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Thread: Table Saw Outfeed Table

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Table Saw Outfeed Table

    I want to improve my table saw outfeed table. Current one is melamine board that is no totally flat. Here are the options I am considering.

    1. MDF with high pressure laminate (Formica, Wilson Art). Having some challenges finding a source.
    2. Try to find some flat melamine panels, another challenge find totall flat panels.
    3. MDF with laminate flooring (think Pergo) glued to the MDF. What would you glue the laminate flooring to the MDF?

    Will option 3 work satisfactorly?

    Thanks
    George

    Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.

  2. #2
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    Columbus, OH
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    George, with respect to sourcing laminate, I've ordered laminate thru Home Depot and have had it in about a week.

  3. #3
    A lot of flooring companies sell high pressure laminate. You don't need a big piece, check around for remnants.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
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    Elmodel, Ga.
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    MDF with Formica would be my choice. I laminated two mdf panels together and applied Formica to both sides to mitigate any warping and it has held up nicely and flat for years. It also doubles as an extra work surface while gluing. Nice thing about formica is the glue doesn't stick to it.
    Formica can be applied with contact cement. If you go this route, make sure to boarder the edges so moisture won't be a problem.
    My Dad always told me "Can't Never Could".

    SWE

  5. #5
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    Formica, or high pressure plastic laminate, is easy to source. Finding perfectly flat sheet goods, not so easy. My outfeed is a 2" thick torsion box with plastic laminate top & bottom. Very flat & stable.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    sykesville, maryland
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    I use straight up MDF, painted with 3 coats poly. I've been using it for 10 years now. It doubles as an assembly table set to the height of my saw with relief dados for the miter gauge. I used 4 sheets of 3/4" MDF, with the top sheet floating so it can be replaced easily. The stack is bound by 2x3 fir boards. There are no signs of MDF failure anywhere. The poly binds it up pretty good. I don't see a need for a laminate.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by tom lucas View Post
    I used 4 sheets of 3/4" MDF, with the top sheet floating so it can be replaced easily. The stack is bound by 2x3 fir boards. There are no signs of MDF failure anywhere. The poly binds it up pretty good. I don't see a need for a laminate.
    That is really thick, why so thick?
    George

    Making sawdust regularly, occasionally a project is completed.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2014
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    Alberta
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    George ,any plastic laminate will work well. I use whatever left over pieces are laying around or buy the sheets someone ordered and did not pick up for cheap. I have just used Fir 3/4 " plywood ,however if dead flat is something you want I think the "torsion box" is the best way to get there and keep it flat.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Richmond, VA
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    I have a cobbled together table I use as an outfeed table and an assembly table. It's really been an experiment and work-in-progress. The frame is southern yellow pine. The top is a single sheet of MDF. I have cross supports (2x4s) every foot or so. I used shims (thin washers) to get the top flat. It's screwed to the supports from the top. I treat the top with BLO. The table is very rigid and stable. The top is flat (and has stayed flat). I check it periodically with a Lee Valley aluminum straight edge. To clean up the top, I just sand it, then reapply BLO. It looks like new.

  10. #10
    Why does it need to be totally flat?

    Mine are just ply with and frame and work fine.

  11. #11
    I'm surprised HDPE plastic sheet is not more popular for this type of project. Super-common in the manufacturing industry for worktop surfaces. It would need to be mechanically fastened to a solid base (sheet) of plywood but HDPE is cheap and available with an orangepeel-type texture that you can easily glide heavy stuff over and nothing sticks to HDPE. The plastics place I did a stint at sold sheets for less than $100, IIRC.

    Erik
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  12. #12
    Here’s a source for HDPE and all kinds of plastic sheets:

    https://www.eplastics.com/sheets/hdpe/black-natural

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by George Bokros View Post
    That is really thick, why so thick?
    Because it is also an assembly table with vise and dog holes. Designed to take abuse and stay put. It is on 6 casters, but weighs north of 300 lbs with 6 big drawers underneath. The top is about 4 x 6'. To get it to roll takes some deliberate pushing.

  14. #14
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    Jan 2013
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    sykesville, maryland
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    Here is a photo

    (Image 4 of 9)






    (Image 4 of 9)



  15. #15
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
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    Lebanon, TN
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    I built an outfeed table, a little smaller, but similar to Tom's. I wanted it to be solid, but maneuverable, and have some storage capacity.

    For the top, I made an adjustable height torsion box out of 3/4" MDF. The top just sits on the cabinet.

    In the normal orientation, it have 49" of support past the trailing edge to the saw blade. For cutting longer sheet shock, I can rotate the table 90 degrees to provide the extra support.

    Although heavy, as it spends 99% of it's life in the position pictured below, I also put a couple of clamp knobs, underneath, to lock it in place.







    The top is 4" thick, two 3/4" MDF sheets with 2.5" MDF splines. The block areas are when the adjustable feet mount to adjusting the tp[ height.


    This outfeed table replace a folding table, that I also made, which worked great, but just had a lot of unused space below it.

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