# Table Saw Change



## RLHERRON (May 15, 2008)

As I'm in the process of building the new shop (first one),I find myself with more time than money right now. The walls are up and the roof is on. Have not done the siding, doors, etc. BUT I can go inside and do some work.

Would rather finish the shop than buy the goodies right now. I have a low end portable Craftsman table saw that I think works well for what I do right now. However it is unstable when working sheet goods and the fence is a joke. A friend just donated a nice fence he had as a spare. I want to build a cabinet that this saw would fit into and be able to use the new fence. 

Has anyone ever done this? Would also appreciate your thoughts and comments.

I did a rough drawing in Sketchup and will try to show you what I'm doing. Could someone explain how to post the picture? Thanks


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## Chiefwoodworker (Jul 17, 2008)

I am new to this forum, but when I posted my introduction in the Introduction Forum there was an explanation of how to post pictures. It was a sticky post right at the top.

I built a cabinet around my table saw, but since I haven't learned to post pictures yet you will have to go to my website to see it. Use the Shop Tour menu to get there. I wil try to figure out how to post pictures and post some later.

By the way, I am a big SketchUp fan and am doing all my designs it it now. Great tool and the price is unbeatable.


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## smitty1967 (Feb 24, 2008)

RLHerron: I'm also building my first workshop, and also find myself in the same position of more time than money, although I still seem to be able to find ways to make $50.00 bills fly out of my pocket.

I don't have an answer to your question, but thought you might want to look at some of my pictures of the construcion process (progress?). 

They are all available at: http://picasaweb.google.com/smitty1967/WoodworkingShop

feel free to private msg me and we can share notes or other thoughts.

regards,
smitty


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## Chiefwoodworker (Jul 17, 2008)

RLHerron,

Here are the promised pictures. These were taken as I was just setting up shop and building cabinets and workstations. My table saw is a combo of router table and table saw which often gets used as an assembly table too.







Here you can see the router bit storage drawers. I have one drawer dedicated to 1/4" bits, the rest to 1/2" bits.







In this top view you can see the router and table saw are diagonally opposed. I thought this the best layout because I am right handed. However, if I were to do it again I would meove the router up to the same end as the table saw. That way I could use the table saw fence with the router. The router fence shown in this picture is not yet complete. The vacuum housing is not complete. You can see this if you go to my website and look at current pictures. The 4" dust collection attachment is in the back of the cabinet.

The extended slots cut into the melamine turned out to be too short, as I discovered when I built my cross cut sled. SO if you look at more recent pictures you will see I extended them.







The opening you see in the front is to get at the router. A door, not shown, is fitted to have a friction fit with air holes in it to supply a source of air for the dust collection vacuum.







Notice that the fence extends the full width of the front. The top, including the table saw, is approximately 7' x 7'. 







If you go to my website and look at the Shop Layout menu, you will see that just behind the table saw is an assembly table, and behind that is a standard (though insulated) garage door. This allows me to deliver sheet goods from the truck to the assembly table and then to the saw. It works great.

I hope this helps.


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## RLHERRON (May 15, 2008)

Thanks Smitty and Chief. Appreciate the response. Smitty, saw your start up pictures before you started. TYouve come a long way. 

Chief, your table looks great, is the fence attached to the table and the saw? You answered my problem, I was trying to make it too complicated. 

Again thanks


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## Chiefwoodworker (Jul 17, 2008)

Hi RL,

Yes, the fence guide is attached to both. It turns out that the hardware supplied with the Delta cabinet saw (for use with their standard extension table) worked very nicely with my table.


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## Handyman (Jan 2, 2008)

Chiefwoodworker
Now that is one fine set up. If that doent give Rlherron some ideas on how to enlarge his little table saw, nothing will. I wish i had the room to build that setup in my shop.


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## Chiefwoodworker (Jul 17, 2008)

Thanks Handyman. It has served me well. I had a year of apartment living between selling one home and building my dream home and shop. I spent that year designing a shop layout and workstations, since I could not do anything else. So I was able to put some thought into it. Also, the fence is a modification of a third generation Norm Abram design. I'm not too proud to copy a good design.


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