HI,
I have yet to find a miter saw station that I feel is worth the dough. The AD&E looks and works great but it’s about $500 for the whole shebang. That’s more than my saw!
I used the DW for a while and until space became an issue it was fine but I don’t think I’ll replace it.
I’m leaning towards a B&D Workmate solution. I see there are some newer designs of the WM that look much lighter and strnger than the classic.
Of course it the wings that are the biggest challenge. I’ve yet to find some extruded aluminum “L” bracket type but frankly haven’t looked all that hard.
Any ideas for a simple compact design for job sites?
Thanks up front,
Warnie
Replies
I am not near my bookshelves now, but I think there is a plan for one in one of the Taunton books. Ill look it up when I get home...
Plank. <g>
If you are going to be on one job for awhile, its nice to have a wide, long table surface the same height as the saw table. Something to screw down or clamp blocks for repetetive cuts and write phone #s, measurements, crib notes, etc. I usually build something out of scraps of ply, planks, whatever. Occasionally I'll spend a bit more time on one and haul it around for a while. If I'm moving around alot, or doing service work, I use a folding stand, the DW is a nice one.
Have a look at this one and see what you think.
http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct3.cgi?9809
What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. Oscar Wilde./
I have the RIGID - I think it's under $200. I got it for $99 in a closeout sale. It is on wheels too so it is easy to move though very heavy to lift. You do not have to disassemble it - ever. That is very nice.
30 Second set-up and break-down time - and that's if you are holding a cup of coffee in one hand!
Frankie
There he goes—one of God's own prototypes—a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
—Hunter S. Thompson
from Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas
I second the Ridgid! Got mine at the $99 price.
Ridgid's OK, easy to set up and move although the standard roller wings always seem either to short or to long. And it's gawd awful heavy. I cobbed together a set of plywood planks that lay over the rollers and function like the wings described in Idaho Don's message. Decent wings are a must!
I made mine out of a 16"deep BCI with 3 1/2 inch wide flanges. It's heavy but Im spoiled now since it is so useful.
I use the Stablemate for my SCMS set-up. Check out http://www.stablemateonline.com
Mine cost me $100...five years ago.
My SCMS Hitachi is attached to a piece of plywood with crank style clamps. The clamps are part of the stablemate system. They clamp on to the saw horse style stand. The stand is square tube aluminum. My stand is 6 ft long and has adjustable arm supports at each end. I srewed down some luan onto the aluminum tubes so I had a place to set my tape measure, tools, and small cut-off pieces. This set -up is light weight, eaily transportable and rock solid. To transport, disengage saw from stand and carry seperately...only drawback is that it takes 2 trips when transporting...one for saw, and one for the stand.
Davo
Most of the dedicated trim guys I've known make a simple 18"-24" table from 1/2" plywood screwed to two straight and dry 2x4s that rest on saw horses. The saw sits in the middle held down with two wing nuts. Raised plywood wings, as tight to the sides of the saw as hand and saw slide clearance will allow, support what you're cutting and the space under the raised sides gets used for hand planes, palm sanders and other misc. bits and pieces. If all I was doing was trim this design would be a first choice. For most stuff I've switched back to the dewalt table, mostly for the compact size, quickness to setup and the stops for repetitive cuts.
Here one I made from a Iowa Stablemate saw horse and some ply--Very stable, reasonable weight and I made it to my exact liking,
Drawer for nails and glue and such and for really long stuff I have my roller stands which get me wider than most rooms anyway,
This one is 5'long and 15 deep ,
Mike
" I reject your reality and substitute my own"
Adam Savage---Mythbusters
I've been using Delta's stand with a DW-708. I paid $200 last year, but I think I've seen it for $180 or less. Although much of the included hardware is of low quality and assembly took me a few hours (including a few modifications), it's a nice, versitile stand that's quite stable.
I also looked at the Workmate, the Rigid, the DW and 2 or 3 others but finally settled on an item made by Stanley. It's one sawhorse with an integral table that flips up and locks into place. Got it at Home Depot for $29, I think. I can't say enough good about it. It's wonderful! Very lightweight, yet sturdy enough for me to get on top of it (I'm 6'4" 235 lbs). I think it's rated max weight is 300lbs. Also if you lift your saw off, it doubles as a work surface.
Absolutely perfect for trim work and a lot of framing situations. However, if I were flopping long 2x6's or 2x8's on it on a regular basis I might want to consider adding my roller stands or possibly switching to a table with a little more "beef".
My DW 12" fits nicely on the top and with the DW extension rails, I don't even have to use the roller stands. I would never have considered it except that Depot had one set up. It was a curious looking thing and I tried to wobble it to see how sturdy it was. Was quite impressed and bought one with the idea I'd take it back if it was a POS. I still have it.
Not sure if you want your stand to be portable or not, but I built one (for shop use only) out of framing lumber. It is 2' by 12', and I cut a recess in the center (3.5 inches for my saw) so that the table of the saw is flush with the rest of the table.
I put castors on the legs and turned the space below the table into lumber storage. It is a far cry from portable..... but it works for me.
in vino veritas
The New Yankee Workshop website sells a plan for a nice stand. You can see a pic of one by going there.
If you have to transport one often I've found the large wheeled Delta Kickstand pretty sturdy and easy
to move around.View Image
r u a feckless dastard?
Warnie...I`m with you. The pricetag on a majority of those stands for what can only be used for as a chopping station is ludicrous.
Every time this topic ("Which Stand?") comes up around here, I chime in with my two cents. With limited space for setups on a majority of jobsites, I need a work station as opposed to only a miter saw stand. While not terribly lightweight or compact, the benchtop I built, sits on top of a set of saw horses and allows the versatility that I require. Built out of PT ply and PT 2 x 4s with galvy deck screws, I can leave it setup outside without fear of weather damage. The saw horses allow me to stock materials right where I need them. The top allows me to miter, sand, cope, clamp, rout, prefab, etc......all at one central location.
Again....it aint lightweight, but....but when was the last time you thought about banging together a cabinet box on top of a $400 saw stand?
As for the Workmate.....not a bad idea for small tasks. Thats what I used when starting out, and still on very rare occasions (i.e. hardwood flooring or shoe moulding installs). But, for any of the larger projects, it just aint worth it.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
...........double top plates, saw horses.............man, you're and old fart! ;)
Ain't many of us around anymore. I ain't even old yet!!
EricIt's Never Too Late To Become
What You Might Have Been
[email protected]
....man, you're and old fart! ;)
The more I post here....the truer it seems.
This old dog, don`t wanna learn the new tricks! (Unless there`s a tool purchase involved, LOL)
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I just make sawdust pt, but I've been happy with my Stablemate. I think I paid like $90. I also bought the optional wheel kit, but haven't installed it since its so easy to just fold the legs up and carry it away. IIRC, they also sell 6' wing extensions.
Seems like mine was made in IA, but looks like it is now being made in IL (either one is better than China).
View Image
jt8
"Most married couples, even though they love each other very much in theory, tend to view each other in practice as large teeming flaw colonies, the result being that they get on each other's nerves and regularly erupt into vicious emotional shouting matches over such issues as toaster settings." -- Dave Barry
I don't have a picture of the one I made but I'll describe it.
BASE - Sides are 3/4" plywood 8' x 4". Top is 3/4" x 10" x 8'. Plywood blocking is placed every 16". No bottom to save weight. All pieces of box are glued and screwed.
SAW- my saw is possitioned on right hand end.
STEP UP - another box is constructed out of 1/2" plywood and brings the table height up level to saw. This is then screwed to main Base.
STRAIGHT EDGE - using a long straight edge, I added a simple 1"x1" strip in line with saw fence.
Its a little heavy, but its a verry stable work surface when set on saw horses.
You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
Thanks for all the advice!I also saw the Hitachi stand on sale and it looks pretty sturdy. I hate to cop out but I forgot I'm retooling and don't even have a table saw yet and it should could help to have a chop saw stans to make my chop saw stand with if ya get my drift<G>Lots of great plans that I'm considering. I'd like to build it around a sturdy store bought table like the one AD&E offers but am finding zero that appear like they can stand the grind and Workmates are over $90 nowadays so.....Thanks,Warnie
I started out using a wooden made stand that I placed on top of two sawhosres. Great set up but lousy on portabilty. so I went with the dewalt stand. I love the stand. have added two more work supports (a must i my book) I have been looking alittle bit closer at it lately and i think some modifications are going to be in order. the work supports are a bit too small. try keeping a peice of 1x10 Azek on those puny work supports.... not. I'm going to talk to a welder friend and ask him to modify the size of the supports and then I.m going to rig some sort of 1x stock to create a smoother longer work surface which will give me a bit more room to work on. That's my two cents on the subject ..
good luck.Ray.
Well, since so many others have already gotten off the home made topic - I will once again state that I think the AD&E stand is worth the money.
Have tried many stands, but, nothing has performed like the AD&E.
Full length work support. Very portable. The flipstops that will cut any cut fast, not just repeat cuts.
Said it many times before, will say it once again. I haven't found a stand better made than the AD&E. Have had mine for about 5 years and it is a pleasure every time I use it.
I use one made by the same company that makes the trac-loc ladder racks for trucks. It's an extruded aluminum rail with folding legs and collapsing work support. I've had it for three years and love it. It's simple, light, and folds up into a pretty compact package to put into the worktrailer. I bought mine at Woodworkers Warehouse (now out of business) but it's a great product and you should still be able to find it.
Good luck...Gman
I built a table out of alum'n and plywood that allows me to drop in a bench saw (with a roller to extend the run-out length), and a flat area where I locate the mitre saw. I use rollers out of a photocopier set to the height of the mitre saw plate, and roller stands to extend the supported length. There's a drop-leaf where I undermount a router, and a slot for a handsaw. Sure it takes a couple of minutes to set up (and sometimes that's too much effort), but when I'm trimming-out then the whole rig is worth all the use I give it.
ciao for niao
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.