extenstion table on a TS

[Randal Cobb]

Hello all,

I just got a new TS from a member of this forum. It's a "scratch and dent" Steel City 35-640. I haven't received it yet so no gloat intended...

The question I have is: The saw has the 50" fence and rails, but the "table board" for the extension table is missing, as well as the legs. Would it be easier to purchase these directly from Steel City or are they something I can make myself? I assume the "table board" is a laminated piece of wood that basically fills in the void to the right of the blade and the legs just hold it up. Is this a correct assumption?

If so, I should be able to custom fit the extension to add a router, correct? Does anyone have any "plans" for this type of thing or am I basically building something highly custom to my own saw?

Thanks in advance!
Randy

[alex grams]

It sounds like the concept you are describing is a common approach to extensions and router table inserts for a table saw. However, I am not familiar with the saw you have, so maybe post a picture on here and we could get a good idea of what you are aiming at.

-Alex

[Ben Cadotte]

I have done the same thing your talking about on my contractors saw. I have 50" wide fence on the saw. I made a simple 3 shelf extension table for the right side of the saw. Instead of laminated wood top I used a good birch ply. But by doing it your self, you can add a couple lower shelves instead of just having the top. I have been thinking about installing drawers on the bottom shelf so I can store my blades on edge each having its own little space. Right now I hang them on peg board and takes up alot of room.

Basically I say save your money and build your own extention table.

[Dennis Farmer]

Hi Randy

This is what I've built for my Jet contractor saw. Used BB plwood with 3 coats of polyuathane,and a coat of wax, it's as slick as ice..almost to slick

[Travis Gauger]

Randal,
I have also done just what your lookking to do. I've done it with a few different trial and errror's to get to a decent table extension that I am pleased with. I first used an old piece of kitchen counter top. It ended up swelling from moisture over the course of a year or so and had to get replaced. This could have been prevented if I would have sealed all exposed particle board, however it still had some flex in it that I didn't like, so it needed to be replaced anyways. The second version I built was a basic torsion box that held up pretty good. I ended up upgrading to a router lift and had the wwrong size hole in it for the plate, so this one found a new home on a buddy's saw. The latest version of my table is also a torsion box with a laminated top. I love it. Here are a few pictures of it going together for you. The sizes will hae to be setup to match your saw of course, but this is the way to go IMO. This Picture is just of the layout of the top. Top, Bottom, and outside edges were built with 3/4" MDF and the center support framing,(Honeycomb) is 1/2 particle board. Another layout picture of the bottom this time. Starting to come together.

[Travis Gauger]

Another update for you with more pictures. You'll get the idea here I'm sure. Let me know if you have any more questions. I thought that I had a better picture of the finished unit. I will have to take a few tonight and update this then.

[Bob Hallowell]

I have a sctw saw with a 50" fence that didn't come with an extension- I bought it when they closed the doors in Pittsburgh a few months ago. I just used 2" webbed frame and mdf top I also mounted a router lift. I can take pics tonight.

Bob

[Matt Meiser]

I just built the side for my "new" saw. I followed Biesemeyer's instructions for building the side table. 2-1/4" hardwood frame with a 3/4" thick top (I used plywood I had around). The frame should be the dimensions of the table with additional bracing every 12". I put bracing right on either side of where my router cutout is and then one extra so they ended up about every 9". The top was covered in laminate I picked up at Home Depot. Find a sheet with a broken corner and ask the department manager to reduce the price. My old saw had a Biesemeyer made side table which was no different than what I made, other than that the cross bracing wasn't in a location that was convenient for the router plate.

For the outfeed table, the ideas are unlimited. I welded up a steel frame which is topped with 3/4" sheet material (MDF because I had it) covered in laminate. Mine just clamps to the back rail of my Biesemeyer fence and has two legs at the back.

The short answer to your question though is that this is NOT something I would buy.

[Tom Veatch]

...The question I have is: The saw has the 50" fence and rails, but the "table board" for the extension table is missing, as well as the legs. Would it be easier to purchase these directly from Steel City or are they something I can make myself?

Purchase is almost always easier, but we are in this woodworking hobby for a reason, right? It's a simple project to make, but can be made as elaborate as you please with router in and storage under, etc.

I assume the "table board" is a laminated piece of wood that basically fills in the void to the right of the blade and the legs just hold it up. Is this a correct assumption?

In it's simplest incarnation, that's correct.

If so, I should be able to custom fit the extension to add a router, correct?

And/or most anything else that you can dream of - shelves, drawers, cabinet work of most any kind, etc.

Does anyone have any "plans" for this type of thing or am I basically building something highly custom to my own saw?

It will be customized for your saw as far as dimensions are concerned. I have no printed plans, but the simplest case would be a rectangular frame to fit between the rails and pick up existing mounting holes. Cover the frame with an MDF/plywood/melamine top finished out as you choose. Height to match the height of the saw. Add a couple of legs on the outboard end for support, and you're done.

[Alan Schaffter]

There are a whole host of things you can do to make or improve the extension and outfeed tables to your TS. My Unisaw had the standard extension table- Delta frame, legs, and melamine board, Delta mobile base, and no outfeed extension. I didn't like it for many reasons. Using a little steel angle, some MDF, and laminate, I made an entirely new setup.

Here is a thread that details the whole process, how I went from this:



To this:

[Matt Meiser]

I dunno Alan. I think he was looking for something that wasn't so small.

[Roger Warford]

My Jet Xactasaw came with an extension table. The table is bowed badly, not even close to being flat. I've heard at least one other Creeker that had a similar experience. Jet should be ashamed to attach such a sad table to such a good saw. I'll be replacing mine soon with a shop built table. If you haven't already purchased one, I'd recommend building. You'll likely end up with a better solution for no more than you'd spend on a new one.

[Randal Cobb]

I dunno Alan. I think he was looking for something that wasn't so small.

I agree... mine needs to fit completely inside a two-car garage/shop.

Seriously, thanks all for the tips. I still need to actually pick up the saw, and I was just trying to be prepared from when it gets here. I know enough now to be dangerous.

[Christopher Ryan]

Alan, for what it's worth, nice TS extention! But I'm completely in awe over the way you've done you're DC system! Very nice! Kudos!

[Wayne Cannon]

A stock extension table is dirt simple -- typically a melamine/particle-board sheet atop a 1"x3" frame with one or two cross-braces. If you build your own, it will likely be significantly stronger than a stock extension.

Beware that if you add a router, you will need to think significantly more about additional support, as even a small router will cause most tables to sag significantly within a year -- even 1-1/2" plywood. The perimeter frame simply needs to be sufficient to keep the table flat and to attach to the saw table and the front and rear fence rails.