Table Saw Cabinet from WOOD Magazine

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Web	Binkys Woodworking

Mobil Sawing & Routing Center
1/04

Increase the capacity of your tablesaw and router by combining them in one accommodating twin-cabinet design. The advantages include a larger tabletop, ample onboard accessory storage, and dedicated dust containment.

This compact, wheeled work center provides all kinds of room for router bits, saw blades, miter gauges, wrenches, and other accessories. Includes the Easy-Mover Mobile Base.

WOOD Magazine image
Oct.'03

This cabinet was designed by
WOOD Magazine.
You can get your
plans here!

The plans from WOOD Magazine, like all their plans, are very easy to follow, and filled with many useful tips to help you with future projects. Most of this cabinet uses MDF (medium density fiberboard) to make up the side panels. A 3/4" dado is cut into some 3/4" x 1-1/2" stock and this is wrapped around the MDF.

I used ash to trim out my cabinet. I also made my cabinet a foot shorter since my shop is on the smaller side. I also had to modify the plan slightly for the tablesaw hand wheel, more on that later.

After I made the base (12" shorter than the plan) I made the table saw cabinet first, very straight forward construction. The plans give you overall dimensions, and you'll need to figure out the finished saw height, since table saws are different. I also like my table height a little higher.

Here's the saw cabinet, with the drawers installed. I made mine with three smaller drawers instead of the plans two larger drawers.
My saw is in the background, After the top goes on, I'll slide my saw onto the new cabinet. But first....

....I'll need to raise the saw off the saw platform. I mentioned earlier that there was a problem with the hand wheel on my saw. Basically it's very close to the bottom of the metal cabinet. The photo at left shows how I would bash my knuckles every time I tried to adjust the height of the blade. This needs to be addressed before you make the saw cabinet, since this will affect the cabinet height.
Solution....

...I made a hollow platform out of MDF. Three layers gives me 2-1/4" of height, enough to solve my problem. Wrap the assembly with the same hardwood your trimming your cabinet with, and it looks just fine! You'll need to do this if your mounting a Craftsmen table saw. Delta saws seem to have enough room.

Here's a good pic that shows the hand wheel problem and the solution. Now to start the router table cabinet. I decided to mount the saw at this step because I didn't want to screw up the router cabinet by making the panels too big. Now that the saw is mounted I can easily determine the height I need.

Now that looks a little nicer. Cabinet construction is basically the same for router half of the project.
What a difference in the way this saw feels, Because the cabinet is so heavy, virtually all the vibration has been eliminated. The router table too feels like it's mounted on a rock! Very solid feeling!

Mounting the router base plate is a project in itself. It needs to be perfectly flush with the laminate top and have no side to side play. Sounds tough, but if you take it one step at a time and allow adjustment, it's really quite easy. It took me about four hours to make the jig, make a test hole, and finally cut into my new top and mount the router.

Buy the plans for this cabinet here!

How I mounted my router

Add Fence accessories and a miter slot to your router table

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