So the boss was talking about building a bench top for our 12″ SCMS to sit on with a pair of saw horses that had drawers on either side (much like Dave45’s) and some sliding work support extensions. Been meaning to try out Google SketchUp and had an off day today so, here is the initial idea. It’s a bit crude since it’s my first attempt with SketchUp.
Originally I had planned on using 3/4″ ply and poplar or pine, but I think I can safely reduce the thickness of the ply and some of the other parts to 1/2″ to save on weight without risking sag in the center. Comments are welcome. If you have SketchUp the last one is the original SKB file.
Jimmy W.
Edit: Forgot to mention I didn’t build up the drawers and not all the dimensions are final.
Edited 11/29/2007 10:32 pm by jw0329
Replies
looks pretty good. one suggestion to take into consideration is some side supports that can slide in and out.
They are there, just didn't draw them extended all the way. Here's another pic to show them extended.Jimmy W.
Those extensions look good on paper, but may be something of a problem in real life. Like a drawer, they will want to drop a little when they're extended and the further they're extended, the more they'll drop.
Also, the "arms" you've drawn look pretty undersized for anything larger than trim or moldings.
Not trying to toot my own horn too much, but I'm liking my setup more every day. Over the past couple of weeks, I've been cutting 10' lengths of 6/4 and 8/4 stock and it's been rock solid.
Yeah, I thought of that too. I dont really think I would actually extend them that far out, otherwise it would probably have to be built with metal rods and some bushings, much like the sliders on a SCMS. Honestly, I think it will be too heavy and bulky to be really useful, but I wanted to give SketchUp a try and figured it would be a good project to work out.
On a side note, what do you keep in your drawers? I have a Delluth blade bag that has all my blades and wrenches for my table saw and miter saw and don't think I'd use the drawers for much else. Just more weight to add really.Jimmy W.
At the moment, there's almost nothing in the drawers. If I think about it, I put the stop block and clamp in a drawer, but they usually just stay clamped on until I need to move them. When/If I ever take this thing to a jobsite, the drawers will hold the "stuff" that comes in handy at a cutting station (tapes, pencils, squares, etc.)
I'm using one of the drawers to store my web clamps but I'll probably move them. I've just built these roll-around stands for some of the bench top tools I frequently use. I'm something of a drawer freak so everything I make usually has at least one. I almost cringe from the pain of seeing a stand with a lot of dead space under it. - lol
I'm also working on a plan for a "hood" around the SCMS that I can hook up to the DC. I gotta do something to contain that spray of sawdust that "poofs" into the air with every cut. - lol
I know what you mean about the storage. Every time I build a cabinet or stand for my tools I try and incorporate as many ways to keep it organized as I can. Working on a cabinet that will sit in the back of my Xterra to keep everything organized and from sliding around. I wanted some drawers, but I just don't have the height from the floor to the roof. I'll probably post some of those pics when I've got it finished.Jimmy W.
Get yourself a Sawhelper setup and start cutting wood. You will never regret the expense.
I would if I wanted to spend the money but it's not my money to spend. We work in alot of small apartments that don't really have the room for it and as a result we also don't always need to cut long stock. As I've said before, this is just an initial design that I did trying out SketchUp for the first time. Nothings concrete and I may not evern build it due to how much the thing's gonna weigh.Jimmy W.
Go to the New Yankee Workshop and see if the one Norm Abrams designed is still available (plans).It has some similarities to yours. I built one and use it in my shop for a small old Freud slider.Unbolt the saw, lay the assembled table over, the two a-frame leg assemblies come out of their sockets, and in three pieces, the thing becomes reasonably portable.Here is a link to a pic. Mine looks just like Norm's. The wings that you see extending beyond the table ends fold out, and slider "braces" telescope out from under the fencerail subassemblies.One thing I really like it its working height.Telescopic. Sound familiar?http://www.newyankee.com/photos/9809.jpg
"I may not evern build it due to how much the thing's gonna weigh."Make it out of magnesium and fill the drawers with helium.
What you going to put in those drawers? I think they'd end just being junk collectors but if you're going to have to pull them every time you move the stand they might get cleaned more often. Are they and the hastle they will be really necessary?
That was my thougt as well.
Your extension arms are going to bump into each other when you push the extensions back into the base.
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No, they are set next to each other. If you look at the exploded view of the end there are three slides and they are all the length of the entire base. The first one is screwed in place to hold the other two tight to the front. They will slide next to each other. The only problem with this design is that you can not extend their ends past each other, otherwise they won't be held tight any more. This really isn't a problem since I'm not planning on extending them that far.Jimmy W.
DaView Imageve45 has a wicked setup that clips on to a DeWalt stand.
Gord
I know, I wrote in the initial post his saw is what inspired this design.Jimmy W.
Missed that in your original post. What I was attempting to say, was the stand you have spent some time designing, is similar to one I lugged around for 10 years. Two shelves, with a dropped center section, I've tried drawers but they only added to the weight and occasionally emptied in the truck. I added an extension wing on door hinges (slip out the bolts to detatch) with a swing out leg underneath the wing. The rod extensions you are considering will not hold any considerable weight and will soon become a nuisance.
I switched to metal portable stands in 2000 and have not looked back, they are solid and convinient. Dave45 has taken the portable a step further, but his design would not suit my needs at the present.
Gord
jw,
I cant send you a pic right now, but I have built an 8' table using an I-joist that was sized perfectly for my 10" DEWALT.
The joist is very solid even laying flat, extremely straight, so I cut blocks to the right height including 3/8" ply, Kregged them to the joist. (I did plane all the business surfaces of the joist first).
No drawers, because I am in and out of small jobsites and I need to be efficient in setup time as I am rarely able to set up a camp.