Mitre Saw Station

[OPJ]

Hi all,

I mentioned this briefly in another thread this week but, I think this would be the better place for any discussion.

You may recall that, last year, I built a Mobile Mitre Saw Station, following a set of plans from Popular Woodworking (sorry, I can't find the link).

While the tables on either side offer generous support, It's a real bother having to roll the saw forwards and then clear a space beside just to swing them up when you don't have much space - especially when I'm part-way through tenonning on the router table (which is one of the things I'd have to move!) and I just want to quickly cut a few rails to length.

I don't think cutting the tables down to length is the right answer - it'd be a waste of materials and I may decided to sell this one day, if I decide I do need a table saw instead (longer tables would have more appeal).

So, I'm looking for ideas on an alternative, more convenient means of supporting timber.

Looking closely in the last issue of British Woodworking [new one's due out next week :wink:], I notice that Steve Maskery (who else?! :roll: ) has fitted a longer fence to one side and appears to use a roller stand for support. Although I was about to sell my two roller stands as I never use them, this idea actually has a lot of appeal to me. In particular, the long fence idea. This would be good for cutting repeat lengths against a stop, as I generally don't work with anything longer than 1200mm.

During the initial stages of working with wood, when I bring a load of sawn timber in to the 'shop, I don't mind swinging the table then. It's only when I'm part-way through a build with other machines/tools already set up.

So, with Steve's approach in mind, does any one have an alternative suggestion? LeeJ recently made a 'station' with drawer-slide supports. I quite like this but, I would be better off building a new unit instead of trying to retro-fit them to my current one.

While others frown upon the use of these saws in the home workshop, I know there are those of you out there who do own and use them - what is your solution?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks for looking,

Olly.

 

[wizer]

What about removable supports that lift on and off?

 

[OPJ]

...Have you just read this, as well? :roll:

I really like the idea and it looks like they store vertically against the sides of the station when not required.

This is why you should always do your research before making a post like this! Looks like I may have to bastardise my old ones, then... :wink:

 

[wizer]

I haven't seen that; I was thinking that you could just remove the current hinged tables and make a way to attach them when needed. The integral supports could remain.

 

[OLD]

I think you should tidy up the shop, look at the pictures you posted. Provide storage for the stuff thats in the way, look for space above bench height .You already have a versatile solution for rail cutting etc

 

[OPJ]

Well, I really like Harold's idea so, I'm going to look at some way to incorporate that in to my existing design. It's not having the tables at this height that troubles me it's getting them there, as they need sufficient clearance to swing - once they're up, they do sit clear of my router table and bandsaw tables. I also used cheap piano hinges from Toolstation, which are made from very thin steel and are prone to flexing. Bolts shouldn't suffer from this and solid brass would cost too much anyway.

They're currently a metre long but, I could probably trim them back to as little as 600mm and they'd still offer plenty of support for what I do. It's the length of the fence that I feel is more important.

OLD, if I have the space then, believe me, I would have done it already! Over the winter though, I do plan to install some more joists overhead, which should provide me with more freedom (if a little less head room) below.

 

[wizer]

I understand where you are coming from Olly. It's why I haven't got around to building one. But I do long for a proper table for cutting on the SCMS. At the moment, if the length is longer than the bed, I have to 'improvise'.

Would you not dedicate the space to a fixed bench for it?

 

[OPJ]

Ideally, yes. But, I've currently got 'junk' stored behind the saw and, in the long run, I'd like to use that space for storing sheet materials horizontally - that way, I'd have an "allowance" for the rails sticking 12in. out the back of the saw! :wink:

There are times when I may want to move it as well. For example, when I come to do these joists (7"x2"s), if I don't cut them by hand, I'll have to take the saw outside. It just seems more flexible, to me.

You were on about building one last year, weren't you?

 

[wizer]

yeh I really liked the design of the PopWood one that you did but I realised that swinging the supports up would require space. I could roll it forward to get them up but I think I'll go for the removable option.

 

[wizer]

In an ideal world I'd build a fixed station and have either the Hitachi or Kapex with the forward sliding bars so it can be closer to the wall.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Mine is a decent SCMS on a very basic stand (Axi). It was "free" with the saw.

I don't use the sgtand legs. Instead, the legs are folded and the stand is screwed down to a cabinet on castors. The cabinet was made from a few old school dining tables (complete with chewing gum - yeuk!) and I really like the solution.

The roller stands are built into the Axi stand (which is mainly why I kept it - it has little else to commend it) but if I were to redesign this I'd make sure that the rollers were positioned a lot further forward than they are. The COG of the saw has to be reasonably over the rails of the stand, but the rollers are themselves central, whereas the workpiece is much further forward.

But I digress.

I have a fence with a stop that I can quickly attach and detach (using a toggle clamp) and that allows me a crosscut stop up to, IIRC, 2.1m. When I redo this, I'll make one up to 1.2m and another up to 3m.

There is a nice design in the current FWW, Tools and Shop edition.

The Bosch is excellent, the only downside is the rear-protruding bars. Anyone got a spare Kapex going begging?

S

 

[OPJ]

Is this the one, Steve? Why is it everyone who makes these things has a Bosch saw?! They most be very popular, over there.

I'm content to stick with my Bosch saw, for the time being, and put up with my doubts over its accuracy... Unless, perhaps, I can find that the Hitachi saw is more accurate, with its side-mounted rails... I won't consider the Kapex simply because of price! :shock:

I think I've seen the stand you're talking about, Steve, as I considered buying one myself (...and then made this thing, because I thought the extra table length would come in handy!). Axminster do sell these but, they don't seem to offer an extending option. It would probably work out quite expensive anyway. With these at £25, I think I'll stick with ply and MDF scraps!

You could probably make a telescopic fence of some sort, I'm quite sure. :wink:

 

[wizer]

Either a telescopic fence or one on drawer slides crossed my mind a few times but not as easy to get a proper ruler/stop arrangement.

 

[OPJ]

I was thinking of creating a sliding dovetail housing on the back and clamping it in place with a knob or Bristol lever... Wish I had a table saw to cut those grooves though.... :roll: :wink:

I'll try and do a drawing in the next couple of days if that description isn't clear.

 

[OPJ]

This is what I have in mind for the fence:

Yes, again, borrowing Steve's T-slot laminated-MDF fence idea!

45° angles are a bit excessive but, you get the idea. You can also see the two blocks I would use to hold the extension in place with a Bristol lever or knob. I've added another piece of MDF (hardwood?) to the bottom of the back face as my fence will be 'unsupported' most of the time. With extensions permanently in place though, it may be unnecessary.

I think this idea could also be adapted to suit table saws for cross-cutting. The length of the 'short' fences largely determines the maximum length by which it can be extended.

 

[wizer]

I like it Olly. Two things I'd be concerned with. Slop and Binding. Maybe you could make the sliding parts out of something like Tufnol or UHMW ? Slop not too much of a problem but should be minimal if you get the machining right.

Will probably steal the idea

 

[OPJ]

You're right and I also have those same concerns. Which is why I'm thinking of laminating the fence from 6mm ply and doing the sliding parts in a hardwood (probably beech). Don't know how much Tufnol cuts but I'm really trying to save the pennies at the moment... :? A good amount of wax should keep it all sliding freely.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Olly, Yes, that's the design.

I think your extending fence idea is a goer. It's very similar to the way I've done my cross-cur sled for the tablesaw, only with the extension upright, which is inteslf better for anti-sag.

A word of caution about laminating.

First of all, I think lam is, in principle, a good idea. But be careful of balance. My fence is a piece of 18mm MDF, grooved to take a sliding nut, then faced with 6mm ply which is then routed through to make the slot.

It is like a banana.

When I re-make it, I'll make it out of staggered layers of 6mm ply or MDF, not mixed materials and not different thicknesses.

Are you fixing the fence to the saw ot just to the stand? Mine is fixed to the saw with a couple of locating dowels and a toggle camp. Most of the time that is fine, but I do lose 25mm capacity and it interferes with the LH tilt of the head. It's all good, but it's not perfect.

Lots to consider.
Cheers
Steve

PS Olly, I've just applied for a job in Bristol.

 

[OPJ]

Thanks, Steve. I did my current fence in the same way; laminating 6mm MDF while creating a T-slot in the process. This fence will be fixed to the saw. I'm aware it may reduce the maximum width of cut slightly but, at least I'll be able to get a clean cut on the back edge. With the last one, I bolted it on with wing nuts, which seems to work quite well.

Are there no jobs in Nottingham?! I hope you haven't applied for any of the ones that I have!

Now, I've got to decide whether I do this to my 12in. Bosch now or, whether I wait until I've sold that and replaced it with something else - currently thinking of the Makita LS1013... :roll: The Bosch is too big for me and it's a pain as it's a 110v tool.