Design ideas for a new mft/outfeed/assembly table

[rnt80]

After ten years of using a Ridgid 3650 I am finally upgrading to a cabinet saw in the next few weeks.  My current set up is the Ridgid without the leg base sitting on an approx. 6' cabinet that houses a router table on the right side.  I also have a router in the left wing of the table saw.  My assembly/outfeed table is roughly 4' wide by 5' in length and has a tortion box top with drawers underneath.  While all of this has served me relatively well I'm at the point where I'm going to make changes.  I'm going to be getting a Sawstop PCS with the 36" rails.  I'm not sure if I'll put the router table in the left wing of the new saw and route out another in the right extension or not.  As it is right now the router table I have in the right side of my saw houses a 3 1/4 hp router, so it does raised panels when I need to.  I toyed with the idea of getting rid of it and replacing it with a version of the cms but I don't think I'll do so until the cms gets cleared for use with the 2200.
I have two mft3's and would like to somehow use those as my new assembly/outfeed table.  I'm thinking of making a cart for them to sit on but wondered about the configuration.  I do all of my large crosscutting on the mfts so having them in the standard configuration would make sense.  If I do that with both it will make for a really long table.  I've also thought about setting them up in an L-shaped fashion or long side to long side so that they are in the shape of a square as opposed to a long rectangle.  The cart would house drawers that keep all my clamps, sandpaper, etc. that is now housed in the drawers in my assembly table.  I'm open to any ideas since I would like to try and get this as close to "right" as possible the first time around.

 

[rnt80]

Here are a couple of pics of my shop/garage so you guys can see what I'm working with.  The jointer and Ridgid planer will be going away in april when the A331 shows up. 
Any votes either way to configure the mfts on a cart end to end or side by side?  I rip all my sheet goods on a Walko in the drive way and I don't think, regardless of what I do with the cart, I would ever rip them in the garage.  There's not enough space and it would be an exercise in frustration.

 

[tiralie]

Any votes either way to configure the mfts on a cart end to end or side by side? 

I have 3 mft's and my favorite or most often used is end to end. This works for cross cutting, planing and piling crap on between jobs. This of course doesn't help you much if you also want to use them as an out feed table as they tend to dominate a space in the end to end configuration.
Based on your work flow, can you continue to use your assembly table as an out feed table or do you need more working tables?
If you want to use the MFT's as an out feed table as well, you may have to change the height to match the height of your new TS but will you still be able to use them as portable tables, for site work?

Tim

 

[rnt80]

I plan on building the cart/bench so that when the mfts are on it with legs folded it is the same height as the ts.  The assembly table I have now is going away so whatever I build to accommodate the mfts will replace it.  Using the end to end configuration makes sense to me but it will take up a lot of space, that's one of the reasons I considered orienting the mfts in an L shape. Do you see any drawbacks doing it that way?

 

[tiralie]

  Using the end to end configuration makes sense to me but it will take up a lot of space, that's one of the reasons I considered orienting the mfts in an L shape. Do you see any drawbacks doing it that way?

The only draw back is there are no connections to join the MFT on the one side where it extends past the other, but since you are building it into a stand that shouldn't be a problem. I think an  L shape is an awkward shape to work with
I personally don't like the L shape and only configure it that way if I need the extra table length but don't have enough room to put them end to end.
I find the L shape is awkward cause you are always reaching across the longest length but if you are using it to wrap around your TS, I get it. I really like the MFT's arranged end to end or side to side.
If I was you I would just build a off feed table on wheels and be done with it, of course I should talk, I've had some Bessy legs to do just that and they are still in the box [embarassed].

 

[rnt80]

I'm thinking I could build the bench with the mfts on top, end to end, and orient the bench so that it runs perpindicular to the ts (as it is now my bench runs parallel).  I have the room to put them end to end if the bench is oriented that way.  It could easily serve as an outfeed table that way and it would make use of an area that as of right now is typically dead space.

 

[tiralie]

Russell:
I was just wondering, how come you getting rid of the assembly table? Does it take up too much space?
It looks real nice, and the torsion box top is a bonus. I would keep the top (if you can) for later when you expand into a larger space.
BTW, where do you finish?
Tim

 

[rnt80]

I'm getting rid of the table because it's not as functional as I think the bench with mfts would be.  There won't be any expanding in the near future so I wouldn't be inclined to hold onto it.  Like most everyone else, it's taken me years to put together what I think is my most efficient space.  While I think I'm getting close I still have some tweaking to do and this is part of that process.
I finish/spray in my driveway.  I have a collapsible canopy I put up and saw horses to support the material.  It's not ideal but it works.  I'm hoping to build some kind of drying rack by the summer since I currently just find places to put things as they dry

 

[GPowers]

Why are you getting rid of your Grizzly 8" jointer? I just got that model with spiral cutters...

 

[rnt80]

I'm replacing it along with my Ridgid planer with a Hammer A331.  The Hammer has been on my short list for a long time and I finally put my deposit down.  I should be taking delivery in mid April.  The Grizzly did okay for a few years but I was never really satisfied with the cut - mind you, I didn't have the spiral head.

 

[tiralie]

The Hammer has been on my short list for a long time and I finally put my deposit down.  I should be taking delivery in mid April. 

I forgot to mention, congratulations on this and the new Sawstop TS!
Tim