Ideas for bench design

[SBH]

I plan to build a 10 foot long bench and imbed a radial arm saw, miter saw and table top drill press into the top, thus, making them all flushed with the top for an even flow. I have a general idea how to approach this project but would like some input and perhaps ideas that I may not be thinking about, such as a removable/replaceable section for the radial arm saw, which I will do. Any other input is appreciated.

Thanks

[Lowell Holmes]

New Yankee Workshop has designs for this. :-)

[Robert Haar]

I have my radial arm saw mounted in a similar arrangement. I built a base cabinet with work top against one wall. It is 8' long and 24" deep. On the end of this, I built a lower cabinet sized to put the RAS table at the same height as the work bench.

I use the RAS almost always as a chop saw to do cutoffs and bevels on long boards. This arrangement provides good support for boards up to 9' long. If need be, I use a portable work stand to support the other end. If you have a table saw, or if you think you might acquire one, think about whether you really need both the RAS and the miter saw. I have a mtier saw but don't have it mounted in my workshop. Instead, I carry it to the work site if I am doing something like installing trim.

One general suggestion try to keep the heights of all your tool work surfaces the same. I have my table saw, router table and free standing work bench at the same heights the built-in work bench and RAS table. This lets my handle large pieces by spanning across the different surfaces.

[SBH]

Ahh, thanks for mentioning the router table. I think in place of the miter, I will put the router table. I do prefer to keep the miter handy to eliminate the need of constant blade changing. I do have a table saw, which will house one type of blade, the RAS for another and the miter for yet another. But the miter can go anywhere and I may just purchase a rolling stand. But the router table is needed more.

[SBH]

BTW, if anyone has any pictures of something similar they can send or direct me to, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

[RicodJour]

'm curious what Google turned up for you. It might move the discussion along if you posted links to things you liked or had questions about, rather than just tossing an open-ended question into the room.

R

[David G. Nagel]

Why skip the miter saw station. The New Yankee Workshop plans provide for mounting the miter, router and mortising machine on interchangeable bases. When you don't need one of these you insert a blank in the hole. You can use each machine in a stand alone configuration if needed. Check it out on their webpage.

Dave Nagel

[SBH]

I like that idea. Though, I went to the NYW web site and could not find anything about that type of bench.

I'll try again.

Thanks