Sunday 29 April 2012

Where do you keep yours?

A contractor's saw is a good substitute for a larger piece of kit
and stowed under the worktop, it takes up a minimum of space
 My workshop is probably bigger than most built in the garden of a terraced house, void of side or rear access (everything has to be brought through the house and that includes machines as well as building materials. This is a limiting factor but it does not mean the basic machines have to be sacrificed. The practical limitations mean that nice old lumps of green, cast iron woodworking machinery are ruled out but it doesn't mean that I have to make do without a tablesaw or for that matter, a bandsaw. A bit of lateral thinking has enabled me to have the benefits of both.

My home-made panel jig is the most used jig in the workshop
The table saw is in fact a contractor's saw mounted on a small cabinet fitted with lockable caster wheels large enough to roll around without getting stuck on the smallest of obstructions. Luxuries like sliding tables and out-feed tables are also out of the window making way for extending material supports (an optional extra from DeWalt) and a home made panel cutting jig.

Dust extraction is provided by a portable 'dustbin' style extractor. When not in use the extractor is stowed under the end of the woodworking bench and the tablesaw is rolled away next to a cupboard and under the worktop taking up less space than another small cupboard. To achieve this bit of shoe-horning the saw is stripped of fence, guard and saw blade, the latter being wound down below the table surface. Once stripped of all its protrusions, the saw and panel jig becomes part of the scenery. It is a bit of mucking about but it is worth it to have the use of a table saw on the odd occasion it is required.

Ralph.

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