I finally had a chance to get back to building a mobile workstation for my saw. After much back and forth I finally settled on my design. A few weeks ago the wife was gone for the weekend so I decided it was a good time to get started. That weekend the only thing I got done was the mobile base, but at least I felt like I was on my way. I kind of wavered on where to pick up next with it the following weekend and decided the router top extension wing made sense. I got to work on that, making the top out of two glued up slabs of 1/2” MDF. The frame for the top was going to be 3/4” red oak so I got to work on that as well. The next day I got an early start and cut the top down to fit the frame. The result? Well, let’s just say I don’t need to be mentally doing math before 9 AM with no caffeine in me.
Ok, back up plan. The top is going to be plywood, and I’ll brace it underneath. The supports are located so once I have the router plate installed, the ends will extend over the supports 1/8” at each end. I’m hoping that’ll help prevent any warping from the weight.
In an effort to prevent warping, and to attach the top to the frame, I also put support blocks along the inside of the frame.
And my wife thinks I’m crazy when I say I don’t have enough clamps. Silly girl.
This last weekend I got the plastic laminate attached to the plywood top and was able to test fit the whole thing onto the saw.
The laminate is about a hair higher than the frame in a couple of places, but once I actually get it screwed on that should pull it even. I also have most of the downdraft table for the other extension wing done, but no pictures yet.
One thing that did happen this weekend that made me realize it was a good thing I decided to get started on this in earnest was at one point when I was moving the saw something went wrong. There was no loud crack or anything to make me go “Oh crap what went wrong?” It’s just the front of the base slowly got shorter. I’m not certain yet exactly what happened, but I think the front part of the bottom may have collapsed up into the base. The front of it sits on the floor now, and from the back this is the only thing that gives me any idea of what could’ve happened.
Last night I got most of the main vertical pieces for the base cut and will hopefully be able to make major progress this weekend. I really have high hopes for how this is going to turn out. I’m also quite anxious to get the saw off the base it’s on now so I can see what happened underneath.
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