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Thread: dual tablesaw setup?

  1. #1
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    dual tablesaw setup?

    OK, finally got the floor down for the new shop, and ready to start placing tools. Have budgeted plenty of room in middle for a double table saw setup, with my Powermatic 66 with a Beisemeyer 52" fence being the main saw, and an older delta cabinet as one dedicated for dadoes and the like. My question, and I'd love to hear input, I am having trouble deciding between a side by side layout, with the delta off the right side of the P66 or one where the Delta is back to back. If I go this side by side route, going to have to rework the existing shopfox mobile base, since the right side is setup for light fence support only, not a heavy saw. Or I could leave the P66 alone, and then put the Delta on the back side of it, going opposite direction. I have plenty of room to lead wood into each one (10' in either direction currently, obviously that might change as something gets added). There's always a give/take, just not sure what I'm giving...

    Have been out of the ww for quite awhile, and just now getting back into it, so I know I'm not thinking thru all that I need to consider. Since it's been awhile, I can't remember what I can't remember, or is it don't know what I don't know?

    Appreciate any input, and pictures are extremely appreciated if possible. TIA!! Dave

  2. #2
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    Given you have the space, I'd do back to back opposite directions so you retain your ability to stand and move easily to the left of the saw blade for things that benefit from that. There may be less interference from setups that way, too.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    I would also go back to back, I would also put an outfeed table between them.

  4. #4
    Depending on how closely you put the saws to each other (back to back), then each saw could serve as the outfeed table for the other...

  5. #5
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    I had back to back, with about a foot between them for DC, etc. Always meant to put a spacer between them, but never did because one saw had an oddball fence with a wheel on the end. One Unisaw, one Enlon (I think), both cabinet saws.

    Both were spaced up a bit and height matched. I did screw a beveled edge on the UNI side table so outfeed from the other saw would not catch if it sagged just a bit in that foot between them. The other saw, had that wheel which prevented me from doing the same to it.

    I was happy with it.
    Rick Potter

    DIY journeyman,
    FWW wannabe.
    AKA Village Idiot.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bryan Lisowski View Post
    I would also go back to back, I would also put an outfeed table between them.
    I would second the back to back option. I don't have it in my shop, but I have a friend who uses this approach and it has worked out well for him.
    David

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Given you have the space, I'd do back to back opposite directions so you retain your ability to stand and move easily to the left of the saw blade for things that benefit from that. There may be less interference from setups that way, too.
    Jim (et al),
    Thanks so much for the feedback, sounds like back/back it'll be. That helps tremendously, kinda what I was thinking but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.
    How about lateral spacing on the dado saw? If facing the dado saw positioned on the back, should I orient it all the way to left (so that actual steel table of dado saw is behind the right fence edge of the P66, and is actually "caddy corner" from P66), or align it "justified" right, so that the two saws are right behind each other? Or I guess I could center it too, which seems like might be best?? Only thing that's going to be any obstruction in the area is my dust port is coming from under concrete. So planning to run some sort of steel arm along the right edge of the P66 (might buy one, might build one, tbd at a later date) carrying the 4" dust port up/over for the P66 tablesaw blade guard/dust port. Thinking that might be in the way if I justify the dado saw to the left (facing it), and I might want more table support to the right of the dado blade if I justify it right. Does this appear to be sound logic for centering it, and then building nice table(s) to each edge, and in between? Thanks again, so much help on this forum, you guys rock!

  8. #8
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    I had two Unisaws set up back to back. In my set up I had a four foot wide outfeed table between the two saws.Everything worked good until I installed over arm blade guards on the saws and found one always in the way for cutting plywood on the other saw. I think it would be easier to set up as Rick did with a small space between the saws than the way I did it. It was a struggle to get and keep the saws and outfeed aligned on top.

  9. #9
    I’m in shops every week and almost without exception, these setups are head-to-head, like so...

    Erik1B71AAA1-DE85-4A5A-ABB2-7D0F13812229.jpg
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Erik Loza View Post
    I’m in shops every week and almost without exception, these setups are head-to-head, like so...

    Erik1B71AAA1-DE85-4A5A-ABB2-7D0F13812229.jpg
    Erik,
    I cant see the 2nd TS here?

  11. #11
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    If you install back-to-back, you must have a separate outfeed table between them, with a clearance slots. Otherwise the miter gage and sled cannot be used. Also more depth is required for feeding long lumber.

    Photos show how I setup 3 table saws in my small shop. My principle Unisaw runs a carbide combination blade and has a router table built onto it such that the Unifence can be used for both. My secondary Unisaw runs a carbide rip blade and has a contractors saw built onto it with a 1/2" carbide dado stack. The Beismeyer fence can be used for both. Outfeed tables are heavy duty workbenches.





    Last edited by andy bessette; 09-21-2019 at 12:28 PM.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Potter View Post
    I had back to back, with about a foot between them for DC, etc. Always meant to put a spacer between them, but never did because one saw had an oddball fence with a wheel on the end. One Unisaw, one Enlon (I think), both cabinet saws.

    Both were spaced up a bit and height matched. I did screw a beveled edge on the UNI side table so outfeed from the other saw would not catch if it sagged just a bit in that foot between them. The other saw, had that wheel which prevented me from doing the same to it.

    I was happy with it.
    Rick, when you say beveled edge, can you elaborate on what it was that worked for you there? How beveled are you talking about?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by andy bessette View Post
    If you install back-to-back, you must have a separate outfeed table between them, with a clearance slots. Otherwise the miter gage and sled cannot be used. Also more depth is required for feeding long lumber.

    Photos show how I setup 3 table saws in my small shop. My principle Unisaw runs a carbide combination blade and has a router table built onto it such that the Unifence can be used for both. My secondary Unisaw runs a carbide rip blade and has a contractors saw built onto it with a 1/2" carbide dado stack. The Beismeyer fence can be used for both. Outfeed tables are heavy duty workbenches.





    3 saws? Hmmmm... I like it. I especially like the idea of combining all that into one station maybe. I'm thinking a router table on the right side of the P66, that can share the beisemeyer fence. Then put a ripping blade on the Delta cabinet saw on the back side justified left, and that combined with a contractors saw to it's right as you have here, for dadoes. That would eliminate most interference (I think) with the blade guards I would have for the two cabinets that can both use the same center support. There would be a conflict with any thing being ripped that might hit the upright support for the blade guard, but that would be minimal, since most things needing a exclusive ripping blade would be narrow I think, so shouldn't hang out to far off table to left. Thoughts about that one? If I were to go that route, anyone see issues there? What would y'all suggest to connect the contractor's saw to the cabinet, are the wings just drilled and bolted together?
    And then it would just have to have some support in the middle but not too much. Rick indicated only small outfeed table with slots which sounds reasonable.
    Last edited by Dave Burson; 09-21-2019 at 1:20 PM.

  14. #14
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    The wings are already drilled IIRC and simply bolt together.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

  15. #15
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    When I had a much larger space, I had 2 of the same saw setup offset/back to back. By that I mean they were positioned so their miter slots lined up. That allowed them to act as outfeed tables for each other. I had tables to the left of each saw that squared the surface.

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