I’m considering a miter saw stand- looking for a good quality stand, with features like:
*Capacity for longer stock
*Reasonably portable
*Adjustable stops
*Stable and solid
I have a DeWalt 715. I will use it for all-around purposes, from framing to trim.
Did some searching of past posts, but didn’t find much that was current. Thanks for your thoughts!
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Replies
I bought one of these a few years ago. I think it is better than any other stand on the market. I understand they stopped production temporarily. Be prepared to pay. I think it was worth the money.
http://www.sawhelper.com/index.php
http://www.sawhelper.com/
Expensive, but everything else is 2nd best.
I've got the older Ridgid wheeled stand. It was well worth the $99. The new one looks flashier but doesn't work as well. The Track Rack or the Dewalt would be my first choice today. Or just make your own.
I've got the Trac Rack and love it... folds up easily and light enough to throw over my shoulder. Very stable and rigid when opened up.PaulB
http://www.makeabettertomorrow.com
http://www.finecontracting.com
Another vote for the sawhelper...if it's back in production, I read awhile back on the jlc forums that production had stopped.
I've got both the 9' and 5' tables, great set-up.
Jay
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv135/Jay123_bucket/Shop/c457c948.jpg
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv135/Jay123_bucket/Shop/654d0e21.jpg
http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv135/Jay123_bucket/Shop/6dfa4705.jpg
Can't find much info on Sawhelper right now- no answer at their phones, and there is still a message at the website about delays in production as they reform the company. Too bad- I'd be interested in getting more info about them- they look like a very good choice (albiet wicked pricey).Anybody have experience with the Trojan stands?
http://www.trojantools.com/mitersawstand/index.htm
I have that stand and had a friend make extensions. With the extensions I have 14' either side of blade. I do not have the stop. I just clamp a block on for stop.
Portable and easy to haul.
A word of advice: Which ever stand you get, be sure you can get extra mounting brackets.
I have brackets on: a portable planer; a piece of 3/4 ply wood to make a router table: a 2-8 wide solid core door to make a bench top; had a 9-inch band saw on a set for a while to cut some strange curves, and have two spare sets of brackets just in case.
I had a large job a while back and splurged on the A.D.&E Sawhelper. It's very nice. The best feature IMO is the adjustable stop. Once you take twenty seconds to calibrate it (actually "calibrate" is too fancy a word. It's more like set it to the built in ruler), you can do away with the pencil and tape and cut everything with the stop.
After using it I was spoiled and when I had a good-sized fiber cement job to do, I built one like it using MDO for the extension wings with adjustable rules on each and an aluminum stop. It works great but I probably wouldn't have come up with it had I not already used the Sawhelper. My point is, if you've got more time than money, you can come up with a very decent home-made solution.
The last contractor I worked for had a trojan. It was a nice table, but it took two people to get it out of a truck when the saw was mounted.
All around best one for me has been the Ryobi believe it or not. $99 at HD. Every bit as good as the DW and even lighter.
I also have the old Ridgid which is a great one but heavy as hell.
I was willing to lay out major bucks but tried a friend's Ryobi. I weighed all the options and it came out on top.
I too have the orig. Ridgid with my old 705 and the DeWalt with the big slider. I almost bought the Ryobi and I think it is pretty much like the DW and not much $. I had been lusting for the slider and HDTools hooked me up with both for a ridiculous price a few yrs ago.
Amazon shows a bunch of options here:
http://tinyurl.com/saw-stands
For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.
I have the Rigid too..as well as the Bosch Trac-Rac I bought off Craig's List for $75. The Bosch is light and portable but for some reason I still have my DW SCMS on the Rigid. the Ridgid's big and heavy but for some reason I like it best. Has a bit of it's own table to keep stuff on and the big wheels are real helpful. If I had to lug it up a buncha steps every day forget it though. Thing about it is...I have my saw bolted to it and it's a pain to unbolt then rebolt so it always stays together...another chopper might be nice..one thats not as heavy as my DW.View Image
The Woodshed Tavern Backroom
The Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
I've been using the DW stand for about three years. It's stable, portable and handles long stock.
Also I can mount 2 mitersaws on the same stand when installing stairs or crown.
Two B&D 'Workmates' with a homemade roller clamped in the second one. First one clamps on a cleat under a piece of 3/4" ply, on which can be mounted any 'stationery' tool you like.
Main advantage to this is flexibility; the Workmate will not only hold up the TS, CMS, RT, planer, jointer, whatever...it will also clamp small pieces that you must work on with hand-held tools like sanders, plunge routers, etc. It only takes about 5 seconds to remove a fixed tool on its plywood base from the top and turn the Workmate back into a clamp/bench/table.
Yeah, I know; 'Workmates' are tacky, low-end DIY crapola...or so they say. Bullcookies. The three I've got (three different models) are some of the most versatile and abuse-resistant tools I own. The oldest one I've got is 15 years old; the others are 12 and 9 years old respectively. They've been tossed in and outta the truck literally thousands of times; left out in the rain; overloaded by a factor of 5 on a regular basis; painted, cut, sanded, drilled, glued, and whatnot; and they still function as everything from saw stands to door-hangers benches to glue-up tables.
They are also inexpensive, lightweight, and fold down to a compact size.
Plus, who the hell would steal one?
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not brought
low by this? For thine evil pales before that which
foolish men call Justice....
Thanks for that.
I thought I was the only one and had to lower my eyes in shame at all the professional setups I see.
Still gonna get a sawhelper one of these days.
I have the trojan that you mount the saw to and i couldnt be happierwith it. I thought about getting the saw helper but i take my tools home every night and that three trips thing just doesnt work for me. true the trojan is heavy but once its off the truck its a dolly and it rolls nice.
You only have to 'lower your eyes in shame' if the 'professional set up' actually functions better overall than yours does. Remember also that no matter how snazzy the heavy, expensive factory-made saw-stand looks, it only does one thing. Try clamping a 14'-long piece of 2x4 into a Sawhelper so you can run a router down each edge to bead it into a handrail.
A small remod contractor has to jam tools for at least 6 or 7 trades into the back of a pickup or panel van; I can't afford the load space to carry specialised stands that only hold up one tool.
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
I hear you about tooling up to be a jack of all trades but when in trim mode the sawhelper is a sweet set up. Maybe someday.
... a jack of all trades ...
Top remod guys prefer to think of themselves as 'Masters' rather than simple 'jacks'...and of multiple trades, too.
So I guess that makes us 'Multi Masters.'
Ba-ding-bum!
;o)
Dinosaur
How now, Mighty Sauron, that thou art not broughtlow by this? For thine evil pales before that whichfoolish men call Justice....
Big grin
Trac Rack, it is light but strong. The saw is on and off in seconds. The only real complaint I have is the lack of a single leg leveler.
I have a Sawhelper and love it. It has held a DW708 and holds a DW705 currently, as the 708 became the shop saw. I have the wings that give 8' either side of the blade. Sometimes I'll only set up the left wing if space is tight.
Bill
TracRac=Hitachi=Dewalt. All the same stand as far as I know.The Woodshed Tavern Backroom
The Topics Too Hot For Taunton's Breaktime Forum Tavern
Trac Rac and Hitachi are the same, the DeWalt 723 is a different animal.
I use both the Trac (the big one with all stops and wheels) and the 723, like them both.
I prefer the stock support ends of the Trac but I like most features of the 723.
Saw mounts of the 723 take up less space than the Trac system.
The Trac will hold up better in weather than the 723.
Although I don't buy much from Harbor Freight, I did buy thier miter saw stand:
View Image
they want $90 for it now but it goes on sale regularly and I ended up getting mine for $50.http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=40612
It's a knockoff of the $350 HTC portable stand (which isn't offered anymore) and is similar to the Trojan stand but much lighter. I have a Makita LS1013 mounted to it and can load it easily by myself.
I have used the SawHelper stand but I don't think it's worth the money and it's kind of a PIA to move being that there is 4 pieces to it.
I have also used the Ryobi track stand (similar to the DeWalt) and found it to be fairly easy to set-up and use....but it's still two pieces and the saw connection is sometimes combersome.Trojan makes a different stand (TWC-27) that I have also used which clamps on to a length of 2x material to use as part of the base. This meant you could have supports out as far as your 2x is long. It was an alright system, yet a bit wobbly and also multiple pieces.While on the subject, I should also mention that I have a custom made mitersaw station that is an adaptation of the New Yankee plan. View Image It's mostly made from simple plywood and 2x material, extends to a total length of over 9' , and is custom fitted with handles, wheels and a (very handy) full extension drawer. The legs pull out of the bottom and can simply be carried on the shoulder while you wheel the saw and stand around. I used it on jobs for years before finally buying the HF stand. Now it is in my wood shop and I couldn't imagine anything working better.
DC
I only have to say, DON'T buy the delta stand with the gravity lift and wheels. My RE partner bought it for us to use a year ago. I put my Stablemate away and put my saw on this thing.
Every adjustment knob was ruined in about 3 months.
The height adjustment for the end supports NEVER worked very well (10 minutes a piece to get the right height)
The only thing I liked was the gravity lift worked well...for about 6 mos. Then it started falling without warning. Lots of fun while making a cut. That was the end of the love between me and this stand.
I got my stablemate back out and really like it. It is heavy for sure, and I suppose it doesn't really handle long stock, but I have 2 aux. roller stands that work well.
I am all about some portability. I think most folks don't like my stand, but it was $99, and works really well for me.
I am intrigued about the Rigid one for $99...
Favorite Chopsaw stand
My favorite chopsaw stand design is the Delta model 50-155. I had a 12" dewalt compound miter chopsaw on it and it worked great. Love how it supported the wood and could be set up perfectly level with the table every time you set it up. Love how the rollers can take a lot of weight and be moved into line with the fence weather your cutting 2x2's or 2x12's. I've owned used over a good period of time, the dewalt stand and a ridged stand but the model 50-155 is definately my favorite. I never needed or used the little anti tip foot supports and placed my saw so that when it was folded up, it would stand up perfectly. I did have trouble with some bolts wearing out that are used to lock the rollers at the correct height, but other then that, best stand ever.
Favorite Chopsaw stand
My favorite chopsaw stand design is the Delta model 50-155. I had a 12" dewalt compound miter chopsaw on it and it worked great. Love how it supported the wood and could be set up perfectly level with the table every time you set it up. Love how the rollers can take a lot of weight and be moved into line with the fence weather your cutting 2x2's or 2x12's. I've owned used over a good period of time, the dewalt stand and a ridged stand but the model 50-155 is definately my favorite. I never needed or used the little anti tip foot supports and placed my saw so that when it was folded up, it would stand up perfectly. I did have trouble with some bolts wearing out that are used to lock the rollers at the correct height, but other then that, best stand ever.
Favorite Chopsaw stand
My favorite chopsaw stand design is the Delta model 50-155. I had a 12" dewalt compound miter chopsaw on it and it worked great. Love how it supported the wood and could be set up perfectly level with the table every time you set it up. Love how the rollers can take a lot of weight and be moved into line with the fence weather your cutting 2x2's or 2x12's. I've owned used over a good period of time, the dewalt stand and a ridged stand but the model 50-155 is definately my favorite. I never needed or used the little anti tip foot supports and placed my saw so that when it was folded up, it would stand up perfectly. I did have trouble with some bolts wearing out that are used to lock the rollers at the correct height, but other then that, best stand ever.