Question
I'm finally biting the bullet and shutting down the shop for a few weeks to renovate. I need to build a new outfeed table with a spot for a router mounted underneath. Does anyone have plans, designs, or good ideas for a new table? We currently keep sheet goods under the one we have now. Size is to be at least 5'x12'.
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor D:
I don't know what kind of saw you have or how much room you have, but consider putting your router in the extension to the right of the saw. I saw this done before and one of my helpers wants me to do it in the future. That way you can use the table saw fence with the router. It may come in handy for certain cuts.
Takes a few studs to build a quick leg setup, level the saw, shim the table, brace it and you're done.
If you want to store sheet goods under it, just 'T' the legs for strength and nail a 2x4 horizontally across to make a lumber rack, or set of lumber racks. They will need center supports, horizontal and lengthwise, to cut bowing to a minimum.
Although, with a 5x12 table, .75 material, and standard height around what... 34-36 inches, you'd be better off building a sheet rack behind the table 8 feet tall with 4-6 shelves, setting the table up with router, building a rack for bits and blades, putting shelves along the outside, storing a porty compressor or something underneath, etc.
For the outfeed table, I made a 2.5' X 6' table that is on casters. I can attach it either width-wise or length-wise to the outfeed of the table. I use small c clamps to hold the outfeed table to the rear fence rail. I cut a couple grooves into the outfeed table for the miter gauge to slide into. The tablesaw keeps the outfeed table from moving around.
I like mine and use it as a worktable too, since it's big enough to cut most small projects without having to clean the top off for each cut.
The whole set up is only 7'x 9'. If you only have one saw setup, I would agree with contributor R, and build it into something else. But this setup works great for us, since it's not our main saw.
The side of setup is used for shaper sled storage and blades.
I wish I could shut down for a couple of weeks. I save time on Saturdays to do refab work. Try to do one thing or another to improve setup times, work areas, etc. And sometimes just clean.
Contributor S, don't you find it to be a bit difficult to cut full sheets on that? Do you have a panel saw?
