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IOT - (Improvised Outfeed Table)

3K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  lilredweldingrod 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
OK, this has to be our little secret… don't tell my wife about this!

Not sure if anyone has done this before, but I'm sure a few of you have run into an issue of not having an outfeed table at your immediate disposal. I have not yet built one, but I needed one yesterday.

I was getting all set-up to cut the plywood for the mock-ups of the built-in bookcases I'm starting to build around our fireplace, but my workbench was covered with stuff and I didn't want to move it across the basement even if I cleared it all off. I also didn't want to drop the freshly cut plywood onto the floor. What to do, what to do?

(Pause… walk around the basement, looking for something to place behind the tablesaw as a makeshift landing platform for the plywood… there it is… right over there!)

An ironing board!

So I took the iron off of it and carried it over and set it behind the saw in preparation for my first cut. OK, too high. That's an easy fix… hit the handle on the side of the board and knock it down an inch or so. Perfect! A little lower than the table top. And it clears the motor!

Why didn't I think of this before?

So I got to cutting and what do you know? It worked like a charm. Narrow, yes, but the pieces I was cutting were only 12-inches wide to start with, so it was perfect.

All I had to do was vacuum off the sawdust and plywood splinters when I was finished and set it back in place. (I think I got all the little splinters!)

I hope you can keep a secret! ;)
 
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#3 ·
It would work great on a jobsite, as it breaks down and is easily transported. I'm not sure if there are any ironing boards out there that have a little bit wider base/legs to them, but that would help in the stability department.

I suppose if one actually wanted to use an ironing board as an outfeed table on a regular basis, you could remove the cloth and pad and use the metal, or better yet, attach a thin piece of plywood or MDF to cushion the landing wood.
 
#5 ·
OOOHH BOY, OOOHH BOY
you are serius in trouble now
you know very well they always
discover those things, and you
can´t save this with red roses
OOOHH BOY, OOOHH BOY

yes it´s a great idea for jobsites , and take the iron with you at the same time
you can allways make a buck or to friday when you take care of your workmates
and ironing there shirts…..LOL

na kidden you no it´s realy clever and if you attach a board to ich pair of legs
there is 1-1½ foot longer then will the stability isue be solved

Dennis
 
#8 ·
buy two for your self ,
and connect them with a ply top .

then you can let her have hers back ,
with two new pads !

and as dennis suggests ,
put a spreader bar across
the lower legs to stabilize them .
 
#9 ·
Greetings all…... I did the same thing about 26 years ago when I first started woodworking. I hadn't gotten my first outfeed table built yet, and needed something quick for a "helper". I went in the house, got the wife's i.b, snuck it out to the shop, and was making sawdust… Oh crap… she just walked through the door…I'm doomed to hell now, boy !!!! But… she just laughed, and said "Well, I guess you have to improvise some way or another and make due for now." But you better dang-well clean it up when you're done."...... Whew…close. Now that we've been married 33 years, I can get away with anything…..... almost…. lol.
 
#11 ·
I may just end up keeping this one for me and buying a new one to iron on. I say this because I was using it some more this morning and decided I like using it.

With minimal space right now, it's great that I can simply fold it up and store it standing up against the wall.

I may end up buying two for larger sheet stock, but have not needed anything quite that big… yet. I am limiited to what will fit down our basement staircase to about a 4-feet X 4-feet sheet. Anything larger would be a real hassle and I'd definitely need a second pair of hands assisting me.
 
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