Out Feed Table

Re: Out Feed Table

Virgil Johnson

I can't see any advantage of having the out feed table lower. I would cut the slots in the out feed table wider than the slots in the saw to keep sleds, miter gauges etc from binding. There will likely be some error in mounting the table and it will get bumped over the years.

Re: Out Feed Table

Garthinsandiego

Virgil's rationale is the same that I used to justify setting the table slightly lower than the miter bar. This after also having used an HTC outfeed table with rollers. That table had to be folded down to use the miter.

The outfeed table is most useful for ripping longer stock. The table must either be perfectly aligned with the top of the saw table or below to avoid a catch as the workpiece transitions. Some catches are still possible on a perfectly aligned table if the workpiece is not perfectly flat. If you are setting it lower you might as well set it below the miter bar. I have found no significant penalty for doing so. If cutting a long groove with a daddo blade, a little down pressure near the blade or a 3/8" wood scrap under the workpiece will help to maintain groove depth. Hasn't been a problem for me.

Re: Out Feed Table

Keith Newton

What I did on mine is make the end of the table behind the saw 3/8” lower than the saw top, to clear the sled and miter gauge. But I make the far end level with the saw top. This brings it back in alignment for longer stock, which may not seem like a big deal, but it really does if you are trying to do long mitered rips, as in plywood corners. If the plywood has a bow, and you don’t keep it flat against the table, it doesn’t matter if you keep it against the fence it won’t come off straight.

Re: Out Feed Table

Jim Dillon

Stuart, just checked my out feed table alignments to refresh my memory. I made the surface of the out feed table a tad lower than the surface of the TS, and the bottom of the miter gauge slot in the out feed table a tad lower than the miter gauge slot in the TS - both to avoid catches. The width of the miter slot appears to be very close to the TS miter slot. I wax both slots to help out. This approach means that the miter slot depth in the out feed table will be less than the TS slot but that has not been an issue at all. This has worked well for 20+ years or so. I don't use my miter gauge as much as I use my sleds.

As an aside, as I was using 3/4 inch plywood to build the table top, I reinforced the underside of the top where the miter slot would be cut. Hope this helps. Jim

If you do make it flush..

Virgil Johnson

Chamfer the leading edge 1/4" so that stock will not snag on it. Goes back to the fact there will never be perfect alignment. My out feed table is hinged so there is a bit of error in the hinge setup.

Mine

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

is set 1/16th below the plane of the saw table with wide slots to clear miter sled guides. For long rips I also use roller stands.

For slightly bowed wood I use a vertical fence to keep the workpiece firmly on the table during the cut. Especially useful when cutting dadoes