How to Make Your Table Saw Bigger — Your Detailed Guide

  • by Robert Johnson
  • Last Updated:
Vega Pro 50 Table Saw Fence System

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Buying a bigger saw may seem like a convenient option, especially if you have the budget.
However, learning how to build a larger table saw platform can be useful when you upgrade your workshop and use larger table saws.

Ready to get started? These steps will show you how it’s done.

5 Steps to Make Your Table Saw Bigger

Step 1: Build Your Subframe

Your subframe sets the foundation of your DIY table saw. If your subframe isn’t solid or is weak, it will only create a domino effect of accidents and half-baked results.

To start off, here are some rules to remember if you want a sturdy subframe to last you for years:

  • Use a 2×4” frame if you want an average-sized, sturdy build. For a larger build and additional stability, go with a 4×4” frame.
  • Measure all the lumber first before joining the pieces together.
  • Consider the different types of lumber you’ll be using: compressed, uncompressed, and lumber from different drying batches. Each piece varies from one another.
hand on thick wooden board

Building your subframe also requires strict planning and measuring. Remember, a tighter fit will add more stability and longevity.

Before you head on to step 2, ask yourself these questions when designing your subframe:

  • How much space do you need for your fence?
  • What’s the best working height for your table saw?
  • Which parts of your table will get the most stress?
  • Which area of the table will be the most weight-bearing?

Step 2: Choose the Right Surfaces

Choosing the right surface is vital because: it should be able to hold your saw’s weight, handle the vibrations during operation, and handle all the materials and anything else you use it for. That said, our team would advise not to consider cheap materials.

Cheap materials mean compromising on strength and durability.

plywood and circular saw blade

The best plywood material to go for is Exterior 1 rated plywood with a Grade of B or C. Birch, oak, and maple are good hardwood material types.

Other options include:

  • Shop-grade Birch: Good strength & reasonably priced
  • Baltic Birch: Better strength but more costly than shop-grade birch
  • Grade A plywood: Great durability but pricey
  • Melamine: Affordable, but not recommended to be used for the whole table
(If you are searching for the most compatible tool for your table saw, you can also check top-notch table saw roller stand listed here) 

Step 3: Construct a Biesemeyer Fence Structure Layout

Having a proper fence system helps keep all your materials secure. More importantly, going with a Biesemeyer fence is easy to keep square.

For beginners, the fence that comes with your saw can be fairly decent, but it gets difficult once you start making micro-adjustments. The great advantage of a Biesemeyer fence is they’ve been around for a long time so your local metal supplier should be able to provide the appropriate length and weight of metal needed.

hands cutting wood and table saw fence
You should go for measurements no thinner than 2/16th of an inch and no thicker than 3/16th. It’s not recommended to go past 3/16th since this makes the metal heavier and harder to adjust. Furthermore, aluminum extrusions are a better option than steel, but take longer to procure.

Step 4: Build Supporting Brackets and Positioning Your Fence

Once you’ve built your subframe and constructed your fence, you still need to ensure your sliding fence stays in position by building supporting brackets. For this step, we encourage you to have a table square before attaching the rails in place and you’ll need clamps to help hold it in line.

There are 2 ways you can support and build your fence rail: Use nylon tipped bolts [1] or use a couple of metal brackets to hold the fence as it runs along the rails.

hands marking measurements on wooden board
After assembling your fence and seeing that it glides smoothly across the table, now comes the alignment process. To do this, grab your saw and mount it on the table, then align the blade with the miter.

Step 5: Cutting

There’s just one more step to seal your DIY table saw station, and that is to cut a strip of wood to run along the side of your fence. The primary purpose of this is to help pieces slide smoothly through the saw, thereby creating less friction than metal. This will also protect your fence and saw in case you move the fence too close to the blade.

(For reliable table saw, we have reviewed the top Delta table saws here) 

Conclusion

We hope this tutorial was able to help you make your table saw bigger! Having a larger table saw can give you more depth and larger cuts, but it also makes the saw stabler. A larger blade will help keep the balance and gives you more accuracy and precision when handing more cuts.

If you don’t want to splurge on a larger saw, we hope a few of our options helped you save some money and successfully create a larger one.

For a list of reliable table saws, you can check these pages, too! 

Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson
Robert Johnson is a woodworker who takes joy in sharing his passion for creating to the rest of the world. His brainchild, Sawinery, allowed him to do so as well as connect with other craftsmen and women. He has since built an enviable workshop for himself and an equally impressive online accomplishment: an extensive resource site serving old timers and novices alike.
Robert Johnson
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