Show me your plywood cutting tables (please)!

[Jason White]

I need to build a fold-up table for cutting 4x8 sheets of plywood into smaller pieces with my Festool track saw.

I need it to be lightweight, portable, flat, cheap to build, and have a sacrificial top. Don't need all the holes and fancy aluminum parts like a Festool MFT (multi-function table) does, as I will only be using this to cut plywood -- mostly outside in the driveway because my shop is very small.

I'm really sick of using sawhorses & 2x4's, hollow core doors, rigid foam on the floor, etc. I want something much more elegant, lightweight, and handy.

Would greatly appreciate pictures of anything you've built that matches what I'm describing.

Thanks so much!!

- Jason

[Rick Potter]

Jason,

I realize my plan uses two or more of your don'ts, but here it is anyway. Same situation, don't want to use up room for a permanent cutting table, probably use it outside, track saw.

I haven't done it yet, but my plan is to get a pair of used bi-fold closet doors from the local Habitat ReStore for about $10, take off the hardware and lay them across my plastic sawhorses, WITH A GAP IN THE MIDDLE. I want to situate the cut in the gap with no sacrificial top since it's outside. Since these are hollow core, they are light, and at 16" or so wide, fairly easy to store, and if properly placed should hold up both sides of the cut.

Sorry, elegant....no, but simple and handy....yes.

Rick Potter

[Von Bickley]

Sorry...... I can't help you..... I'm just a sawhorse guy.

[Jason White]

Have already done the hollow-core door thing. No thanks!

After awhile they start to sag, throwing off the accuracy of your cuts, and eventually they just fall apart.

Jason,

I realize my plan uses two or more of your don'ts, but here it is anyway. Same situation, don't want to use up room for a permanent cutting table, probably use it outside, track saw.

I haven't done it yet, but my plan is to get a pair of used bi-fold closet doors from the local Habitat ReStore for about $10, take off the hardware and lay them across my plastic sawhorses, with a gap in the middle. I want to situate the cut in the gap with no sacrificial top since it's outside. Since these are hollow core, they are light, and at 16" or so wide, fairly easy to store, and if properly placed should hold up both sides of the cut.

Sorry, elegant....no, but simple and handy....yes.

Rick Potter

[Jamie Buxton]

I process a lot of plywood with a track saw. I don't have a big table like you're thinking, because it would eat too much space to store. I use three or four sawhorses. They're each equipped with a wood U-channel that fits over the top of the sawhorse. It is sacrificial. That is, it gets cut by the tip of the blade. When the U-channels gets too beat up, I make new ones. All the sawhorses fold up, so they store in a small space. Three horses are sufficient if I'm just ripping. Four are usually necessary for cross-cutting.

[Mac McQuinn]

IMG_0002.jpg

Here's a lightweight (25lbs give or take) folding table I built last year, easy to transport, very stiff and strong.
Plans came from older issue of "Shop Notes".
Mac

[Jason White]

That looks great! I'd be afraid to cut plywood on it because it's so pretty.

IMG_0002.jpg

Here's a lightweight (25lbs give or take) folding table I built last year, easy to transport, very stiff and strong.
Plans came from older issue of "Shop Notes".
Mac

[Sam Murdoch]

Check this out as an option - http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/...te-work-bench/

[Ray Newman]

Sam M: thn aks for that link! An outstanding design.

[bobby milam]

I found one that was pretty simple to put together in the driveway much like the 1st video link I am giving but now I can't locate it. Here are 2 videos that will give you some ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMmFEfXkeyc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpra92hsOFY

[Jason White]

Nice, but total overkill. I just need to cut plywood with my track saw.

Check this out as an option - http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/2011/...te-work-bench/

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

I still like 2 saw horses and 2" x 4". Cheap, easy, dependable & does not require much storage space.

[John Huds0n]

I still like 2 saw horses and 2" x 4". Cheap, easy, dependable & does not require much storage space.

Yep
cutting table.jpg

[Steve Kohn]

Yep
cutting table.jpg

This is what I did except instead of 2X4's I cut 4 inch high strips of 3/4 plywood. These were then half-lapped to provide the sacrificial surface. It was surprising strong, lightweight, and easy to break down and store. Cheap too!

[George Bokros]

Jason,

I realize my plan uses two or more of your don'ts, but here it is anyway. Same situation, don't want to use up room for a permanent cutting table, probably use it outside, track saw.

I haven't done it yet, but my plan is to get a pair of used bi-fold closet doors from the local Habitat ReStore for about $10, take off the hardware and lay them across my plastic sawhorses, WITH A GAP IN THE MIDDLE. I want to situate the cut in the gap with no sacrificial top since it's outside. Since these are hollow core, they are light, and at 16" or so wide, fairly easy to store, and if properly placed should hold up both sides of the cut.

Sorry, elegant....no, but simple and handy....yes.

Rick Potter

Sounds like this I would work well for ripping but for some reason I can't see how you would cross cut without cutting the doors.

George