# Need ideas on what do or convert my old benchtop table saw to



## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

I need ideas on what do or convert my old benchtop table saw to.

I have been thinking I don't want to sell it as it doesn't have the blade guard or anti-kick back pawls anymore.

So does any one have any ideas on what to do with it? generic sized cheap 10" benchtop table saw with stand. Does have a dust collection port that fits vacuum hose if I recall correctly.

Or should I just sell it?


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

sell it, download the manual from OWWM.com, let the buyer know that he/she will need to get a guard for it.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Derek...

If you can get a good price, certainly sell it but otherwise you could make it into a dedicated 10" disc sander for about $35. With the dado slot etc., it'd be pretty sweet. They sell them to "convert your TS back and forth" but I've heard many voice concerns that it'll cause wear on the TS bearings, leading to a small amount of blade wobble. For a dedicated sander though, who cares? Others who have tried these will likely join in. I have not.

Here's a link... also on Amazon...

Sanding Supplies - Table Saw Calibration and Sanding Disc

Oops.. just noticed it's now on sale.. $29.99 with 6 free discs.

Just a thought...


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## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

Doug, I have copies of the manual...looks like 2 original manuals but one must have been printed or copied when my Wife used to have access to this super copier/printer set up. There isn't a way to get a guard for it unless some how the person is able to figure out which saws are clones of it. I tried in last December to get the parts and the web site is now a parked domain. The original safety equipment was dangerous anyways. The saw was bought some time between 1994 and 2000....neither one of us can remember. Never got used until 2003.

Jim, that is what I have been thinking of the most. I haven't had need of a sander like that yet, but can see the need for it in the future. That on sale now just might tip the Mrs towards that way about it.

If I do sell it, it will have to be buyer beware, no safety equipment included right at the top of the ad. I suppose some one could add an aftermarket splitter to it as those are very cheap, just a couple of bucks, or even make one out of some thin hardboard or other material that is right around 1/8". And an overarm blade guard could be made out of plexiglass or polycarbonate or something of that sort.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Harry S has a 10 or larger.. hopefully he will join in...


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## RStaron (Sep 25, 2009)

I'd go the disc sander route myself. I use the one on my Shopsmith alot. Haven't had any problems with it wearing out bearings either. You can make jigs to sand round discs and do many things with it. You might be surprised at how much you can do with it.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

*HarrySin*

I know I've seen Harry do some wonderful things with his... It looked like he was using coarse discs and almost "melting" away the waste.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

BigJimAK said:


> I know I've seen Harry do some wonderful things with his... It looked like he was using coarse discs and almost "melting" away the waste.


I think that you're referring to my linisher (belt/disc sander) Jim it has a 6" belt and 9" disk and is a tool that I can't imagine living without. I have several different grit belts but can't remember using anything other than 80grit, as you suggested, it's possible to press a length of hardwood against the disk and watch it vanish! Rubber sticks are available to unclog the discs, but a piece of white poly reticulation pipe works just as well.

As for Derek's dilemma, I reckon that I'd have a go at converting it to a drum sander, about 6" wide and diameter determined by how close to the bench the spindle can rise. I'm not sure how easy or difficult it would be to make the cut-out using a jig saw with a suitable metal cutting blade, or possibly with an angle grinder, but where there's a will there's a way, isn't there Jim.


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## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

I have a good friend who owns a welding shop. So if it needs cutting, I can get it done.

Also have a father-in-law who did 30 some years as an Iron Worker. 

All I need is to know what to tell them to do. I do have an angle grinder, but only used it for a little bit of cutting and used to use the roto-zip's zipmate wheel to do that stuff instead, but nothing up to what these guys can do.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Go to it Derek, amaze us all!


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Drum sander, Harry? With the drum breaching the table top or sticking out the far side from the motor?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Protruding above the table, adjustable but 0.5 to 1mm is what I envisage, a sheet of suitable thickness material, Laminex or Aluminium being glued to the top just beyond the drum, similar to a jointer where the outfeed is higher than the infeed side, the difference of course being the removed material. Again, just an idea.


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## DerekO (Jan 20, 2010)

It sounds good to me. Once I can start getting around out of the house by myself I plan on taking it over to the welding shop and either learn how to do it or get one of the others there to do it.

Truck back any day now, scooter replaced sometime after April 16th, not sure when the ramp/carrier for wheelchair/scooter is actually going to be in stock at one of the local harbor freights, but hoping for Tuesday. Get these things and I will have back the mobility and ability I used to have to go to the store and other places by myself before my knees went the way of my hips. Just have to lower the pain pill usage on the days I will be driving until 30 minutes or so before I am done (take about 45 to kick in fully).


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