Sawstop folding outfeed table

[Minnesota Steve]

Last year Sawstop came out with a number of accessories for their table saws.   In particular I was interested in the Folding Outfeed Table TSA-FOT.  I needed something that folded easily and was durable, and building shop furniture isn't my favorite pasttime so I was willing to buy something.

I didn't take a lot of good photos of the assembly, but here are the results:

Usage:

So it's exceptionally portable.   Once folding down it only sticks out the back a few inches.   It's an ideal solution for a shop like mine where I have to pull each tool out individually.   The folding part comes down with the dust port in the center which means easy storage, but it does mean you have to detach the dust hose.   I use Rockler's dust right ports so that's easy enough

The very rear of the outfeed table has three rollers which are mounted with bearings to help longer boards roll freely.   It's the full width of the cast iron portion of the PCS saw, about 44", and it's about 32" deep which is the height of the PCS saw.   The folding support legs have feet that screw out to help adjust the height.

The height where it attaches to the saw is adjustable.   The table itself is clamped to the rear L-bracket on the saw, and the height is adjusted by placing washers either on the top or bottom of the clamped hinge.   It would be pretty tedious to do this adjustment, but fortunately the instructions lay out the appropriate combinations for the PCS or ICS saws, and I found them to be pretty spot on.  Following these instructions the outfeed table ends up about 1/32nd below the cast iron top.

It's well thought out, the center includes a metal plate with the sawstop logo so if you're cutting narrow boards they're supported near the blade.   And using the metal lateral supports it leaves the miter slots free for using a miter gauge or sled.   The specs say it'll hold 250 lbs, but since it's not really a flat table top you couldn't use this as an assembly table or anything like that.   A blessing in a way, as it keeps you from piling crap on it so it's always free to fold it back down.

It's well made, and follows Sawstop's tradition of having clear instructions on how to assemble. 

Assembly:

You get 8 metal bars labeled A, 4 labeled B and 2 labeled C and then a sheet of screws and parts, and bags with the rollers and hinges.

They include a couple allen keys with the kit.   It requires a 10mm and 12mm wrench in addition to that. I found sometimes it helps to use a socket, sometimes a combination wrench.

The one tricky part is when you assemble the  bracing, the screws go down into recesses in the top members.   The allen wrench has a small magnet in it which really helps with this, so you can place the screw on the wrench and then lower it into the hole.   Just watch out, as about 3/4 of the way through this process the magnet came out on me and I had to get it out of the top of one of the screws and glue it back in place.

It's tedious and took a couple of hours.   There's probably like 60 different screws that all have to be put together and tightened.   The key is to put it together snug, but wait until the very end to tighten them all, so you can shift things slightly during assembly.   The only part that's really hard and you have to really make sure you have them arranged properly are the underside braces.   There are two bars you assemble together and if you don't arrange them right you'll get to the last step and go wait... why is this one longer than that one.

https://www.sawstop.com/images/uploads/manuals/TSA-FOT-OwnersManual-V13-FOR_BOX.pdf

Conclusion:

If you need to keep your sawstop portable, but want a decent outfeed table this is a great solution.   At $300 it's not a bargain but it's worth the money in terms of the quality and thought put into the design.

 It's compatible with the PCS and ICS saws, as well as the Contractor(with the T-glide fence), but not the Jobsite saw.

I don't know if this would work on other saws or not.   In theory it might, the way it mounts to the rear L-bracket is just a clamp.   But the layout and sizing is designed for use with the Sawstop table saws.  So where the miter slots align, the height of the table when folded and such would need to match.

 

[Chet]

Thanks Steve.  I don't need one but have wonder as to the quality and ease of use for those that need a set up like this.  I guess if you really needed to use it and an assembly area at times, you could use a good piece of ply  or mdf as a temporary work surface.

[rodger.]

I looked at this solution as well, but went with with the tried and true "butt the workbench up against the table saw" approach.

[AceHoleInOne]

Thanks for the info!!

Ummm, I also use my shop made outfeed table to put crap on. If I had that one, my crap would fall through to the floor....

-Ace-

[wdwerker]

If it's covered in crap you couldn't fold it down without unloading it.   It wouldn't work for me because ripped parts might fall through. 

[Chestnut]

I think they designed it with woodworkers in mind and made it holey so that it wouldn't get filled with crap so you can always fold it down. I'd get clever and put a piece of ply on top so my crap wouldn't fall through. Then it'd always be in the way so i'd just end up using my bandsaw .... I guess they really are dedicated to keeping us safe.

[drzaius]

I made my own out feed table that is fully supported by the saw. It gives me a little over 4' past the back of the blade. There is also an extension that hooks onto it with 1 support leg on the far end that gives me another 18". Because my saw is always being moved & the floor is concrete, I like not having to adjust the height of the out feet to match the saw table. It is a torsion box made with 2 layers of 12mm BB & covered on both side with p-lam.

[Pwk5017]

This is something i will need for my powermatic 72 when im finished putting it back together. There is an HTC model similar to the sawstop that is for sale locally, just not sure i want to spend $150 on an outfeed table after dumping more into the saw than i originally wanted. I need an outfeed table to fold out of the way, because the saw is in the backstroke of my sliding table saw. 

 

Other than price, any downsides to it? 31" doesnt seem like adequate outfeed support to me. I wish it had an extension like Frank is describing. 

[drzaius]

44 minutes ago, Pwk5017 said:

31" doesnt seem like adequate outfeed support to me.

Same here. Of course that's an individual thing, but for me, 48" seems to be the sweet spot.

[Minnesota Steve]

On 12/11/2018 at 11:48 AM, Pwk5017 said:

Other than price, any downsides to it? 31" doesnt seem like adequate outfeed support to me. I wish it had an extension like Frank is describing. 

I guess I should have really stressed that the reason I bought it was because it folded up and didn't take up much of any space when I pushed the table saw back against the wall to store it.   I'd love to have a big table in place, but just no room.

I joint, plane and dimension stuff out in the garage and then bringing it inside to my basement shop to finish with.   Both shops are small, so I really don't have any need for anything longer than about 4 foot.   So it meets my present needs.

 

 

[Fly2low]

Steve

I have the SS folding outfeed table as well.  It works for my needs.

My work bench is way too high to butt up to the saw.  If I ever need more far support, I will just roll my hydraulic lifting table to the back and use that

[D W C]

I bought this product and on it's own, it's great. But you have to be careful about the combination of Sawstop components that you use. 

 

Here is what I mean by that.

 

The PROBLEM: The outfeed table does not fold completely flat against the rear of the cabinet, and when it is collapsed, the tubes stick up, proud of the table, leaving me unable to move the fence unless I set up the outfeed table. I cannot use the saw with the table folded down. 

The CAUSE: I have the Professional (PCS) Table Saw with the Industrial (ICS) mobile base. Not a winning combination. Because the PCS table is about 3" less deep than the ICS, the base has to be modified and sticks out past the rear of the saw. The Folding Outfeed Table cannot work around the wheel wells, which means you cannot fold the table flat against the cabinet. Because the table cannot be folded completely flat against the table, when it is in the folded down state, the tubes the run parallel to the miter slots in the saw stick up higher than the plane of the table. Because of this, you cannot move the fence unless you set the outfeed table up first. 

 

The SOLUTION: 

I don't know, yet. Sawstop first suggested that I file down the plastic caps that cap off the end of each tube. Well, I removed the caps and the problem still exists. 

Their next suggestion is for me to invert the clamps that secure the Folding Outfeed Table to the rear fence rail bracket. I have not done this yet, but I am hopeful. If this works, I will still have the issue where the FOT does not fold flat against the saw, but if it works, I can use the fence without the FOT in the expanded position. 

If I want that FOT to fold completely flat against the rear of the cabinet (which is what it is SUPPOSED to do), I have the following options: 

1. Shell out $200 for the PCS Mobile base and (presumably) sell the Industrial base. 
   1. I REALLY don't want to do this. I bought the ICS base for a reason. 
2. Cut the 2 outermost tubes down by about 2" each, and drill new holes in them to be able to fasten them the cross members. 
   1. I don't really want to do this either. 

I have a Thread in the Power Tools section titled 'Sawstop Inadvertent Brake Activation Causes' where I cover this problem in detail. 

I have been fairly disappointed in Sawstop's support for this issue. I will not go into all of that here. Please go to the other thread mentioned above to read about that. 

Thank you 

 

[D W C]

I need to post the resolution to the above-listed issue. 

I was able to resolve the issue. I dont know exactly which adjustment did it, but I took the outfeed table off the saw, and played around with the clamps that fasten it to the rear rail. I also took the faces off of the fence and adjust them. In the end, I did have to remove the plastic caps from the tubes that make the OF table, but I WAS able to get it seated below the plane of the able and am now able to use the saw without the outfeed table set up. Sawstop DID call me and worked with me on the issue. 

When I wrote the post above this one, I was not happy with their response. After they contacted me and worked with me on this problem, I a now can say that i AM pleased with their service. 

[Josh F]

I have the same combination of FOT + ICS mobile base /w PCS conversion kit and agree that they do not appear to have been engineered to go together.  Fortunately, it doesn't look like I'm running into the same fence interference issue, but the base does keep the table from folding all the way against the table.  So it does take up a few extra inches of space in the back than it would otherwise.

[johneone]

Its a lightweight poor copy of the HTC table that has been around for years.

[D W C]

On 12/11/2018 at 10:24 AM, wdwerker said:

If it's covered in crap you couldn't fold it down without unloading it.   It wouldn't work for me because ripped parts might fall through. 

Nothing falls through. All due respect, but do you really think SS would introduce an outfeed table where work pieces fall through it? I have yet to have any piece of any size fall through it.

[Minnesota Steve]

I just noticed the price went up to $350...   At $300 I thought it was expensive but worthwhile, but wow that's quite a price jump.

As far as pieces falling through, the center 9" or so directly behind the blade has a solid panel to prevent this.   It's well thought out in that regard as anything over that width or length is going to be supported by rollers.

 

[Phil F]

On 2/20/2019 at 8:31 PM, Josh F said:

I have the same combination of FOT + ICS mobile base /w PCS conversion kit and agree that they do not appear to have been engineered to go together.  Fortunately, it doesn't look like I'm running into the same fence interference issue, but the base does keep the table from folding all the way against the table.  So it does take up a few extra inches of space in the back than it would otherwise.

Seems like you could just trim a couple of inches off the end of those 6 center bars without affecting the integrity of the table couldn't you?  I have the same setup, but I haven't tried to mount the outfeed table yet.

[PacificGuy]

Does anyone have plans to build a wood version? I saw the negative reviews of using this with the industrial base, which I have, and I agree that I want it to fold down above the wheels. I'm about to build my own but thought I would ask if others have tried building one. I do like their design and that it folds down and out of the way easily.  I also saw somewhere online where somebody had modified it by shortening the center 6 metal tubes. I figure for $350, I can build something that is wider and does what I want without modifying their desire.

Thank you. 

[Mark J]

I thought SawStop had a fix for this problem?  Have you spoken to their customer service?  They're super helpful.

[drzaius]

11 hours ago, JuniperJon said:

Does anyone have plans to build a wood version? I saw the negative reviews of using this with the industrial base, which I have, and I agree that I want it to fold down above the wheels. I'm about to build my own but thought I would ask if others have tried building one. I do like their design and that it folds down and out of the way easily.  I also saw somewhere online where somebody had modified it by shortening the center 6 metal tubes. I figure for $350, I can build something that is wider and does what I want without modifying their desire.

Thank you. 

I've looked at that folding outfeed & didn't like it much. I'm actually surprised they put it on the market without thinking it through better. I made my own, which I think is much better (of course). Maybe this weekend I'll take some pics & post in a new thread so as not to hijack this one.

[PacificGuy]

4 hours ago, drzaius said:

I've looked at that folding outfeed & didn't like it much. I'm actually surprised they put it on the market without thinking it through better. I made my own, which I think is much better (of course). Maybe this weekend I'll take some pics & post in a new thread so as not to hijack this one.

After googling "SawStop outfeed table" I saw some other designs. I now agree with you. I am no longer thinking the frame is a good idea. Great for plywood ripping. However, a) I will not want small parts to fall through. b) I will want to use as a light assembly bench.  I'm leaning towards a slightly modified version of this one:

https://wilkerdos.com/2016/09/building-feed-table-table-saw/

 

[PacificGuy]

The outfeed table is mostly done. I need the legs, but waiting on a part from Amazon which is delayed due to the weekend ice/snow storm. Hopefully today it will arrive. Had to share some pictures. Had spare lumber sitting around so total cost is around $80 for parts. Maple edges and Baltic birth plywood for table top. Used pocket screws to attach the table top to the frame. I'll coat it with polysomething in the Spring when the temp rises.

[pkinneb]

Very nice!!

[Coop]

Jon, I don’t have a SawStop but I see that your dc comes out the lower backside like my Jet. Are you having to raise the out feed table each time you use the saw, even on small stuff when it’s not needed?