Help me store my table saw!
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Weekend_warrior
Well-known member
I have a nice contractors saw (craftsman) that I inherited from my father. Love using it and its sentimental. I have a nice sized two car. I hate finding a good place to store it that it does not get things set on it or take up a ton of room.
Just moved into a new place that the previous person put up a ton of non-adjustable 2x4 shelves on all available wall space. Like it a lot, but want a little more wall space and a good spot of the table saw contemplating what changes I will make.
I feel your pain. As much as I enjoy using the tools my dad left me to make things. If I had enough dough I sell it and then add some money to the fold and pop for the Rousseau stand posted with a nice dewalt portable. The set up looks to be slightly more than a nicely equipped contractors saw. It make for easy enough setup and would break down pretty slick for storage.
I did put a set of rollers on it. One on each leg so that I could roll it into the driveway for use. Easy to deal with the dust out there. With one person I can lift it over the lip in and out of the garage easy, but still have to deal with storage. The outboard motor on the back makes it even harder to store.
My primary hobby is dirt biking and I also have a street bike. If I had a dedicated work shop just for wood I would love it and likely build a table in the center of the shop around the saw, but ain't in the near future.
Just moved into a new place that the previous person put up a ton of non-adjustable 2x4 shelves on all available wall space. Like it a lot, but want a little more wall space and a good spot of the table saw contemplating what changes I will make.
I feel your pain. As much as I enjoy using the tools my dad left me to make things. If I had enough dough I sell it and then add some money to the fold and pop for the Rousseau stand posted with a nice dewalt portable. The set up looks to be slightly more than a nicely equipped contractors saw. It make for easy enough setup and would break down pretty slick for storage.
I did put a set of rollers on it. One on each leg so that I could roll it into the driveway for use. Easy to deal with the dust out there. With one person I can lift it over the lip in and out of the garage easy, but still have to deal with storage. The outboard motor on the back makes it even harder to store.
My primary hobby is dirt biking and I also have a street bike. If I had a dedicated work shop just for wood I would love it and likely build a table in the center of the shop around the saw, but ain't in the near future.
I have a couple options. I didn't read every post so I am sure at least some of my ideas have already been said.
Option 1:
Sell the TS, and get a portable saw like the bosch. Then build the paulk workbench and integrate the saw into it. That way you still have a large surface area and wood working bench. Then invest in the festool system. The festool stuff is made for your exact situation. The MFT + track saw will cut all your sheet goods and more. And you still have a good table saw for when the track saw + mft just doesn't make sense. Yes, its expensive, but worth every penny. This setup really gives you everything in a small footprint.
I understand why you don't want a portable saw. They just are not as accurate as a large cast iron one. But you're defeating the purpose by taking it apart.
Option 2:
If you really want to keep the saw you have, then take it off the metal stand and mount it to a table that flips up against the wall. Then your only lifting a portion of the weight and you can use gas props to help you. Something like this
You can see I did something similar with my dust collector bin.
Option 1:
Sell the TS, and get a portable saw like the bosch. Then build the paulk workbench and integrate the saw into it. That way you still have a large surface area and wood working bench. Then invest in the festool system. The festool stuff is made for your exact situation. The MFT + track saw will cut all your sheet goods and more. And you still have a good table saw for when the track saw + mft just doesn't make sense. Yes, its expensive, but worth every penny. This setup really gives you everything in a small footprint.
I understand why you don't want a portable saw. They just are not as accurate as a large cast iron one. But you're defeating the purpose by taking it apart.
Option 2:
If you really want to keep the saw you have, then take it off the metal stand and mount it to a table that flips up against the wall. Then your only lifting a portion of the weight and you can use gas props to help you. Something like this
You can see I did something similar with my dust collector bin.
Kaizen
Well-known member
maybe I missed some info but can't you move the 6 foot toolbox and tablesaw to the right wall? so all stuff together? That would leave a larger space for you to get around a car. If not move the saw to the left or right of the entrance of the garage so right near the rear quarter of the car. took me way too long to get my cabinet saw so no way I'd get rid of it. just measure out stuff and see if the car doors will open ok if you move everything. my saw is pushed against the side wall with cabinets above it. when I need it I roll it out.
The thing that ***** about that style of saw is they actually take up more front to back space than a full cabinet saw due to the motor hanging out the back. Unlike a cabinet saw which has the motor underneath the table.
To keep that saw, the best you can do and still retain most functionality is to remove the motor for storage (pretty easy to do), and then remove the left wing. If you are very serious about the space maximization, get a smaller fence or dare I saw cut the rails down since very seldom is the fence used to the left of the blade. That should get you down to a ~27" deep x 31" wide storage foot print and would only require the motor to be mounted for basic use.
To keep that saw, the best you can do and still retain most functionality is to remove the motor for storage (pretty easy to do), and then remove the left wing. If you are very serious about the space maximization, get a smaller fence or dare I saw cut the rails down since very seldom is the fence used to the left of the blade. That should get you down to a ~27" deep x 31" wide storage foot print and would only require the motor to be mounted for basic use.
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taumac
Well-known member
With each sides off I believe it can fit under that blue bin organizer cause it looks to be same width from side to side as the depth of the bench. It can go on a narrow homemade bottom as narrow as the box of that saw.
Dennis Leigh Henry
Well-known member
Great idea! I've got a wheelbarrow holder like this.. not all the way up in the air... but out of the way..
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Dan in Pasadena
Well-known member
Dan in Pasadena
Well-known member
Modern Jess
Well-known member
I'll second the vote for a track saw. For panel work, I think it's a whole lot easier to use than a table saw.
If you must have a table saw, Ridgid also makes a mid-size contractors saw that folds up and stores on end, and can be moved around on its own wheels like a dolly:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/heavy-duty-10inch-portable-table-saw-with-stand
(I have both a DeWalt track saw and said Ridgid table saw -- both store in a closet nicely).
If you must have a table saw, Ridgid also makes a mid-size contractors saw that folds up and stores on end, and can be moved around on its own wheels like a dolly:
https://www.ridgid.com/us/en/heavy-duty-10inch-portable-table-saw-with-stand
(I have both a DeWalt track saw and said Ridgid table saw -- both store in a closet nicely).
RickP
Well-known member
Parking situation with the saw intact. You can see the loft above, where I had planned to store it.
Have you ever considered switching to a radial arm saw? My neighbor installed one in his workbench along the sidewall to save space in his garage. With a long workbench, it can rip full sheets of plywood and do all the miters and crosscuts you want.
Slide your work bench down and frame in a corner to your bench. Build it so the table saw will fit back in underneath it in the corner. Along the back wall, the extra bench top space will give you a place for the drill press.
jar944
Well-known member
Sell your current TS, buy a track saw (festool or makita) and a bosch 4100 Table saw (allows for dado blades)
Build the some version of the Paulk bench for all of it to sit on.
Build the some version of the Paulk bench for all of it to sit on.
Voi
Well-known member
I have seen some nice examples of this on various wood working forums. I've also seen where table saw owners build a plywood cap that rests over the saw once the fence is removed and blade lowered. This allows a slightly lower bench height and allows it to be portable if the saw is on a mobile base. If one does this they should make sure the cast iron surfaces are well waxed and maybe build in some spacers to allow for air flow between the plywood and cast iron.
But these were always with cabinet or hybrid saws that don't have the motor hanging off the back.
You're getting a lot of advice to sell the contractors saw and switch to a portable. I'd go the opposite direction and recommend upgrading to a cabinet or hybrid saw with cabinet mounted trunnions.
But if the space saved by not having the motor hanging off the back isn't enough then this won't work either.
gahrajmahal
Well-known member
I can't believe no one has mentioned the WALL is the problem. What's on the other side of the wall? Hopefully a closet or a hallway. Build a nice wood sideboard with your giant table saw. The inside of the sideboard is open to the garage allowing the saw to tuck into the wall giving you the extra walk around room you need.
jar944
Well-known member
Being the op said its a condo, its more likely abutting someone else's garage and not a closet in his unit.
I can't agree more on this. It is not a cabinet saw, but works well for me too. I love my Dewalt dwe7491rs saw.
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Grizzly Guy
Well-known member
I know this sounds a bit of the wall,but what about a mono rail fastened to the ceiling to move saw onto storage shelf.Just a thought.
rayra
Well-known member
I'd turn that tablesaw into a workbench along the wall, with a removable top. When you need a saw, you drag it out. And use the workbench top on some screw in legs as an outfeed table.
archy99
Active member
Old-ish OP, but good topic. This is what I did with my 52" Unisaw. I had a tall work bench along the back wall, and rolled the cabinet end of the tablesaw under the bench to store it. The end that stuck out past the front edge of the bench had the router flush-mounted in it, and a shelf below for fence and tool storage. Worked very well, and offered up some extra work/layout space when needed. I'm 6'-5", so a taller bench was a must...win-win.
Wish I could go out and take a photo to show it, but I demo'd the garage last month, and am starting over on a bigger space.