# Ridgid R4512 TS -- shop built folding outfeed table & router insert



## nwbusa

Hi All, first post here after spending many enjoyable hours reading and learning from this site. Thought I'd share a couple of modifications I've made to my relatively new Ridgid tablesaw, in the hopes that others might find them useful.

I am a hobbyist with a small garage shop, and I have to park my tools against the walls when not in active use. So, having an outfeed table that takes up minimal space when stowed away was important to me. I came up with this design:




























The toughest part was figuring out the angles for the folding leg, but when it was all said and done, the table is very sturdy. It's made from 3/4" melamine and edged with some 1×2 oak I had on hand. I did have to screw a short length of angle iron into the back of the saw, to support the leg when it's extended.

I took a similar approach for the router table insert, building the table from leftover outfeed table materials. Ordered the Benchdog insert and miter track from Rockler, and I was in business!










Again, being able to utilize the existing footprint of the TS was a big plus for me for this type of router table setup.

Anyway, hope you enjoy the post and I'll look forward to contributing more soon.

Thanks,

John


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## jeffski1

Hi John,welcome to LJ's and yes this is a great site…nice modifications you did there…i have the same saw and im looking forward to adding a router table insert also.thx for posting…


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## DIYaholic

Welcome to LJs.
I just purchased a new (to me) C'man contractor saw & need to get me an outfeed table like yours!!!

Thanks for shaing and providing me motivation!


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## jaydubya

I dont see miter slots in the outfeed. is it low enough to clear the miter gauge or sleds as they come off the back of the saw?


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## nwbusa

Thanks for the welcoming comments!

@jaydubya: yes, the outfeed table sits just low enough to provide clearance for the miter gauge. I don't use a crosscut sled (yet), but it would be east to modify the height of the table and add miter tracks down the road, if desired.


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## ShipWreck

Nice work nwbusa.


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## drfixit

Looks very nice to me, and its great that it folds away when not in use.


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## Hullguitars

WOW!!! thats really cool how you made a colapsable outfeed. How did you henge it? it looks like door henges? any closeup pics?


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## nwbusa

Wow, my very first post to LJs back from the dead 

Yes, I used standard door hinges. You can see here where I had to drill two new holes in the hinges to mount them to the rear fence rail.










Here's another shot of the hinged leg. I've over-exposed the pic a bit so you can see where I mounted a short piece of angle iron to the TS base to act as a ledge for the bottom of the leg to rest in. The tricky part was figuring out the lengths of the leg segments and the angle of the cuts for the leg hinge, so that the outfeed table sat level.










The funny thing is, I almost never use the outfeed table anymore, as I built a mobile assembly table that I use for that task. Still, when the assembly table is occupied, I can always roll it out of the way and use the folding outfeed table. It's surprisingly strong.

Good times!


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## jmaichel

Show us some pics of the rolling assembly table. How do you like your R4512 since you have had it for a few months now.

James


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## Tomj

I have some melamine myself I bought off the scrap cart at HD just for this purpose. The only concern I have is how the melamine reacts when routing for the router insert (whether it will chip etc.) Did you have any problems working with the melamine/particle board? Assuming you used particle coated with melamine.


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## bluekingfisher

Welcome to LJ's John. nice design you have there.

How have you found the balance of the saw? I know that stuff can be heavy, does it cause and "wobbly" moments or is it all rock solid.

David


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## nwbusa

James, check out my shop page in my profile, it shows a couple of shots with the mobile assembly table set up. As for the saw, I really do like it. I spent some time getting it really dialed in, and invested in a some better blades. I rip 8/4 hard maple with no problems. IMO, it's a very good saw for the money.

Tom, I had some very minor chip out when I routed the melamine. When I redo the router table, I'll probably use MDF and top it with Formica or something similar. It didn't turn out too badly, though.

David, the saw doesn't get moved much anymore… cars live in the driveway now. But the balance of the saw was not adversely impacted as far as I could tell. There's considerable mass in the saw to keep it from being tippy. I did always collapse the outfeed table before moving it, though.

Thanks guys for the interest.


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## Tomj

Thanks for the info. Yes I couldn't tell from the picture, to me it looks pretty clean. I'm not sure if I'll go the MDF and laminate route, if I can source a good price on laminate then yes. The router table extension does look good though. I have the same saw myself. Thanks again.


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## jm8

Awesome job John. I too have limited work space in my cellar and have been thinking of doing the same, you just inspired me more. Thanks again.
Also like your cordless tool cabinet. I see you have many drills, as I do. My wife can't understand why I need so many drills. I try to explain, but she just doesn't get it

Peace to all


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## lumberjoe

That looks awesome. For some reason your insert looks a lot bigger than mine. Did you fit it in the standard "hole" that was there, or is it modified at all?


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## nwbusa

Thanks guys!

Joe, I used the standard space available without adjusting the rails. The overall dimensions of the router table is 14 5/8" W x 27" D.


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## lumberjoe

Mine is the same dimensions, yours looks so much bigger though.


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## jmaichel

Hi John,
Checked out your page and really like your setup. it looks like you still have the stock fence on the table saw but added some faces to it.


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## nwbusa

Joe, yeah I think the perspective of the picture is creating an optical illusion there… 

jmaichel, thanks! I do still have the stock fence and have indeed added a sacrificial fence to the TS side and a split fence to the router table side. The stock fence is not great, but through some tedious adjustments I was able to get it to lock down square in a reasonably repeatable manner. I also like the t-slots built into the fence, makes it easy to attach jigs and such. All that said-if I was going to make one upgrade to the saw at this point, it would be a new fence. More likely though, I will keep it as is until I upgrade the saw at some point.


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## jmaichel

Hi John,
I am thinking that if I do get this saw that I will just order the Delta T-2 fence at the same time and not even attach the stock fence.


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## lumberjoe

The T2 is a nice upgrade, but not an easy one. You will be doing some drilling and modification


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## ATG

Old post I know, but this has really inspired me to make an outfeed for my new r4512. A few questions:

1. What lumber did you use to frame the underside of the melamine (oak?) And I see a small block close to the table side on your second picture, does this have a purpose?

2. How did you secure the framing to the melamine? I don't see screws so I assume glue and finish nails. I ask because in the past i had to worry about putting nails or screws through a material into a melamine coated piece for fear of a dent or puncture on the surface.

Thanks!

Aaron


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## lathu

Its looks very nice.And then look very different.


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## jonah

I like the look and design of the router table insert. Any chance of higher resolution pictures of it from various angles?


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## nwbusa

Aaron-I think I just used SPF 1×4 scraps on the underside of the table. The edges are trimmed in red oak. Heh… you're the first to comment on the "extra" block under the table. That was a rookie mistake that I never bothered to correct. Framing was glued with PL construction adhesive. I used brads on the oak trim but not on the framing underneath, if i recall correctly. Hope that helps.

Jonah, I'll check to see if I have any better pics of the router table and if I do, I'll post them here.

Thanks for the comments, guys. Been a while since I looked at this thread (my first ever to LJs…)


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## jonah

Some other questions about the router table.

What kind of plate did you use?
How did you cut the opening? 
Anything you'd do differently about that process?

I've been toying with making my own router table/insert similar to yours, but have held off because of how finicky fitting the plate properly would be.


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## DW833

Great add on for the table saw. I'm planning my router table extension now. 
Need to determine where to position t track and insert.
How far from edge is the t track and how far is insert from t track?


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## carver1942

Hi John
Great job. I also have a Ridgid 4512 and after seeing your fine out feed table I will be making one soon. Thanks for sharing your idea.
Ed


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## nwbusa

Thanks fellas. I haven't checked this thread in a while.

Jonah, I used a router with an edge guide to cut the inset for the router plate. Once I had the outline cut, I just cut the waste out with a jig saw. I took my time with the router and snuck up on the final fit. The only thing I guess I would have done differently is used something other than melamine coated particle board, as the melamine chipped out a bit when I made the router cuts. Maybe use a double layer of MDF with a Formica top layer? Oh, and it was a Bench Dog Pro Plate.

DW833, sorry I don't have the router table any more so I don't have the exact dimensions. I set the plate back in the table to give myself plenty of table space to support the workpiece as it was being cut, and then set the miter track close enough to the plate for a feather board to work effectively. Hope that helps.

Ed, thanks and good luck with your project.


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## BADWOLF

That's awesome man I just got this saw a few days ago and love it so far I am in the same boat with space. So I'm gonna have to do this to my saw.


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