52" Delta TS extension

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
The particle board extension on my 1992 Delta 52" Unisaw is worn and rough. I am trying to decide what to replace it with. Will melamine or MDF be a better option than particle board. Any other suggestions will be appreciated. The particle board does not have inserts for the screws. Would they be required for MDF or melamine.

should have included the size 48" x 27" x 3/4" and level with the top of the TS

once in place it will not come back off unless something weird happens
 
Last edited:

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
If it were me, I'd use MDF and seal it. Use brass threaded inserts for screws that you take in and out frequently. They also make MDF screws specifically for edge fastening. Melamine is simply particle board with a plastic face.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
I would think Phenolic would be a GREAT surface for this?
I wonder if Bruce (@sawman101) has any left that would be large enough?
 

sawman101

Bruce Swanson
Corporate Member
I may have something left, if not Klingspors has a large inventory of sheets and smaller pieces--call the Hickory store for more info on what they have on hand. Really great prices too!
 

creasman

Jim
Staff member
Corporate Member
Solid surface counter tops (e.g., Corian) make great work surfaces. The stuff is virtually indestructible. A lot of people are replacing these with stone now, so you often find these at places like Habitat Restore. I was fortunate to have a neighbor that replaced their kitchen counters with granite. He was going to send the old counters to the landfill and was only too happy to have me take them away for free.
 

Keye

Keye
Corporate Member
I may have something left, if not Klingspors has a large inventory of sheets and smaller pieces--call the Hickory store for more info on what they have on hand. Really great prices too!
should have included the size 48" x 27"
 

HMH

Heath Hendrick
Senior User
I met Bruce on Saturday, (thanks again Bruce), for (3)-60x60 sheets of 1/2" phenolic for this exact use, among similar others. That said, I'm only going the phenolic route as it was available for a great price from Bruce. Sealed/ laminated MDF as suggested above would be a close second durability wise, and LOTS less expensive if having to buy the phenolic at "retail". I'd also second Dennis' advise above and use anchor inserts if you ever intend to remove/ reinstall the top.
 

mpeele

michael
User
My favorite shop work surface is MDF finished with polyurethane or Melamine particle board. With MDF I first apply a 50/50 polyurethane/mineral sprits mix until the MDF stops soaking it up, let dry and then apply a thin coat of polyurethane out of the can. I do this on both sides. With Melamine I like the band the edges with 1/4" wood. That said if I'm in a hurry I'll use any iron on edge banding I happen to have. If you don't finish the edge of Melamine it will cut. I also like to band MDF with 3/4" X 1 1/2" wood to prevent it from sagging over time.
 

BKHam

Bradley
User
I have a delta table saw that had a particle board wing. it wasn't perfectly flat when i bought it and when i added a router lift, it really lost its flatness. i replaced it with a sandwich of two sheets of plywood glued together with a laminate as the surface. Because the supports and attachments are meant for something 3/4 thick, i did have some cut outs, leaving only a single sheet thickness in some places. i attached some angle iron to the underside to try and keep it flat and that seemed like an okay setup.

but it didnt work either. my current extension wing bowed under the weight of the router.

so, this may not be exactly the same as your situation but i'd go with something as stiff and stable as possible.
 

zdorsch

Zach
Corporate Member
Not sure if this is available or if you saw it. I like the idea of the frame and I imagine you could modify this to accept whatever top you might want to fit. It looks like the frame may sit slightly below the saw table, but it could just be the camera angle.

 

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