Table Saw Projects

The Box

• The box is what what table saws are designed for: cutting perfect rectangles or squares out of wood. Take a piece of wood 12-inches by 96-inches. Cut three pieces 24-inches by 12-inches. Attach two of the pieces to the third piece to form a "U-shape." Cut the remaining piece to fit into the two open ends and -- there you go! -- you have just made a box. Find more wood, cut it to size for a top. Attach it with hinges and you have a closed box.

Furniture

• Build a box. Turn it on its side -- it's a TV stand. Build a couple tall boxes, stand them beside the TV stand. Cut some wood to fit in as shelves. Now it's a DVD stand. Create ottomans, toy boxes, end tables--and don't forget shelves. Cut them on a table saw to make sure they are square. A kitchen microwave stand is just a box with shelves and doors. Don't limit your imagination.

Cut Lots of Strips

• Chess board, picture frames, legs and frame for an art easel, wine rack. The list is as good as your imagination. Set the table saw up for 2-inch cuts and cut the wood. Save it for later if you like. Cut the strips down again to 2-inch squares. Glue them on a board and paint it for a chess board. Take a few cut shelves. Attach some strips to the sides for legs and it's a multi-tier plant stand.

Dado Cuts

• Dado blades are special blades used to cut groves into wood. Use them also to cut straight notches out to slide shelves into place. You have also seen the notches on the sides of dresser drawers. Cut a good piece of wood 12-inches square. Use the dado set the height to cut half way into the wood. Cut through the wood at 1-inch increments to make a cooling rack.

Miniaturize it

• Once you have learned all the techniques, go small. Jewelry boxes, bird houses, tiny houses for the train set. A large table saw does the job on everything that needs to be cut square. It's fully adjustable for the little as well as the large job. Never throw out scrap pieces of wood. Sooner or later you are going to use them on your table saw.