Thread: saw table plans?

Hmmm. No one has replied yet, so I'll throw up some things to consider first.
1) Except for one example about 15 years ago, I have never heard of anyone attempting to build their own table saw. Maybe there is a good reason for this...
2) How do you intend to attach your saw to the underside of a table that is 2" thick?
3) How do you intend to make a "raising/lowering" mechanism that is stable/safe?
4) How will you attach a rifing knife/blade guard?
5) How are you going to secure an adjustable fence?

Seems to me (IMHO), that to go to all this trouble, you might as well spend $400 on a Triton, or if you have something against that, then a Torquata station from Timbecon.

Gidday John
Interesting isnt it that no one had a coment? no worries

Its possible that others think it better to simply shell out the necessary $ and be done but Im thinking of saving money for the boat build so if I can get this right then I can hopefully save some $ to use elsewhere.

Ive heard of it being done just havent seen it.

Mate I was thinking of bolting the circular saw under the top to a set peice... this peice would be able to be unscrewed and drop down in a frame affair so it and the attached saw only dropped say 4 inches just enough to clear the top... then a blank fits the hole left this would allow one access to the entire flat surface of the top for work layout, mould setting etc

I have a few very basic sketches I drew up last night but I want to clear them up before I unleash them on the unsuspecting ... and I also want to do a few of the saw dropping thought up close so hopefully you can get an idea of what Im talking about... sometimes I dont make myself too clear on just exactly what Im on about.

I am presently trying to nut out a fence that would be accurate but Im thinking maybe just shell for that?... will see.

Theres a plethoria of work benches out there but none that allow use of a circular saw and routers as fittings... in other words made for them but able to be "multi skilled" {learnt that one at work a couple of years back! } and adaptable with simple application.

Will get a drawing or two up tonight.

Thanks for the comments!

Just saw your edit mate...

okay the reason for not wanting a triton or other table saw such as the one from Timbertec is that to me they look to be way to flimsy for my needs... So as I intend cutting a lot of long thick and heavy planks of hard Tuart on it and need a lot of bed so Im not lifting or straining... and so the machine can take the weight without having to have a couple of supports with rollers under it as I feed it through... I also do a fair amount of work with ply sheets and while triton or others for 400 mark could and do handle such I just want the benifit of a large very stable work surface.

I know the Triton purists will go on about the benifits of their machines and I do think they would be ideal if one is working with smaller lighter timbers but Im not going to be... as an example my keel timber is 6" x 5" and that having to be tapered then there is all the other deadwood and the floors carlins etc that are not small timbers so the need for a very firm support table is paramount... and mate after looking at them up close for some time I cant see it for the size and wieght of timbers I intend using...

The most secure and firm standing table is what Im after with the largest surface area... and this is probably best if made of large timbers... the sizes I initially stated of 3x3s and 4x4s Ive revised to 2x 2x6s on each corner and rails of 2x4s... I have the Tuart to do this so its no problem... I also hope that someone else can possible use the plans who may only have access to the smaller timber thus benifit flow on.

I will post some pics of my ideas shortly say a couple of hours given the hoons {kids} are still moving about!

Shane,

I worry that you are building a nasty accident. There is a very good reason why a lot of people don't do this. IT'S DANGEROUS!!!
Be careful.

I understand the desire to save money, but by the time you buy all the bits and pieces to make a safe fence, safe table etc...

How about buy a cheapo bench saw (like a GMC from Bunnings) and then house it in something like this.
<http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?9908>

Definitely the safer option.

Ken dont worry mate I intend to be very careful about it which is why Im slowly revising as I go along... until I have it down pretty much pat I wont even cut timber!... I dont intend to do any leccy work thats a professionals thing and Im reasonably color blind at the best of times those little colored wires just blur to me.

but I believe it must be able to be done... surely the old fellas when circular saws first came out must have made their own saw tables?

Often the reason is quite simply that the companies that make and produce the machines do such a fine job that the fella decides that the machine is better than what he himself can do so the fella doesnt even try just goes and shells the $ out to the company... and often we dont want to go to the trouble and effort to attempt to do it ourselves to much effort when one can simply buy one ready to rock and roll... much easier!

Im not building a total table saw setup such as youve bought mate just attaching a circular saw to a table along with a router and some infeed/outfeed tables... should be able to be done? surely?

But I hear you mate.

Excellent! discussion happening which is what I was hoping for!...

Okay John that idea would bother me more than the one Im planning... for the simple reason of the size of my timber and the size of the bed of that table!... The majority of my timber cant be lifted by one person {average size of plank aside from keel and deadwood timbers is 20inch by 2 inch x 11ft and believe me Tuart is flamin heavy!}... thus if you put one end of the timber on this thing the weight of the timber would I think topple the saw table!! those small gmc things are more fragile than triton... {in my view}

The one there would need to be stuck down fast onto those saw horses before you could even think to begin to use it at least... what Im thinking would be a solid heavy table. the weight of the timber would not topple it as I can imagine it would that wee table set up.

Okay... with a very clear eye and ignoring my biases I can see that this one could be good... if the work to be done on it were smaller and more lightweight than my intented use and if one made the table a lot firmer and way more solid... but would the little gmc be able to cope with the timber sizes as quoted? I know my Matebo can.

The site itself states that the fence and feather boards and push stick can be built by the home builder as can this unit itself... so the question is why cant a bigger far more stable and more able to handle large heavy timber be built?

Now its obvious from this that it can and in fact has been done to accomadate the little gmc... so lets just take that machine out of the picture for a minute and think... how would you attach a circular saw to the table shown on that site?

Thanks again!

Shane

I was thinking along these lines a while back, I even posted here asking for any ideas but there was not much response. My plan was to use a saw spindle like the ones from Timbecon. The main problem is raising/lowering the blade. The setup you are making will not be any more dangerous than a production saw provided you make some provisions for guarding and use a good technique, ie feather boards, body position etc.

Dan

Gooday Shane.

I myself would use a bandsaw.

2 Reasons:
1: They are solid.
2: Using a hand held saw in a bench would probably "bog" the saw down and stall it.

I remember thinking along similar lines when I was loooosing patience witn the triton years ago.
But I repented of my foolishness and baught a real bench which I recently replaced with a bigger & beter one.

Save your self some greif & bite the bullet & spend the cash.

As for the heavy stuff see if you can buy time on a big machine.

In brisbane there is a place called "wood & you" perhaps the is a similar facility near you. I sometimes buy time in other peoples workshops for gear I dont have
cheers

Errr.... nothing to do with the saw bit of the conversation, but in one of the Triton newsletters there was a piece on a boatbuilder, who, like me, thinks that the Triton SuperJaws are a pretty wonderful invention.

I'm sure I recall him saying that the timbers he worked with were much heavier than the average woodworker dealt with, but the SuperJaws hung onto them, and nudged them about, just fine.

Cheers,
Andrew

Shane, an observation in that if'n you're gonna run some of thet humungous bloody Tuart thru a handsaw then mate...you're gonna have a heap o' grief...hope your insurance is paid up!

Seriously Shane,for the trouble you're goin'to spend 3 bucks and check out the Quokka for a table saw that will do the job....or the second hand machinery dealers!

I've been down the track with a handsaw in a Triton and they don't do all you wish of them....why else do you see so many Tritons for sale...and no disrespect intended to the guy's with Tritons...horses for courses and exactly that.

Buy or set yourself up with something in the first instance that has the grunt to achieve what you want not only now but what you perceive yourself doing down the years...too many of us Shane have been testament to the problems encountered by underpowered and limited use of Tools/Machinery for our needs.

Just some observations...2c worth

Something I would not recommend.

You have to remember you are talking to woodworkers

We do not design and build machinery on the whole.

If you have some skill in this area you may consider building a table saw with a 2nd hand electric motor and saw blade attached with a pulley.

Maybe just buy the triton thingamajig that holds the circular saw.

I could think of other pieces of machinery to build over a table saw for lots of reason why.

Good Luck with your endeavours

Pulpo