Typically, the piece your cutting when the fence is engaged is between the
blade and the fence on the right. Your fence rail/s extend to the right.
Having an extension table on the left and behind the TS are perfectly
acceptable if it suits your needs and methods of work. I've seen several
setups which have a U shaped table around the TS for handling large sheet
goods as well as providing additional workspace. Also makes for a good
place to mount a router.

Bob S.

wrote in message ...
Hello folks,
I am contemplating reworking my shop area (aka garage)
and am trying to design a table saw extension table
and work area combo. In every shop and catalog display
I have seen, the auxillary table and fence are mounted
to the right of the saw blade such that offcuts tend
to be to the left of the blade. I am thinking I want
to reverse this and put the blade to right of the
fence and larger auxillary table/extension. Is there
some obvious problem with this that I am missing?
In some ways I think my proposed arrangement might
be safer and more convenient, so I keep thinking
I *must* be overlooking something. ASCII art follows
showing what I have in mind . . .
_
___________| |___|-------------|
| | | |
aux |f| | |
table |e| | | |
|n| |blade-| |
|c| | | |
|e| | |
___________| |___|_____________|
|_|

I hope that makes sense. I will have limited room
to the right of the saw and turning it around would
not be practical either. Please let me know what
you think.

Bill Ranck
Blacksburg, Va.