Outfeed Roller

ToolInfoBox Outfeed Roller
Synonyms:	roller stand, outfeed (or infeed) support roller; DE: Rollenbock, Rollenauflageständer, Materialständer
Type:	workholding
Used with:	table saw, jointer-planer
Location:	wood workshop
Similar (More or Less):	sawhorses

Our new outfeed roller is a great help with long workpieces that you can not easily cut or plane by yourself. While a table or sawhorse at the proper height may be okay sometimes, this tool is made especially for the task!

Modes

There is a single roller drum as well as a row of free-spinning balls. You can switch between them without tools because the side screws were kept loose enough. Caution: the two roller modes do not result in the same height!

Both have their pro's and con's:

• single drum
  • pro: any workpiece width
  • con: may pull or push workpiece out of its path - make sure to set it up straight!

• row of balls
  • pro: workpiece can freely roll sideways
  • con: narrow pieces may fall between balls - minimum width: enough to lie on two balls

Adjustments

Using an outfeed roller is simple, but you'll have to adjust it for every operation (at least on floors as uneven as ours)...

1. find the distance where the outgoing workpiece is nicely supported without tipping
2. set the height so it is in the same plane as the machine table

not necessarily the same height as the table's edge! Best measured by a straightedge (or simply the workpiece), not spirit level

if in doubt: better too low than too high, there should be no added resistance!

1. "dry-test" sliding the workpiece over the machine table and roller (e.g. next to the blade of the table saw or over the completely lowered blade of the jointer-planer