Home Made Sliding Table?

[Mike Hill]

Has anyone built their own TS sliding table that will cut larger pieces of plywood. Built one that will cut about 18 to 20" if I push my luck and it is very accurate, but I am interested in something larger. Commercially built sliding tables all seem to run in the $500 range and it would be nice to construct something less expensive. Would appreciate any suggestions.
Mike

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I was fooling around with that idea for a while. Everything I could think of doing was either going to be stupid big clumsy and innaccurate or would require a full blown machine shop to fab it.
I have seen lots of folks use tables around their saws for just that purpose. Waxed melamie or formica is a pretty nice surface.

In theory you should be able to set and lock a table in position so that it won't move in relation to the TS. In theory anyway.

With my old TS I'd usually break sheet goods down with a skillsaw first then off to the TS.
Either that or I'd do a very careful job of cutting with the skillsaw.
It was simply easier than trying to wrestle a large sheet on the microscopic (in comparison) 10" table saw.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Mike,
I have been fooling around with this idea for over a year. I have no room for a large sliding table, and all of the sliding tables that I have seen will not allow me to move my fence to the left side of the blade to avoid trapped beveled rips (I have a right tilt saw).

My concept is shown below. It is just a glorified folding table that is attached to the existing wing of my table saw. It uses the old fashion panel cutting jig. However, the design tries to accomplish two things: fold away, and provide stability when crosscutting large panels.

I did not start making it. But I sure am thinking of it.

-Jeff :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/tablesawextension2800x640.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/tablesawextension2-3800x640.jpg

[Mike Hill]

Jeff and Cliff: Thanks for the reply. Not many comments, but my guess is that most have gone with a long straight edge to size the plywood. I just bought one over 8' long and already had a 4' straight edge. Will use this for the time being. Also considering getting a Bosch or some kind of decent circular saw. Mine is a bit cheap:)

Jeff: A really nice idea for a folding table to handle panels. If you go any further with this, please keep me posted on what you do. What kind of software or mock up did you use to make the pictures/idea come to life? Very nicely done.
Mike

[Steven Wilson]

If I didn't have a sliding tablesaw I would go with the Festool saw and guide rails.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

If I didn't have a sliding tablesaw I would go with the Festool saw and guide rails.
It'd be a good option. Better than trusting the long factory edge of another slab of plywood and a couple of C clamps.
The other day I had to rip a few sheets of 3/4 ply in to 8' long strips. I was smiling as I stacked 'em clamped 'em & shoved the whole thing across my slider. Hoooowweeee that would have been a pain the old way.

[John Stevens]

Everything I could think of doing was either going to be stupid big clumsy and innaccurate or would require a full blown machine shop to fab it.

Same here.

I find it's almost always a better value to buy than to make things that are already being mass produced...'specially when I include the value of my time in the cost of making. Not just tools and jigs, but even wooden furniture. It's an efficient marketplace out there.

The exception is when you want something that's not mass-produced, because then the added value is in unique design, unique materials, or the "personal touch" of having/giving something that you made yourself.