New 24" TS Extension and Router Lift Installation Complete

[Keith Outten]

Late yesterday afternoon we had a truck delivery that was a couple days earlier then expected but welcome to say the least.

Chris Brown of Quality Grinding built a custom Table Saw extension wing for me with a JessEM router lift and it was delivered via Averitt Express. The extension wing is made from steel, not cast iron and the overall quality looks extremely nice based on my receipt inspection. It will probably be this weekend before I will be able to remove the old extension and install the new but I will take pictures along the way to share should anyone else be interested in having these guys build one for them.

Just so you will know I have been planning to downsize my table saw for a long time. Last month I removed the 62" slider that was installed on the left side of my saw. I was about to remove the 50" extension on the right side when I hooked up with Chris Brown and learned that he could build me a custom extension with a router lift so I changed my plans a bit. My table saw doesn't see as much use as it has in the past, mostly because the types of projects I do these days have changed and I am using my EZ Smart Guide for jobs I use to do on the table saw. It became clear that my table saw was taking up precious floor space and wasn't being utilized as much as it should. Once I found that I could add a very high quality extension and router lift I felt the added benefit would be worth keeping my table saw even though I was still planning on downsizing. I recently purchased a wheel kit for my saw, this will also be installed this weekend so I can move the saw out of the way when it isn't in use. The end result should be the same table saw with new accessories geared toward a whole new machining style.

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[Bruce Page]

That's a big chunk of steel!

[Ben Cadotte]

It looks like it is a piece of large steel channel with some short ribs attached. Going by the pic on the left. How are the ribs attached to the channel? I would love a steel extension wing. I have seen another, but it would cost more than the saw itself. It seems this version could be made at a more reaonable cost??

[Keith Outten]

Theres no channel. The top is 3/8" thick steel plate. The sides and the ribs underneath are all 3/8" flat bar, everything is welded then the bottom and top are machined flat. Shipping weight was about 92 pounds with the router lift and it probably included the pallet so the weight of the extension is most likely 60 to 70 pounds.

I will take pictures of the bottom side so you can see how it is made. This has to be one of the best quality router tables on the market, nothing else would have changed my mnd about the plans I had for my table saw. I am nuts about router tables being flat, I'm pretty sure this one will stay perfectly flat until the end of time

I'm pretty sure that Chris told me his company makes all the table saw tops for Powermatic and Delta now, they obviously know their stuff.

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[Jim O'Dell]

That is slick looking! Congrats. Anxious to see the pictures of it installed. Jim.

[Lewis Cobb]

Nice ! Looking forward to seeing more pics of this as you install it.

Cheers,
Lewis

[Matt Ocel]

Keith -

It didn't "arrive" at the proper address.

Wasn't it to be delivered to my house?

Box it back up - I'll be waiting!

[Jim Knishka]

Wow, very very nice. Was this a custom order? I looked at their website (qualitygrinding.com, right?) and didn't see any specifics.

[Keith Outten]

Here is a picture that shows how the wing is constructed from the bottom side.

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[Keith Outten]

Wow, very very nice. Was this a custom order? I looked at their website (qualitygrinding.com, right?) and didn't see any specifics.

Jim,

Based on a couple of phone conversations with Chris Brown I believe this is a new activity for his company. They have been selling new saws and offering custom accessories for some time but offering just extension wings made to order is new for them. This one was made to fit my Grizzly 1023 but it is a standard 27" width so it would fit almost any saw. I elected to drill the mounting holes myself but they will provide the service if you send them the necessary dimensions.

Quality Grinding can provide price quotes for those of you who are interested in a custom accessory. In the meantime you can contact Chris via email.

sales@qualitygrinding.com

BTW Chris is the boss so you get to talk to someone who has answers and can make a decision. It helps that he is a really nice guy who is willing to spend some time to make sure you get the services you expect and we are fortunate to have his company join us here at The Creek.

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[Keith Outten]

Keith -

It didn't "arrive" at the proper address.

Wasn't it to be delivered to my house?

Box it back up - I'll be waiting!

Matt,

You right, it was shipped to my address by mistake and should have been shipped to your shop

I can help rectify the mistake and put you in touch with the guy who is in charge of shipping so he can get yours to you ASAP Meanwhile I hope you don't mind if I keep this one, I like it much better than I thought I would now that I have seen it up close and personal.

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[Matt Ocel]

Keith
Yeah -
You can keep that one.
I'll just cry it out of my system today. and keep dreaming.

Let us know how it performs. Enjoy!!

[Brian Weick]

Man,
All I can say is ~ Sweet Keith. Guess were I went after seeing that , off to see my friend Allen Fredric, from Fredric's Machinery. I have been wanting an extension bed made for my table top and I am thinking about doing it in aluminum. He said if he made it out of steel it would weigh about 250lbs (27" x 48") so he said the aluminum may be the way to go 3/4" thick and then machine the drop for the plate. What it's going to cost , I don't know the exact figure as of yet , but he said it would be less than having it made from steel because after the welds it has to planed , shaved, and some other things I can't remember, he explained that the welds can affect the levelness of the table and there for it has to be surfaced.
One more question, what is the thickness of the router plate itself ?
can you give me a ballpark figure on the cost involved with the one made for you?
Thank you,
Brian

[Greg Cole]

With prudent welding most carbon steels don't wander tooo far. I occasionally weld thinner stainless steels at the day job, and that stuff will move all OVER the map with addition & subtraction of heat. The thicker plate material like used here won't move much.
From seeing the pic of the bottom of the "top" , I'd say after welding a trip to a blanchard grinder would give a dead flat surface. Also bear in mind a machinist has a different definition of DEAD flat versus a wood worker....
Getting the router lift cut out isn't terribly difficult either. CNC or an old fashioned mill will do it.
I'm curious at the price too. I've had an eye on the Bench Dog CI one for awhile. Do you mind sharing the price Keith?
I have a Woodpeck phenolic RT now that's saggy like a holstein at milking time, replacing it is a one of these days projects.

Cheers.
Greg

[Brian Weick]

My question to Keith is ~ and forgive me if I am missing something (which isn't unusual) but if he has 3/8" steel plating ,(which is also located in my cranium by the way), anyways as Keith has stated, and they did recess the pocket for the plate~ what diameter is the thickness on the JessEm router lift Keith has, ( i can't even find that model on the WWW) It can't be 3/8" and if it is , he isn't going to be a happy camper. My Woodpecker (aluminum) plating is 3/8" thick. I can't use 3/8" steel unless there is a perimeter plate welded on in the router plate opening. That must mean the plate he has is 1/4" or I am missing something, probably the later, and even then that leaves you with very little room for adjusting it for a level Field plane? Just my curiosity has me on this one?? . I looked at the pics very close and it is machined out apparently as you say but ~ I don't know?????
Brian