Folding Outfeed Table Avenal CA

Folding Outfeed Table

Open, it supports 8-ft. long stock. Closed, it's as compact as your saw.

by George Vondriska

Roller stands are okay, but every saw really ought to have an outfeed table. It makes ripping lumber or plywood a lot more convenient and much safer. The bigger the table, the better. But how’s it going to fit into a small shop?

For those of you with a contractor’s saw on a mobile base, we’ve designed the kind of table you’d wish the saw had to begin with. It goes wherever the saw goes. Folded up, it doubles as a sturdy assembly table. Folded down, you still get an additional foot of support for cutting short stuff. We’ve also built in storage space for all the gear a saw needs: a rip fence, miter gauge, push sticks and extra blades. The only thing we haven’t figured out is how to store the legs; if you have a solution, send it in!

Tools and Materials

You’ll need a tablesaw, router and jigsaw, and that’s about it. We used 3/4-in. oak plywood for most of the understructure because it’s strong. The tops are made from melamine; it’s slippery and easy to clean. The edges and legs are oak because they’ll take a lot of dings, but any hardwood will do. The total cost of material and hardware is about $200.

We’ve looked at a lot of contractor’s saws to make sure these plans would work, but there’s a chance your saw may be an odd size. The table will still work, but you may have to modify some of its dimensions before you make the first cut (see “Measure Your Saw”, below).

Build the Platform

1. Cut parts A through F to size. Glue banding (M) on top of the riser (F). Cut slots in the outer ribs (D) by connecting two 1/2-in. holes with jigsaw cuts (Photo 1). Cut recesses for motor clearance in the deck (A) and rear support arm (B, Fig. A, Detail 1, below).

2. Screw the support arms to the deck. Add the outer ribs using one of the inner ribs (C) as a spacer (Photo 2). Add the back (E).

3. Take the motor off the saw. Get some help to remove the upper half of the tablesaw from the stand. Place the platform on the stand with the front support arm pushed tight against the stand. The distance from the left edge of the stand to the outside of the left outer rib is determined by your saw’s Offset measurement (see “Measure Your Saw”,  below). Mark the locations of the saw-to-stand bolt holes (Photo 3). 

4. Drill the bolt holes through the deck, replace the saw and bolt the saw to the base. Replace the original bolts with longer ones if necessary.

5. Cut slots in the riser (F). If you have moved the inner ribs from the locations in our plan, check the slot locations so they don’t run into the ribs.

6. Clamp the riser to the back of the platform (Photo 4). Use a straightedge to level the riser with the saw table.

Click here to read the rest of the article from American Woodworker