dual tablesaw setup?

[Dave Burson]

OK, finally got the floor down for the new shop, and ready to start placing tools. Have budgeted plenty of room in middle for a double table saw setup, with my Powermatic 66 with a Beisemeyer 52" fence being the main saw, and an older delta cabinet as one dedicated for dadoes and the like. My question, and I'd love to hear input, I am having trouble deciding between a side by side layout, with the delta off the right side of the P66 or one where the Delta is back to back. If I go this side by side route, going to have to rework the existing shopfox mobile base, since the right side is setup for light fence support only, not a heavy saw. Or I could leave the P66 alone, and then put the Delta on the back side of it, going opposite direction. I have plenty of room to lead wood into each one (10' in either direction currently, obviously that might change as something gets added). There's always a give/take, just not sure what I'm giving...

Have been out of the ww for quite awhile, and just now getting back into it, so I know I'm not thinking thru all that I need to consider. Since it's been awhile, I can't remember what I can't remember, or is it don't know what I don't know?:)

Appreciate any input, and pictures are extremely appreciated if possible. TIA!! Dave

[Jim Becker]

Given you have the space, I'd do back to back opposite directions so you retain your ability to stand and move easily to the left of the saw blade for things that benefit from that. There may be less interference from setups that way, too.

[Bryan Lisowski]

I would also go back to back, I would also put an outfeed table between them.

[Timothy Thorpe Allen]

Depending on how closely you put the saws to each other (back to back), then each saw could serve as the outfeed table for the other...

[Rick Potter]

I had back to back, with about a foot between them for DC, etc. Always meant to put a spacer between them, but never did because one saw had an oddball fence with a wheel on the end. One Unisaw, one Enlon (I think), both cabinet saws.

Both were spaced up a bit and height matched. I did screw a beveled edge on the UNI side table so outfeed from the other saw would not catch if it sagged just a bit in that foot between them. The other saw, had that wheel which prevented me from doing the same to it.

I was happy with it.

[David Buchhauser]

I would also go back to back, I would also put an outfeed table between them.
I would second the back to back option. I don't have it in my shop, but I have a friend who uses this approach and it has worked out well for him.
David

[Dave Burson]

Given you have the space, I'd do back to back opposite directions so you retain your ability to stand and move easily to the left of the saw blade for things that benefit from that. There may be less interference from setups that way, too.

Jim (et al),
Thanks so much for the feedback, sounds like back/back it'll be. That helps tremendously, kinda what I was thinking but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
How about lateral spacing on the dado saw? If facing the dado saw positioned on the back, should I orient it all the way to left (so that actual steel table of dado saw is behind the right fence edge of the P66, and is actually "caddy corner" from P66), or align it "justified" right, so that the two saws are right behind each other? Or I guess I could center it too, which seems like might be best?? Only thing that's going to be any obstruction in the area is my dust port is coming from under concrete. So planning to run some sort of steel arm along the right edge of the P66 (might buy one, might build one, tbd at a later date) carrying the 4" dust port up/over for the P66 tablesaw blade guard/dust port. Thinking that might be in the way if I justify the dado saw to the left (facing it), and I might want more table support to the right of the dado blade if I justify it right. Does this appear to be sound logic for centering it, and then building nice table(s) to each edge, and in between? Thanks again, so much help on this forum, you guys rock!

[Mike Kees]

I had two Unisaws set up back to back. In my set up I had a four foot wide outfeed table between the two saws.Everything worked good until I installed over arm blade guards on the saws and found one always in the way for cutting plywood on the other saw. I think it would be easier to set up as Rick did with a small space between the saws than the way I did it. It was a struggle to get and keep the saws and outfeed aligned on top.

[Erik Loza]

I’m in shops every week and almost without exception, these setups are head-to-head, like so...

Erik416524

[Dave Burson]

I’m in shops every week and almost without exception, these setups are head-to-head, like so...

Erik416524

Erik,
I cant see the 2nd TS here?

[andy bessette]

If you install back-to-back, you must have a separate outfeed table between them, with a clearance slots. Otherwise the miter gage and sled cannot be used. Also more depth is required for feeding long lumber.

Photos show how I setup 3 table saws in my small shop. My principle Unisaw runs a carbide combination blade and has a router table built onto it such that the Unifence can be used for both. My secondary Unisaw runs a carbide rip blade and has a contractors saw built onto it with a 1/2" carbide dado stack. The Beismeyer fence can be used for both. Outfeed tables are heavy duty workbenches.

https://i.postimg.cc/ZR0bfb5B/shop-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/hjhm9qFM/shop-2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/zBBdVBJf/shop-6.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/C15gSSXG/shop-7.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/ydW914sM/saw-bench-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[Dave Burson]

I had back to back, with about a foot between them for DC, etc. Always meant to put a spacer between them, but never did because one saw had an oddball fence with a wheel on the end. One Unisaw, one Enlon (I think), both cabinet saws.

Both were spaced up a bit and height matched. I did screw a beveled edge on the UNI side table so outfeed from the other saw would not catch if it sagged just a bit in that foot between them. The other saw, had that wheel which prevented me from doing the same to it.

I was happy with it.

Rick, when you say beveled edge, can you elaborate on what it was that worked for you there? How beveled are you talking about?

[Dave Burson]

If you install back-to-back, you must have a separate outfeed table between them, with a clearance slots. Otherwise the miter gage and sled cannot be used. Also more depth is required for feeding long lumber.

Photos show how I setup 3 table saws in my small shop. My principle Unisaw runs a carbide combination blade and has a router table built onto it such that the Unifence can be used for both. My secondary Unisaw runs a carbide rip blade and has a contractors saw built onto it with a 1/2" carbide dado stack. The Beismeyer fence can be used for both. Outfeed tables are heavy duty workbenches.

https://i.postimg.cc/ZR0bfb5B/shop-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/hjhm9qFM/shop-2.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/zBBdVBJf/shop-6.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/C15gSSXG/shop-7.jpg (https://postimages.org/)
https://i.postimg.cc/ydW914sM/saw-bench-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

3 saws? Hmmmm... I like it. I especially like the idea of combining all that into one station maybe. I'm thinking a router table on the right side of the P66, that can share the beisemeyer fence. Then put a ripping blade on the Delta cabinet saw on the back side justified left, and that combined with a contractors saw to it's right as you have here, for dadoes. That would eliminate most interference (I think) with the blade guards I would have for the two cabinets that can both use the same center support. There would be a conflict with any thing being ripped that might hit the upright support for the blade guard, but that would be minimal, since most things needing a exclusive ripping blade would be narrow I think, so shouldn't hang out to far off table to left. Thoughts about that one? If I were to go that route, anyone see issues there? What would y'all suggest to connect the contractor's saw to the cabinet, are the wings just drilled and bolted together?
And then it would just have to have some support in the middle but not too much. Rick indicated only small outfeed table with slots which sounds reasonable.

[andy bessette]

The wings are already drilled IIRC and simply bolt together.

[Lisa Starr]

When I had a much larger space, I had 2 of the same saw setup offset/back to back. By that I mean they were positioned so their miter slots lined up. That allowed them to act as outfeed tables for each other. I had tables to the left of each saw that squared the surface.

[Patrick Kane]

Like Erik posted, I’ve seen pro shops with slider setup with a cabinet saw in the outfeed. Usually the cabinet saw has a feeder.

[Mike Cutler]

Mine are setup differently. The blades are 90 degrees to each other.
The cross cut saw edge is right up against the back of the saw I use for ripping. This way it acts as an out feed table for the primary saw.
When I use the secondary, or cross cut saw, the table of the primary saw supports the material.
Both saws can be set to perform cross cuts also, or a dado stack on one.
I wouldn't say it's an ideal setup, but my shop is 19'x9', and it works for the limited space. There is a jointer, planer, two band saws, dust collector, miter saw cart and a shaper in that same space. It's a little tight.

[Rick Potter]

I will try to clarify David.

Two cabinet saws back to back, and offset so that each one used the side table of the other as the outfeed. 10" or so between them where the DC fittings are, with no insert connecting the gap. With only 10" or so, most work just bridged the gap, and it was enough so the miter gages worked. No grooves, because there was nothing to groove.

I did put a simple 1X2 or whatever on the rear of the Unisaw. It simply bolted to the holes in the Uni table, and had a simple 45 degree bevel to assist with thin plywood cuts made with the other saw in case they sagged a bit. There is no fence rail on the rear of my Unisaw (Unifence).

It would have been simple to make a bridge piece, but I never seemed to need it.

I also had a PC 690 router installed in the side table of the Uni...no plate, no lift, just a hole for the bit and three mounting holes. I kept a quarter inch bearing guided roundover in it, and used it a lot for quick roundovers. It is still there.

The whole setup included an 8" jointer on one end, with a single 6" drop from my DC, and a simple manifold. It was a box with one 6" intake, and three 4" on the bottom to the three tools. Each had a gate.

Whew.

[Erik Loza]

Erik,
I cant see the 2nd TS here?

Kitticorner. You can see the fence.

Erik

[Jeff Duncan]

I am really surprised so many like the opposing table saw setup. To me it seems like a really inefficient way to set up, and kills much of the benefit of two saws. Every time you need to use one saw, the others fence is going to be in the way. Which means constantly walking back and forth to move fences, setups, etc out of the way.

I've had a two saw setup in my shop for many years now and can't recommend it enough. However mine are side by side. I picked up a 7' fence rail and both fences share the same rail. I can go back and forth between saws with ease and never have to worry about the other being in the way. Different stroke for different folks, but this is just the most logical setup in my honest opinion.

Good luck,
jeffd

[Jim Becker]

Jeff, I honestly think it comes down to how one will be using the two saws. There is no one "correct" way as each possible configuration potentially can have interference issues between the two tools, depending on what you are actually doing with each spinning blade.