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Table Saw
Location
The right saw location helps
you get the most out of
your shop and makes it an
enjoyable place to work.

One of the main considerations for more space than its physical foot-
setting up a woodworking shop is print. You need space in front and
locating the large tools and work- behind the saw to accommodate
surfaces in a way that makes sense moving a workpiece through the
and uses the space well. It can saw. In addition, some free space
feel like putting together a puzzle to the sides is required for crosscut-
without the picture. I’d like to ting long boards and wide panels.
share a couple of approaches that Consider, for example, the
start with the most common (and amount of space it takes to cut a
most used) tool — the table saw. full sheet of plywood, as shown
The drawings on these pages in the drawing above. You should
provide a good rundown on the have 8' in front and behind the
things you need to consider for saw, and at least 6' to the side.
each arrangement. But there are a Long boards, too can require a lot
few other points you should think of infeed and outfeed space.
about along the way. SAVING SPACE. Cutting full sheets
HOW MUCH SPACE. One of the first of plywood at the table saw
things you’ll notice in the drawings requires the maximum amount
is that — more so than any other of space. But you can shrink the
tool — a table saw requires far amount of working space you

Page 1 of 2 Table Saw Workshop ©2015 August Home Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
need by turning to other tools. A ALONG THE WALL
circular saw can be used to break Locating a table saw in the cen-
down sheet stock. And a miter ter of a workshop seems to be the
saw makes quick work of cross- most common spot. And it makes
cutting long boards. sense considering the importance
PLAY THE ANGLES. In a small shop, you and frequency of its use. But, it
may not have the straightline dis- isn’t your only option.
tance you need to cut long boards. ONE SIDE. The drawing at right
One solution is to position the saw shows another arrangement that
diagonally (lower left drawing on works well. The idea behind it
the previous page). You can even is simple: The capacity of your
“borrow” space from another table saw is limited by the length
room or outside by locating your of your rip fence rails. So many
saw near a door or window. woodworkers butt the right end of
NOT AN ISLAND. Just because a table the saw against a wall.
saw needs a lot of room to work This setup confines the amount
with panels and boards doesn’t of space needed along one side
mean that it has to be all by itself in of the shop. The benefit of this
the center of the shop. You can cre- is that it creates a wide aisle in
ate a cluster of other tools around the middle of your shop that
your saw by taking a look at the can serve other needs as you’re
height of each tool. Positioning working on a project.
tools with lower surfaces nearby SHARED SPACE. The bench on the
allows a workpiece to pass over the backside of the saw serves as an
top without catching during a cut. outfeed table. Like I mentioned
You can still locate taller tools before, you can borrow space
near your table saw. If you rip wide without sacrificing saw capacity.
panels only occasionally, then feel Taller power tools can be posi-
free to locate a tool like your band tioned along the opposite wall,
saw or dust collector behind your out of the way.
saw on the far right side. Then The arrangement shown also
when the need arises, you can sim- serves to divide the workspace you decide how to organize the
ply reposition the tool temporarily into specific zones. Stock prepa- other tools in your shop.
to make a few cuts. ration and major joinery cut- As you can see, thinking about
However, it’s a good idea to keep ting take place on one end of how you use your table saw is
the area in front of the saw clear. the shop. The other end can be an important consideration. It
This helps you avoid a tripping used for finer bench work and can be the key to unlocking your
hazard while working at the saw. project assembly. This can help shop’s full potential.

Benchtop Tuck-Under
Not everyone has a dedicated shop the saw against the wall, you can roll
space. For example, if your shop is in the saw under a taller worksurface.
the garage, chances are you need to The advantage here is that
share the space with a car or two. The the saw stores away under exist-
obvious solution here is to put your ing worksurfaces and doesn’t rob
table saw on a mobile base, so you can you of any available floor space.
roll it out of the way when necessary. Another benefit of this orienta-
Even backed up against a wall, tion is that for small parts and
a table saw still takes up a large crosscutting, you can still use the
amount of space. One option to saw while the right side is under
consider is shown in the drawing at the benchtop. This creates a multi-
right. Instead of putting the back of purpose workstation.

Page 2 of 2 Table Saw Workshop ©2015 August Home Publishing. All Rights Reserved.