters, right? IMHO it doesn't need to be 96... basically as long as the grid is still square, I can still square off of it.

Matt

No, I don't think it matters at all. The grid you have in each side is plenty long enough to register from.

mattbyington · « **Reply #18 on:** January 03, 2022, 02:16 PM »

@tsmi243 hey there! It's just the standard Festool vacuum brush attached to a 1 foot section of 27mm hose.

Thanks! I did text Jason and let him know already, in case he had questions or wanted to replicate it!

@Crazyraceguy yeah exactly my thought!

Matt

John Russell · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2022, 08:10 AM »

Impressively large table that looks as if it has versatility. Rob has made a well thought out system that is impressive. I'm hoping he makes a different size table in the future since I work more with lumber than sheet goods. I'm curious about the metal base that the tops rest on. Can you share your sourcing for that metal base for those of us thinking of making a table?

dashboardpws · « **Reply #20 on:** January 13, 2022, 08:40 PM »

Since it's come up, we will unveil a smaller Dash-Board® soon. The new model will work with all our accessories and users will be able to connect them to each other and to the original.

John Russell · « **Reply #21 on:** January 13, 2022, 09:39 PM »

Good to know, I think an alternative table will appeal to another audience and allow the use of your other system components in a different size table. I see the Dashboard accessories as a move toward a less frustrating work flow that is built with quality components. I haven't yet ordered my fence and track Stars, but I think Matt's application shows the promise of alternative ways of using multifunction tops and accessories.

When I first discovered Festool in the early 2000's it was a breath of fresh air, a way of working that just made time in the shop easier and more fun, which for me is what it is about. I am a hobbyist and I don't depend on my tools to earn a living, but I enjoy well-made, well-thought out tools that help me to enjoy time in the shop. After watching probably every yourTube video Rob has produced that is how I fell about the Dashboard products: for me the concepts just click and I see it as workflow that makes my time in the shop more enjoyable. Matts adaptation of the Dashboard top and accessories is inspiring and I look forward to seeing more of how it gets used.

Thanks for the sneak peak about the future product...............

Rjk75 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2022, 12:44 AM »

Quote from: dashboardpws on January 13, 2022, 08:40 PM

Since it's come up, we will unveil a smaller Dash-Board® soon. The new model will work with all our accessories and users will be able to connect them to each other and to the original.

Rob what will be roughly the price difference between two smaller sizes versus the single larger size thinking about easy of storing and lighter to move two half’s. Thanks!

Robert

dashboardpws · « **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2022, 08:52 AM »

I'm reluctant to steal any more of Matt's well-deserved thunder here and imagine our hosts might not appreciate it, so if anyone has interest in the latest from dashboardpws.com please contact me directly via the site or rob@dashboardpws.com. Thanks!

greg mann · « **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2022, 10:34 AM »

Quote from: dashboardpws on January 14, 2022, 08:52 AM

I'm reluctant to steal any more of Matt's well-deserved thunder here and imagine our hosts might not appreciate it, so if anyone has interest in the latest from dashboardpws.com please contact me directly via the site or rob@dashboardpws.com. Thanks!

I respect your perspective as a third party in the Festool environment. That said, Festool may sell a few less MFTs because of your alternative but the overall impact is more awareness of the Festool way of working. More saws, dust collectors, rails and such will be sold as folks become more aware of their advantages.

My thoughts: People think Henry Ford was a genius but he didn’t think to build the Mustang or the F150 first.

afish · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2022, 11:32 AM »

Quote from: greg mann on January 14, 2022, 10:34 AM

Quote from: dashboardpws on January 14, 2022, 08:52 AM
I'm reluctant to steal any more of Matt's well-deserved thunder here and imagine our hosts might not appreciate it, so if anyone has interest in the latest from dashboardpws.com please contact me directly via the site or rob@dashboardpws.com. Thanks!

I respect your perspective as a third party in the Festool environment. That said, Festool may sell a few less MFTs because of your alternative but the overall impact is more awareness of the Festool way of working. More saws, dust collectors, rails and such will be sold as folks become more aware of their advantages.

My thoughts: People think Henry Ford was a genius but he didn’t think to build the Mustang or the F150 first.

Competition is always good for the consumer, If Festool is worried about you or your products they are free to innovate and improve on their short comings. Festool makes some great stuff but they also offer a few stinkers and could be made better or improved.

fritter63 · « **Reply #26 on:** January 17, 2022, 10:16 PM »

Very nice setup. Where was all this innovation 30 years ago when I spent thousands on large table saws and sliding tables?