Table Saw Out Feed Table Size

[George Bokros]

Planning to build a table saw out feed table but unsure of how big to make it. My table saw with its table extensions is ~ 67" wide and the standard 27" deep. It is a contractors saw (bought it new 38 yrs ago). I upgraded it several years ago with a Biesemeyer fence and Incra miter gauge. I am currently using a roller stand for out feed support.

How wide and how deep should I make it? I know as big as I have room, for but what is adequate / reasonable for most use. I am thinking 18" to 24" deep and 48" wide centered on the table width. I need to make it folding and removable for two reasons. The shop is small and to move machines around I need to make it removable and to change blades it will also need to be hinged.

Thoughts, questions, suggestions........

Thanks


George

[Matthew Hills]

Well, why do you want any outfeed table?

My plans to build one were based on being able to support my most common long board (8') after clearing the blade. Figure out the length of this board, divide by two, add several inches, measure out from behind your riving knife, and figure out how long the board needs to be. (or you can test with any existing outfeed support, to determine how far out it needs to be. I'd recommend giving yourself some margin, otherwise things might be a little unstable)

My width was intended to roughly match my TS top, but this was pretty arbitrary. I don't break down plywood sheets on my table saw.

But, I didn't build the outfeed table. I've reconfigured my shop recently to make space for my wife's new car. Rather than go the mobile/pack/unpack route, I leave most of my tools in a compact arrangement that covers my most common operations and use a ridgid flip stand when I need outfeed support.

Matt

[Grant Wilkinson]

George: I made my drop down using Matt's math. (I didn't know that it was his math at the time, of course.) I can run a 10 foot piece of whatever just past the blade and it is supported by the drop down and the remainder of the saw top. I don't do much over 10 feet, so that works for me.

[Keith Bohn]

A couple/few things.

I like Matthew’s idea of a separate table. It offers the most versatility. It doesn’t always have to stay at the saw and could be used anywhere in the shop. I’d also add power tool storage underneath.

If you made it narrow by long (say 2’ X 4’) you could configure it behind the saw as required (long way for long stock/short way for short(er) stock).

Also make it an eighth of an inch lower than the saw table so you don’t catch an edge. Outfeed tables don’t need to be flush (within reason). They’re there to catch stock/hold up long pieces and prevent see-sawing off the end of the table.

If you’re dead set on the fold-up make it as deep as you can. You can mock-up your hinging and then measure from the hinge pin to the floor, deduct and inch or so and that’s how deep you want to make the table. In the case of outfeed tables deeper is better (within reason). In the long run though, a 24” table is way better than no table at all.

Your fold-up table doesn’t need to be super strong/overly engineered unless you plan to use it as a work bench. In other words, a flat piece of ¾” plywood will be fine for an outfeed only, not so much if you plan to do any hammering on it.

This is what I have.

265849

For the most part it’s pretty fool-proof. Off the back I have 36” and I’ve never found that to be too little. My shop is narrow so I have the saw up against a wall. That’s never proved itself to be a bad thing. The only down side, flat surfaces are magnets for laying crap on so most of the time I’m spending a half hour clearing the top off, just to make a cut.

So, based on that (making a crap catcher) maybe a fold-up would be better (insert smiley face here).

[Charles Lent]

Do you need to rip long lengths of stock 6' or longer? Do you cut full sheets of plywood? These would be the biggest reasons for having a large outfeed table. For long length ripping a longer distance from the blade to the end of the table is desired so the piece being cut does not try to lift as you approach the end of cut, but it only needs to be wide enough to hold the widest board that you will cut, so about 18" would be sufficient since boards are rarely, if ever, available that are wider than this. With that said, my table saw is a Unisaw with a 52" Unifence and I have a folding outfeed table that is 4' square, located directly behind the Unisaw with no table behind the extension. If I ever replace it I will build a smaller cabinet on wheels that can attach to the back of the Unisaw to act as an outfeed table so it can be storage as well as an outfeed table.

If you break up full sheets of plywood then it should be at least 4' wide and long enough that the pieces of the plywood don't want to fall off the table before the end of the cut, probably about 5' from the blade to the end of the table. My shop is small, so I break up my plywood outside the shop with a straight edge and a circular saw, then bring the pieces into the shop for final sizing. If I need to rip stock that is more than 6' long I also do this outdoors, or I first cut the stock to near final lengths and then rip them to final width and length inside.

For my outside cutting work I made a cutting table that is 30" wide and 66" long (exact dimensions are not important). It is only a rectangular frame of 1 X 3 pine with cross members of 2 X 4 pine laid flat, where needed to attach folding banquet table legs near each end. Most of the table top surface is open, it's just a frame. With the 2 X 4 stock laid flat and flush with the top surface there is room below them in the frame for the legs to fold flush with the bottom of the table, so it easily stores in my wood rack and it's fairly light and easy to carry. I bought the folding table legs from Harbor Freight for about $20. The frame and cross members were assembled with glue and biscuits, so the only metal in the wood top are the short screws needed to attach the leg assemblies and there are no chances of hitting metal with the saw blade. I set my circular saw depth to about 1/8" deeper than the thickness of the stock that I will be cutting, place the sheet stock on the table and position and clamp a straight edge to the stock so that I can run my circular saw along it for the cut. The circular saw that I use for this has a piece of clear Lexan attached to the base with a clearance cut large enough for the guard to operate freely, but with only a slit of the blade width toward the front where the blade teeth rise up through the stock. This provides the zero blade clearance needed to prevent chipping during the cut. I use a fine tooth thin kerf carbide blade for this work. The advantage to using this table, straightedge, and saw combination is that the sheet stock can be broken down quite accurately without bending over or crawling on the ground (my old knees can't do this anymore), and the pieces all remain on the table when each cut is completed. No broken edges or splintering of the stock ever occurs like when you try to use saw horses for doing this. The small saw kerf lines in the surface of the table add character. If the kerfs ever get to the volume where their quantity affects my cutting work I'll just make a new table frame and move the legs from the old frame to the new one. My table is about 10 years old and I haven't even considered replacing it yet. I rarely use my saw horses for anything except supporting a low scaffold anymore.

Charley

[Mark Blatter]

I have plans to some day build a combo out feed table / second work bench. I read about a shop where every thing was set up at the same height. TS, jointer, work bench, etc. I don't intend to go to that far, but having a second work bench that can also serve as an out feed table makes sense. I plan on putting it on casters so I can move it around as needed, but still does not need to be real big. I was thinking it would be approximately 28" x 60", though that could easily change.

[glenn bradley]

I have had outfeeds attached and separate. I prefer separate. I have changed saws twice and still have my latest (many years old) outfeed; such as it is. I do have storage incorporated into the outfeed and its replacement will have better storage. I do not do much with sheet goods and mostly build furniture. The current outfeed is 24" by 60" with about 36" to the right of the blade. The table is about 8" from the saw to allow 6" ducting and so forth to pass between.

As someone mentioned, my current workbench is a good candidate for my next outfeed as it has storage, dog holes and vises and is height adjustable. Time will tell whether my outfeed or my workbench gt replaced first. Either will better suit my needs than my first versions. If the bench gets remade first, I already have my next outfeed :rolleyes:. If the outfeed gets replaced first, my bench will last me another few years without issue. Your needs will determine the best fit for you but, an unattached outfeed with storage that adjusts in height will be more versatile than one that is attached and swings up and down. A swing-up outfeed can be an advantage if things are cramped (aren't they always) but, mine doubles as storage and assembly area so I am comfortable with the space used.

[Ole Anderson]

I'm not home to measure mine, but I seldom need anything bigger than this one: On the occasion I am ripping 4'x4' sheet goods I just set up my Ridgid outfeed "catcher" off to the right side. Built similar to a magazine version with a much simpler support leg, super easy to drop down and put up.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?129870-Outfeed-Table-Folding&highlight=outfeed+table

[George Bokros]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I do not as a rule break down sheet goods on the table saw. This being said I am thinking about 30"x48" if I make one. Typically I do not rip longer than 5 ft so 48" out should be more than adequate.

[Rick Potter]

For what it's worth George,

Mine is 24 wide, 48 long. This easily holds boards a bit longer that 8'. The 24" side is against the saw. Whole thing's on wheels and I use it for a lot more things than outfeed. If you are short on room a table 24x36 would work fine too, just hold it back a foot from the saw. If you are really short on room, how about a rotating table...outfeed on one side, and router table, planer or whatever on the other.

Rick Potter