# Assembly / Outfeed Table Size



## torahanjyuu (Jun 24, 2012)

I'm setting up my workspace, which is my garage. My space is about 15' wide and 21' deep. I want to make a outfeed for my tablesaw that will also house a router table, and then do triple duty as an assembly table. I'm okay with making this thing large, but my question is how large? My favorite design thus far has to be this one, but I'm not sure how that would fit into my space.

Do you have an outfeed table? How big is it, and where does the tablesaw sit in relation to it (does the table extend to the right, left, neither, or both)?

Thanks!


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## Murdock (Aug 7, 2011)

I am not currently using an out-feed as my old one was damaged beyond use by having a cabinet I was working on fall on it. A new one however is on my 'short' list.

In my opinion an out-feed table needs to be just long enough to hold your longest cutoff without falling. For me that is generally 8' stock if I am ripping. So if you add the distance from where the stock is fully clear of the blade + out-feed size that would need to be just over 4'.

As for width I am going with the width of my saw.

My out-feed design is on locking casters as well so it can be moved to the side if I am planning on working with long, narrow stock. My shop is just slightly smaller than yours at only 12' wide, that is why I have most things on wheels or stationary against the walls.


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## Cosmicsniper (Oct 2, 2009)

A long out feed table just isn't practical for my shop, though I have two sturdy saw horses that can be used in various ways.

When I design my permanent out feed table, I will keep mine 30" deep or less because of space. But I will make it hefty with locking casters for those times when I need to roll it back slightly, for those long rip cuts that I only do on such occasions. In that event, I'll likely build the table 1/2" to 1" shorter than my saw top.

If space weren't a limitation, like Murdock, I would make it 4' deep, or bigger.


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## Murdock (Aug 7, 2011)

My old out-feed was probably about 30", but when you add the space behind the blade on the TS and the small gap I had between the table and out-feed that is where I get the 4'.

I too do not have the space to have a 4' table hanging around. In fact the new one is going to have a fold-down wing so that the table itself is no bigger than 24" across when it is not in use. Still working on the final measurements.


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## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

Dan, Here is my favorite one, and my two part blog. It is quite big, but you can maybe find some helpfull pointers.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

I made mine a little on the large side because I also use it as a final assembly/finish prep (sanding) table. It's 4' wide and 8' long. Once I am done reorganizing/clearing out the garage, I am putting another table on the end that will be 4'wide and 6' long in an L configuration, but a tad shorter. You can never have too much bench surface.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

I like using roller stands for infeed and outfeed. Easy to move between TS, BS, MS, and Jointer.

I have two single rollers stands and one 5-roller stand. I also have a Ridgid support stand that seems to work nearly as well as the rollers:


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## stevepeterson (Dec 17, 2009)

My workshop is around 13' by 22'. I have a PM66 table saw with long rails. I built a 4' by 7' outfeed table that doubles as the primary work surface. This creates a work area of around 7' by 7' if you lower the blade, remove the splitter, and move the fence.

It also serves as an outfeed table for my jointer and planer. The jointer is opposite from the saw blade and it is difficult to line everything up so there are no catches. I want the outfeed table to be about 1/32" below the table saw, but then long boards catch when using the jointer. I usually add or remove a small shim to raise or lower either side as needed.

I like the large size, but sometimes wish I had gone slightly smaller. 3' by 7' would be a good size.


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## nwbusa (Feb 21, 2012)

You can see my outfeed/assembly table below. It has a 48" x 30" top and sits on rolling casters, so I can (and do) turn in sideways when I need the extra length. If I had to do it again, I'd make it 48" x 48", as sometimes I need to clamp up larger pieces and the 30" dimension is a bit limiting.


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## muleskinner (Sep 24, 2011)

Mine is 32×60. It's spaced off the back of the table saw just enough so an 8' rip doesn't teeter totter on me. If I had a bigger shop I would have built a bigger table. Though I sure a bigger table would only mean I'd have that much more accumulated detritus to clear off every time I needed to use it for assembly or off-feed.


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

I have only a 36" outfeed table. Even though 21' deep sounds like a lot it really isn't much if you are moving 8' stock. I personally can't handle full sheets of plywood on the TS and on the rare occasions where I need to rip long sticks I'll add roller stands that can be used elsewhere as well. I'd center the TS in the middle of your space on the 21' side and perhaps a few feet walking room on the short table side.


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## MT_Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

My table is 30×48 or thereabouts including the edge band I added. Top is solid core door with Formica on top. It is flat. I made the frame out of 2×10 ripped to 3 inches and glued and screwed. It is rock solid, I lower shelf hold my air compressor with room left over. I plan to build a couple of drawers for the extra space, but… 

Here is a link with pictures. It has been working very well for me. Still need to drill a few holes for some dogs.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/68635


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Don't have one, really want one, no space in my garage!


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## torahanjyuu (Jun 24, 2012)

Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions. I want a outfeed table that will also house a router table and serve as my assembly table-it'll be doing triple duty! So I wanted something big-Steve Peterson's suggestion of 7' x 6' final size sounded just about right. But since I have a Ridgid R4512, and not a true cabinet saw, I'm going to build the table around only the cast iron portion of the table saw.

I began to look at where I was going to put the table, and started with teejk's suggestion of putting it right in the middle. Eventually, I plan to have a sliding compound miter saw station along one of the longest "walls" of my garage (one isn't a wall at all, but it has two steel columns that pretty much wall off that half of the garage). The two saw tables were pretty close to butting up to each other, when I thought "why not?".

I'm really pleased with the result, and I think it's going to be about perfect for me. You can see the layout I've come up with below. Thanks again for all your help!


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## teejk (Jan 19, 2011)

looks good (you didn't mention the OH door before…that gives you a lot of flex on the design on the few occasions where you need to rip long stock). But I think I would flip the direction solely due to material handling. Is the band saw on a mobile base? If not I would suggest it. But certainly figure in dust collection and material storage before you change anything (with that OH door, your truck can be storage and easy enough to slide it off the bed and to the TS without having to move it to the other side). As for layout table…I have a separate 4×8 table…there are times where I layout and still need the TS, plus some pieces might require a little "persuasion" and I don't like fiddling with keeping the TS in good alignment.


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