# combination outfeed table, assembly table, work bench



## Woodenwizard (Jan 25, 2010)

I am about to build an outfeed table for my sawstop. Because I am short on space, I want the table to be a multi functioning table. I am looking to use it as an assembly table as well as my work bench. Any suggestions or ideas on the best features to include as well as design. I also want to use the space under the table for storage ( drawers, shelves, etc) Looking for the one size fits all approach if there is such a thing. Also interested in what materials and accessories would work best.

In put is greatly appreciated.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Take a look at these two projects for design ideas.

http://lumberjocks.com/projects/379017
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/384609


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## ChrisK (Dec 18, 2009)

I used a piece of left over 1/2" MDF over 1/2" plywood to get about a 4' x 5' table set to the height of the saw table. I cut slots for the miter to slide into. Legs where made from left over 1/2" plywood as well.

My table, https://lumberjocks.com/projects/30415

If I were to do it over again I would use 3/4" MDF on top 3/4" plywood for more stiffness. I would also cut the over hang from 4" to about 2" again for more stiffness when I clamp things to edge of the table for sanding, cutting etc.

I covered the MDF with a couple of coats pf poly so my coffee spills would not damaged the MDF.


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## RichBolduc (Jan 30, 2018)

I'll be putting mine together next weekend. 4'x4' build, 12 drawers and then a shelf section for a Wen disc/belt sander and a Ridgid oscillating sander. Top will have 5 t-tracks on it. The space in the end will get a 9" yost front vise. Top will be 5/8" melamine with the t-tracks in it laying on top of 3/4" plywood. Leveling feet and flip up casters will be on it.

Whole thing will be 7 1/2 sheets of plywood.



















Rich


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## RichBolduc (Jan 30, 2018)

I'm basing mine roughly off these

https://craftedworkshop.com/store/ultimate-t-track-assembly-outfeed-table-with-systainer-storage

https://www.ycmt2.com/assembly-table/

Rich


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

I'd suggest building it as a full blown workbench. Start with what you want for work holding capability, vises, dogs, hold fasts, etc. Then design your bench around that.


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## bilyo (May 20, 2015)

Mine is somewhat like what ChrisK did only my top is a cut down used solid core door covered with plastic laminate. It is very heavy and rigid and flat. As well as an outfeed table, it makes a good assembly table because of its rigidity and flatness. I can clamp work to it to keep it flat while glue is drying. I don't have any cabinets under it (yet), but I do use it to store some wheeled equipment.


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## BattleRidge (Oct 22, 2017)

My combination workbench / outfeed / assembly table has a frame constructed primarily 2×6 lumber and is quite sturdy with no flex or movement and the overall mass of the unit (particularly when loaded) doesn't budge while in use.

The top is very solid and has two layers of 3/4" plywood that is screwed (not glued) together and the work surface is a sheet of hardboard that is held in place with double sided tape and surrounded by a modified piece of oak trim. The hardboard surface is pleasant to work on and can be easily & inexpensively replaced once it becomes worn or damaged. The overall size is 4' x 8' with a 30" x 30" drop-down area that is used to provide a convenient height for my oscillating spindle / belt sander as well as my portable router table and scroll saw (all of which store in the workbench when not in use). The top extends beyond the frame to allow the use of clamps around the edges and the overall height is just below the top of my table saw (and a future upgraded table saw).

The side shown has shelving for my handheld power tools and the spot on the left is used to store the sander when necessary. The opposite side (still under construction) will have a pull-out drawer beneath the sander to store sandpaper, additional drawers on the other end to store a variety of woodworking hand tools and supplies, and the area between will have a drawer at the top for hand tools along with space beneath to store the portable router table and scroll saw.

At the present I use an extension cord for power but this will be replace by a section of 1/2" metal conduit recessed into the anti-fatigue mat between the workbench and the saws to supply power to the drop down area and the table saw end. For dust collection, I use a 4" flexible hose for the table saw that is stored out of the way (beneath my radial arm saw) when not needed, and a shop vac / Dust Deputy combo is used for tools on the drop-down area (though at some point I may plumb this into the main dust collection system).

The amount of storage I gained with the workbench is quite sizable and having the things I regularly use at a convenient spot to easily grab is very convenient. The size of the work surface allows plenty of room for projects to spread out, or for the occasional times that I have simultaneous ongoing projects. I may add a vise or two at some point and adapting a spot for installation should be easy to do. The entire unit was assembled with deck screws to allow for any future changes or modifications, but since building the unit, I have found it to be quite nice as built. My overall workshop is 30' x 40' x 10'h but for convenience and for the type of projects I create, I wanted my woodworking area to be somewhat compact to save unnecessary movement or walking around, and the combination work area / bench / table fit nicely into that concept.


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## bigJohninvegas (May 25, 2014)

I was in your spot last year. My shop is a 3 car garage about 600 square feet. Needed a bench, outfeed and assembly table all in one. In the end a loosely copied a bench from my local woodworking school. 
It is solid as a rock. 
Best features and design are a bit tough to say. I'll share with you what I did, but this is what I figured out would work well for me. 
I have a couple of live edge slabs stored next to the bench at the moment so seeing under it is hard.
But on the one end you can see I built my clamp rack on one side, and I keep my shop vac next to that. I have enough hose for the shop vac that it never has to move from that spot. The clamp rack has worked well in this location. Its been a year, and so far I have not had a clamp stick out far enough to hit my shins on one. 
the other end is still open. Letting that side develop as time goes. I do have a couple of totes full of rags under there, but I do not plan on leaving it that way. I think my spindle sander, and bench top mortiser will end up under the bench. But not set on that yet either. 
I set the bench about 30" away from the table saw, and have a roller stand between the too. This gives me full access to all for sides of the bench. perfect for assembly of larger work. The far side is a little bit of a tight fit with the belt sander and normally drill press stored there, but everything but the bench is on wheels. So when needed I can make room to work all four sides of the bench. 


















Here you can see the clamp rack. About as simple as can be. 1-1/2" angle iron box. 
Front edge is up, while the back is turned angle down. Just enough angle the they slide right in to there spot.


























So I am more of a power tool woodworker, and I looked at literally every vise you can buy or build. But in the end I went with this Lee Valley steel bench vise.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Wood/page.aspx?p=49980&cat=1,41659
I had been set on using a Veritas twin screw vise and a tail vise. But decided I really did not need it, and was having trouble justifying the price tag. 
I also use a couple of these old Jorgensen/pony clamps. 









The bench is 5'X5' square and matches my table saw height. 
The top is 2 sheets of 5'X5'X3/4" baltic birch ply wood. 
The legs a 4/4 poplar that I had left over from another project.
And the apron, stretchers and all supports are 1" thick ply wood.

I spent a couple of years thinking about shop lay out (moving things around every few months) and my needs before I built this bench. Some of the tools still move around from time to time, but the table saw and work bench have found there home. 
Hope this helps, good luck.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I did the same. workbench / outfeed table. my workbench is 4'x4'. with 3 vises like the Grizzly H7788.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

I, too, am in the midst of outfeed/assembly table project after I tidy up swapping from metal HVAC to PVC dust collection ducting.
My table length will be the length of my Unisaw and around 37"-38" deep so that I can cut 8' long pieces without them teetering over the edge (this would give 4' of outfeed table length).
I have some 4"x6" to use up as legs. I'll be going mortise and tenons with drawboring everything. My only concern is the underneath and if it is to be mobile. I have had my fair share of mobile carts in my shop which I am now trying to stay away from. As to underneath usage, that will add more weight if it is to be mobile. I know all too well what happens when you make a mobile structure and it weighs heavily. Yet, that is wasted real estate that can be used up. 
I'll be going along the same lines as ATCERIC's project http://lumberjocks.com/projects/402873 .
MDF torsion box top, T-Track, possible air compressor and hose underneath. Maybe clamp storage.
We shall see. I have some more DC stuff to tidy up, then I'll think more upon this outfeed table project.


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## Woodenwizard (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your input so far it has been very helpful. Here is a drawing of what I am considering so far. Add any comments, suggestions or concerns.


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## RichBolduc (Jan 30, 2018)

Looks somewhat similar to what I'm planning John. Can't wait to see it. I'm passing on the dog holes though for the t-tracks. Hopefully I'll remember to take pics and I'll make a project post for it.

I plan on using the HD 23/32" Pine Ply for mine.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ARAUCO-Pine-Plywood-Common-23-32-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-Actual-0-688-in-x-48-in-x-96-in-799397/202677224

Rich


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

Remember for dog holes and holdfasts to work you need to have space between the top and the cabinet portion. In your drawing I see a double row of dog holes running side to side but no vise. How is that going to work? I recommend that you buy your vise/vises, dogs, and holdfasts; prior to building the top so that you can accommodate them during construction, especially if you aren't familiar with how they work.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

Leave 3-4" parallel clamping overhang over the cabinet, but no more. Possible sag after time could develop.
Keep in mind how you will set the base onto flooring. Uneven garage flooring? If so, add stabilization feet.
Be wary of going too far down the rabbit hole of what you want to do on the top. Pounding and punishment will distort the top over time. If it is to be assembly table, think light use of downward pressure (in other words, do not treat like a Roubo workbench top).
You have unused table top space you can use if you extend table down the length of your table saw rails. Might as well go full length. If you go that route, you only need 4' from riving knife/splitter unless you need more (in pic, actually looks 5' by guessing).
If that is to be mobile (i'm guessing not, since no visible wheels), keep in mind you would have to be Olympic weight lifter to move the thing around with all that weight even on 4 or 5" wheels.
Lastly, think of future. Will you add cast iron router table top extension (such as Benchdog, like I have)? If so, your table will need to extend to cover router outfeed.


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## Woodenwizard (Jan 25, 2010)

Thanks Bondo; Great points. I was thinking of putting a second vice (smaller) on the side but did not include it in the drawing. Again thanks for the comments, this is a work in progress.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

Looks like a good concept drawing. What do you plan to put in each drawer? I spent quite a bit of time planning on what went into the drawers to determine drawer height and width. As an example this drawer was set to hold 3 saws and sawblades for the tablesaw and circular saws. The circular saws sit upright with a box that has a opening to allow the blade and guard to go below but not touch bottom of drawer. Each drawer was set the same way. Some would say this is over thinking or overogranizing. Possibly, but with them laid out in this manner I was able to jam alot more tools than if I had just used say 4 inch drawers and worried about what went where later.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

I suggest looking into a folding out feed table on the saw and making your bench mobile. The bench will get tools and materials spread out on it. You won't get much benefit from it being an out feed table if you can't use it unless you stop and clear it off first. I put a folding table on my saw and really like it. It goes with the saw and can be stored with the saw or adjusted to the height of the saw very quickly. My assembly table is half covered in clutter from projects most of the time. I'd think about it.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

I used an old salvaged desktop with plastic laminate top for my small assembly/outfeed table. One of the nice things about the laminate is that glue and finishes do not stick to it very well. IMO this is ideal for an assembly table because not only is it easy to clean glue and finish drips off by scraping with a putty knife (even CA comes off easily) but you also don't risk gluing your project to the top if you don't notice some squeeze-out. The laminate is also nice and slick for the outfeed.

Also, in your design above, how thick are you planning to make the top? The vises usually require a minimum thickness so make sure that you take that into account. If you are planning to use holdfasts in your dog holes, they need a certain top thickness to work effectively as well.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I built my workbench 1/2" lower than my table saw table height, so I would not have to cut out the slots for the miter track. I bought a 4×8 sheet of premium MDF. Cut it in half. one for a table top & the other for a lower shelf. Set the top on the floor & built my table frame with 2×4's, and added some 2×4 cross runners. this helped insure the frame was flush with the top. then flipped it over and screwed the table top to the frame. Flip it over again and attached the 4×4 legs to the frame with screws. set the middle shelf in place, then built the frame with 2×4's under the shelf, insuring the frame under the shelf is flush with the shelf. Flip it over back onto the legs, added the vises and done. My intentions was to store 3' thru 4' boards on the shelf, and build carts like a automotive creeper to hold boards under the shelf area, just roll out the cart and you have access to those smaller boards or scraps.


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## Woodenwizard (Jan 25, 2010)

Version #2. What are your thoughts, comments, suggestions, etc. Planning sometimes takes longer than the build. Truly appreciate your input. Thanks.


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