When the work needs support
SawStop asks for rollers, an outfeed table or similar support for any rip longer than about 4 ft, so the work does not drop off the back of the table. DEWALT's DWE7485 manual explains why it matters for safety and not just for the board: long or wide work tends to pivot on the table's edge, which causes loss of control, blade binding and kickback. Large panels also sag under their own weight, so DEWALT calls for support under every part that overhangs the table — at the sides as well as behind.
Caution— A stand, not a hand behind the blade
DEWALT's manual tells owners never to reach over or behind the blade to pull or support the work. If a long board needs holding up as it leaves the saw, that is what the stand or an outfeed table is for.
Roller, ball or flat
| Head | Lets the work move | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Single roller | In one direction only: at right angles to the roller's axis | Rips and long boards fed straight off the saw |
| Ball transfer (several balls) | In any direction | Panels that are turned or moved sideways, as when crosscutting wide stock |
| Flat, fixed top | Not at all; the work slides on it | Holding a part at a set height, rather than feeding through |
BORA's PM-5093 has a pivoting head that gives three kinds of support from one stand. A single roller set at an angle to the feed pushes the work sideways as it passes — see the drawing above.
Equipment notePaid link
Roller stand
BORA PM-5093
BORA's PM-5093 from the table above: a pivoting three-in-one head, 25 to 43-3/4 in high and rated to support 150 lb, by BORA.
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Height
The support should meet the board at, or just below, the level of the saw table. SawStop sets its own folding outfeed table's surface flush with or just beneath the saw table top; a support that stands above the table catches the leading end of the board as it arrives and lifts it off the table. Saws differ in height — SawStop's cabinet saw stands 34 in high, Felder's Hammer K3 winner has a 33-1/2 in working height — so measure your own saw's table and set the stand to it. BORA's PM-5093 adjusts from 25 to 43.75 in.
Setting it up
Placing a roller stand behind the saw
Set the height
Lay a long, straight board on the saw table, reaching past the back of the saw, and raise the roller until it just touches the board's underside — or stops a hair below it.
Square the roller to the cut
From above, the roller's axis should be at right angles to the line of the cut, so it carries the board straight rather than steering it toward or away from the fence.
Choose the distance
Close enough that the board reaches the roller before its own weight tips it off the table, and far enough out to carry the whole length you are cutting. For very long work, use two stands or an outfeed table.
Make it stable
Use the stand's widest stance on a level floor; BORA's has non-slip feet and an adjustable foot for uneven ground. A stand that tips under a heavy board is worse than none.
Check its rating
BORA rates the PM-5093 to support up to 150 lb; a heavy panel spread over two stands, or an outfeed table, may be needed.
When an outfeed table is better
A roller stand supports at one point. For sheet goods, heavy panels or a saw used every day, a continuous surface behind the saw does the job more completely — SawStop rates its folding outfeed table at 250 lb. See workbenches and outfeed tables. The same stands also serve as infeed or outfeed support for miter and chop saws, where the rule is the same: level with the saw's table, square to the cut.
Before a long cut
- Support is ready for anything longer than about 4 ft, and at the sides for wide panels
- The roller is level with or just below the saw table
- The roller is square to the line of cut
- The stand is stable, on a level floor, within its rated load
- No one will reach over or behind the blade to hold the work
Sources
Height ranges and ratings are each maker's figures for its own product. The rule that a roller carries work at right angles to its axis is geometry, shown in the drawing, not a maker's instruction.
- 1.
Owner's Manual, 10" Professional Cabinet Saw, Model PCS31230. SawStop.
Used for: Rollers, an outfeed table or similar support for rips longer than about 4 ft, to stop the work dropping off the back of the table; SawStop's cabinet saw standing 34 in high.
- 2.
DWE7485 8-1/4" (210 mm) Compact Job Site Table Saw, Instruction Manual. DEWALT.
Used for: Auxiliary support to the rear and sides for long or wide work, which tends to pivot on the table's edge and cause loss of control, binding and kickback; support under every overhanging part of a sagging panel; never reaching over or behind the blade to pull or support the work.
- 3.
BORA A-frame Tri-Function Pedestal Roller Stand (PM-5093). BORA Tool.
Used for: The PM-5093's height range (25 to 43.75 in), 150 lb support rating, pivoting three-in-one head, wide stance with non-slip feet and adjustable foot for uneven ground.
- 4.
Owner's Manual, Folding Outfeed Table, Model TSA-FOT. SawStop, 2025.
Used for: An outfeed surface set flush with or just beneath the saw table; SawStop's folding outfeed table rated at 250 lb.
- 5.
Hammer K3 winner Sliding Table Saw 79x48". Felder Group.
Used for: The Hammer K3 winner's 33-1/2 in working height, as a second example of how saw heights differ.
About this guide
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