Outfeed Table, How Large

[Ed in Tampa]

I picked 30" for virtually the same reasons as Jim above.
Let me just give a word of warning.
At one time I like many of you cut sheet goods on my Shopsmith. It can be done and Shopsmith more than many machines does a very good job. BUT! It probably isn't the smartest way to cut sheet goods.
First as many of you mentioned the SS is high and lifting sheet goods to this height puts unique strains on your body.

Second unless you use infeed and outfeed support you probably are turning on the SS and then trying to line up the sheet goods to make the cut with a whirling saw blade ready to snatch ply from you.

Thirdly even if you used infeed outfee and all the aux tables on your SS you still probably have unsupportted places in the sheet. In thin sheet this can bend the wood and throw the cut off. On thicker stock you have real balance problems.

Please do yourself a favor develop ways to cut you sheet stock other than on you Shopsmith. There are many ways that have been discussed on this forum before so I won't go into them here.

One last thing all of us are getting older, the day is coming where you will find throwing 4x8 sheet around is not effortless it once was. Figure out how you are going to do woodworking when that day arrives and do yourself and you body a favor and do that method now.

[Stitch]

I don't need a long out feed table; just something to catch the pieces so they don't fall to the floor. I don't work with a lot of really long materials. My work is all small crafts.

[Stitch]

I picked 30" for virtually the same reasons as Jim above.
Let me just give a word of warning.
At one time I like many of you cut sheet goods on my Shopsmith. It can be done and Shopsmith more than many machines does a very good job. BUT! It probably isn't the smartest way to cut sheet goods.
First as many of you mentioned the SS is high and lifting sheet goods to this height puts unique strains on your body.

Second unless you use infeed and outfeed support you probably are turning on the SS and then trying to line up the sheet goods to make the cut with a whirling saw blade ready to snatch ply from you.

Thirdly even if you used infeed outfee and all the aux tables on your SS you still probably have unsupportted places in the sheet. In thin sheet this can bend the wood and throw the cut off. On thicker stock you have real balance problems.

Please do yourself a favor develop ways to cut you sheet stock other than on you Shopsmith. There are many ways that have been discussed on this forum before so I won't go into them here.

One last thing all of us are getting older, the day is coming where you will find throwing 4x8 sheet around is not effortless it once was. Figure out how you are going to do woodworking when that day arrives and do yourself and you body a favor and do that method now.

I can't disagree with what you say because I do not have enough shop experience but it seems like an individual working alone has all of these same problems no matter what table saw is used. Height is the one feature unique to Shopsmith. As for getting old and unable to handle big sheets - be thankful if you still have that in your future.

[Ed in Tampa]

I can't disagree with what you say because I do not have enough shop experience but it seems like an individual working alone has all of these same problems no matter what table saw is used. Height is the one feature unique to Shopsmith. As for getting old and unable to handle big sheets - be thankful if you still have that in your future.

Stitch
You are right if you use a tablesaw but there are alternatives.
Guided Tool Systems - where the material remains stationary and you move the saw. Both Festool and Eureka make excellent products. You can also build your own as I have done but the commerical guided systems are best.

There is also panel saw both commercial and home/shop built where you stand the sheet product in the machine and again move the saw.
These are extremely accurate and the commercial ones allow repeated cuts within .0001" range.

The problem with age is you lose strength but you also lose coordination. Your hands, eyes and muscle don't work with the same degree of accuracy as they did when you were 40 years younger. When I was 20 I could rip 20 foot pieces of formica with ready to install accuracy. Today I fight 4x8 stock and usually always have a slight lump (.003) in my cut edge.

[kd6vpe]

I use a roller type as an infeed and the Rigid Flip-Top as an out feed. I really love the Rigid Flip-Top I just wax it up before use and the boards slide nice and straight across it. As a matter of fact I rarely use the roller at all unless I am ripping a real long board and need the extra in feed support. Oh the price is right usually can find them for about $30.00.

[Ed in Tampa]

I use a roller type as an infeed and the Rigid Flip-Top as an out feed. I really love the Rigid Flip-Top I just wax it up before use and the boards slide nice and straight across it. As a matter of fact I rarely use the roller at all unless I am ripping a real long board and need the extra in feed support. Oh the price is right usually can find them for about $30.00.

I use two flip tops one for infeed and one for outfeed but what I hate is having to adjust for every height adjustment.

That is why I like Dusty's outfeed table (I guess Nick should have some credit too) it is attached to the SS and moves up and down with the main table.

But a outfeed table's biggest advantage is when you are ripping a fairly short board. It doesn't drop to the floor or percaiously balance at the end of the table as you try to figure a safe way to keep it from dropping on the floor and denting a corner.

[BigSky]

I have rollers and the table but I use the table much more than the roller. The roller comes into play for heavy, long items. The table is as much a safety and convenience item as anything. Without the table cutoffs end on the floor and are often damaged by the fall. A wider table would offer little additional utility over my 22" wide table.

[dusty]

It has been determined that my ideas are too grandiose. This is my humble shop, built around a Shopsmith Mark V, not Norm's (built around a Unisaw and sponsored by the manufacturers).

I am going to reconstruct my original tilting, height adjustable outfeed table for my day to day use. Dimensions will be a bit different than the original. It will be wider (34") and will extend out less than the old one (22"). I will not include the miter track. I have had this table for over a year now and have never utilized that miter track feature. The track will go back on the router table (555658) where it came from.

When a larger table is required, it will be done in a different manner. The details to be disclosed when fully defined. I have chosen this approach because it is seldom that I need the larger table AND it would be unwieldly to tilt and too heavy to crank up and down with the main table.

Cantelevering that much weight puts the table tubes in a bind.

PS Don't ask why. My outfeed table ended up at 24" x 32" and though different than originally planned it works fine. I have been using it without the support post since it was completed.

[keakap]

...
I am going to reconstruct my original tilting, height adjustable outfeed table for my day to day use. Dimensions will be a bit different than the original. It will be wider (34") and will extend out less than the old one (22"). I will not include the miter track. ....

Now this sounds just like what I need. D'ya mind if I make a copy?

[Ed in Tampa]

It has been determined that my ideas are too grandiose. This is my humble shop, built around a Shopsmith Mark V, not Norm's (built around a Unisaw and sponsored by the manufacturers).

I am going to reconstruct my original tilting, height adjustable outfeed table for my day to day use. Dimensions will be a bit different than the original. It will be wider (34") and will extend out less than the old one (22"). I will not include the miter track. I have had this table for over a year now and have never utilized that miter track feature. The track will go back on the router table (555658) where it came from.

When a larger table is required, it will be done in a different manner. The details to be disclosed when fully defined. I have chosen this approach because it is seldom that I need the larger table AND it would be unwhieldly to tilt and too heavy to crank up and down with the main table.

Cantelevering that much weight puts the table tubes in a bind.

Sounds like a plan! Please we need pictures, details and plans