The outfeed table is one of those shop elements that most woodworkers build as an afterthought – a surface to catch boards coming off the table saw, built just high enough to match the saw table and wide enough to not be embarrassing. But the outfeed position in your shop is prime real estate: it’s directly behind the most-used machine in the shop, accessible from three sides, and at exactly workbench height. Building a storage system into the outfeed table instead of a dead platform is one of the best shop decisions you can make.
Builder and furniture maker Sam redesigned his outfeed table last year to incorporate a drawer cabinet on the left side (holding his table saw accessories – dado stack, featherboards, push sticks, zero-clearance inserts), a clamp rack on the right side (18 F-clamps at the ready for glue-ups immediately after a ripping session), and an adjustable-height shelf in the center column that stores his router table fence, miter gauge, and rip fence accessories. The table surface is sheet goods – 3/4-inch birch, replaceable when it gets too beat up.
The practical benefit: everything associated with the table saw lives within arm’s reach of the table saw. No cross-shop trips for accessories. No hunting for the push stick that wandered to the workbench. The workflow is tighter and the interruptions are fewer. Sam reports that his table saw sessions are significantly more efficient since the redesign – setup is faster because the accessories are immediately at hand, and teardown is faster because everything has a clear home to return to.
Build note: make the outfeed table slightly lower than the saw table – 1/16 to 1/8 inch – rather than perfectly flush. A board that drops slightly as it exits the saw is fine. A board that catches on a high outfeed table is a problem. What does your outfeed setup look like? Share your table and storage solution below.