Finishing an Out Feed Table

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SoonerFan

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I built an large out feed table for my SawStop PCS. The table is roughly 2140 mm by 2440 mm.  For the top I had always planned on two layers of 19 mm ply.  Then I had planned to cover the top in black laminate to match the SawStop table extension.  Figured this would be durable and make glue clean up easy since I will use it as an assembly table sometimes as well.

However, I found some really good maple plywood.  When I got the top dry fit on the base I really like how it looked.  It matches the legs and stretchers that I made by mailing some 8/4 hard maple I had left over from another table I built.  Now I am giving serious consideration to just applying a few coats of poly on the top and a couple coats on the legs/stretchers.  Couple questions:

1.  Should I just stick to the laminate plan as a better long term solution even though I prefer the look of the maple ply?  Makes my shop brighter which I appreciate. 

2.  If I stick adding with a few coats of poly what would you use?  I have used water based poly on other projects recently and had good luck.  I like that water based is easy to apply and clean up.  Plus if I don’t like it I could just sand a little and then add the laminate.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
 
When I build mine I did as you planned originally, used black laminate.
That was 11 years ago and it still looks good. But I did not have plywood
under it that was anything worth looking at. Nothing wrong with it just
not anything that would add interest. Tha laminate has worked well and
I don't regret my choice.
 
Thanks [member=60461]Bob D.[/member] for confirmation that laminate is the durable choice I had originally invisoned. 

[member=3192]rvieceli[/member] great suggestion on the white laminate I could write on.  Thank you.

So far seems laminate is in the lead…
 
Wow!  That's a pretty large table at 7'x8', a double layer of 3/4" plywood for the top plus the material for the base means that sucker is gonna be HEAVY!  I assume you're not planning on moving it often. Lol!  Anyway, I have a homemade work assembly table and a tool vault I made from plywood about 5 years ago, I sprayed them with oil-based Helmsmen spar finish, have used them to death and both have held up very well, but they do have some damage.  If they would have been covered with laminate, they would probably still be perfect.  For your use, I think laminate is the best choice. 
 
[member=18055]cblanton42[/member] so far I like the table a lot but it is big and very heavy.  Once finished will not be moved often. 

All,
Given my table is larger than a sheet of laminate am I better off attaching the laminate a trimming with my TS75 or using a flush cut bit in my OF1400? 

Thanks.

 
I would go laminate.  The extra slickness may help since its an outfeed as well plus the added bonus of glue being less likely to stick. I have MDF MFT tops but I will be doing laminate on the next set. 
 
I will tell you what I did for my outfeed table on the table saw and for my router table.  White plastic laminate I bought as sheets.  Used the correct contact glue to glue them down.  My underlayment was particle board.
 
My out feed is white laminate made from leftover kitchen bench top.

Slide ability is great as is glue cleanup.

Having the bullnose profile towards the table saw also helps with feeding sheet stock if it sags a bit and I’ve left a gap between the two surfaces the bullnose ‘catches’ it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
[member=72399]CeeJay[/member] that is a good idea.  Thanks for sharing. 

I had a little left over 8/4 maple from the table base.  I milled it into strips that were about 20 mm thick.  Going to edge band the plywood with this and then add the Formica I bought for the table a couple weeks back. 

The table is big and heavy but I do think I will like it.

Thanks FOG!

CeeJay said:
My out feed is white laminate made from leftover kitchen bench top.

Slide ability is great as is glue cleanup.

Having the bullnose profile towards the table saw also helps with feeding sheet stock if it sags a bit and I’ve left a gap between the two surfaces the bullnose ‘catches’ it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
 
RussellS said:
I will tell you what I did for my outfeed table on the table saw and for my router table.  White plastic laminate I bought as sheets.  Used the correct contact glue to glue them down.  My underlayment was particle board.
Click to expand...

That's what we use in the cabinet shop. A good coat of paste wax once in a while helps too.
 
I did go with laminate after all.  I had two sheets of mat black hanging around and decided to use it.  It seems to match what comes on the Saw Top fairly well.  Table is now done.  Given the weight, I added some removable casters from Rockler.  I want to be able to move around to clean and periodically reposition when I try out new shop layouts.

I cut all the plywood for my under table Sys ports and some 5mm hard maple that I used for edge banding.  Table works great.  For me the table was one of those long over due shop projects that when finished I wonder why I did not do it sooner…..
 
Quick update.

The laminate I used has held up great and works great.  Only issue was a user error with razor knife.  My out feed table also doubles as an assembly table.  Laminate makes it supper easy to clean off glue and paint off.  I would definitely recommend to others.
 
My Delta Contractor’s II (circa 2000) has a cast iron top over the frame, but unfinished MDF for the fence area.

When I built my outfeed table, the top was similarly mdf, left unfinished.  However, the top is drilled much like a MFT table top and has proven handy as an extra assembly table.

The one thing I did that worked out well was adding heavy duty leveling feet.  Initially, I set the table height to match the height of the saw’s table.  That did not work well.  There is an open span of about 10” from the rear of the table saw to the leading edge of the outfeed table.  Thin stock would bow slightly an hang up on the leading edge of the outfeed table.

It took some trial and error to come up with the optimum table height.  That was easily done because of the adjustable feet.
https://www.rockler.com/heavy-duty-...MI0b-v_L6M_gIVyv_jBx1LIAGuEAQYAiABEgJtLfD_BwE
 
SoonerFan said:
Quick update.

The laminate I used has held up great and works great.  Only issue was a user error with razor knife.  My out feed table also doubles as an assembly table.  Laminate makes it supper easy to clean off glue and paint off.  I would definitely recommend to others.
Click to expand...

I “clean” my MDF outfeed table with my random orbital sander and 320 grit paper.  I treat  the MFT-style top as a consumable, not as furniture. 

It depends more on the personality of the shop owner than real world needs.
 
Another great option is phenolic-faced Baltic birch plywood.  Materials slide on it very easily; dust slides off in a heartbeat; most adhesives pop right off.  The downside is that it's gawdawfully expensive.  [eek]
 
Sparktrician said:
Another great option is phenolic-faced Baltic birch plywood.  Materials slide on it very easily; dust slides off in a heartbeat; most adhesives pop right off.  The downside is that it's gawdawfully expensive.  [eek]
Click to expand...

Where do you find that? All the phenolic faced plywood I can find is Doug fir core (Roseburg MDO).
 
jeffinsgf said:
Sparktrician said:
Another great option is phenolic-faced Baltic birch plywood.  Materials slide on it very easily; dust slides off in a heartbeat; most adhesives pop right off.  The downside is that it's gawdawfully expensive.  [eek]
Click to expand...

Where do you find that? All the phenolic faced plywood I can find is Doug fir core (Roseburg MDO).
Click to expand...

Woodcraft sells it. 
 
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