Most radial arm saws come with a relatively flimsy and insufficient table which doesn’t tend to support the workpiece very well. This article will show you how to build a better table for it, which will allow you to achieve much more accurate cuts.

Using a pencil and ruler, draw out where you want your brackets to go on both boards (I’ve done everything in inches). I suggest putting at least 4-6″ between each one. This should leave some space for clamping down workpieces securely.

Drill pilot holes into the boards where you’ve drawn out the brackets, and attach them by screwing in some bolts through the L-brackets. Make sure to keep the distance between each one equal both horizontally and vertically so it all comes together nicely at the end of this step.

Using a pencil and ruler, draw out where you want your brackets to go on both boards (I’ve done everything in inches). I suggest putting at least 4-6″ between each one. This should leave some space for clamping down workpieces securely.
Drill pilot holes into the boards where you’ve drawn out the brackets, and attach them by screwing in some bolts through the L-brackets. Make sure to keep the distance between each one equal both horizontally and vertically so it all comes together nicely at the end of this step.

Now drill another couple of pilot holes somewhere near the top edge of your baseboard, big enough for your longer screws to fit through. Attach the other side of your table with these screws and some washers and nuts on the inside, just like you would for a normal doorknob.

And that’s it – your new sawing station is all built! You’ll probably want to sand down the edges of the wood before use though, as they may get in the way during more intricate cuts.

Tools:

  • A circular saw or tabletop saw (I used a circular saw for this project)
  • Power drill (with different bits – I used my cordless one, with 1/4″ and 3/8″ size bits)
  • Stud finder (optional)
  • Pencil
  • Ruler or measuring tape 
  • Measuring spoons (optional but helpful to get the correct amount of screws you need for your brackets). 
  • A came hammer to secure your hinges in place with nails or hooks if necessary
  • Wood glue (optional) 
  • Sandpaper 
  • Clamps 
  • Drill brush 
  • Big flat-head screwdriver Wrench 
  • Saw 
  • Drill bits 
  • Drill 
  • Carpet tape (optional)

Materials: 1 board 18″x36″ (45cm x 91cm) 1 board 18″x3/4″ (45cm x 20mm) 2 hinges 6 L-brackets (the kind which comes with bolts and wingnuts) Power drill (to drill pilot holes for the screws and bolts, since I don’t have a cordless one, or rather haven’t seen that happen) 2 screws, to fix the hinges to the tabletop