Table Saw Outfeed Table

[George Bokros]

I want to improve my table saw outfeed table. Current one is melamine board that is no totally flat. Here are the options I am considering.

1. MDF with high pressure laminate (Formica, Wilson Art). Having some challenges finding a source.
2. Try to find some flat melamine panels, another challenge find totall flat panels.
3. MDF with laminate flooring (think Pergo) glued to the MDF. What would you glue the laminate flooring to the MDF?

Will option 3 work satisfactorly?

Thanks

[Brian Tymchak]

George, with respect to sourcing laminate, I've ordered laminate thru Home Depot and have had it in about a week.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

A lot of flooring companies sell high pressure laminate. You don't need a big piece, check around for remnants.

[Steve Eure]

MDF with Formica would be my choice. I laminated two mdf panels together and applied Formica to both sides to mitigate any warping and it has held up nicely and flat for years. It also doubles as an extra work surface while gluing. Nice thing about formica is the glue doesn't stick to it.
Formica can be applied with contact cement. If you go this route, make sure to boarder the edges so moisture won't be a problem.

[Frank Pratt]

Formica, or high pressure plastic laminate, is easy to source. Finding perfectly flat sheet goods, not so easy. My outfeed is a 2" thick torsion box with plastic laminate top & bottom. Very flat & stable.

[tom lucas]

I use straight up MDF, painted with 3 coats poly. I've been using it for 10 years now. It doubles as an assembly table set to the height of my saw with relief dados for the miter gauge. I used 4 sheets of 3/4" MDF, with the top sheet floating so it can be replaced easily. The stack is bound by 2x3 fir boards. There are no signs of MDF failure anywhere. The poly binds it up pretty good. I don't see a need for a laminate.

[George Bokros]

I used 4 sheets of 3/4" MDF, with the top sheet floating so it can be replaced easily. The stack is bound by 2x3 fir boards. There are no signs of MDF failure anywhere. The poly binds it up pretty good. I don't see a need for a laminate.

That is really thick, why so thick?

[Mike Kees]

George ,any plastic laminate will work well. I use whatever left over pieces are laying around or buy the sheets someone ordered and did not pick up for cheap. I have just used Fir 3/4 " plywood ,however if dead flat is something you want I think the "torsion box" is the best way to get there and keep it flat.

[Jay Kepley]

I have a cobbled together table I use as an outfeed table and an assembly table. It's really been an experiment and work-in-progress. The frame is southern yellow pine. The top is a single sheet of MDF. I have cross supports (2x4s) every foot or so. I used shims (thin washers) to get the top flat. It's screwed to the supports from the top. I treat the top with BLO. The table is very rigid and stable. The top is flat (and has stayed flat). I check it periodically with a Lee Valley aluminum straight edge. To clean up the top, I just sand it, then reapply BLO. It looks like new.

[Robert Engel]

Why does it need to be totally flat?

Mine are just ply with and frame and work fine.

[Erik Loza]

I'm surprised HDPE plastic sheet is not more popular for this type of project. Super-common in the manufacturing industry for worktop surfaces. It would need to be mechanically fastened to a solid base (sheet) of plywood but HDPE is cheap and available with an orangepeel-type texture that you can easily glide heavy stuff over and nothing sticks to HDPE. The plastics place I did a stint at sold sheets for less than $100, IIRC.

Erik

[Mark Daily]

Here’s a source for HDPE and all kinds of plastic sheets:

https://www.eplastics.com/sheets/hdpe/black-natural

[tom lucas]

That is really thick, why so thick?

Because it is also an assembly table with vise and dog holes. Designed to take abuse and stay put. It is on 6 casters, but weighs north of 300 lbs with 6 big drawers underneath. The top is about 4 x 6'. To get it to roll takes some deliberate pushing.

[tom lucas]

Here is a photo

(Image 4 of 9)






(Image 4 of 9)


https://www.lumberjocks.com/assets/pictures/workshops/1548162.jpg

[ChrisA Edwards]

I built an outfeed table, a little smaller, but similar to Tom's. I wanted it to be solid, but maneuverable, and have some storage capacity.

For the top, I made an adjustable height torsion box out of 3/4" MDF. The top just sits on the cabinet.

In the normal orientation, it have 49" of support past the trailing edge to the saw blade. For cutting longer sheet shock, I can rotate the table 90 degrees to provide the extra support.

Although heavy, as it spends 99% of it's life in the position pictured below, I also put a couple of clamp knobs, underneath, to lock it in place.


https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/SawStop%20Outfeed%20Table/OT7_zpsq61mqyaw.jpg


https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/SawStop%20Outfeed%20Table/OT9_zpslwdxv47v.jpg

The top is 4" thick, two 3/4" MDF sheets with 2.5" MDF splines. The block areas are when the adjustable feet mount to adjusting the tp[ height.
https://i1094.photobucket.com/albums/i452/cedwards874/Woodworking/SawStop%20Outfeed%20Table/TorsionTable_zpsxbbnzk63.jpg

This outfeed table replace a folding table, that I also made, which worked great, but just had a lot of unused space below it.

[Tom M King]

Mine was designed to be lightweight, and portable, so it's made from Birch cabinet plywood, with a grid of aluminum angles screwed to the bottom of it, to keep it flat. The top is Formica. It clamps onto the back angle iron of the saw table with a couple of DeStaco clamps.

[Tom Bender]

For a small table like Chris's, unless you move it a lot you could skip the wheels and just put it on steel or plastic feet and slide it around. Make them screw in adjustable so it can be leveled up. 1/2" carriage bolts would work.

[Tom Bender]

Peel and stick vinyl flooring will work.

[Floyd Mah]

I have a tiny 2' x 2' outfeed ramp that is cantilevered off the old back fence rail of my Delta contractor saw. The saw has grown in size from its humble beginnings as a contractor saw with the addition of a unifence, a Delta overhead blade guard and a sliding table. Despite the small size most of my needs are handled with the tiny table and additional roller supports when I am working on something bigger. (I work in a single car garage sized workshop.) I mention my setup in case there are others who are also lacking space for a more elaborate outfeed table. The table itself is a torsion box design for stiffness and weight considerations. The core is just corrugated cardboard and the surfaces are hardboard. The outboard support is plastic PVC pipe cantilevered off my saw's mobile support.

In any case, consider using a torsion box top if stiffness and light weight are important.

[Vince Shriver]

I have purchased Formica and Wilson Art from these folks: cabinetmakerwarehouse.com

[Ole Anderson]

High pressure laminate over MDF. It is not huge, but it fits my small basement shop well. It will take a half sheet of ply fine, and an 8' board will stay balanced on the table. Old pics, I have since gone with a SharkGuard and added miter gauge slots and a 5" dust collection hose.

[tom lucas]

High pressure laminate over MDF. It is not huge, but it fits my small basement shop well. It will take a half sheet of ply fine, and an 8' board will stay balanced on the table. Old pics, I have since gone with a SharkGuard and added miter gauge slots.

Nice and simple extension. If I ever have room for a separate assembly table, I may have to do something similar.