Portable cutting table

[Bob]

I am not talking about a MFT but a table to cut full sized sheets down with the saw and guide.  (I find that full size is best so I can put a sheet of foam and be able to clamp.) I am trying to come up with something fairly light and portable.  Has anyone made one?

 

[Daviddubya]

Here is the one I built several years ago:
http://woodstore.stores.yahoo.net/cutplatsheet.html

The platform breaks down into relatively small pieces of plywood.  Set it up on sawhorses and it supports a 4X8 sheet.

 

[Bob]

Thank you David.  I need one that I could clamp to a solid edge all the way around.  For the guide rails.

 

[Toolpig]

I use a cheap, flush hollow-core door and just cut right through it until there's nothing left.  No rigid-foam board needed. 

You could also try this...
http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/video/old-door-workbench.aspx?ac=ts&ra=fp

TP

 

[bruegf]

Here's one I've been thinking about building.

Fred

 

[Dan Clark]

Fred,

I looked at that too.  If you're using thick plywood (say 3/4" or have a hollow core door on top, it will probably be fine.  If just foam insullation and especially cutting thinner sheet goods, I think you wouldn't get enough support.

REgards,

Dan.

 

[bruegf]

I've since reconsidered.  I found these at Lowes while looking for hardware and lumber:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=82586-46921-60782&lpage=none

They can be adjusted for height, will support 2900 lbs, are thinner, lighter and easier to move, and will support a sheet better with a couple of 2x's laid in the slots in the top rail with a piece of foam board on top, and won't cost anymore than building the folding table.

Fred

 

[Jeff Magnus]

I've since reconsidered.  I found these at Lowes while looking for hardware and lumber:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=82586-46921-60782&lpage=none

They can be adjusted for height, will support 2900 lbs, are thinner, lighter and easier to move, and will support a sheet better with a couple of 2x's laid in the slots in the top rail with a piece of foam board on top, and won't cost anymore than building the folding table.

Fred

Those horses are what I use to break down all my sheet goods. They are super light and easy to transport. I use four of them when setting up a table with a 2x4 rack (7'6"X3'6", giving enough room for clamps) that slides into the horses. Takes me 10 min. to setup per job. Works great.

 

[bruegf]

That's good to know Jeff.  I bought a pair last night.  Now I need to build a rack to fit in the slots that can be easily knocked down to be stored or transported.

Fred

 

[glider]

This is a pretty nice panel cutting table link:
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm#design

 

[MikeDeuce]

This is a pretty nice panel cutting table link:
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm#design

I use one like that and like it for the most part (Though most of my experience with it is with using the EZ-Smart guide [which I sold to fund my foray into Festool -- guess which I prefer ]). I really want to get a sheet of that rigid insulation foam and put it on top, though. It's surprisingly light and stores well leaned against a wall. I can set mine up in about 30 seconds and it's stored just as quickly. It can be a little finicky on uneven floors, but the solutions for that are pretty quick and obvious.

 

[mastercabman]

what i've done before is to use a 1/4" ply or luan and a sheet of exterior styrofoam.set them on saw horses and you have a very light cutting table for full sheets.you can use a little glue between the foam board and the 1/4"ply to keep them together.the styrofoam board won't hurt your blade.when the styrofoam gets ugly,just replace it.of course this is not something you can fold away,but it's easy,cheap and light!

 

[Steven in Iowa]

At the risk of being chastised severely, I use an EZ Smart table setup.  Rip a 2' x 4' piece of plywood, some sacrificial 1X's, screw it all together, and you're done.  It lays on top of 2 sawhorses, or in my case, I've started just using my MFT instead of the sawhorses.  Take a look, it really does work rather well AND I am a Festool user, not an EZ Smart marketeer, so don't even start down that road  ;D

 

[Michael Kellough]

At the risk of being chastised severely, I use an EZ Smart table setup.  Rip a 2' x 4' piece of plywood, some sacrificial 1X's, screw it all together, and you're done.  It lays on top of 2 sawhorses, or in my case, I've started just using my MFT instead of the sawhorses.  Take a look, it really does work rather well AND I am a Festool user, not an EZ Smart marketeer, so don't even start down that road   ;D

The EZ table is a quick and clever way to get variable sized support for panels but the finger support design allows the saw blade to project into open space which greatly reduces the effectiveness of dust collection. To reduce the amount of dust escaping the kerf needs to be enclosed so you need a full coverage support under the workpiece.

 

[Steven in Iowa]

I use a sheet of closed cell foam on top which seems to keep the dust down.

 

[bustedbolt]

good point michael,

I never thought of that advantage of using foam or something. but I don't think the kerf slot (in the cutting piece) area is really much of a vacuum leak since its filled up with the saw blade anyway.
could be tho. I only notice dust escaping when I am trimming an edge. I dont know if you can really do anything about that.

I have to agree that the ez table works great for me, and is waaay portable. especially compared to "the old ways":
I used to buy an extra sheet of plywood and just charge it to my customer to have a cut table on site!!

brian

 

[Michael Kellough]

good point michael,

I never thought of that advantage of using foam or something. but I don't think the kerf slot (in the cutting piece) area is really much of a vacuum leak since its filled up with the saw blade anyway.
could be tho. I only notice dust escaping when I am trimming an edge. I dont know if you can really do anything about that.

I have to agree that the ez table works great for me, and is waaay portable. especially compared to "the old ways":
I used to buy an extra sheet of plywood and just charge it to my customer to have a cut table on site!!

brian

I never thought of that advantage of using foam or something. but I don't think the kerf slot (in the cutting piece) area is really much of a vacuum leak since its filled up with the saw blade anyway.
could be tho. I only notice dust escaping when I am trimming an edge. I dont know if you can really do anything about that.

I have to agree that the ez table works great for me, and is waaay portable. especially compared to "the old ways":
I used to buy an extra sheet of plywood and just charge it to my customer to have a cut table on site!!

brian
[/quote]

The open kerf behind the saw doesn't seem to be a problem, probably because the debris has already been swept up by the saw blade and collected by vac suction. But, without a board of some kind below the blade a lot of stuff is thrown down which you may not even notice 'till later.

When trimming an edge just put another piece of wood of the same thickness (and length ideally) next to the piece you are cutting and much less dust will escape out the open side. If you have another piece of stock of the same thickness that also needs trimming just butt them together and you can trim/straighten both at the same time and eliminate the dust problem too. See John Lucas's article on jointing with the saw/guide system.

Another time the system can't catch all the dust is when the saw blade exits the end of the cut and there is nothing to stop the dust being thrown forward. Putting a block of wood or foam at the end will reduce that.

 

[Dontee]

I put this one together last year with the dowel max. No metal to worry about.
http://dontee.net/mylittlecastle/Shop_Projects/Pages/Sheet_Cutting_Frame.html#0

It has been stored on my sheet goods cart but now it will hang over my head on the new sky hook until I need it. 
I'll just drop it down onto my home made saw horses.

Don

 

[JayStPeter]

This is a pretty nice panel cutting table link:
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/panel_cutting_table.htm#design

I made one pretty similar to this.  I covered the top with a piece of 1/4" ply and use it as a general purpose shop table.  Put the 2" styrofoam sheet on top and it's a cutting table.  It is pretty heavy for true portability though, similar in weight to a MFT1080 but larger and slightly more awkward to carry.

 

[Peterm]

Hi

I made one recently - very much phase one of a work in progress!

I needed a narrow portable bench/saw table for when I'm working in/around peoples homes, but one that would also support longer and wider-sized pieces when I need it to, and also provide simple support for when fitting doors. Wooden 'hooks' pull out from the leg cross-members, and a hessian-covered metal angle on the end provides support for a door.

On the opposite side a full-width section pulls out on double-extension drawer-runners and very lightweight legs pivot down for stability. The whole thing's made from WBP ply, apart from the top which is 18mm MDF, drilled out to take clamps a la MFT. I deliberately built it low, to match the height of my 'standard' stack of a Sys 4 and two Sys 1s on a roll-board - 655mm or thereabouts - so longer/wider pieces can be supported with whatever stack happens to be around. Weighs in at around 22 Kilos, and I wouldn't want it any heavier, or higher - Festool MFT designers please take note!

I have some pictures if anyone's interested - and if I can figure out how to post them

Cheers, Pete.