Just bought a Dewalt SCMS and that folding aluminum stand with extensions. It sets up great and folds small for storage, but I’m not completely sold on it. Saw something called a Sawhelper Ultrafence in the new FH mag. Anybody have one?
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I have had one for about 10 or 12 years. I am on my second saw with it, so that speaks more for it than the first saw. I have the eight foot and four foot extension tables. I can set up and tare down in under five minuets each. My SCMS had to be bolted to the stand because in the full rear position it is back heavey and wanted t flip out of the stand. I dropped a couple of bolts throught the plywood base and the frame, then used wing nuts for quick and easy assembly.
In short I like mine. I haven't looked at any of the other systems available these days, so you might want to shop a little more. There looks like there are a lot more systems out there than was twelve years ago. I haven't seen any of the new generation of saw helpers either. I hope they have improved on the machining of the parts. everything I have works as advertised, but the machine work won't win any beauty contest.
Dave
For the Dewalt SCMS and other 'back heavy' saws, it definitely makes a difference which stand you intend to mount it to, ie. tendency to tip over, or having to mount it so far forward that you lose a considerable amount of the support surface of the stand. I've used the Dewalt SCMS on the Trojan folding wheeled stand and it was pretty stable. 'Course THAT stand is about 300 smackers.
Ken Hill
The beauty of the saw helper is that you mount the saw on a piece plywood and just pop it in and out of the stand. It worked great on my old Ryobi saw, but the SCMS wants to flip over backwards. A couple of carriage bolts and wing nuts fixed it nicely.
One other thing I might mention about the Saw Helper is that the mounting brackets are mounted to the miter saw permanently. When the extension tables are attached to the saw, they self align with the fence on the saw. All you need to do then is level each extention table to the saw table with a straight edge. The fence on each extention will also get in the way of the upper fence adjustments on a compound saw. I just take off the upper saw fence when I know I am going to be making compound cuts.
Dave
I have a Sawhelper stand, too. Love it. Completely indestructable. What I like most are the CONTINUOUS EXTENSION WINGS--not sliding rollers/brackets, etc. You dont' have to move a support in the middle of cutting short/long pieces, AND you can use the wings to pull measurements. Good flip stops, great crown stops, measuring tape, etc., which is always right-on accurate.
As for tipping saws...I've screwed the wooden base to the stand with self-taping screws. Cut out a big hole in the center so I can get my hand through to secure the knob. That way, I dont' have to carry my saw around with a board attached to the bottom. I have two wingbolts that secure the saw to the base. They thread into inserts in the wooden base.
Gary
I got a saw helper stand a couple months ago so far it's great. I have the dewalt beast and have hah no tipping problems. I really like the continous table, nothing to slide around when changing from long to short stock.