Unisaw mobile base and table improvement w/many *PICS*

[Alan in Little Washington]

Awhile ago I posted some before pics and pics of my Unisaw stripped of its tables, fence rail, and mobile base. Here is the before pic showing the old melamine table and stock Delta mobile base with step caster and rails blocking the opening under the saw:



Here are the after pics:

The first thing I did was to make my own mobile base under the saw cabinet- casters mounted in rectangular steel tube and some leveling feet made from elevator bolts and a piece of angle mounted to the saw's sub-base.



Here is the new right extension table support and mobile base frame clamped up. Heavy steel angle was used for the horizontal table support rails to limit flexing. The leg assembly is made from square steel tubing. The rails are bolted to the Unisaw cast iron table with bolts in the existing holes. Notice the step caster at the bottom of the leg assembly (instead of under the middle of the table like in the original Delta base).



Here is the frame bolted together. I decided to have the support leg assembly (a little rusty in this pic) welded- it cost me only $20 - I don't have a welder.



Here is the leg assembly cleaned up and primed. It was messy but not too difficult to remove the scale and rust with a 3M abrasive wheel mounted in a hand drill.



The primed, painted (except the back rail- I ran out of paint), and reassembled extension table frame.



I got a newer style front Unifence rail (on Ebay?) to replace my battered old rail and installed it in this pic. It installs more easily than the older style rail since it has a bolt head slot in the back of the extrusion so you do not need to drill holes to bolt it to the table.





A Delta-style step caster (from Rockler) is mounted on the leg assembly lower cross bar.



A quarter view. The elevator bolts which level the legs are visible in this pic.



Web frame for new extension table. Unlike my assembly table which had an MDF web, I used oak for this web. I made the top from 1/2" MDF (no bottom skin) and covered it with laminate.



Here is the web for the 36" X 81" outfeed table. My new assembly table really helped out here.



I covered the extension and outfeed tables with laminate and painted the oak edging and legs black.



Another view.



This view shows that I can now put a rolling cabinet (another project) under the extension table since there are no mobile base rails nor step caster in the way.



I also added a knee-kick kill switch to stop the saw. The kick bar is covered with pipe foam insulation and wrapped with some yellow tape. A microswitch is mounted behind the left arm and wired in series with the stop button in the saw's low voltage relay control circuit- a light tap is all that is needed to shut off the saw, yet it doesn't trip unless actually pushed- works great!



I also added a drop down extension to the outfeed table behind the blade area. It is hinged to the main outfeed table and supported by a single leg attached with a spring hinge so it will fold easily. Also visible is my under-floor dust collection and the tablesaw and jointer connections.

Table up:


Table down:

[Wilmingtonian]

OUTSTANDING job my friend!! I think that qualifies you for a YOU SUCK!

[Ray Martin]

Alan,

When I start rebuilding things in the shop, I sure do want to invite you over for a couple of beers and some brainstorming... you've got some terrific work going on there.

Ray

[woodguy1975]

Looks great Alan. I like the change to the HTC base. Looks like a good saw to use.

Thanks,

John

[DaveO]

WOW, that's all I got to say


Dave(very very impressed)

[Travis Porter]

That looks great! You are a definite metalsmith.

[sapwood]

Zounds Alan!
That setup is larger than my shop and stouter too
I love the DC pipe that disappears under the flap in the floor. Gotta be magic

Sapwood (penciling in Alan on the "Shops to See" list)

[Monty]

Nice looking setup! That looks like the way a mobile base should be set up! With all that room dedicated for your saw, I'm sort of surprised that you went to so much trouble to keep the saw mobile -- I'd just be happy to have that much space! How often do you expect to have to move it? Also, how is that outfeed table attached? It will have to be removed to move the saw, right?

Between this project and that snazzy assembly table you posted before, you definitely win the "Engineer" award for the forum!!! Can't wait to see how you spice up the workbench project.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by insomniac

Nice looking setup! That looks like the way a mobile base should be set up! With all that room dedicated for your saw, I'm sort of surprised that you went to so much trouble to keep the saw mobile -- I'd just be happy to have that much space! How often do you expect to have to move it? Also, how is that outfeed table attached? It will have to be removed to move the saw, right?

Between this project and that snazzy assembly table you posted before, you definitely win the "Engineer" award for the forum!!! Can't wait to see how you spice up the workbench project.

Thanks.

Don't know how often I'll want to move it, but I figured I might as well keep everything mobile- I'm still not sure that my tool layout is optimal. Mobility also allows me to clean underneath it- maybe . To move the saw with outfeed attached, would require that someone lift on the outfeed side of the table, or remove it- a quick 2 min. job (4 bolts).

I just hope my bench comes out as nice as yours. You inspired me. FYI, until I decide to spring for some hard maple, my bench trestle and top will be made from oak. I still have a couple of hundred board feet left from the red/white oak trees cut down when they cleared my lot two years ago.

[McRabbet]

Excellent job -- I may duplicate certain features on my "widebody" Grizzly 10" cabinet saw -- I have a Shop Fox Mobile Base and an Extension unit (see link) that has a bar stabilizing the outer end of the extension wing -- I want that floor space for a saw utilities cabinet (on casters) and the bar has to go! I just need to attach the extension legs to the castered angle iron and take the bar out (I just need to be cautious when moving the saw to avoid damage to the extension table and its legs). And I like your extended shutoff switch -- great safety feature and easy to implement.

Rob

[Monty]

Cool... oak will be very nice for a workbench like that. It's what Woodguy's trestle bases are made of.

[Travis Porter]

Alan, your shop must be huge. Just looking through the pics you have posted, you have a lot of space, a whole lot of space. I initially thought it was on a slab, but I see electrical and dust collection going through the floor.

What gives? You convert the house to a shop? You a pro or planning on going pro?

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by McRabbet

Excellent job -- I may duplicate certain features on my "widebody" Grizzly 10" cabinet saw -- I have a Shop Fox Mobile Base and an Extension unit (see link) that has a bar stabilizing the outer end of the extension wing -- I want that floor space for a saw utilities cabinet (on casters) and the bar has to go! I just need to attach the extension legs to the castered angle iron and take the bar out (I just need to be cautious when moving the saw to avoid damage to the extension table and its legs). And I like your extended shutoff switch -- great safety feature and easy to implement.

Rob

I think one (like I have) or two diagonal braces between the legs and extension table rails should stabilize the legs enough so that you can remove the cross bar. It looks like you may have to attach the leg wheel assembly to the legs since it looks like it just sits on it. I want a cabinet to hold blades, inserts, miter gage, tenoning jig, etc.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by Travis Porter

Alan, your shop must be huge. Just looking through the pics you have posted, you have a lot of space, a whole lot of space. I initially thought it was on a slab, but I see electrical and dust collection going through the floor.

What gives? You convert the house to a shop? You a pro or planning on going pro?

I'd like to say it's just the wide angle lens, but I have a decent sized shop (could always be bigger- like can't have enough clamps) - a tad over 21' X 38' . When we built our house I wanted a good shop for a change (old one was 10' X 12') but didn't want a separate building in the back
yard, so decided enlarge the garage to 3 bays and go up, puting my shop above.



Sorry, forgot to down-size pic.

[cpowell]

Alan, if you make some inserts to fill the miter slots and blade insert area you could easily play ping-pong on that table surface!

I like the finished look a lot and you did a great job on the pictorial documentary...the photos are great.

I have the "before" model in my shop. Your idea inspired me until I went to the shop with a tape measure and reality set in...still, I look for the day when I can upsize to a bigger shop and I really appreciate you sharing your ideas.

And of course, I look forward to the next project!!

Oh, BTW, great job!!

Chuck