Collapsible plywood cutting table

treesner

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Sep 1, 2015
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Hey guys who makes that collapsible table that folds up like a lawn chain, you just put a foam board on top of it then cut the plywood on top of that. I’ve seen it on here before.
Also if there’s a better way let me know, I’ve just been putting a 4x8 insulation board on the ground outside and using the track saw on that (my shop isn’t even 4x8)

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I’ve seen the centipede at either my local lowes or Home Depot in case you want to get it locally.
 
RKA said:
I’ve seen the centipede at either my local lowes or Home Depot in case you want to get it locally.

I have seen it in my local HD (Vineland, NJ), but it was about a year ago (Christmas 2017 shopping season IIRC) and have not gone looking for it since.
 
Do you remember if they had the 4x8 size (K200) in store?

It comes in 4 sizes, but on homedepot.com I only see 2x4 and 4x4 sizes:https://www.homedepot.com/b/Tools-Tool-Storage/Centipede/N-5yc1vZc22eZeg4.  I guess you can can just buy 2 of the 2x4 size. 

Surprisingly, my local Home Depot (the closest one, but one of the smaller stores) has the 2x4 size in stock - they seemingly never have anything I find on the website in stock.
 
I got mine from Lowe's.ca when it was on sale. Lowe's offers them at sale prices from time to time (every two or three months?).
 
I have both the 4x8 (got it at Toolnut) and the 2x4 (Lowes).  They are incredibly handy.  The only downside is of course there's no space to slide anything like a vac or systainer stack underneath, but you can't have it all! 
 
Do you have a preference for which one you like better?

I was thinking that having 2 sets of 2x4 would be a little more versatile than 1 big one?
 
I considered the Centipede as a solution until I read that the system isn't self-leveling (and doesn't otherwise feature a built-in allowance for leveling) - no problem if used on level concrete or asphalt but potentially a pain if desiring to use it on grass or other similarly uneven surfaces (that's a lot of legs to have to level-up). So instead, I settled on the combination of a couple of super lightweight Dewalt DWST11155 saw horses (which I picked up new on eBay for $25/each) and my Walko MK4 (that latter of which I can also use for panel processing by leaning it against a wall or laying it flat on the ground). As an aside, I picked up the Walko a couple of months ago for a song: $300 shipped (which, as an unexpected bonus, also included a large collection of surprise Walko accessories), all from an online retailer that I learned, thanks to my persistence, just happened to have - totally unpublicized, mind you - one remaining in stock. They wanted it gone and were only too happy, apparently, to send along - for my bargained price - everything they had left in stock that had the "Walko" name on in. It sometimes pays to dig a little!
 
So how do you guys that own these and use them with a track saw use them exactly? Do you put a sacrificial board on top of it and then the work piece that youre going to cut? Or use thick, ridge foam as the sacrificial surface?
 
man that Walko system is sick. Just to throw another option in the rink, [member=63307]TrackTubesGuy[/member] has been developing a mobile system, very well thought up and looking forward to see how it progresses. I have two sets of tubes arriving Wednesday and Glenn was very response. PLUG
 
GoingMyWay said:
Do you have a preference for which one you like better?

I was thinking that having 2 sets of 2x4 would be a little more versatile than 1 big one?

I like the 4x8 just because I don't use the 2x4 size very much.  I have other portable work tables (MFTs or sawhorse-based) at that size so the small centipede doesn't see much use.  I could definitely see 2 2x4s or 4x4s as being more versatile.  The 4x8 is kind of annoying to get back in its bag...tight fit.

ben_r_ said:
So how do you guys that own these and use them with a track saw use them exactly? Do you put a sacrificial board on top of it and then the work piece that youre going to cut? Or use thick, ridge foam as the sacrificial surface?

I had to use the tracksaw at my mom's house to make her a few additional kitchen cabinet shelves.  Unfolded the 4x8 centipede, threw on a 4x4 piece of 2" EPS I keep there, "secured" it with the plastic hold-downs that come with the centipede, and I was in business with the TSC.  This was in their perfectly level garage without wind trying to blow away my foam, so in other words, ideal conditions for this sort of setup.
Even ironed on and trimmed the edge-banding right on top of the foam table.  Was it as ideal of a worktable/bench as I'd want?  Not at all.  But I was done with three shelves cut to size and edge-banded in under an hour, including set up and breakdown of the centipede and sweeping up (I used the TSC with the dust bag). 

They also have 2x4 holders that you can use to make a 2x4 cutting table if that works better for your needs. 
 
Two sawstools, a couple of 8 foot lengths of 2x2 across them then four three foot lenght of whatever scrap wood is lying about.
That way you have enough space under the bench for the extractor and everything but the sawstools are just picked up off site.

Plus if you make half decent sawstools you can stand on them to reach higher.
 
live4ever said:
ben_r_ said:
So how do you guys that own these and use them with a track saw use them exactly? Do you put a sacrificial board on top of it and then the work piece that youre going to cut? Or use thick, ridge foam as the sacrificial surface?

They also have 2x4 holders that you can use to make a 2x4 cutting table if that works better for your needs. 
That I did not know. Ill have to check that out!
 
MFT centipede could be cool

8b3553a726ce3ec4c8f84929d0c3961b.jpg


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treesner said:
MFT centipede could be cool

8b3553a726ce3ec4c8f84929d0c3961b.jpg

I have the MFT slab like that but just use it with sawstools.
In my opinion my way saves space on the worksite as I can fully use the space under it and sawstols are more versatile.
 
demographic said:
treesner said:
MFT centipede could be cool

8b3553a726ce3ec4c8f84929d0c3961b.jpg

I have the MFT slab like that but just use it with sawstools.
In my opinion my way saves space on the worksite as I can fully use the space under it and sawstols are more versatile.
What takes up less space when packed?

My use case is making it as easy to make big plywood cuts at a higher level (less back breaking) as it is throwing the foam board on the ground and then to pack it up quickly into a small area until next use

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