What to do with a table saw in the way?

[myredracer]

My table saw has been one of the most useful tools I've owned and has been used from just slicing a piece of wood in half to framing, finishing & cabinetry on large custom houses. Have finally finished my dream garage I've lusted after for decades and am transitioning into retirement and restoring a couple of cars. There's no way I'd sell the saw so what to do? Can't fold it up, can't hang it on the wall and can't roll it under a workbench.

I ended up cutting a foot or so off the guide rails - can still rip a full sheet up to 28" wide. Made a 3'x5' top using 3/4" crezon plywood that locks in place with some cleats underneath. Then had a 16 ga. galvanized top made up with edges at an angle with a folded over safety edge. Can lift the metal top off, then the plywood to use the saw. If I want to do a woodworking project on it I can just lift the metal top off.

This has worked out great and I use it all the time. I can roll it around as needed. Unless I were to put a heavy engine block on it, it's perfectly stable. Excellent for laying down a large sheet of 18 or 20 ga. steel to cut up.

 

[Cato]

A tool that useful earns a place in a shop.

 

[manwithtools]

Nice conversion of the saw to a table. Problem is, it becomes a flat surface that is always covered with other **** when the moment arrives that you need the table saw.

I would suggest doing what I did, get track saw and sell the table saw. Mine was a nice Jet 3 hp cabinet saw with large out-feed table. It simply took up too much room.

 

[y'sguy]

can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em.
I'm in retirement too, and would sometimes like to move mine on.
The tableTop is a good idea and probably the best-However i don't even need that as I have good work surfaces available too.
Have had thoughts of hoisting mine to the ceiling, but not to seriously!

 

[willymakeit]

Grind the teeth off an old blade and convert to a sander

 

[y'sguy]

I'll also add that restoring cars and sawdust generators don't mix well.
Also been there, done that!

 

[crguy]

Grind the teeth off an old blade and convert to a sander

Oh HELL No!

 

[myredracer]

I'll also add that restoring cars and sawdust generators don't mix well.
Also been there, done that!

I hate dust more than ever now. Can sort of tolerate sawdust. Have been creating a lot of grinding dust lately tho. - man that is horrible stuff and gets everywhere kinda like drywall dust does. I can see where all the drywall screws are 'cuz the metal dust sticks to them. Pffft. On the upside, I don't need a studfinder...

 

[Stuart in MN]

My only concern would be the potential of knocking the saw table out of alignment if you put anything too heavy on top (having said that, I often use my table saw as a workbench too.)

 

[Firebrick43]

I have use a large miter saw and a dewalt track saw to replace the table saw. They have better dust collection than a table saw, especially the track saw. The track saw cuts ply so nice and chip free. Can't do box joints with either but I do hand cut dovetails anyways.

 

[James-W]

It is a pretty cool idea if you don't use the tablesaw much. The top you made turns the saw into a VERY nice place to work on smaller projects. In my case I use the tablesaw quite a bit so to turn it into a workbench wouldn't work as well for me. I do like that top you made though.

 

[RWorth]

that's why I built my portable garage tent, to store all the big tools and open up my shop. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[shelteredV]

IMO there is no replacement for a good table saw. I have Festool stuff and it's really good jobsite quality, but I could never be without my table saw. I'm currently setting up a 3 ton electric hoist ( got the whole setup with I beam for free) that we are going to make a platform to hoist heavy stuff out of the way to clear up floor space if we need it. I'm not sure if it's gonna be smart or not, we'll see.

 

[sz0k30]

I have an approx. 25 year old Craftsman, that is still like new. Mine has a cast iron top and cast extensions. Cast iron works great for a welding table. These days I use it more for that than cutting wood.

 

[LX-Markham]

Can't fold it up, can't hang it on the wall and can't roll it under a workbench.

I had the same dilemma: want/need a good table saw, but no place to store it.

I managed to find a really good sturdy portable contractor saw. Folds up nice and stores away.

 

[rsanter]

I have a conbination shop that I do automotive, metal, machining, and woodwork.
I have pallet racks that the larger tools park under and allows me storage above. In my first house I had a pallet rack that the table saw went at the bottom, the first shelf was set to be my workbench and then the next shelf was just above head height and stored most of the boxed tools. Top shelf was storage.

You might want to reconfigure the shop a bit to allow for a shelf that will fit over the table saw and allow storage above it.

I saw where one guy split the table saw from the base. He made them quick connect so he could hoist the saw up to the ceiling ( like the hard top of some cars) and hung the base on the wall to keep it out of the way. Very doable

For the comment about grinding the teeth off a saw blade.....
You don't have to, they make a sanding disc that goes into a table saw to make it a disc sander. Has coarse on one side and medium on the other. I have one and used to use it a lot before I got my belt/disc sander. I highly recomend getting one

Bob

 

[Dirtydan69]

I have a Bosch table saw and miter saw. They both fold up for storage but I still needed room in my garage. So I bought a shed to store them in. Works well.

 

[oldironfarmer]

The only practical solution is to build on. Tell your wife I said so.

 

[Dirtydan69]

I would if I could. Hoa says no.

 

[willymakeit]

Oh HELL No!

Thought I would get a reaction. I have done it tho with a throw away saw

 

[driftpin]

One way to do it.

 

[LX-Markham]

...they make a sanding disc that goes into a table saw to make it a disc sander. Has coarse on one side and medium on the other.

Brilliant! Thanks for the tip!

 

[jimreed2160]

That is a clever solution to your problem. I had a buddy who was in a life "transition" and moved into an apartment. He refused to get rid of his table saw. He made a top, covered it with a cloth and used the TS for his dining room table.

 

[manwithtools]

For the comment about grinding the teeth off a saw blade.....
You don't have to, they make a sanding disc that goes into a table saw to make it a disc sander. Has coarse on one side and medium on the other. I have one and used to use it a lot before I got my belt/disc sander. I highly recomend getting one

Bob

I'm not real crazy about these disks being used in a table saw. Okay I suppose if you only sand wood with them, but I wouldn't want to sand much metal. If you don't clean up the metal dust it can get embedded in the next piece of wood you cut and lead to some unexpected finishing problems (aka, rust).

One of the reasons to keep the metal shop and the wood shop separated if you can.

 

[rsanter]

I'm not real crazy about these disks being used in a table saw. Okay I suppose if you only sand wood with them, but I wouldn't want to sand much metal. If you don't clean up the metal dust it can get embedded in the next piece of wood you cut and lead to some unexpected finishing problems (aka, rust).

One of the reasons to keep the metal shop and the wood shop separated if you can.

I have had only sanded wood with that setup.
It's actually really good when dealing with larger pieces as you have the larger top on the saw to support it

Bob

 

[Zeke]

I have had only sanded wood with that setup.
It's actually really good when dealing with larger pieces as you have the larger top on the saw to support it

Bob

Plus, the miter gauge works on both sides and is more accurate than ones I've seen and used that come with combination sanders.

 

[bubinga]

I'm not real crazy about these disks being used in a table saw. Okay I suppose if you only sand wood with them, but I wouldn't want to sand much metal. If you don't clean up the metal dust it can get embedded in the next piece of wood you cut and lead to some unexpected finishing problems (aka, rust).

One of the reasons to keep the metal shop and the wood shop separated if you can.

Not to mention getting grinding dust in the arbor bearings, and the raise, tilt mechanism.

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