Best material for outfeed table

[Salty]

I have been thinking of building an outfeed table that would be easily attached and removed for storage. What would be a good surface? I considered 1/2" MDF but a sheet of that 24" x 48" would be heavier than I wanted. Add the framing to support it and it would be even heavier. Melamine is too heavy and 1/2" plywood wouldn't be much lighter.
My other consideration was a hollow core slad door, cut down to 4 ft.
These seem to hold up well against sagging at a 4 ft span. With just a limited framework under the edges and some cross members, it may not be as heavy as the MDF. But how to put a finish on the slab door? Clear poly? Paint?

Thanks all.

Salty

[bigstick509]

I used a cut down hollow core door on fold down hinges.

[Texas splinter]

I LIKE it!!
That's what I love about this forum, it's like the sign my wife used to have in her office:
"None of us are as smart as all of us."

[Pappy]

Anyone thought of, or tried, laminating one side of a hollow core door with fomica? It wouldn't add a lot of weight and the durability factor would be off the scale. With an occasional coat of wax, wood would slide across it with no effort.

[Salty]

Pappy, that's a great idea. I will seriously consider that.
The door on hinges is OK if you have the room to set it up. However, I am thinking of a smaller table that I can re-position to line up with the fence and can easily be removed.

[Hellrazor]

I built a mobile work bench with storage under it to use as an outfeed table. The top is plywood with a sheet of hardboard screwed down to it. I used that bench as an outfeed table, workbench, glue ups, painting, etc. Once the hardboard gets too bad, I will just pay the $8 or so for a new piece.

[cabinetman]

A hollow core door is about the lightest cheapest substrate you'll find. It's easy to laminate with mica (catch all word for Formica). I'd recommend using a solvent based contact cement. Make sure you do it in a well ventilated area. Covering both the mica and the door with contact cement will create a large glued surface for the "fumes". Use a respirator, and do it outside if you can. Ambient temperature for laminating with solvent contact cement is 65 degrees or warmer. Any colder than that it won't stick. Depending on the brand, a "textured" or "velvet" finish slides materials better than "gloss".

Most patterns and colors come in two thicknesses. for vertical applications, 1/32", and for horizontal applications 1/16". The heavier is recommended for counter tops and would offer more durability, especially for a shop table top. It is heavier than 1/32". If all you can find is the thin, it will get you by.

You could make your own folding legs that would put the door surface to the correct height.
.

[LCHIEN]

Here's a radical idea for consideration:

IF you don't want to use the outfeed table for a work table, I don't see why a very lightweight assembly won't work... it doesn't have to be real flat, just enough so that wood doesn't catch, and strongh enough to support any boards that might be ripped or panels that might be cut... e.g. a 4x4 board and a panel of 3/4" plywood. The point loading of a board on its side is going to be fairly low.

Therefore I propose for an outfeed table...
A grid of 1x3 boards on about a 1' spacing.
Top this grid with a piece of thin sheet goods, like a 1/4 or even 1/8" piece of masonite.
OR
Crown the top edges of the 1x3s that cross the wood running direction with a 3/4" bullnose bit so that any leading edges of material will ride up and over the edge if there's any tendency to catch. Some additional ribs parallel to the wood direction of travel directly behind the blade will keep skinnier pieces from catching... or maybe a thin sheet of masonite just wide enough for any boards up to about 8" wide that might be ripped.

A small, folding single leg or even a work support could support it. The saw end could hook into some hardware in the rail that wold set its height correctly every time.

The idea here would be to make this table as light as possible so it can be taken down and put up without thinking about it - thus freeing up shop room.

[Brian G]

I think Loring has been peeking in my shop.

I made something very similar to what he describes:




The top is made from a piece of 1/8" dry erase board material (hardboard paneling with the slick, hard, white dry erase-like finish) that I found in a Borg cull bin. I think I paid a whole $2.00 for a slightly smaller than half sheet. You can find full sheets in the paneling section of the Borg. The dry erase surface is smooth and slick so material slides nicely. Plus, it's very handy for scribbling notes and doing quick calculations.

I made a frame out of some 1/2" baltic birch ply offcut strips that I had. It's light and sturdy. It's attached to a chunk of scrap stock by t-nuts underneath the rail, and then hinged so that I can fold it down.



I made a support leg out of white oak stock. The leg folds about in half by loosening the threaded knob (compression holds the leg in place) and tucking it up and under the outfeed table. I have some simple threaded feet at the base of the leg so I can adjust the height at the end of the outfeed top.



The leg is hinged to the outfeed table by using some spare 3/8" inset door hinges that are self closing, and installed backwards. Serendipity struck when I discovered that the self-close action, when installed backwards, gave enough tension to "lock" the leg when opened.



I don't often have to fold the table, but when I do, it doesn't take much effort at all. The DC hose does get in the way, though.

There are two things that I'd do different. One thing would be to make the leg support span the entire end of the outfeed. When I lean too hard or set something too heavy on the side where I've allowed room for the SMT, the outfeed twists under the weight. That seems to be a conveninet spot for me to do figgerin' and scribblin'. I find that it's also a nice surface for doing glue ups of small projects, even though I have ample room on the workbench.

The other thing I would change is perhaps to add some kind of wheels to the base of the leg support. The rare times I move the rails means that I have to move the outfeed too. Typically, that means I have to fold up the leg, move the rails, and then unfold the leg. Having small wheels on the leg base would make moving the rails much easier.

[footprintsinconc]

Brain,

Awesome ideal! i have been thinking of making one, but never sat down and thought of one.

Could you take some detailed pictures of how you attached the out feet table to the back rail of the bt3?

Thanks a bundle!

Regards,

[JoeyGee]

This is very similar to Mike's outfeed table. The site is from a member here, but I don't remember who he is--so whoever you are, stand up and take credit.

I'll build one of these someday...

http://www.gugie.com/house/cheap_BT3...feed_table.htm

[Garasaki]

Having just recently built a outfeed table for my bt3, I can attest that the best approach is light light light. I built mine heavy, out of laminate countertop (the 1" or 1 1/2" thich partical board stuff they sell at the borgs). I got it cheap. But its heavy. Too heavy, almost. It makes the center of gravity on my saw higher and closer to the back. Both bad. I would have been much happier with a hollow core door, which btw was also the same price as my smokin deal countertop, and already cut to the right dimensions, with mortises for the hinges already done....

Anyway my point is I wish I had used a hollow core door or some other lightweight material for my outfeed.

[jcrenick]

I used a section of a hollow core door as my outfeed table. One differnce in mine and others mentioned here is I used the door hinges and attached them to the back rail. This allows me to fold down the outfeed table when not needed. I also have another hollow core door that is attached in permanent fashion to one side. This gives me outfeed support for long skinny stuff without having to raise the other outfeed table.

[JimD]

I use a bridge table about a foot wide that attaches by clamping to the bottom of the back rail and has a support for the back edge that goes down to the base. I take it off by loosening three knobs and sliding it out of the rail. Behind that, I use my workbench which is about 3'x5' and 1/4 inch shorter than my BT3100.

The bridge table gets past the 4 inch flex hose connecting my BT3100 to the DC. It is not real sturdy but is strong enough to keep the stock from drooping down and stopping against the workbench.

I have used folding locking hinges but did not like them because they are not real strong or precise. The pictures show an arrangement that would work but the support will have to be moved if you reposition the BT3100. Not a huge issue but my attachment for the bridge table avoids that complication.

Jim

[Salty]

Looks like some of my ideas have already been implemented. Thanks for all the new ideas.
What I am going to make first is a section that will fill in on the right side when the rails are all the way to the right. I typically have the most problems when I try to rip sheet goods and do not have enough supports in either the infeed or outfeed. I also get tired of adjusting the aux table...which is NEVER in the right position.
The fill-in section, which is about half way done, will have a 1/4" height adjustment to get the top level with the saw deck. This section will sit on top of a piece of 3/4" ply that will span the width of the rails plus extra at the back and front to allow the tables to rest on.
That plywood will hang on the rail bottoms using the t-nuts from the accessory kit and some short 5/16" bolts. An arrangement of knobs with threaded bolts will hold the edge of the table to the plywood ledge and also allow it to be moved about 12" in either direction.
There is about 24" of rail extending past the TS housing when the rails are all the way to the right. If the table shelf is 24" wide and I can use 2 locking knobs about 8-10 inches apart, then I should be able to slide the 24" wide table so that the edge goes a little past the cut line........if my calculations are correct. Progress will continue when I go get more materials. I'm also thinking that I could extend the plywood along the back rail for a short distance to allow the table to slide further....need to do some more designing on that.
The other ends of the tables will have adjustable legs, one in each corner. I am thinking of using some 1" aluminum for this with levelers on the bottom and some sort of socket at the top. Adjusting the leg will then just be a matter of turning it so the leveler will thread into and out of the end of the leg. The problem will be getting a socket for the top that will keep me from knocking the leg out from under the table...still thinking that one through.
I know that 1" OD drawn aluminum tubing that has .058" wall thickness will slide inside 1-1/8" tubing of the same wall thickness. This will allow me to remove the leg for storage. I just need to figure out how to use that to make a socket arangement.
I was contemplating replacing some of the old hollow core doors in the house so this may be a good reason to do so. I am also thinking 'down-the-road' and may make a stand for my CMS to utilize these same tables as extensions.
That's enough brain storming for tonight.

Salty