Sheet goods breakdown & worktable: sawhorses vs. folding plastic table

[Charles Lent]

You are very welcome Mark. I find that I use this table more often than I do my saw horses. It even goes to jobs with me. A piece of plywood on it and my miter saw on top is a frequent use of it. Don't make it 4 X 8'. About 70" long and 26" wide is more than large enough for 4 X 8' sheets. Just move the sheets around so the off cuts won't fall when cut free and don't worry about making 1/4-1/2" kerfs in the top of the cutting table. They add character, and the table will last through many years of cutting. If it ever gets too ugly, just make another and move the legs to the new one. I knew a house carpenter who spent the whole first day on every house job building a pair of saw horses. When he finished the house, what was left of the saw horses became the property of the house owner.

Charley

[Jon Endres]

Don't make it 4 X 8'. About 70" long and 26" wide is more than large enough for 4 X 8' sheets.

If you make it that size, a 36" x 80" hollow-core lauan door slab from the big orange (or blue) box makes a perfect temporary top for it when you're not cutting. Lightweight and easy to store.

[Mark W Pugh]

I've used the on-the-floor method for several years. 1, I got tired of getting up & down all the time. 2, I wanted something that I could use for other things. But I still didn't want to take up much space, and it couldn't be anything heavy or awkward to move around since I work by myself. I was going to make myself some folding sawhorses and use 2x's to make an open platform. Then I saw these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/TOUGHBUIL...C700/205870356 I really like their versatility, sturdiness, and size (both open & closed). It works great! It can be set low enough to be just about perfect for track saw work or raised for use as an assemble table. Oh yeah, and they work pretty well as sawhorses too. I'm never going back to the floor.

Oh... One more thing, I am going to be adding a shortened (or shop-made) "LegUp" to one of the crosspieces for super easy loading of sheetgoods.

Just went out and bought a couple of these. They are really nice, and just what I needed. Thanks for the tip.

[Ronald Mancini]

I put a saw horses about 6 inches behind my truck and another about 5 feet behind the truck. Then I put a couple of 2x4s on the horses. Then I slide the sheet goods onto the 2x4s and using a track saw I make my cut. Simple, fast, and safe.

[Stew Hagerty]

Just went out and bought a couple of these. They are really nice, and just what I needed. Thanks for the tip.

Glad I could help. I am really happy with mine. They're sure versatile.

[Brian W Smith]

Very interesting,I usually read all responses,from a general,add to standpoint.

But didn't here.Breaking down plywood sheets is all about vert panel saws.Everything else is a bloomin waste of time and space.

Don't even suggest money....It has to be one of the ALL-TIME easiest builds.To the point that,if you can't figure it out,you really should reconsider WWing as a hobby.Sheesh

[Larry Frank]

I have been using a set of saw horses that are about 18" tall and 4 feet wide. I have notches cut so I can set 8 ft 2x4 edge wise. It works for me. I can not get down on my knees easily.

I think that some would welcome seeing an easy to build very solution.

[Jim Dwight]

If you think a sawhorse based solution might work for you I recommend you google the Shopdog sawhorse. It looks interesting. It folds up, is made out of a 2x4, and looks very sturdy. The top beam clamps in place so it could clamp a cutting lattice in place. There is a promotional youtube.

[Mark W Pugh]

Very interesting,I usually read all responses,from a general,add to standpoint.

But didn't here.Breaking down plywood sheets is all about vert panel saws.Everything else is a bloomin waste of time and space.

Don't even suggest money....It has to be one of the ALL-TIME easiest builds.To the point that,if you can't figure it out,you really should reconsider WWing as a hobby.Sheesh

That's why a lot of us HOBBYISTS ask and seek advice on here. Thanks for your input.

[Ken Cobbing]

OP here - thanks to everyone for the discussion! Many helpful comments and ideas here. You've given me lots to think about.

Ken, you're a keeper

I don't know if this is tongue in cheek or not I realize I've asked some very basic questions since I've joined, and appreciate the patience and help here.

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The Paulk workbench is my #1 choice for a work surface. The problem is storage. I do not have a garage - only a carport to work in. I also have a small shed for outdoor equipment, but it will not fit a 4 x 8 sheet inside (let alone a panel saw, lol). With all this in mind, the plastic folding table seemed like a possible solution.

Several posters have mentioned the issue of the plastic table not being perfectly flat. I didn't think about this before buying the table. Indeed, the table is not flat. Surprisingly, the table peaks slightly in the middle rather than bows.

Anyway, after posting the OP I set up the table with some plywood on top (for a flatter surface) and rigid foam on top of that. Then I used my router on a track to cut some grooves in ~7' long panels.

personally, I think you can even use such a surface for precision work - not just breakdown. The precision comes from good alignment between your track or guide and the cut line on the plywood. If the rest sags a little it's ok. If you are routing grooves it's a different issue, but on through cuts, you can do an awful lot with this set up.

Unfortunately I routed grooves before I read your post. Can you explain to me why a slightly non-flat work surface would cause problems with routing grooves? I haven't noticed any problems with the panels I worked on.

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After using the plastic table for a single day of work, the verdict is that it seemed to work well for my purposes. With that in mind, I'm trying to justify keeping the pair of really nice DeWalt sawhorses I scored for about $30 each:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004U4S7UC

Intuitively, it seems like this pair of sawhorses should be a much more robust solution compared to the folding table. But it turns out that the plastic table holds the same amount of weight (2,000 lbs), takes up even less storage space, is even easier to set up / take down, and does not require building/storing a lattice framework. It does seem hokey to use a plastic table instead of sawhorses, but so far I'm unable to find a rational reason why the sawhorses are a better fit for the job. But I need a pair of sawhorses for something, don't I???

[Bruce Wrenn]

I also made one like Terry many years ago. The one in the pictures is my old table of about 20 years ago. Now that I'm older and less able to carry heavy things (metal knees and heart surgery) , I made a new version using 1 X 4 for the perimeter boards to make it lighter, but still very strong (no pictures of this one-but it looks the same except for the 1 X 4 perimeter boards). All of my sheet stock is broken up outside my shop on one of these tables. My shop is too small to do it inside.

On one side of the table (shown in the pictures) I have added two squares of plywood with a screw off center through them and into the table side. Turned one way, they are below the table surface. Turned 180 deg, they extend above the table. To load a sheet, I tip the table on it's side with these plywood pieces down against the driveway, lean the sheet against the table and on these pieces of plywood. Then I bend over and tip the sheet and table back up on it's legs, turn these pieces of plywood 180 deg to drop them below the table surface, and re-position the sheet for cutting. Using a table like this prevents cut pieces from falling as you cut them free. The table sets up and folds easily. I store it leaning against my plywood sheets in my shop.

Attachment 340859Attachment 340860Attachment 340861Attachment 340858

You can get the legs from Northern or Harbor Freight for about $20. The table itself is assembled with glue and biscuits, so the only metal in the wood top are the leg attachment screws and the two screws holding the plywood pieces on the one side. All are more than 1" below the top surface, so there is very little chance of ever cutting into them with your saw blade.

My cutting table has doubled as a picnic table on two occasions. I just set it up with a full sheet of plywood and a table cloth on it. It handles the buffet food collection very well, letting my real picnic table and banquet tables serve as the eating places.

Charley

Same style table (originally published in FWW Aug 2000,) is what I use. My side rails are 3/4 ply. The legs come off old tables found in the dumpsters near house. Don't have picture, but on one side rail, I have two folding cleats. Turn table on side, with cleats folded out. Rest sheet goods on cleats, and then turn whole assembly up right. I'm on my fourth or fifth top.

[Prashun Patel]

If you are using a jig that causes your router base to ride on a platform, and if that platform does not register flat on your workpiece because your table is not flat, then there can be little gaps that cause the depth of the cut to vary.

[David Gutierrez]

if it works for go for it. I would think load capacity is a non issue for your use. The potential issue with routing grooves on a curved surface is getting a constant depth. Imagine a flat base cutting on a curved surface depth of cut could vary.

[Ken Cobbing]

Thanks for the explanation, Prashun and David. When I was cutting the grooves, the router was riding on a track saw track with a router adapter attached. It appeared to me that the track was flat against the workpiece, but it is possible that it was not perfectly so. We'll see how well the sliding doors ride in the grooves once this piece is assembled.