[ACHiPo]

I have to admit I was initially pretty skeptical about the power of a cordless, but the reviews are almost all positive on that for this machine so I decided to take the plunge (hah hah ) Haven't tested yet tho.

Can these things do plunge cuts?

[JohnR]

Yep, one of the main reasons to get one. Here's an example https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1tubCHhKniQ

 You can see from the comments some think a jigsaw would been better for that.

[Folsom]

Can these things do plunge cuts?

Check Festools plunge system. It alone makes me want one. I forget if the cordless version is out.

Although for drywall saws are a waste of time and generate dust. All you need is a razor knife/box cutter and the correct 8 cuts (you repeat a couple a few times). The hole will be nicer than any remodel box's shape.

[gregfisk]

Can these things do plunge cuts?

I had to take out a chunk of 2x4 in a wall for a vent before sheet rock last week, it took about 1 minute to cut the two cuts to the outside wall and remove the 6" piece. I did the same thing the day before using a Milwaukee sawzall and it took over twice as long, was way harder and the cut wasn't near as clean. Plunge cuts are what these are good at. I've cut a rectangle out of a 3/4" piece of plywood and it was way faster compared to drilling 4 holes in the corners and using a saber saw or sawzall to cut out the hole.

[ACHiPo]

I had to take out a chunk of 2x4 in a wall for a vent before sheet rock last week, it took about 1 minute to cut the two cuts to the outside wall and remove the 6" piece. I did the same thing the day before using a Milwaukee sawzall and it took over twice as long, was way harder and the cut wasn't near as clean. Plunge cuts are what these are good at. I've cut a rectangle out of a 3/4" piece of plywood and it was way faster compared to drilling 4 holes in the corners and using a saber saw or sawzall to cut out the hole.

Gee thanks guys--just in time for Father's Day!

[rajacat]

Although for drywall saws are a waste of time and generate dust. All you need is a razor knife/box cutter and the correct 8 cuts (you repeat a couple a few times). The hole will be nicer than any remodel box's shape.

+1

[Bob in St. Louis]

I built a wing on my table saw, which bring the total width to an even 60".
I've got a small shop, and this massive saw takes up a large amount of real estate. With the rails hanging out 16" past the table, I figure I  might as well make more table, right?
More than likely, I'll turn this into a router station. I'd like a router lift, but that's not in the budget right now.

Anyway, I know y'all like pictures, so here's how I "faked" what looks like more cast iron.

A piece of 3/4" BB, 16" wide, and a sheet of 20 gauge steel:



Test fitting the wood:



Two coats of contact cement on the steel, five coats on the wood:



Clamped in the vacuum bag for an hour or so:





The leading edge of the Jet table has a 10 degree "ramp".
Bending the metal to that shape "forcefully gentle", wasn't as hard as I thought it would be:





I'd like to have the official off white color Jet uses, but I happened to have a spray can of Taupe on hand. A bit dark, but looks better than the unfinished plywood edge.





Sanded with 320, then 120, then (shown) some car wax:



All done. Nice and shiny, and slick as snot.

[Folsom]

Now you just need the giant outfeed table 

[Bob in St. Louis]

Right!
Actually, I need a bigger room. 
Speaking of outfeed tables.....this unit is going to serve as the outfeed table for my drum sander (once I build a rolling platform tall enough so the deck heights are the same).
That's going to be nice!

[gregfisk]

Nicely done, you can never have a big enough table, or room for that matter.

[Folsom]

Can't use the tools if carrying it around busts your hands... Poplar, nice and fat unlike stupid snap on things you can buy. (it's wider than it's depth you can see)

[gregfisk]

Can't use the tools if carrying it around busts your hands... Poplar, nice and fat unlike stupid snap on things you can buy. (it's wider than it's depth you can see)

There are really nice bags these days that work great and don't have hard small handles. I don't like 5 gallon buckets for tools, the bags work much better and are designed for different uses.

[Folsom]

Ya but they're not free!

[Bob in St. Louis]

I had several feet of scrap "C" channel, so I thought it would be good to use as a base for the table saw.
Used the plasma cutter to cut the pieces at a 45 degree angle, and weld them back together in rectangle.
To get an idea of what I've got in mind, do a search for "table saw cabinet". 
With a very small workshop, real estate is at a maximum, so I must conserve as much area and volume as I can.
The table saw being as massive as it is, there's a bunch of "wasted" space under it.

Here's the beginning.
(Is this still acceptable to post under the "new tool" thread)?

[Folsom]

Bob just get a Felder/Hammer tablesaw/planar/jointer combo! The tool for every man!

I remember getting good at welding in high school... Then I remember my reward was to use jet-rod to fill in the gaping caverns on the practice plates that the idiots left... oh the joys of unleashing the inferno of hell through a stick.

[Bob in St. Louis]

  Yes.... It's a bit like that, But I'm using a MIG, so there's no stick to unleash.
I haven't welded (much) in a couple decades, so.....I've probably used a half roll of MIG wire for four simple joints. 

[JohnR]

(Is this still acceptable to post under the "new tool" thread)?

It's absolutely fine by me! You realize I'm 100% jealous that you have a space to do this in (You'd also be welcome to start a dedicated thread, I absolutely won't be offended either way )

With that said, I'm more in portable mode, climbing about on the roof, so I've been lucky enough to snag a couple of new cordless tools the last few weeks. More on that later. At the moment, all I can say is "brushless motor" - I'm so impressed.

[Don_S]

Come on guys!  You must have scored some goodies with Black Friday deals.  What do you give the man who has too many tools?  A box to put them in.

I scored these two for $148 total at Home Depot.  27" wide base and 26" wide top cabinet.  Solid build with ball-bearing drawers. Probably not as rugged as pro mechanics models but good enough for this hacker especially since I won't be moving them. I already have a different brand that is similar in design but it runneth over. I love it.  I am always using it and it has kept me relatively sane by organizing my tools and giving me quick access.





I wanted this one but after spending several hours cleaning my garage I realized I would not be able to make enough room. It is 47" wide. My garage came with cabinets on one wall and I re-purposed my kitchen cabinets when I remodeled. That does not leave me much available space. The other downside to this cabinet is a lot of the drawers are shallow but I did drool at the full-width top drawer.   I have more use for the deeper drawers on the 27" base. And the 26" top give me enough shallow drawers for sockets, etc.

[Bob in St. Louis]

*Bump*
So after I welded the frame (seen above), I attached a wooden deck with casters that lock both the wheel and the swivel;




One man picking up a several hundred pound saw and placing it on the "deck" wasn't as option, so I hung it from the ceiling and removed the legs:



Then I made a base with a dust collection port for the cabinet to sit on:



"At rest"



The saw is now a 60" outfeed table for the conveyor belt of the drum sander:




Knowing I want a clean work surface and have limited shop space, I installed a roll of brown paper that can be puled over the deck of the saw:







No paper:



With paper:

[Kenneth Patchen]

Nice work there, Bob, that, and your other projects as well. If only you lived near a boutique speaker outfit you could be building enclosures for them.