connected 2 T-saws finally, need input please

[Dave Burson]

Finally connected the table saws. Need some ideas on best easy huge on/off/kill switch for the Delta (see pic of the existing small recessed switch, and where to find it online?



My PM 66 has been my saw for 20+ years, and I picked up an old Delta last year. Had several ways I was going to do it. Stationary or mobile? side/side, back/back, caddy corner..??? Wanted mobile but that poses challenges. Settled on keeping it on the old PM mobile base I had, since I am just setting up a new shop, and haven't really worked in it yet, so will surely tweek the placement as I add more tools, benchs.. Outfeed/routing table will be next add on.



Got some 2 1/2" channel iron, and stiffened up the base all around the frame (welding skills were a little rusty after ~25 years). Then added some 3/16" steel plate across the top. Then decided to add 1" levelers on all four corners and also in the on each side in the middle, to ensure stable, and absolutely no sagging.


Luckily the starting height of the two saws were within ~3/16", so minimal shims needed to level. Going to try leaving it just so slightly low in the front, so that wood going off onto the upcoming outfeed table will then tend to rise just above it on outfeed. Anyone else do that? Finally clamped together, drilled holes in inside wing of one, then marked and drilled other and bolted all together. It is rock solid stable!! And easy to reposition. The 52" PM fence should work pretty easily for both sides, planning on using dedicated Dado blade on the Delta.


Now need to connect some sort of overhead dust collection (still mulling options there, open for ideas if someone has something that would work well in this arrangement), and also need to add a lower dust pickup on the Delta as well- any one do that??


Also looking to replace the on/off switch on the Delta. It very recessed as is, and I like easy to reach kill switches. Anyone have an idea for that??


Electrical cords will be carefully routed/mounted to keep safe/out of way BTW, not particularly where they currently show.


Appreciate any input, cant wait to start using it, this has been a thorn on my side for a few months thinking it thru. Finally dove in, and wasn't too hard.



TIA for any input! Hope y'all are staying safe out there!!

Dave



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[Bill Dufour]

I mounted a similar stop/start control station box on a piece of 4x6 with long bolts threaded into the machine base.
To add a mushroom switch you will have to mount a contactor or motor starter somewhere, maybe the back of the cabinet, then control that with a remote switch. These days I would only buy a contactor with adjustable overloads
Bil lD

[Matt Day]

This is his mind are connected. You can make the shop made off paddle I made which is on both saws. It’s hinged at the top.

[Dave Burson]

Matt
That looks great! I am actually thinking about adding another saw on the back side, then I have ripping, fine blade, and dado without having to swap blades. How do you have the height of yours set? Same height, aiming upwards slightly, or? Any issues with goods catching on the respective outfeed? I see the middle section looks just slightly lower?

[Matt Day]

Thanks Dave. Just finished it up a few weeks ago.

The middle section is a bit of an optical illusion. It’s actually a 1/16 or so higher, and the edges are very gently relieved (5 degrees or so) so a board doesn’t catch on the other saw. I set both saws as level to each other as possible, which is a lot harder than it sounds. The middle piece has leveling screws (just drywall screws, head down) that allowed me to get precise with adjusting it.

And today I had to make a bunch of picture frame stock for a project for my wife. Having one saw with a dado in it and the other to rip was great. I’ll cut a rough 45 on the RAS or disc sander and clean up with the Lion trimmer. And leave the saws setup in case I need to make more.

Do you have two fences or one?

[Dave Burson]

I only have one. I can see that if making a number of one thing, two would be real nice! You find it helpful;?

[Mike Kees]

Dave ,I have added a dust port at the bottom of my Unisaw. Mine is a five inch hole,cut out with a holesaw on my drill. I placed it about the spot your Powermatic has the port. At one time I also had two Unisaws set up like Matt Day with a four foot wide outfeed table between them. It was a struggle to make everything work. I ended up concentrating on making the saws as close to level as possible and making the table ever so slightly lower. If I ever did it again I would do as you or Matt have done it.

[Bill Dufour]

Dave ,I have added a dust port at the bottom of my Unisaw. Mine is a five inch hole,cut out with a holesaw on my drill. I placed it about the spot your Powermatic has the port. At one time I also had two Unisaws set up like Matt Day with a four foot wide outfeed table between them. It was a struggle to make everything work. I ended up concentrating on making the saws as close to level as possible and making the table ever so slightly lower. If I ever did it again I would do as you or Matt have done it.


I thought about a similar plan for my 12/14 saw but went a different way. My thought was to throw away the plinth and set the saw up on 4x4's. Box in the base and leave out 10 inches or so to connect a dc boot to. This is basically how the plinth for a 12/14 saw is made. But the factory one is two pieces of metal. One is the front and three corners. the other piece is the forth corner with a long and short leg. By flipping things around and upside down the dc can connect to either side or the front or rear.
I ended up discarding the plinth and bolting the base to a mobile stand with plywood under it. Then I drilled 6" hole in the back of the cabinet inline with the blade. The mobile stand brought the table back up to a comfortable height and left toe room under the stand.
Bil lD

[Ron Selzer]

Also looking to replace the on/off switch on the Delta. It very recessed as is, and I like easy to reach kill switches. Anyone have an idea for that??

Grizzly has different switches, do a search for paddle switches. Mount it where you want and cut the existing cord to fit it in. This way if your existing switch has overload protection it still is there.
Good luck
Ron