foldable sheet cutting table

[Tony Baideme]

Hi people,

Somewhere, I don't recall where, I saw a thread about a foldable table used for supporting sheet material to be cut down with a circular saw. It can be placed on saw horses or a bench. Maybe even on the floor.

Can anyone remember that, or direct me to where I can find this? I remember seeing pictures of one being built and being used, but searches have gotten me nowhere so far. Even one good picture might help a lot.

Thanks in advance. I need to get one of these built soon and I can't recall the design.

Aloha, Tony

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Eurekazone sells what they call a Smart Table, it's cheap and incredibly useful, Ask anyone who has one. I do. They have a forum on this site, check it out.

109439


http://www.eurekazone.com/products/detail/smarttable.html

[Tony Baideme]

Thanks Paul,

That's the design, but the one I remember was homemade. This sure helps.

Aloha, Tony

[Dan Clark]

Gary Katz made one based on the Eureka table, but uses higher quality components (according to Gary): http://www.garymkatz.com/ChartsDrawings/assembly_table.html. You can also download a Sketchup file of the table.

Here's another that is similar and somewhat more innovative: http://www.garymkatz.com/ChartsDrawings/tom-c_assembly-table.htm.

Regards,

Dan.

[michael osadchuk]

what I have seen and made is an "egg crate" table, made of any cheap fiberboard, each board being perhaps 10"-12" in width, three boards being 8 feet long, 4 boards being 4 feet long, with the 4 and 8 foot long boards interlocking loosely with each other, via vertical slits cut half way thru the width of respective 4 and 8 foot boards, egg crate fashion... I rest the contraption on the deck but it could also rest on a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood that is resting on a bunch of workhorses to bring the boards to be cut to a more convenient height.

good luck

michael

[Tony Baideme]

Thanks Dan & Michael.

I checked Gary's links. That's a nice table he has built.

I've got some info to sift through and come up with what I can use.

I'll probably make a simple one of this design. I'll post pictures of what I come up with. Thank you all.

Aloha, Tony

[Tony Baideme]

You know, Michael, I like the "egg crate" design too. It looks a little simpler and cheaper to get together. Thank you much.

Aloha, Tony

[Bruce Wrenn]

Fine Woodworking, August 2000. Article was on using a circular saw in the furniture shop. Simply a couple of 1 X 4's (rails), with 2 X 4's (flat ways)run perpendicular to rails. Add a set of folding banquet table legs Mine is on it's third set of rails, and probably it's fifth or six set of 2 X 4's. Next time I'm going for a total rebuild.

[Bo Jones]

"Somewhere, I don't recall where, I saw a thread about a foldable table used for supporting sheet material to be cut down with a circular saw. It can be placed on saw horses or a bench. Maybe even on the floor."

Tony, if you want quick just put the sheet material on top of a 4' X 8' X 2" Styrofoam insulation sheet on the floor. Smooth, solid, and cheap.

[Tony Baideme]

Bo, I knew about that way too. Aside from the extra mess of the foam, I prefer another way.

Thanks Bruce, but where are the pictures?

Aloha, Tony

[Jerome Hanby]

I built mine based on one I saw on the FWW website. It's basically a 2x4 frame with some $13 a pair banquet legs mounted under it. I bet the Eurekazone table is lighter and more versatile, but mine was about $20 including the legs :D

If you go the same route I did, make sure you have the legs figured out before you layout the table. Mine's a strip of plywood heavier than it had to be...

At the same time, I added the hardboard to my PSI Portable Panel Saw rails. I can rock and roll busting up sheet goods now.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Bruce had it a little wrong, it's 2x4s on the flat, the perimeter is made of 2x4s ripped down the middle, so 2x2s.


109655

There you go, it's the best picture of it in the article

[Jeff Cremers]

great idea
Jeff

[Chris Padilla]

Tony, if you want quick just put the sheet material on top of a 4' X 8' X 2" Styrofoam insulation sheet on the floor. Smooth, solid, and cheap.

+1 This is what I use all the time. True, it can be a pain to store the foam but it is very light and easy to move. As long as you don't cut too deep, there really isn't much of a foam mess to deal with. My 2" thick one is going on 3 years now and I think will last at least another 3 years.

You can't beat the price or how quick it is to "build and use"! :)

[Bruce Wrenn]

Bruce had it a little wrong, it's 2x4s on the flat, the perimeter is made of 2x4s ripped down the middle, so 2x2s.


109655

There you go, it's the best picture of it in the articleAs for article, you are right, but for mine, I used 1 X 4's for the rails. The 2 X 2's sagged over a short period of time, and couldn't stand up to rigors of daily travel and use. It didn't take me long to cut mine down so it would lay in back of truck with the tail gate closed either. Now I use 3/4 plywood for the rails, 3 1/2" high. When some one first sees it, they think it is useless as the top side of the 2 X 4's are full of saw kerfs. What I really like it the ability to clamp stuff to it.

[Steven DeMars]

Bruce had it a little wrong, it's 2x4s on the flat, the perimeter is made of 2x4s ripped down the middle, so 2x2s.


109655

There you go, it's the best picture of it in the article


I built on similar to this, but I added "crutch" tips to the legs . . . makes the one man lift smoother . . .

Steve

[Jeff Bratt]

Here's my version - made from 2x4s and some folding legs.

http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94488&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1218392606 (http://sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=94488&d=1218392606)

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Mine is the "Gary Williams panel cutting table" variety. (google everything in quotes for the specifics)
It's the same basic table as Jerome, Jeff, Paul and Steve mention.
Works great.
Having the material at waist height to work with is far more civilized than crawling around on hands and knees ;).

I also used a $20.00 set of Lowes banquet table folding legs for mine.
While they work for cutting down plywood, they aren't heavy duty enough for other duties - such as holding/moving parts around for fitting & dry assy.
W/the cost of the 2x4's and legs and the metal handle I added to make it easier to haul around, I probably have $30.00 total into mine.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Having the material at waist height to work with is far more civilized than crawling around on hands and knees ;).

I also used a $20.00 set of Lowes banquet table folding legs for mine.

W/the cost of the 2x4's and legs and the metal handle I added to make it easier to haul around, I probably have $30.00 total into mine.

I couldn't agree more, the foam on the floor is not for me, my knees won't take it.

Jeff Bratt: Nice cutting table Dude!

[Charlie McGuire]

I made one of those with the banquet table legs - got the legs at Menards for $14:) It's still going strong after 4 years. As another poster said, the ability to clamp stuff to it is handy.

[Chris Padilla]

I couldn't agree more, the foam on the floor is not for me, my knees won't take it.

Jeff Bratt: Nice cutting table Dude!

Maybe in 10-20 years, I will "hear you", Paul!! For now, the driveway and and a thick sheet of foam works great for me! :D

If I had the space, I would have a dedicated "sheet good cut down" station but I'm fairly certain I would still plop a chunk of foam on it. It just works so well. :)

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Maybe in 10-20 years, I will "hear you", Paul!! For now, the driveway and and a thick sheet of foam works great for me! . :)

That's the problem with "gettin down", then I gotta get back up, abused my knees for too many years. You know, too many hours kneeling in the driveway.

[Blake Barr]

I use the foam on my 4'x6' assembly/outfeed table.... I don't even have room for a folded table let alone a separately setup panel cutting table.

[Dan Bowman]

IMO, there's nothing better than the extendable table from Eurekazone, especially if you ever need to transport it to a job site, or a lumber yard. You can buy the hardware for $70, add a 2X4 sheet of plywood, some 1X4's and banquet legs, and you're in business. I use mine all the time in the shop, in the driveway, and on the job.

[keith ouellette]

didn't saw mill creek give away a sheet good cutting table a while back for one of the drawing.

It was really nice and had an adjustable guide for the circular saw. looked expensive.

[Chip Lindley]

Two of those glavanized folding saw horses, an old hollow-core door, and Cutting Table! Its plenty light and sturdy too! An 8ft. guide for the SkilSaw made of hardboard and a strip of aluminum extrusion I had laying around. Not too fancy but it cost about $15 (when the saw horses were on sale)

It is also an assembly table and mitre saw table when needed!

[Michael Parr]

This is off topic but I am having trouble getting sheet goods back to the garage without a truck. I have a rather large SUV (GMC Envoy) but its longer then my cabin. Could I safely strap it to the roof of the car or am I making an air plane?

[Blake Barr]

This is off topic but I am having trouble getting sheet goods back to the garage without a truck. I have a rather large SUV (GMC Envoy) but its longer then my cabin. Could I safely strap it to the roof of the car or am I making an air plane?

Just strap the sheets down tight to the roof rails and you'll be fine. I'd trust tiedown straps over rope and knots.

[John Sanford]

"Somewhere, I don't recall where, I saw a thread about a foldable table used for supporting sheet material to be cut down with a circular saw. It can be placed on saw horses or a bench. Maybe even on the floor."

Tony, if you want quick just put the sheet material on top of a 4' X 8' X 2" Styrofoam insulation sheet on the floor. Smooth, solid, and cheap.

yeah, if you can actually find 4'x8'x2" Styrofoam insulation! Easy some places, not others.

[Jerome Hanby]

I built a cutting table out of 2x4's and folding banquet table legs. I misunderstood how the legs mounted, so I ended up adding a little plywood :eek:. Main attraction to me was the method they (FWW in this case) show for loading up a full size piece of sheet goods. Basically you lay the table on it side with the top elevated by a couple of 2x4 scraps, you stand the sheet up on the 2x4s flat against the table top, then you squat, grab, and lever the table upright, all by yourself. All I can say, is it works much better with a sheet of plywood, someone has a strange sense of humor, or the FWW guys are all Übermensch. Loading and flipping a full sheet of MDF just about unmanned me :D.