Need input on a project...

[barbsiddiqui]

At last I am getting around to building a 40" wide cabinet to fit under my tablesaw, with shelves and one drawer to be able to keep all my accessories close at hand. I'm fiddling with Nick Engler's design from a recent Popular WW mag article, because he thought to include a small shelf at the left side to store the tablesaw fence when not in use (it seems I'm always turning around asking myself "now where can I set this thing without it falling?") My question is, do any of you have one of these undersaw cabinets with features you really like best, or have you built one with things left out you wished you'd designed in?
Any help appreciated. -Barb S.

[Barbara Gill]

It probably is silly for me to even ask but won't the cabinet get in the way when you want to get under the saw for repair/upkeep? To change the belts on my Unisaw I have to crawl under the right side of the saw.

Barbara
www.velvitoil.com

[barbsiddiqui]

and nothing is silly to even ask! I don't have a Unisaw (show-0ff) but just a Sears contractor saw. The cabinet will be bolted onto a lower deck, with a sqaure hole cut out for dust removal below, then the the webbed cast iron wings replaced by plastic-laminate tops built up off the cabinet ends. If need be I guess I could simply unbolt the saw from underneath and completely remove it from the cabinet base to work on it. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks, Barbara. -Barb S. -always learnin'

[John Lucas]

Barb S,
Of course any cabinet you build will have something left out. So make it as flexible as you can. In my way of thinking, if the case is as open as the space allows, you can change the drawers in height or the structures of the drawer insides rather easily. I have two such cabinets and they are on wheels (actually, this one isnt...it skids in and out) so that they can be pulled away for changes to the cabinet or work on the saw. This works for the "under the extanesion table"...you may be thinking of under the contractors table...so I am not sure this is of any value to you...other than to think "removeable modules".
Here it is: www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm16a.jpg">http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm16a.jpg</a>


and the website section on this: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/cmt-lm4.htm

I hope it helps.
John Lucas
www.woodshopdemos.com

[barbsiddiqui]

Yours isn't exactly what I need, but your advice on built-in flexibility is a good one. I have finalized one deep drawer for saw blade storage, and was debating a second, but may leave that side an open space for now, to see how I best use the cabinet and what I find necessary to add after I've had it a while. Good idea. Thanks. -Barb S.

[Chris Knight (Guest)]

You might consider putting a door over any open shelves. They always seem to collect dust in my shop and that close to the saw I would tthink it even more likely - even a good DC notwithstanding.

Chris

[handi]

Barb,

I too have a Sears contractor's saw... mine is almost as old as I am I have an Excaliber fence with 50" to the right of the blade. In an ideal world, I could simply slide the fence out of the way, but seeing as that extension is almost always used as a bench I remove the fence quite often.

Once I move my saw this fall into it's permanent home, I will be building a cabinet for it. My favorite solution for fence storage is a simple long square open box under the table that the fence slides into. I'm also looking at a pair of heavy wood brackets mounted to the base legs that the fence can be set onto when not in use.

My two cents,

Ralph

[John Lucas]

LAST EDITED ON Aug-16-01 AT 09:03AM (CDT)

Ralph,
I use brackets attached to side of TS cabinet or to the sliding table legs. These are those that are available for hanging ladders in garage...I wrapped electrical tape around to keep from scratching fence.

www.woodshopdemos.com/sstat-302.jpg">http://www.woodshopdemos.com/sstat-302.jpg</a>

John Lucas
www.woodshopdemos.com

[barbsiddiqui]

Chris - I don't even Have a DC...ShopVac only. I'm glad to 'gain' from your experience... doors on open spaces. Thanks..
-Barb S.

[barbsiddiqui]

John, you are a wonder. And I Like the way you can post pictures with everything you are describing! -Barb S.