Best Material for an Outfeed Table

[Eric Roberge]

Ok... Just purchased my Ridgid 3660 and want to add an outfeed table ASAP. I've seen some good designs on previous posts and I know what I'm going to do, but what is the best material to use for the work surface? Birch ply, Melamine, Standard ply with a coating, etc...? I haven't been able to find this in past posts.
(I'm afraid the Melamine being pressboard underneath will not hold up over time and add unnecessary weight)
Thanks for your input!

[Alex Shanku]

Ive had melamine side tables and outfeed tables for years and never had an issue. Slicker the better, imo

[Jim Becker]

I prefer plastic laminate over ply or MDF for these surfaces. Melamine is nice looking and slick, but it can also be damaged a lot easier since the coating is whisper-thin. That said, Melamine is just fine for general use and would "likely" hold up fine for most folks. And honestly, I also have some work surfaces that are just raw MDF with BLO on them and they have held up just fine.

Regardless of how you do the top, you need to insure you do a good support structure under it to keep it from sagging over time.

[Robert Parrish]

I use Phenolic Coated Baltic Birch Plywood and I have it connected to my work bench and the entire length of my PM2000. This gives me a large surface to work on and is great for handling sheet goods.

[Matt Meiser]

I previously had melamine and it worked fine. But it did look pretty bad with all the scratches, spills, etc. Now I have laminate over MDF.

A tip to make laminate inexpensive--go to Home Depot or Lowes and look for a sheet with a broken corner. Find the department manager and ask him/her for a deal. I've heard of people getting them 75% off and I've gotten them for 50% off.

My previous table was really a bank of cabinets so it had great support, but it was too big. The new one is has a welded steel frame.

[Scott Wigginton]

Would Hardboard fastened to MDF work well?

I know my future outfeed table will inevitably become overflow for my workbench. So when it gets damaged, replacing hardboard would be quicker and cheaper than fixing some of the other options I've seen out there.

[Jim Becker]

Scott, that's not a bad idea at all. Just do it the same way you might for a workbench with a replaceable top. Have an apron edge around the table surface that is proud of the substructure by the thickness of the hardboard. Just drop the hardboard into it. No fasteners or adhesives necessary. The weight of the topper will keep it in place.

[Neal Clayton]

i just frame up the bottom of a sheet of MDF, and screw masonite to the top. cheap, easy, and the top is disposable when you need a new one.

[Prashun Patel]

My outfeed table is a lattice of 1x2's topped with 1/4" hardboard. Plenty stable and light enough to be moved out of the way, which is important for my small shop.

If you can afford it, get some phenolic ply. It's light and slick and awesome.

[Alan Schaffter]

I used melamine for my first extension table. It was ok but sagged a little and needed support and the wear layer was not as thick as high pressure laminate.

What was:

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5060060.JPG

I completely rebuilt my tables from the mobile base up to and including the table frame (new angle iron) and tables. I added to, and enlarged the tables also. I used a hardwood grid (half of a torsion box) and covered it with 1/2" MDF then high pressure laminate.

Grid for right extension sitting on new frame, legs, and mobile base:
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5170025.JPG

Finished: new mobile base (moved step caster, eliminated rails along floor, etc.), new right extension, new fixed, outfeed, new folding outfeed (hinged with single hinged leg):

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/500/medium/P5260045.JPG

I painted the exposed oak edges black to match my other benchwork. It looks lightweight and is- but it is flat and sturdy!! The only trouble with laminate is you are stuck with scratches if once you get them.

[glenn bradley]

I'm at the extreme opposite end from Alan. I "temporarily" put a piece of used particle board on top of an old workbench stand (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=79268&d=1200376088) and routed miter slot grooves in it. I ran the ROS over it moving from 150 to 220.

For awhile I rubbed it with the shellac pads after I was done doing whatever I was doing. You know, just to rub out the excess before tossing the pad. It eventually got a good film on it. I wax it when I wax the saw and it is still "temporarily there. Plenty slick. Low tech.

[Bill Arnold]

I made the tables on both sides and the outfeed of my table saw with MDF. I sealed it with a couple of coats of Sealcoat, then topped that with a couple of coats of Johnson's wax. It's slick and glue won't stick to it.

[Lee Schierer]

I guess I'm the odd man out. My out feed table is half a sheet 3/4" plywood with about 3 coats of polyurethane. Glue won't stick and the surface is pretty slippery.http://www.home.earthlink.net/~us71na/lsfence4.jpg

[Rick Gooden]

I recently built an outfeed table out of MDO, seal-coated and waxed, liked it so much I used MDO in the same manner on a router table. MDO is MDF over plywood and is available at Mennards.

[Rob Cunningham]

I guess I'm the odd man out. My out feed table is half a sheet 3/4" plywood with about 3 coats of polyurethane. Glue won't stick and the surface is pretty slippery.http://www.home.earthlink.net/%7Eus71na/lsfence4.jpg
No Lee, your not the only one. My outfeed table is 1/2" plywood on a frame with legs. It's not pretty but it works for now. Someday I'll build one like Alan's.
Alan, that's a work of art, and your shop is way too clean :eek:

[Eric Roberge]

I have to agree. Way too clean!:D Alan, Do you use your shop?... Just Kidding... I love that table. You did a great job!

[Peter Quinn]

You are welcomed but by no means required to get fancy on the outfeed table. Mine is a piece of 3/4" cheepo plywood from the borg screwed to a decent poplar sub frame made fom scraps I milled up, some shellac, some wax, does its job. It won't win any awards for aesthetics but it came in under budget and has been reliable ever since. Way I see it is every minute I spent making that table more elaborate than it had to be was a minute I wasted not working wood that I can never get back. Opinions due vary considerable.

Also, I am not a fan of ultra slick work surfaces generally except on my router table. I like things to move smoothly without being slippery, and melamine or formica is just too slick for my needs. Its more like an air hockey table at that point than a wood working shop table.

[Jimmie Mayfield]

How about a hollow-core door as a cheap outfeed support? Relatively sturdy, lightweight, inexpensive...

[Chris Padilla]

1/2 Baltic Birch with high-pressure laminant on both sides.

They connect to my Incra rail and come off very quickly should I need the support elsewhere or to hang on the wall out of the way.

[Narayan Nayar]

You know, Chris, I have one of those and love it. I tried to order another a few months ago and they're no longer made :(

[Roger Jensen]

I built this one out of 3/4 Birch PW from HD, with a 1.5 inch walnut border to help stiffen it. I extended the table 12 inches before the hinge so it would clear the dc hoses behind the saw. I also like the extra 12 inches there for most of my cuts.

If I had it to do over again (and money wasn't an object), I'd use phenolic plywood. For now the poly topcoat is slick enough. I'll eventually add some fold up legs, but for now I'm using a popup outfeed table from HD.

Roger

[James Williams 007]

I bought the top from Redmond and Sons for 30$ because it had a ding in one of the corners. I also grabbed one for my dad and he built a cabinet under his I just made mine a rolling table. I use mine to assemble and the glue wont stick to it so I like the laminate.

[Ken Lustgarten]

I like a slick surface. I would start with a good grade of ply with sturdy supports underneath. Either use laminate and wax or apply poly and wax. The poly and wax combo is cheap and easier to repair. Glue will not stick to either. A series of holes (Festool MFT style) provide flexible clamping for securing glueups.

When the need arises to use it as a work bench put some hardboard or mdf on the table. Cut a piece a little bigger then the table so you can fasten a few blocks of wood to the bottom edges of the temporary top to keep it from sliding.

[Chris Padilla]

You know, Chris, I have one of those and love it. I tried to order another a few months ago and they're no longer made :(

It is unfortunate but I guess sales weren't good on them. Most of it you can make on your own since you've got a pattern right there. I recall their price being kinda high...like ~$120 or something? They knocked some off if you bought 2.

Anyway, I recently picked up some more Incra rail and I will be adding it to my bandsaw and my jointer/planer combo machine so that I can use these outfeed/support tables for those pieces of equipment. I hope the rail arrives before this weekend as my plan is to get this all done this weekend.

[Eugene Wigley]

I use 3/4" plywood with formica. I made the frame out of poplar.

[Steve Clardy]

I have just a simple 2x4 framed table with a sheet of 7/16 OSB throwed on top.

[peter leyden]

I second the vote for using a hollow core door for an outfeed table. They are cheap, readily available(sometimes for free) and they are a ready built "torsion box".What's not to like?
PS They are often thrown out when people fancy up their interior doors, and I for one am not averse to picking up a used door!

[chris dub]

A couple of space saving options:


I took a piece of laminate flooring that I had left over and attached it to a sawhorse. It is by no means a full outfeed table, but it seems to work well for most things other than full sheet goods. The surface is very slick and pretty durable.

Another that I saw on another forum and made was a fence extension/outfeed combo. It is a sacrificial fence that extends past the ends of the saw table by 6-8” or so on the front and back. And then attach a piece ¼ -½” thick plywood to the bottom of the fence extension on the front and back. The horizontal pieces can be 6-8” wide. If the fence is flush with the table top then the plywood outfeeds should be as well. You can roundover the edge where the material comes off the table to help with any unevenness. Again not great for sheet goods but is a great space saver and works well for those 8” wide boards that are 4-5’ in length. I used this on my portable table saw with the Wixey digital fence. Otherwise as with any sacrificial fence your measurements can be thrown off.

[jeff norris 2011]

Any one else using laminate flooring for their top?

I am thinking fake wood flooring

[Steve Clardy]

That might be to slick, things sliding off to easily? If you used it for things other than just an outfeed.
Sand the finish off I suppose

[Alex Zeller]

Call a local cement contractors supply shop and see if they have plywood for cement forms. It's basically signboard but cheaper. It's MDF glued to plywood. Signboard (around here twice the price) is more expensive and some lumber yards carry it. I paid $50 for a 4x8 3/4" sheet last month.

[Greg Funk]

I made an MFT style outfeed table with a torsion box, an MDF top and the older style MFT extrusions.

424522

The larger section of table swings down when not needed.
424527

Some construction details:
424523

[jeff norris 2011]

Call a local cement contractors supply shop and see if they have plywood for cement forms. It's basically signboard but cheaper. It's MDF glued to plywood. Signboard (around here twice the price) is more expensive and some lumber yards carry it. I paid $50 for a 4x8 3/4" sheet last month.

I think what you got was MDO (Medium density overlaid plywood). A every interesting and useful product.

[Tim Otto]

I have used solid surface (corian type) sink cutouts for lots of jigs and fixtures. You can often get sink cutouts for free. Larger pieces, perhaps cosmetically damaged, but entirely sound can often be had from suppliers of same. It is almost as flat as aluminum tooling plate. YMMV

[roger wiegand]

I recently built an outfeed table out of MDO, seal-coated and waxed, liked it so much I used MDO in the same manner on a router table. MDO is MDF over plywood and is available at Mennards.

Interesting, in our part of the world MDO (which I translate a medium density overlay) is a high quality plywood with a resin-impregnated paper surface. No MDF involved. It's used extensively for signs and when you want a very smooth paintable surface. I love to use the stuff for building museum displays at the place I volunteer.

My outfeed tables were all done in Formica over MDF on maple tables. It's time to re-do them because the glue has now failed and they are peeling up at the corners, but it's been close to 30 years. Overall it has worked very well.