Feed table or work table???

[Jack Clay]

I have my work table setup so I can set a full sheet of plywood or stock on it and feed the table saw. I guess I have watched too much New Yankee Workshop. When I first setup my table saw I had my work table as a runoff table and every time I went to cut something I had to move what I was working on. Now I am running into the same problem. I say all that to ask how you feed your stock to the table saw. Do you use your work table/ Bench, roller stand, or what? I am thinking I would like my work table by itself but I am wondering what to use for the feed support. I would appreciate comments and pictures would be great.

[Jack Clay]

Has anybody tried this system?www.ezee-feed.com

[Anthony Watson]

Jack,

Like you, I have a worktable/workbench that I made the same height as my table saw. It's on wheels so I can move it around the shop easily, I have a router mounted under one end as my router table, I built a couple of drawers to hold my router accessories, sanders, etc. and I have space underneath to store the various cases for my air nailers and whatnot.

Of course, I've run into the same problem as you, having to clear the table off to make cuts with the saw.

I recently bought a new saw and it sits higher than my old one did. It has a flip up outfeed table, which is handy for short items, but I still need to come up with some kind of support for longer boards and plywood sheets.

I'm planning to rebuild my work table to match the new saw height, since I've wanted to improve the router portion anyway. I'm also hoping to make it a little smaller so it doesn't take up so much room in my shop (it's currently about 3' wide x 6' long).

I've never used the roller stands, but just looking at them I would think they would have a tendency to tip over? Maybe someone else can share their experiences with them.

Anthony

[Tom Willoughby]

I have a fold down out feed table for larger pieces. Since my shop is small, I wanted something to handle larger pieces but would not take up too much space when not required. My solution was the fold down out feed table, which works well for me. It's there when I need it but out of the way when I don't.

Regarding in feed, I haven't used anything so far. One elegant solution I have seen for large heavy pieces is to put 2 saw horses at the same height as the table saw to support the wood being cut. You could then push the wood and walk between the saw horses. I haven't tried it though.

Tom

[Jerry Booher]

Jack,

I've never used the roller stands, but just looking at them I would think they would have a tendency to tip over?
Anthony

I have one and it does tip if the wood drops below it and pushes it over. Then I have a big problem trying to complete the cut.

Jerry

[Tom Veatch]

... I say all that to ask how you feed your stock to the table saw. Do you use your work table/ Bench, roller stand, or what? I am thinking I would like my work table by itself but I am wondering what to use for the feed support. I would appreciate comments and pictures would be great.

I built an outfeed table based on (IIRC) Norm's design from a sheet of plywood. Of course, like every other horizontal surface in my shop, it immediately attracted clutter that has to be moved to use the saw. An assembly table to attract some of that clutter is in the thinking stage.

Roller stand? I use them mostly for infeed support. But there are two things I don't like about them. The single horizontal roller design must be pretty closely aligned to perpendicular to the cut line to prevent putting a side load on the work as it passes across it. I don't like having to fight that side load when I should be concentrating completely on what that spinning blade is doing and how close tender portions of my anatomy might be. The second thing I don't like is the tendency for them to tip over if they are placed such that the CG of the load passes over them during a cut. I find that sudden, unexpected shift in load to be a dangerous situation. The roller stands that have several ball rollers instead of a single horizontal roller addresses the first of these concerns, but the tipping problem still remains.

The "ezee-feed" system in the link addresses both those problems and seems to be reasonably priced. Can't tell from the picture, but if it's permanently mounted to the saw, it may take up more floor space than a smaller shop can afford to devote to it. Just finished a task that involved two lengthwise rips in each of a pile of 10' 2x4s that could have made good use of that device. Have of box of dismounted rollers that are destined to become an infeed device similar to that.

[Peter Quinn]

I have an out feed table on my cabinet saw that I use altogether too much as a work bench, though is was designed to be just big enough to catch a 4X8 sheet. I run into the same problem you describe, needing to move things to make a cut. Not a real problem for sheet goods as I tend to fabricate my sheet goods in one batch, so the table is cleared and ready in those cases. I have a work bench and a low height assembly/glue up bench, but I just keep coming back to that out feed table? Must be insanity?

I looked at that ezee feed thing, looks good but too much infrastructure for my shop. I built two melamine tables that ride on the rails of the saw and are supported by a roller stand for the router lift in the sideboard end of my saw (70" rails). The out feed table for the router works as infeed support for sheet goods on the TS. Together with an adjustable saw horse (which has 6 ball rollers in a line) this table allows me to rip sheet goods fully supported and makes an easy way to get them into place on the saw. The shop built tables are 12"X9' and fit into the joists over head when not in use, they attach in about 2 minutes, cost me $15 to make plus some scraps?

I don't like traditional roller stands for use with the TS as they tend to tip at the worst possible moment, and if not perfectly aligned perpendicular with the blade they have a tendency to steer the wood which can lead to inaccuracy or kick back. I reserve roller stands for the RAS or SCMS where they hold the work, allow me to move it quickly, but are not in action during the cut. I have a Rigid stock support that is like a roller stand, but with a flat oval shaped slick plastic top that pivots. I use it for extended out feed support on long pieces of solid stock but never for infeed support of whole sheets as it tends to tip just like a any other roller stand.

[Jack Clay]

Peter,
I sure wood like to see pictures of your 12"X9' setup. That sounds like a great idea. I am not for sure how they are attached or how they stand but I would like to know more.

[Peter Quinn]

I'll try to take a pic of one set up today and post it. They clamp to the rails from below on the saw side and sit on a roller stand with the roller removed on the free end. On the router table I set one for infeed, one for outfeed for long moldings, I use them less since adding a shaper to my setup, but the router outfeed rides on the fence rail so makes a good infeed support for plywood.

[Peter Quinn]

Here are a few pics Jack. Pretty simple table made with a piece of melamine shelving, MDF substrate, purchased from the orange BORG. There is a simple frame attached below the table with pocket screws and PL glue. Its pretty rigid. A couple of shims help level the table to the cast iron top. a roller stand minus the roller holds the far end of the table, and a clamp connects the table to the fence rail from below.

Sometimes I use the saw horse in pic four which is adjustable height and has roller bearings which don't tend to affect the direction of the cut like a roller can, sometimes I just support that end myself. I have an assembly table just out of the picture that can hold a lift of plywood so I can fire sheet after sheet through the saw with everything fully supported for and aft of the cut.

I have two of these tables which were designed to give support for long moldings I make on the router table occasionally. One day I looked at them and thought they would be pretty handy for plywood ripping too, sure enough they are.

Please excuse the mess. Hope these pics help. Sincerely, Peter Quinn.

[Peter Quinn]

Opps, here is the pic of the clamp that holds the infeed table to the fence rail. Simple but solid.

[Jack Clay]

Thank you for taking time to get the pictures. I can see how that set up is better than what I have now because you are supporting the stock all the way to the saw. I am going to take a look at some measurements and see what I can find and give it a try. Thanks again.

[Joe Chritz]

I made an assembly table (about 3x5) torsion box and casters for a lot of assembly and a 4x4 or so torsion box extension table for the table saw.

I end up using the runoff table as much as the smaller one because the height is more comfortable to work at unless I am assembling cabs or something. Having both is handly and a torsion box isn't costly to produce.

Joe

[Peter Quinn]

Jack, I find when that little table is well waxed the sheets just fly across that melamine, and the roller bearings on the saw horse help too. That way i can focus on guiding the sheet and not worry about holding the sheet.

For lighter stuff like 1/2" ply in short runs I just push the stuff through, but for 3/4" material or MDF it really helps to have support, and it works well for long solid stock too.