Custom main tabletop?

[Ed in Tampa]

All -

Thanks for your replies. Agreed on sheetgoods...I'm not doing any 8x4 sheets (I said crazy, not insane). But I am doing ripping and crosscutting of 7ftx9" boards, and that does require support.

I guess the question is whether you build a support surface up by aggregating interconnected bits and pieces, or take away everything that you don't need from a large planar surface. The trade seems to be integral strength of one monolithic chunk at the expense of flexibility of many adjustable bits. (and that flexibility also conserves space)

Appreciate your thoughts.
-w4f

Wood4fun
I believe if your doing much crosscutting of 7 foot long or longer boards on a table saw you are losing accuracy, stand a good chance of having the board pinch the blade and other wise working dangerously. Instead of spending any money to modify the SS go buy a lower cost 12 Powered Miter saw, a 10" slidding mitre saw (most will crosscut 9" fairly easy) or pickup a used Radial arm saw that are usually on Craigslist everywhere.

[Ed in Tampa]

What happens is the outboard weight produces stresses on the carriage and the vertical support members that go through the carriage. When this happens, it becomes nearly impossible to adjust table height. For that reason, I just don't do it anymore.

I have abandoned nearly all of my efforts to create an enlarged work surface that is part of the Mark V.

Dusty
You and I have talked often about your outfeed table however I wasn't aware that you have abandoned the project. All my attempts to increase the outfeed length on my SS was met with a binding height adjustment but I thought your method had overcome that problem. Apparently I was wrong???

[dusty]

Dusty
You and I have talked often about your outfeed table however I wasn't aware that you have abandoned the project. All my attempts to increase the outfeed length on my SS was met with a binding height adjustment but I thought your method had overcome that problem. Apparently I was wrong???

I guess I don't do well at expressing myself. No, I have not abandoned the outfeed table that we have previously discussed and that I have posted here in the forum. I use that outfeed table almost every day. In fact, I just got through making some repairs to it. I mishandled it a while back (let it swing down under its own weight against the vertical support) and I cracked the table top where I had imbedded the miter track.

I am going to rebuild it but without the miter track. I have yet to use that except for testing and demo when it was first finished. The outfeed table that I have pictured and use often does not create a bind when making a depth of cut adjustment. The binding came when I tried to extend the table even larger and off to the side farther than the outfeed table. My successful outfeed table is just a bit wider than the main table (maybe 4").

What I have abandoned is the thought of developing that table so that it would be the full width of the main table and two extension tables. A big honkin' outfeed table, if you will.

I had also given some thought to a wide infeed table that would give me about 12" of additional infeed support (also the width of the main and two extensions). If I planned on a LOT of sheet work passing over that table, I would continue the effort but I now do very little sheet work on the Shopsmith.

Thank you, Ed. I need to chose my words more carefully. Either that or refrain completely.

[Ed in Tampa]

Dusty
Thanks for the clarification. Perhaps it wasn't your failure to express yourself but rather mine at understanding what you were saying. In any case please don't keep quiet.

[baysidebob]

I guess I don't do well at expressing myself. No, I have not abandoned the outfeed table that we have previously discussed and that I have posted here in the forum. I use that outfeed table almost every day. In fact, I just got through making some repairs to it. I mishandled it a while back (let it swing down under its own weight against the vertical support) and I cracked the table top where I had imbedded the miter track.

I am going to rebuild it but without the miter track. I have yet to use that except for testing and demo when it was first finished. The outfeed table that I have pictured and use often does not create a bind when making a depth of cut adjustment. The binding came when I tried to extend the table even larger and off to the side farther than the outfeed table. My successful outfeed table is just a bit wider than the main table (maybe 4").

What I have abandoned is the thought of developing that table so that it would be the full width of the main table and two extension tables. A big honkin' outfeed table, if you will.

I had also given some thought to a wide infeed table that would give me about 12" of additional infeed support (also the width of the main and two extensions). If I planned on a LOT of sheet work passing over that table, I would continue the effort but I now do very little sheet work on the Shopsmith.

Thank you, Ed. I need to chose my words more carefully. Either that or refrain completely.

Dusty, do all of us a favor and don't refrain with your thoughts and comments. I feel you have great knowledge about what you are doing with your SS and you woodworking ability. I know I don't always agree with what you say but I still enjoy reading it. I am sure there are others just like me out there and we don't want you to stop posting.

[JPG]

DUSTY!

Refrain???????

There is too much PCness already!

Do not feel a need to explain!

Speak your mind when you're ready!

You are not causing any pain!

Those who complain are all too heady.

You do not usually need to explain.

I quit now. I never liked poetry.

[fjimp]

Clearly you folks are far more advanced than I am. When it comes to sheet goods I prefer the Eureka zone folding table, my circular saw and their clamping saw guide:

http://eurekazone.com/products/detail/smarttable.html

I can store the table folded up in my storage room. My shop is too small for cutting sheet goods anyhow so I can put it on a hand truck and roll it outside or to my driveway. Set it up and saw away without the confines of walls way too much stuff in the way. In that I live in the country a gust of wind deals with the sawdust. When finished I roll it back to the storage room then use the hand truck to bring the cut to size plywood into the shop for fine tuning on my shopsmith tools and assembly. Did I mention I like not having to worry about cutting the table top.

About the issue of insulting anyone. I have no desire to do so. I'm just a simply country boy who is fortunate enough to enjoy the tools I like. No more no less. Now if you don't buy that crap that's okay too:) Jim

[mbcabinetmaker]

Guys, a good circular saw sled guide will do a great job on sheet goods. I have several that I use mostly for installing but the principle of building one is simple. I use 1/2 inch MDF and start with a rip about 16 inches wide and run a 4 inch piece down the center for a saw guide. Then just run the saw down both sides. You can then clamp it to your work piece right on a mark. I have an 8 foot one and one about 5 foot. It works on the same principle as the new track saws by Festool and Dewalt but is a lot cheaper. It is nothing new, as an old carpenter in Atlanta showed me how to make one in about 1975.

[etc92guy]

All the options but the radial arm saw are viable alternatives. Had the opportunity to buy one a while back and just ran from it. Too many horror stories.

But, of course, none are alternatives if you want to mess around and be creative. Go for it.......

[keakap]

My long term objective is to modify my work bench,... The modification that I am attempting to develop is an "adjustable height bench top" that will become my large outfeed table (when I need it).

Some good ideas in there. (I like the roll around station fix.)

But thinking on the height adjustment thing, how important is that? (Yeah, I too have given many an hour up in day dreaming the perfect in/out feed setups.)

I'm thinking, first cuts in big pieces are of necessity 'rough' cuts. Take the thickest piece you have to cut and set your feed table(s) (be they adjustable bench top, router table top, card table on phone books, whatever) to the SS table height necessary. That can't be too tedious.
Cut 1/8" long, all at the same blade exposure.
Once you're down from stock to workpieces you probably don't need the aux feeds and can go back to the usual precise finish cuts on the SS tables alone.

You make a very good point about adding 'stress' to the SS table system. In- or out-feeds should be self supporting, methinks.

Ooh! Just had a thot-- have you considered the employment of compressed air in your benchtop adjustment apparatus? Power, speed, auto-balancing, infinite adjustability;

Hm, I may have to lie down on the couch for a minute or two and think about this...