Shop Built Tablesaw upgrade

[Abbott]

I have a Ridgid TS3650 which I'm sure many of you guys know is/was the best deal going for a contractor's style table saw for a few years. It is a real shame that they have been discontinued and replaced with a cheaper version which now carries the Craftsman, Porter-Cable and Ridgid brand names.

The TS3650s weak point is dust collection so I closed in the bottom with some OSB and a 4" dust collector fitting similar to these;

http://www.woodcentral.com/shots/images2/818cl2.jpg
Sheet metal
http://photos.ganzhorn.org/albums/album745/69CG4691.sized.jpg
1/4" plywood

My wife also cut out some card board panels to close the opening on the back of the saw around the motor which are held in place with strip magnets found at any Wal-Mart or craft store (photo below). The cardboard can be removed when I crank the blade over to make bevel cuts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The stock fence is a pretty good one but I wanted to make solitaire cuts to 4'X8' sheet goods so I upgraded the fence and table. I purchased a used Xacta fence from a guy on Craigslist for $147.00, drilled a couple holes and bolted the new/used fence to my saw. I then built a rolling platform for the saw out of a sheet of OSB, some miscellaneous 1"x and 2x"s some Uni-Strut (Super-Strut) and a piece of 1/4" mild steel plate I had laying around. The wheels are from Harbor Freight.

To support the enlarged fence I also built a quick cabinet out of OSB and put a plywood top on it. The framing for the top was "2X4"s bolted to the saw's table and supported by the cabinet. I covered the plywood top with Masonite for a smooth work area and the Masonite is easily and cheaply replaceable when it gets beat up.

 

[dragginbalz]

Awesome! I have the same table saw. I planned on doing something very similar, but with a router table on the right wing (I have very little room to play with so I need to save all of the space I can). I really like the built in mini out-feed support.

I am currently saving for a SawStop cabinet saw so I have halted any plans for my current saw and starting working on other things in the shop. Whether or not I can or will pull the trigger once I get the cash is a whole 'nother story!


Great job!

 

[Dog]

What a useful design. That Biesemeyer clone table saw fence will certainly be a time and effort saver. Good work and thanks for posting the photos.

 

[rsanter]

excellent
thats the same thing I wanted to do but I was going to use a bottom toolbox for the cabinet section

bob

 

[Hugo's greasy garage]

Really nice set up I would like to do the same and add a router table, did you get the table saw fence new or used and if you don’t mind me asking how much?
Thanks,
Steve

 

[Abbott]

I purchased a used Xacta fence from a guy on Craigslist for $147.00, drilled a couple holes and bolted the new/used fence to my saw.

 

[lilredex]

Did something similar with my saw. As most of my sawing is done outside, I opted for a fabricated chute in the bottom which directs most of the sawdust into a box in the rear of the saw. Keeps things pretty clean without any dust collection sys.

 

[Abbott]

Did something similar with my saw. As most of my sawing is done outside, I opted for a fabricated chute in the bottom which directs most of the sawdust into a box in the rear of the saw. Keeps things pretty clean without any dust collection sys.

That's a good idea.

 

[sealwoodworker]

Good morning, I've recently join, and am new to woodworking. I've been doing alot of research on upgrading my ridged contractor saw. Great job on your upgrade, it seems I will have to upgrade my saw to a larger model. Nice work.