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:

[sapwood]

Alan, there is a strong possibility a "trio" of NCWoodworkers may be passing through "Little Washington" on Thursday.

Hmmmm, wonder if the shop might be available for viewing

Sapwood

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by sapwood

Alan, there is a strong possibility a "trio" of NCWoodworkers may be passing through "Little Washington" on Thursday.

Hmmmm, wonder if the shop might be available for viewing

Sapwood

You all are certainly welcome to stop by for a tour of the "work in progress" I call my shop.

While you are here, maybe I can talk some of you into buying some of my excess stuff- Unisaw mobile base and Delta extension table legs and brackets, Shopsmith 4" jointer, DC cyclone (home-made upgraded Wood mag version- really cheap, maybe free), 12 1/2" Delta lunch box planer (22-540?) .

Just let me know if and when you'll be here so I can be sure I'm here (and not on a Lowes run or working out at the pool). If it looks like you are coming I'll send you directions.

[Alan in Little Washington]

The previous pics I posted on my Unisaw mobile base and table redo showed the new mobile base, right extension table, and outfeed table (see first pic below). I wanted to be sure long stuff would be adequately supported during ripping so added a 36" wide X 30" deep drop-down outfeed table on the back of the regular outfeed table. It attaches with a piano hinge. I have one more table mod but you'll have to wait a few days on that one.

Here is the new set-up with the drop down extension table in the "up" position. The additional table gives me another 30" of outfeed. A single leg is sufficient to support it.



Here is the drop down table in the down position. It is constructed the same as the other tables with an 1/2" oak web and 3/4" oak aprons, 1/2" MDF top, covered with the same laminate.

Alan, your one ingenious guy there

[Travis Porter]

Alan, it looks very good, actually excellent, but I am interested in your attachment method and leveling method to the saw top. What did you do and how did you do it? I know you are not going to have pics for this, but I am curious as to how you went about it, what you liked, what you didn't, and what you would do different.

Case in point, I have a PM 66 and on the backside I have a piece of angle iron that I want to do something similar to, but want to make sure my height is correct and not over.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by Travis Porter

Alan, it looks very good, actually excellent, but I am interested in your attachment method and leveling method to the saw top. What did you do and how did you do it? I know you are not going to have pics for this, but I am curious as to how you went about it, what you liked, what you didn't, and what you would do different.

Case in point, I have a PM 66 and on the backside I have a piece of angle iron that I want to do something similar to, but want to make sure my height is correct and not over.

Travis, as you know it is not necessary for it all to be level (plumb) which I can do, but all the tables should be in the same plane and should mate evenly. So, here's what I did-

Starting with the right extension table- It sits (mainly floats except where it attaches to the CI) in the area formed by the front/rear/end pieces of angle. I made the table slightly thinner than the distance from the lower angle flange to the top of the CI table. I drilled and tapped a few bolt holes through the bottom flange of the angle and added some bolts to level the table. After tapping I took a center punch and intentionally buggered the threads slightly so the bolts wouldn't turn with saw vibration. Finally, the left table apron is bolted to the end of the CI table through existing holes in the CI. I drilled oversized holes in the extension table apron so I would have a little adjustment freedom. Tightening the bolts draws the extension table apron tight to the CI and holds it well - while tightening I check to see that the surfaces match and tap up or down on the extension table to get them even before final tightening. I used nylon insert locking nuts, to ensure they won't losen.

The outfeed table attaches the same way- through 4 bolt holes I drilled and tapped in the rear angle iron. You may have to do it a little differently if your rear angle has the horizontal flange turned away from the saw. Again I drilled oversized holes in the outfeed table apron to give me room for fine height adjustment. The outfeed table legs have elevator bolts and threaded inserts in the bottom to adjust leg height.

So far, all seems to be working great and I wouldn't change a thing. I'm even happy (for a change )with my decision to paint the oak aprons and legs black. Though not as easy now with the outfeed table, I can still move the saw (and tables) if I need to. FYI, I still haven't permanently attached the outfeed table legs. I'm trying to decide between bolts or screws- and strength vs appearance.

Let me know if you have any questions or want closeup pics of any of the details.

[D L Ames]

Alan, the addition of the drop-down out-feed table is a great idea. That will come in handy whenever you have to rip any long stock. I like the way you have your power and DC plumbed through the floor also. How do you go about opening and closing the blast gate for the tablesaw? It looks like it would be a pain to get to.

D L

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by D L Ames

Alan, the addition of the drop-down out-feed table is a great idea. That will come in handy whenever you have to rip any long stock. I like the way you have your power and DC plumbed through the floor also. How do you go about opening and closing the blast gate for the tablesaw? It looks like it would be a pain to get to.

D L

I haven't solved that problem yet- a pull cable or pull rods maybe. Actually I can just leave the saw blast gate open since my 3 hp DC blower will suck from two or more machines quite well.

[McRabbet]

Alan -- very professional job with the outfeed extension and both the nifty trap door units for your dust collection and power feeds. I'm fortunate to have a shop over a high headroom and relatively dry crawl space (4 to 9' of clearance), so I installed my dust collector and primary ductwork below the shop. My tablesaw power outlet is also floor mounted and that keeps the full space around my saw free for any material maneuvering. But I need to go along way to have as neat a shop as you have -- I don't have a permanent floor in mine (it just has typical unfinished OSB sub-floor) -- what is your floor made of? I also want to add a lever system for the blast gate at my saw -- mine exits the left side and I'd like to add an elbow and a short section of PVC so the blast gate is exposed just behind the saw -- then I can configure a lever on the right side to open and close it with a simple "L" shaped escapement and a few pieces of all-thread. It looks to me like you could do exactly the same by flipping your blast gate 180º and configuring the lever on the left side of the saw.

Rob


Rob

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by McRabbet

Alan -- very professional job with the outfeed extension and both the nifty trap door units for your dust collection and power feeds. I'm fortunate to have a shop over a high headroom and relatively dry crawl space (4 to 9' of clearance), so I installed my dust collector and primary ductwork below the shop. My tablesaw power outlet is also floor mounted and that keeps the full space around my saw free for any material maneuvering. But I need to go along way to have as neat a shop as you have -- I don't have a permanent floor in mine (it just has typical unfinished OSB sub-floor) -- what is your floor made of? I also want to add a lever system for the blast gate at my saw -- mine exits the left side and I'd like to add an elbow and a short section of PVC so the blast gate is exposed just behind the saw -- then I can configure a lever on the right side to open and close it with a simple "L" shaped escapement and a few pieces of all-thread. It looks to me like you could do exactly the same by flipping your blast gate 180º and configuring the lever on the left side of the saw.

Rob


Rob

The floor is just "Advantech" painted with 2 coats of enamel deck paint. Advantech is like OSB, just a little tougher and denser. I may try a choke cable/lever arrangement to open the blast gate. My blast gates slide effortlessly, except when the blower is running, so I should be able to use any type of linkage and actuator. I've even considered tool activated blast gates but ruled that out because I often leave the gate open and blower running while turning the saw on and off.

Originally Posted by Alan in Little Washington

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.

When I bring some of my biker buddies over for a shop tour, should we park in front of the house, by the white and red sign? So we don't block the driveway or tie up traffic, in case someone has to leave in a hurry?

Just jerking your chain Alan, nice shop! You should be proud

[Jon]

Glad you updated this thread, Looks really good.