Review-Hitachi Universal Workstation
A few weeks back, when I closed my business, an art group that I had supported for many years was kind enough to give me a Lowe’s gift certificate. Personally there’s something about Lowe’s that I’ve never cottoned to so I wandered around there yesterday trying to find something to blow 200 bucks on. I decided on the Hitachi UU 610 Workstation.
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Let me start off by saying I have the Delta Kickstand, and it’s a great stand but I have a fairly small vehicle at this point and the Delta is quite bulky when folded and pretty darned heavy when lifting into a high tailgate. Also the platform on the Delta is a bit small to hold my 12†DW SCMS well. The <!—-><!—-><!—->Hitachi <!—-><!—-> attracted me because it’s very light (40 lbs), very compact when folded (easily half the size of the Delta) and offered a “cam operated quick release tool platform†(more about that later).<!—->
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The stand is actually manufactured by Trac Rac, the truck rack manufacturers, and is a first class piece of work. The stand came well packaged, with the considerable amount of hardware organized in packages separated by what stage of assembly you would need them in. All the hardware is first class, and the components are either good quality extrusions or very beefy castings. It is rated to hold 500 lbs. <!—->
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Assembly was fairly painless, although I’m betting two different people wrote the destruction manual. It starts off flawlessly, but then takes a turn to the head scratching kinds of descriptions that gave me a few “what theeeeeeeeeee…†moments. <!—->
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When assembled, the stand is extremely solid, and adjusts smoothly with very strong cams that lock the various moving parts very securely. It comes with one movable stop, and the supports, which have rollers, extend to just shy 10 feet end to end. The tool platform consists of extruded supports with heavy duty cam locks to fix the tool to the central rail, as well as allow positioning side to side. The extrusions that support the saw are adjustable for any saw base I can imagine, and comes with an adapter for <!—-><!—->Hitachi <!—-> <!—->’s base which apparently is a bit unusual. While the tool platform is extremely well designed, and constructed like a tank, the quick release description is a tad misleading, as it requires dedicating the platform to your saw, inasmuch as the saw isn’t “quick released†but rather the platform is. While the saw can be used on another surface with the platform still attached (feet are provided for this purpose), I don’t think I’d be very comfortable using it in this way. The legs are large diameter tubing which lock very securely into place, both opened and closed by means of a heavy spring loaded pin. (No accidental unfolding, as has happened to me with my Delta stand). Additional saw platforms are available separately, as well as some interesting accessories, such as a mountable vice, and a wheeled base. <!—->
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All in all, it’s a greatttttt stand. My only (small) criticisms would be that I worry the work support stands are going to be easily damaged in transport, and that some of the adjustments that will need to be made frequently should have knobs rather than bolts for adjustment. But otherwise it’s a very solid and secure feeling stand, while still being quite compact and lightweight.<!—->
Replies
Personally, I think one measure of a good stand is its capacity to support long pieces of lumber -- 8-10" -- so you can cut one end of the piece.
Second, it is a great advantage to have some sort of simple, accurate stop system -- for repeat cuts.
How does the Hitachi measure up on these counts?
The work supports extend to just under 10 feet, and the stand does have a good although simple stop on one end (see photo #3).
Edited 2/18/2005 9:32 am ET by PaulB
how much?
"I wandered around there yesterday trying to find something to blow 200 bucks on. I decided on the Hitachi UU 610 Workstation. "
$199.00, to be precise ;)
didnt know you spent the whole wad
Just teasing you, farther ;)
And razz...I'm driving an SUV at the moment, so the difference in weight (which is substantial) makes the Hitachi a lot easier to load, you can pretty much put it under your arm and walk away with it.
Edited 2/18/2005 3:57 pm ET by PaulB
Ya, but where are the wheels?
You aren't going to tell me you folded up both sides of your Delta Kickstand when you loaded it into the bed of your pickup?
Be eating Wheaties"Live Free, not Die"