Building the MFT cutting station

Over the last couple of weeks I have completed the cutting station.

This measures 7 feet long x 4 feet wide x 38 inches high. (213cm x 122cm x 97cm)

Due to the Covid 19 lockdown I have had no access to new materials, so have built this out of relaimed timber and sheet goods that I had to hand, comprising 9mm ply and 18mm mealmine faced chipboard and an assortment of 3 inch x 1.5 inch (85mm x 35mm) CLS, in three, five and seven foot lengths, that I recovered some years ago during a shop refit.

Here are some photos of how it all came together.

The space as it was!

With the Toughbuilt C650 saw horses level the table saw supports go in

Building raised supports for the MFT with the 3" x 1.5" CLS timber 

The MFT top in situ with full length tool compartments lined with 9mm ply

Building the out feed and router tables

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The finished cutting station with a removable panel for the router plate (to be fitted at a later date

Working at home under lockdown restrictions.

I recently started converting part of our 200 year old cottage into a new workshop

The pitch pine floors in this part of the building are the originals, but due to poor ventilation, damp and water ingress, they are in poor shape and so two months ago I began the process of replacing these with engineered tongue and groove chipboard laid over pressure treated joists with K Span insulation.

Old floor removed and earth floor showing

I decided to divide the floor in two, rip out one section, whilst leaving the better side for sizing and cutting the new timber and storing materials. As it turned out this was a good idea, as after removing the old timbers and preparing the floor for the new, the arthritis in my spine became particularly painful and I had to take a break for several weeks..

With limited space, I had had the new timber for the side I was working on delivered and stacked ready. I was hoping to do all this over a two week period and have it completed by mid February. I let the supplier know about my new schedule and so we decided to postpone delivery of the remaining timbers and floor panels until the beginning of April.

Well now it's April and my back is strong again, but the whole of the UK is in lockdown to try and reduce the impact of Covid 19 Pandemic on the NHS and my supplier like all the other builders merchants are closed!

Had things worked out, but do they ever? I would now be in my new 17 x 15 workshop with level floors and all my machines on casters. As it is, the 8 x 7 space I was using as a temporary cutting area will for the foreseeable future have to serve as my full time workshop.