Bob Falk
01-31-2019, 10:42 AM
I thought I would share some details of the mobile table saw outfeed table I built that allows the table height to be easily adjusted from the top of the table. This is a work table, so I used scrap 3/4 plywood for most of the table and a new sheet of 3/4 cabinet grade plywood for the top working surface.
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Why a height adjustable table?
Do to shop space limitations; all of my machines and tables are on casters, so I wanted an outfeed table that was mobile, but I also wanted to be able to adjust the table height exactly to my table saw regardless of where the saw was in my shop. No floor is perfectly level, so building a table with a fixed height might work in one location and not another. I realize that height adjustable casters are available, but as a 64 year old woodworker with 90 year old knees, I wanted to avoid kneeling on the concrete floor to adjust casters every time I moved the table, which is often. Also, adjusting casters when the table is tight to the table saw can require contortionist-like abilities, which I no longer possess.
I designed the table with a plywood base and vertical plywood dividers (much like a kitchen cabinet) that will accommodate drawers (that have yet to be built). The ends of the table are open at each end for accessible tool storage. I used Conformat fasteners to fasten all the plywood together. They are amazingly strong. No glue was used.
Height adjustment
I made the fixed height of the table (including casters) about 1/2" lower than the height of my table saw. For the height adjustment I used four lengths of 5/8” all-thread. I welded all-thread couplers to pieces of angle iron to support the all-thread vertically at the four corners of the table. I bolted the angle iron to the plywood panels of the table (photo 2). I epoxied another coupler to the top of the all-thread (photo 3) and leveling feet at the bottom (photo 4). Holes drilled through the top of the table allow height adjustment using a socket that fits over the epoxied coupler. This raises the table off the casters and on to the leveling feet.
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The table is stable when raised on the leveling feet and can be adjusted quickly and precisely. I am pleased with how the table turned out. The open ends of the table provide a convenient space where I can store my smaller clamps and other items, such as glue, cordless drills, etc that I use regularly (photos 5, 6).
402462
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402457
Why a height adjustable table?
Do to shop space limitations; all of my machines and tables are on casters, so I wanted an outfeed table that was mobile, but I also wanted to be able to adjust the table height exactly to my table saw regardless of where the saw was in my shop. No floor is perfectly level, so building a table with a fixed height might work in one location and not another. I realize that height adjustable casters are available, but as a 64 year old woodworker with 90 year old knees, I wanted to avoid kneeling on the concrete floor to adjust casters every time I moved the table, which is often. Also, adjusting casters when the table is tight to the table saw can require contortionist-like abilities, which I no longer possess.
I designed the table with a plywood base and vertical plywood dividers (much like a kitchen cabinet) that will accommodate drawers (that have yet to be built). The ends of the table are open at each end for accessible tool storage. I used Conformat fasteners to fasten all the plywood together. They are amazingly strong. No glue was used.
Height adjustment
I made the fixed height of the table (including casters) about 1/2" lower than the height of my table saw. For the height adjustment I used four lengths of 5/8” all-thread. I welded all-thread couplers to pieces of angle iron to support the all-thread vertically at the four corners of the table. I bolted the angle iron to the plywood panels of the table (photo 2). I epoxied another coupler to the top of the all-thread (photo 3) and leveling feet at the bottom (photo 4). Holes drilled through the top of the table allow height adjustment using a socket that fits over the epoxied coupler. This raises the table off the casters and on to the leveling feet.
402459
402458
402460
The table is stable when raised on the leveling feet and can be adjusted quickly and precisely. I am pleased with how the table turned out. The open ends of the table provide a convenient space where I can store my smaller clamps and other items, such as glue, cordless drills, etc that I use regularly (photos 5, 6).
402462
402463