# Outfeed tables and small shops



## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

My shop is about to be expanded by almost 100 sq ft (yay!) so it will be 16×24 (instead of the current 16×18).

I have my table saw, 14" bandsaw, Dewalt 734 planer, a Grizzly 6" jointer and a benchtop drill press. My question is brought on by my desire to use my bandsaw more and looking at other setups, a lot of guys have outfeed for the bandsaw for resawing and/or ripping. All well and good, but I'm looking for ways to to have outfeed when needed, but also easily broke down and stored flat when you don't.

Example:
Right now my table saw is in the middle of my shop with my workbench sitting on the outfeed side. When I need longer outfeed like for ripping 8 ft boards, I set my Workmate (yep, I have one) between the waorkbench and the wall and lay a piece of 3/4 plywood (2ft x 8ft) on the workbench and the other end goes on a piece of plywood clamped into the workmate. When done I stand the plywood up against the wall and put the workmate away. (My bench top sits a tad more than 3/4" below the top of the table saw)

When my wife moves all her gardening stuff into the garden shed I built for her, I have to take down a partition wall and I'll be rearranging the shop so I'm trying to think ahead a little bit in terms of how to best utilize the space and permanent outfeed for everything just takes up a ton of room.

So I'm looking for ideas on what other folks have done to provide outfeed areas that are not permanent. Table saw will probably be the easiest. Band saw and planer have vastly different heights to deal with.

thoughts?


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## oldretiredjim (Nov 14, 2011)

Charlie - my entire shop is mobile. In fact I really enjoy moving the tools outdoors and working on the driveway. Really takes care of the dust problem and it forces me to plan each step so i put stuff away at the end of the day. My outfeed table hooks to the back of the TS with a couple dowels. My assembly table is on casters and is 1/32 lower than the TS and dead even with the miter saw. I don't do a lot of big stuff however and break down sheet goods with a circular saw. It works pretty well since time is never an issue for me.


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## Charlie5791 (Feb 21, 2012)

Yeah I have french doors on my shop and a 24×24 patio (roughly) and I drag stuff out on the patio all the time. Like you, I have everything on wheels. Ok, not my workbench, and the table saw stays in the shop, but my sliding miter saw is on one of those wheeled stands and my planer has been known to come out on the patio (lotta noise though), saw horses, circular saw, etc. In fact I have some of those saw horse brackets so I make a quick and dirty cutting table when I have sheet goods as I simply can't manage a 4×8 sheet by myself safely. Also been known to set sheets on pallets and just get my cut lines lined up so I don't cut the pallets. Not that I care about the pallets, but pallets are known to have nails! (gasp!) so I just avoid the pallet entirely.

Still…. an outfeed for the bandsaw would be nice and it seems every time I use the planer I come up with something different for outfeed. Kinda whatever I have laying around I cobble together into something that'll work, but then I have to make a new one next time


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## redSLED (Mar 21, 2013)

I'm also in a small garage space so everything is also mobile. The table saw and miter saw stands can roll around and drop down on feet making them 35" high - and can outfeed to my mobile/folding assembly table or to my (temporary) workbench which are both a 1/16" lower than 35" (floor isn't perfectly level). And yes, the workbench can roll around and drop down on its feet. My planned mobile router table top height will also be 35". As well, I'm working on getting my solid wood and sheet goods cut-offs on a rolling storage unit.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

@Charlie - I think a lot of us have the same problem - not enough space. One thing I did was dedicate my work bench/outfeed table/assembly bench to it current location. No casters or wheels so it is where it is. Everything else can be moved around. Even though the table saw is on a mobile base, there is no where for me to move it to. :-(

I am currently in the middle of my garage makeover. Feel free to follow along. I am writing a blog about my escapades. You may find something helpful for your shop also.

Also, check out the You Tube videos produced by Ron Paulk. He has some good ideas, especially since he is a home builder and his stuff has to be mobile, and easy to set up/break down.


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## dschlic1 (Jan 3, 2013)

I just recently completed a project of a removable outfeed table that folds up.


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## Jackietreehorn (Feb 3, 2013)

Here's my outfeed setup. I use it when cutting long sheets. I put threaded inserts on the one end to be able to raise it up a smidge to keep material from catching edge.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

Small world. We have about the same setup and I made this outfeed table about a week ago. It sounds like what you are looking for.


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## AlanBienlein (Jan 29, 2011)

Some how I entered this in the wrong post so I copied it here.

I no longer have out feed table problems for any machine in my shop since I remodeled it.

I made sure my work bench, the out feed table for the table saw, my scms mobile cart, the band saw, two other mobile carts and the planer are all the same height. I got my inspiration for this from a YouTube video about a dustless workshop.

Part I 



Part II


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## Bieser (Oct 30, 2012)

Charlie, Your shop will be just be 2' wider than mine. I have tried to arrange everything so I don't have to have things mobile. So far so good. I do have my bandsaw on wheels but only because I don't use it enough. I also put my big 4'x4' table saw outfeed on wheels so I can put it in the middle of the shop as an assembly table. Maybe you could have one outfeed for your table saw and your bandsaw by making it adjustable height? I think with enough planning you can arrange it all so that it works for you. If I can get it done with a few feet less you should be smooth sailing. Good Luck


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