Jeff Thies wrote:
....

What about MDO? Is that better than MDF for this or for counter tops?
What about MDO on the bottom and a sacrificial MDF?

Either w/ the sacrificial would be fine. There's really no great need
for the MDO's extra cost w/ the sacrificial surface.

I like to rip 2x4's, and cut up plywood. I'm thinking of a table about
4' long (current is 8'). How should I set up the workspace? Roller
stands and a support table on the feed end?

I use the RAS almost exclusively for rough cutoff and ripping -- but I
have a 14" Delta instead of just 10" -- but I started w/ nothing other
than an inexpensive 10" B&D. I had the room so I had it in an 8'
overall table w/ about 3' on the infeed side and the remainder on the
outfeed. That eliminated need for the rollers, etc., on 90%+ of the
stock which is, imo, a great boon. If you have the room, I'd do
something on that order. You could undoubtedly devise other ways to use
the space to build in the portable planer, etc., etc., to make more use
of the space as well.

I usually make the fence out of fir bolted to some angle stock
(bedframe). MDO/MDF fence or something else? I've been leaving a little
space between the fence and the table for the sawdust to fall through.

I'm moving the saw to a more open workspace and I'd like to get it set
up right instead of the half assed way I have it now. I don't know
anyone who has a home wood shop so I'm fumbling around a bit...
....

For more suggestions, I'd suggest posting the last question to
rec.woodworking; there are a number of quite helpful folks there as well
w/ specific woodworking experience both hobbiest to fulltime and
everywhere in between. (There are a few who will insist the RAS is the
devil's spawn, but... )

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