First up is the out feed table extension. This makes using the saw so much safer when cutting sheet goods. Before there was only about 10cms of table beyond the saw, so it didn't take a very long piece of board to want to raise off the table at the user side. This meant the piece had to be forced down on the table and when the cut was complete it would fall on the floor! So I made this.
It uses existing holes already present in the saw to attach.
Routed t slot so cross cut sled doesn't hit the extension.
Remove two screws holding the brace to the table and it lifts right off.
Makes the table saw look huge!
I also plan on extending this with a drop down table off the end which would make for an extra 1m of table. Perfect for cutting up full sheets of mdf without setting up the circular saw.
While I was in a modding mood I made this:
It covers the saw hight adjustment slot. When an angle is set on the blade this wheel moves. I used to get a heap of saw dust coming out this slot. There is still a little bit coming through, but this is all after a month of use. It's got a few rare earth magnets and some stick on weather proofing to maintain a seal. I only had some small magnets on hand, I think if I used some decent sized ones this seal might be airtight. As I make 99% at 90 degrees, to move it out of the way and wear some dust out the slot when making angled cuts is no big deal.
I also had the top of the saw recently and while I was there I noticed big gaps between top and base where dust was coming out. This was solved with half a can of expending foam. This makes my dust extraction much more efficient.
I've had a router for a while, but didn't use it as much as I would like. It was always such a hassle to clamp stuff down, route, move clamps repeat. And to do small stuff wasn't worth the time.
Enter router leaf extension complete with adjustable fence!
I love this thing! It's not perfect, but it works and so easy to use!
It features:
Gives me an extra leaf in the table saw, making it even safer cutting sheet goods.
Uses the existing table saw fence, the wooden router fence fits right over the top of the existing fence.
Router is held in with gravity, very easy to remove for bit change and height adjustment.
Fence is adjustable is it straddles the bit, never have a bit gaping hole for small stock to get jammed in.
It doesn't have:
Hight adjustment without removing the router. This will come.
Any form of dust extraction. This also will come. How much dust does this thing make? All of it. The only silver lining is the dust now goes directly only the ground not into the air like when using it free hand.
I'm really pleased with the adjustment mechanism. It took quite a bit of head scratching. I haven't seen a design like this anywhere else. Most of the time people either use a store bought fence, or make one where the adjustment bolts go all the way through the fence. I didn't have either of those options.
It only needs to be hand tight and I luckily had a spare 12mm socket which now lives near the router making fence adjustment convenient.
I use half a dozen archive boxes for storing leads, cables etc. They are strong, cheapish and convenient. But after years of use they are starting to show some wear. So first project with the router table was this.
Nice simple box. Would have been really time consuming to make this without the router table. There are 12 routed edges 3mm deep, 6mm wide. Makes for a much stronger joint then a but joint and really easy to put together. A lid will just fit on top and ill rout out some holes or add handles. And make another 5.
That's enough for now.
