Powermatic Laminated Tablesaw Extension

[tim walker]

Has become cracked and (I won't go in to how) but got water on it and swelled the particle board underneath the lamination. Most of the replacement tops are about $130 (for a piece of laminated particle board that says POWERMATIC).

I was wondering if I could make one myself. I have the 64A model.

Thanks in advance.

[Chris Padilla]

Uh, sure, you can make one. :) Did you have any other questions? :D

[glenn bradley]

I only use shop made. The supplied one's are of a questionable construction.

[Rob Diz]

Or you could buy a CI extension from Quality grinding and get a router table set up at the same time.

I'm just sayin' - opportunity seems to be knocking.

[tim walker]

Playing(being) dumb here, but where wouild I find a laminated board like that, Home Depot etc or a specialty lumber store?

[Alan Greene]

+1 for the cast iron table ext. You could also use this from Woodcraft:
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=3958 and some scraps of hardwood.

[Ted Shrader]

Tim -

Build a new extension table, use ½" ply for the top and either 1) shellac it and wax it or 2) laminate it with some scrap high pressure laminate (Formica®) and wax it. :)

Regards,
Ted

[tim walker]

Thanks all. WIll try to make one.

[Doug Shepard]

It's only the end that says Powermatic (at least on my 30" fene version). Is that part cracked? Maybe you could reuse the whole endpiece? The rest is just generic laminate AFAIK.

[Chip Lindley]

Tim, if you make your own, it will be LightYears ahead of the factory version. Yanno, a Guy could cut out a stencil and spray a yellow *POWERMATIC* on the end of a green board. hmmmm...

[Steve Vaughn]

Make your own quality extension and then if you want the Powermatic label on it find out who does the stickers/lettering for the local baseball league helmets and get them to make you one (cheap). When I used to coach baseball we had various stickers made (lettering, numbers, emblems, etc...) that used all kinds of fonts, colors, and designs and the prices were very reasonable. Very durable also. You can imagine the abuse a sticker on a helmet takes when kids are tossing them on the ground.

Steve

[Tony Scolaro]

Hi all

Maybe it would be helpful from those with experience to give Tim and the rest of us some suggestions. Question I might have Would it be prudent to laminate both top and underside of table? MDF or OSB or is Baltic Birch the ticket for substrate? 1/2" or 3/4" ? How much cross bracing is best? Is one way better than another if he would like to put a lift in it or a router now or in the future? Even the color might be an issue in the past I have used whatever I had but maybe white or some other light color is the way to go so you can see set up pencil marks etc. Of course then I might ask is matt better than shiny to avoid reflections? Anyway might be helpful and we might all pic up a point. Take care and work safely Tony

[Steve Vaughn]

Hi all

Maybe it would be helpful from those with experience to give Tim and the rest of us some suggestions. Question I might have Would it be prudent to laminate both top and underside of table? MDF or OSB or is Baltic Birch the ticket for substrate? 1/2" or 3/4" ? How much cross bracing is best? Is one way better than another if he would like to put a lift in it or a router now or in the future? Even the color might be an issue in the past I have used whatever I had but maybe white or some other light color is the way to go so you can see set up pencil marks etc. Of course then I might ask is matt better than shiny to avoid reflections? Anyway might be helpful and we might all pic up a point. Take care and work safely Tony

If you want a really strong and flat extension build a torsion box and cover it with formica. If you want an extension that will work make an edge frame with some cross support and a MDF top and laminate a formica top.

Steve

[Joe Chritz]

Yes laminate both sides. The color doesn't make any difference and I would use what I had (which is currently nothing) so I would go get a closeout piece and use that.

My extension table is two sheets of melamine, edged with maple but that is because it is a temp fix and I had the stuff on hand.

MDF is fine if it isn't to big and is supported correctly. Plywood is also fine as is a torsion box design. There are a lot of ways to skin this cat.

Joe

[Todd Crow]

I built the extension table for my Grizzly 1023 (http://www.crowsnest.us/woodshop/woodworking_projects/progress_pictures4.htm#ExtensionTable). I made a frame of 1x2 poplar and covered it with plywood. Laminate over that with oak on the edges.

http://www.crowsnest.us/images/DCP_0951.jpg

[Chip Lindley]

Suggestions from Past Experience: (IMHO)

1) *high-pressure lam* covered MDF good! OSB or Plywood bad! (osb too rough surface, ply usually warped)

2) no need to laminate under the table, seal it if you WISH

3) substantial brace underneath as close to router as possible, in the direction of the fence

4) slight crown in the table is more desireable than a depression. (does not apply to insert/lift users)

5) Fence face 90deg to table. Adequate above-table DC a must! (below table very neglegible) T-slot or inserts to attach hold-downs where needed. Split fence seldom (if ever) needed. Solid, straight fence much more effective for most work.

[Tony Scolaro]

oops I can't believe I included OSB. I ment melomine specifically one face lam other. Good replies. Tony

[Neal Clayton]

Playing(being) dumb here, but where wouild I find a laminated board like that, Home Depot etc or a specialty lumber store?

1x sheet of particle board
1x sheet of masonite
1x countersink bit
1x box of drywall screws
1x 10 foot 2x4 for framing the bottom

when it all gets torn up beyond repair, 1x trip to the dump.

was that a trick question? :)

[cameron bailey]

I used mdf covered with formica and all the braces were made from 3/4 ply ripped and glued up. I also added a 14" out feed table that is the length of the table with a folding table to that. I also added a router lift but I centered it in the table instead of at the end like it was.

file:///C:/Users/missy/Desktop/shop/IMG_0947.JPGfile:///C:/Users/missy/Desktop/shop/IMG_0947.JPG

[Tony Scolaro]

Cameron Nice job and nice pics. Good thinking all around. Tony

[cameron bailey]

Thanks tony, I am new to woodworking and that was the first thing I made. After making it I thought I might regret the size I made it due to the fact most of the pictures i see are just the width of the cast iron. But I am glad I made it this size. I do not have a real work bench yet and when I have it all up it works great for glue ups and the glue will just pop right off the formica.
I am thinking of making part of the back table into a down draft table.

[Alan Greene]

Cameron, there are great things in your woodworking future if you put 1/2 the effort into your projects as you did the outfeed table/extension. Great job.:)