Rock-Solid Table Saw Base

Rock-Solid Table Saw Base
Excessive table saw vibrations can result in inaccurate cuts as well as wear to your saw and blades. The vibration caused by the motion of the blade and motor is transferred throughout the saw. Larger “cabinet saws” have heavy cast iron table tops and bases to help combat this problem. Unfortunately, many “weekend woodworkers” have to share the garage with their cars and require light portable saws.
One quick solution to this problem is to add weight to the base. In the picture to the right, a Ryobi BT3000 has been stacked with paver bricks supported by 5/4" pressure treated decking boards. The added weight of the bricks helps control much of the vibration caused by the saw's light-weight aluminum construction.
An even better solution is to cast your own solid concrete blocks to weight down the base. This allows you to easily stack and unstack the table when you need to move it. Using this option we would probably cast four blocks of equal size to fit under the base.
Note: Some table saw bases will require modification to hold a bottom shelf. Make sure you provide enough support for the weight you will be adding. For maximum effectiveness the weight should be transferred through the base into the floor.
Tip: Make sure all of your nuts and bolts are tight. Saw vibrations often cause them to loosen up over time. Install lock washers if they keep working loose.