Typically, the piece your cutting when the fence is engaged is between the blade and the fence on the right. Your fence rail/s extend to the right. Having an extension table on the left and behind the TS are perfectly acceptable if it suits your needs and methods of work. I've seen several setups which have a U shaped table around the TS for handling large sheet goods as well as providing additional workspace. Also makes for a good place to mount a router.
Bob S.
Hello folks,
> I am contemplating reworking my shop area (aka garage)
> and am trying to design a table saw extension table
> and work area combo. In every shop and catalog display
> I have seen, the auxillary table and fence are mounted
> to the right of the saw blade such that offcuts tend
> to be to the left of the blade. I am thinking I want
> to reverse this and put the blade to right of the
> fence and larger auxillary table/extension. Is there
> some obvious problem with this that I am missing?
> In some ways I think my proposed arrangement might
> be safer and more convenient, so I keep thinking
> I *must* be overlooking something. ASCII art follows
> showing what I have in mind . . .
> _
> ___________| |___|-------------|
> | | | |
> aux |f| | |
> table |e| | | |
> |n| |blade-| |
> |c| | | |
> |e| | |
> ___________| |___|_____________|
> |_|
>
> I hope that makes sense. I will have limited room
> to the right of the saw and turning it around would
> not be practical either. Please let me know what
> you think.
>
> Bill Ranck
> Blacksburg, Va.