A question about outfeed table for tablesaws

[Barry Beech]

I need to build an outfeed table for my unisaw. I've gathered several ideas from people on the board (thanks by the way :D ) and I have a question about what to use to make the top.

Should I use formica of some other similar laminate for the table or would melamine work ok? A follow up for the the formica: If I need to use formica where would the best place to get it?

I was looking for formica before and the local HD said they didn't sell it. :confused:
Was the guy just not wanting to write up an order?

Thanks!

[Jamie Buxton]

The melamine coating on melamine-covered sheet goods is only a couple thousandths of an inch thick. If you use your table saw a lot, you might wear through it. Formica, in contrast, is much thicker.

Formica has become a specialized item. Building yards used to stock it, but now it mostly seems to be an ordered item. It is kinda pricey when ordered in small quanities. You may find it less expensive to look for a yard-sale table, and cutting your table from the top.

[Dan Owen]

Barry

Melamine would work fine. I use it on my extension table and is very flat and stable. Melamine is a not as durable as formica and lends itself to being chipped.
I bought my Melamine at HD off their scrap cart for $2.00. Also I just purchased a sheet of formica from HD for resurfacing a table and they had a generous selection to choose from and that is here in Helena MT so I would think your local HD would have it in stock. Also if you use formica you have some color options instead of just white, although I do like white for brightening up the shop and jotting down notes in a hurry. The cons with formica is as you said price plus you'll need contact cement and rollers and it wouldn't hurt to have some lacquer thinner on hand as well as fresh air.

Dan

[Bob Nazro]

Barry,
Here is a pic of my outfeed table. It' a Danny Proulx design and I used laminate from Home Depot for the top. They have it in 4'x8' and 2'x4' pieces. It's in the back of the stores by the cabinet center. I have this same laminate on most of my tool cabinets and have used it for several tables as well. Another place to look is Jim Becker's site. He has some great plans for a flip down outfeed table, if space is an issue.

http://www.woodworking.org/photo/albums/userpics/12008/100_1265~0.JPG
See "Table saw" (http://www.woodworking.org/photo/displayimage.php?pos=-3054)

[Dave Falkenstein]

I made an outfeed table using melamine. Works OK, but it gets beat up easily. Next time I'll use Formica.

[John Gregory]

I need to build an outfeed table for my unisaw. I've gathered several ideas from people on the board (thanks by the way :D ) and I have a question about what to use to make the top.

Should I use formica of some other similar laminate for the table or would melamine work ok? A follow up for the the formica: If I need to use formica where would the best place to get it?

I was looking for formica before and the local HD said they didn't sell it. :confused:
Was the guy just not wanting to write up an order?

Thanks!
Formica is a brand name. you might ask for High Pressure Laminate. Or counter top material. It is usually located near the counter tops. Once in a home depot I asked a plumbing guy where there 4" PVC fittings were, he said they did not carry anything that big. I found them by the drainage pipe. They did carry it, he didn't know.

[Barry Beech]

I called the Home Depot that's close to my house. They have to order the laminate. Just FYI.

I think I will go that way. Thanks for the help guys!!

[tod evans]

barry, here`s another school of thought, build a webframe sturdy enough for your use and affix a top of mdf or melimine only using screws with the understanding that over time you`ll trash the top board and it should be easily replaced.. wax on mdf works just fine for an outfeed table...02 tod

[Jeremy Gibson]

I'm looking for the same laminate sheet stock for an outfeed table too. I called the special order desk at my local Ace Hardware and their price was $2.50 per square foot. Home Deopt can order it for $1.60 / sq ft plus a $15 handling fee. Lowe's has it for $1.38 / sq ft and has some in stock (at least they told me they do). I'll run down to Lowe's soon to see what colors and sizes they have in stock.

Bottom line - it pays to shop around.

[Larry Copas]

Never have thought much about melamine that is going to get used. Scratches and wears through most fast. High pressure laminate is the way to go. Our Lowes sell Wilsonart which is a comparable product to Formica. Gets pricey by the time you figure in the substrate and contact cement. And like most everything else it is a process that has to be completed correctly to obtain an acceptable product.

Barry, sure would be nice iffen ya take bunch of pictures of your outfeed table and post em...I’m planing one for my Uni now and need good ideas.

[Jim Becker]

The high pressure laminate (whatever brand...doesn't matter) isn't the least expensive product on the market (~$40-50), but you'll likely be able to use the whole sheet over time for both your outfeed solution and other work surfaces in the shop. Almost none of it needs to be wasted. It's really durable for this application. Do be sure to account for it's approximate 1/16" thickness in your solution, particularly where the outfeed table meets the rear rail of the saw.

[Glenn Turnage]

I used an old double-pedestal office desk to build a router table. Cut off the legs and built a frame from oak on casters to mount the desk in. Designed it so that the height of the top matches my grizzly cabinet saw height. Removed the center drawer in the desk so I could mount the router in the center of the desktop. When it's needed for an outfeed table I can roll it to the saw. I built a stand from my planer to match the same height as this and the tablesaw, so I can use it with the planer also. When I need a glueup table this works fine for that also. I built the stand for my Makita compound mitersaw to match the same height, so when I need support for long stock it's available. I only have 24X40' and try to get as much use from equipment as possible. There's enough clutter in there from cut-off's and sawdust without adding more tables.

[Brad Townsend]

I have two HDs within 30 minutes of my house. One carries laminate and the other doesn't. Apparently it's up to the individual store and the one you go to happens to be one of the have nots.

[Jim Becker]

Apparently it's up to the individual store and the one you go to happens to be one of the have nots.

Yup...and you are always guaranteed to walk into the wrong store when you need something and have to extend your trip to the other one to complete your business! It's a natural law or something... ;)

[Matt Meiser]

I used melamine and its looking pretty beat up. Eventually I'll probably sand it down to the particle board and laminate it.

On laminate: If you find a Lowes or Home Depot that carry it in stock, look for a damaged piece and ask for a discount. I've seen it marked WAY down when damaged. I also found a roll of bright blue laminate at a local home center. It appeared to have 6 2' x 4' - 5' pieces. I asked how much and they said how about $2 a piece. I said I'd take 3 and they offered me everything for $8. Turns out they were 8' long. I've seen other deals like that at the same place but have passed since I'm up to my ears in blue.

[lou sansone]

at this time I like to have one of my work benches as the out feed. rather than bugger up the top with miter slots that are subject to change, I lower the height of the bench as shown in one of the photos. the main bench is about 7 feet long and 3 feet wide for scale. bench top is american beech ~ 3" to 4" thick

lou

[Joe Blankshain]

Lou,
That is one nice looking bench. Did you make it or purchase. I am looking for a new design for my next one. PM me if appropriate. Sorry for the interruption, we return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I've never seen an HD that didn't sell laminate in Formica form, you got a dummy.

[John Thomas]

Kelly, Just topped my table with tempered hardboard. A little Johnson paste wax and you are good to go. If it gets messed up it is cheap and easy to replace.

[Allen Bookout]

I've never seen an HD that didn't sell laminate in Formica form, you got a dummy.

Both of the Home Depots near me have quit stocking laminate. I got the last sheet of white Wilsonart from one of them a few weeks ago.

[Mark Singer]

I perfer a softer surface....for several reasons the most important one is The laminate is harder and will scratch even hardwood....Mine is MDF...and I use the outfeed table for a general woodworking assembly table..

[Barry Beech]

The outfeed table that I'm planning on is one that will flip down. I need this option for a lack of space. A couple of years ago I built a cabinet with a flip down router table (from NYW show) I made this the same height as my table saw, the only problem is I gave that saw to my brother and got a Uni. The top of that table is hardboard which is nice for that application but I would want something a little slicker and also put on the face of a router table fence that I'm working on (from wood mag).

Thanks for all your input!!

[Bob Powers]

I built my outfeed table about 20 years ago and used tempered hardboard for the top on the basis that it would be easily damaged and just as easily replaced. The table is 38" wide by 72" long and is my assembly table. I also use it as an outfeed table for my planer, which rests on a rolling cabinet that lets boards exit the planer at the same height as the outfeed table. After 20 years, the hardboard is nearing the end of its useful life. Edging is oak.

[Mark Carlson]

I use a Festool MFT as an outfeed table. It also doubles as an assembly table and glue up table. I'm planing on buying a 2nd MFT so I have a larger area.

~mark

[Dan Oelke]

Lou - how well does that work with the outfeed table a smidgen lower (3/8" to 1/2" I'm guess)? I would think that it would cause some tipping of the board you are cutting as the weight goes onto your outfeed table. However - I like the idea of not having to cut slots into such a gorgeous bench.

[lou sansone]

Lou - how well does that work with the outfeed table a smidgen lower (3/8" to 1/2" I'm guess)? I would think that it would cause some tipping of the board you are cutting as the weight goes onto your outfeed table. However - I like the idea of not having to cut slots into such a gorgeous bench.

It seems to work fine for me, keep in mind that the saw in the photo has a real deep table and by the time the wood leaves the cast iron table it does not really droop all that much. If I am really concerned I put a little sheet of plywood on the bench top to level it out.

lou

[Mike Monroe]

Querstion. If I laminate the top of an outfeed table, do I need to laminate the bottom also?

I'm working on a "Jim Becker" style outfeed for the Unisaw. Planning on making the top out of single layer of 3/4 MDF; laminate the top, 2-3 coats of poly the bottom.

I know making a router table top, one should laminate both sides, but does the same apply to a table saw outfeed. If the consensus is yes, you need to laminate both sides, then I think I go with plain MDF coated with poly.

Thanks.
Mike

[Dan Forman]

I have found good deals on laminate from the shops that provide it to cabinet shops. Apparently they often have fairly large pieces which are ordered then not picked up or are canceled. I got a 30 x 40 inch piece for $5.

Dan

[Joe Spear]

None of the Home Depots around here sells laminate sheets anymore, just preformed, laminated particleboard counter pieces. The Lowe's stores do sell the sheets, though. Their price is $44 a 4x8 sheet. I got a damaged one a couple months ago for $10 (about 3/4 usable). Then they had a sale to get rid of certain colors, and I got three more sheets for $22 each. You can also special-order laminate sheets. There is a Wilsonart distributor nearby, but their prices start at about $72 a sheet and go up depending on the color or surface texture.

[Allen Bookout]

I know making a router table top, one should laminate both sides, but does the same apply to a table saw outfeed. If the consensus is yes, you need to laminate both sides, then I think I go with plain MDF coated with poly.

Thanks.
Mike

That is a good question Mike. I am just bringing it up again since you did not get an answer. I am also interested is the response.

Allen

[Mike Monroe]

Called a local counter top maker and they want $2.34-$2.67 per sq.ft. for laminate. Lowes wants $44 for a 4x8 sheet, which ciphers out to $1.38 per sq.ft. Menards wants $9.99 for a 30" x 48" sheet, which comes to $1.00 per sq.ft.

Now Menards does have a damaged 30" x 96" sheet for $15, but it's a very ugly mottled color. I suppose it's supposed to look like granite, but it looks like a cat yak to me. Don't know if I could stomach having that in my shop.

[Byron Trantham]

I can buy Formica at my local HD (there are two them now!) but one day I decided I would look elsewhere in town. I looked in the Yellow Pages and found a company that sold it - cheaper. Plus they can get the 12' stuff which is sometimes needed for bar tops, etc.