Get more from your miter saw with a stand that handles everything.
by Richard Tendick
I went all-out on my stand, adding my favorite bells and whistles. The cost is about $500 without the saw or vacuum. That’s a lot of dough, but you can slash the cost to $210 by eliminating the commercial fence parts, using less expensive plywood with no edge-banding, dropping the drawers, doors and dust hood and doing without the tool-actuated switch.
Folding Wings
Cursor and Flip Stop
Removable Saw Platform
Dust-Collection Hood
On-Board Vacuum
Sturdy Casters
Multi-Position Fences
You can move the fences on this stand to three different positions, depending on the job. The fences are clamped to the stand’s tables by threaded knobs. A pair of steel locating pins pass through a support behind each fence and into a series of holes drilled into the stand’s top (see photo, below). This automatically indexes the fence to two of the three positions.
For most cuts, you can line up each of the extension fences with the saw’s fence.
For making cuts with no tear-out on the back side or for cutting very short pieces, you can move the extension fence forward to align with a zero-clearance fence.
When you make a compound miter cut, push the extension fences back so you can slide the saw’s fence to the left (see photo, below). It’s also a good idea to push the fences back for cutting slightly bent or crooked stock.
Make the Boxes, Cabinet and Wings
1. Measure your saw to determine the size of the stand’s well. If needed, adjust the sizes of the drawer boxes and cabinet in the Cutting List (page 76). Cut all the plywood pieces to size (Fig. D, below).
2. Cut 1/4-in. strips of solid wood to edge-band the sides of the boxes’ tops (B2). Glue on the banding.
3. Cut dados and rabbets in the parts for the boxes and cabinet (A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4) (Detail 2, below). Note that a drawer box’s top (B2) overhangs its sides (B1, Detail 1, page 74). This overhang provides clearance for the wing’s prop (B8) to fold against the cabinet’s side. Assemble the boxes and cabinet. Glue and screw the spacers (B5) to the boxes. The spacers bring the inside of the drawer box flush to the face frame, which will be attached later.
4. Glue the double-thickness wings (B7). Lay the parts on your tablesaw’s top and weight them with cinder blocks to apply clamping pressure. Trim the wings to final size.
5. Cut strips to band the wings, doors (D), drawer faces (C4), saw platform (E1), shelf (A5), dust-hood sides (F1) and dust-hood top (F2). Glue on the banding.
6. Cut out the wing props (B8, Fig. B, below). Glue material to make the hinge spacers (B6). Cut them to final size and glue and screw them to the boxes.
7. Cut the continuous hinge into four 14-in. lengths. Place the boxes upside down on a flat surface. Attach the wings to the hinge spacers flush with the back of the boxes.
8. Screw the upper boxes to the cabinet.
9. Drill holes in the back of the vacuum-cleaner storage area for the vacuum hose and the power strip cord. Drill a hole in the well for the saw’s power cord.
10. Attach the casters to blocks (A6). Screw and glue the blocks to the cabinet.
Make the Face Frame
11. Cut solid-wood strips (G1 through G5) for the face frame. Assemble the face frame with pocket screws, dowels or biscuits.
12. Glue the face frame to the box and cabinet assembly. Install the glue blocks (G6) behind the wing covers (G1).
Add the Wing Props
13. Clamp the wings so they’re level with the boxes’ tops. Attach the props to the cabinet so there is about 1/2 in. of clearance between the prop’s top and the wing’s bottom.
14. Measure the gap between the prop and the wing (Measurement “A,” Detail 3, below). Make a ramp-shaped prop stop (B9) to fit each side. Attach the stops.
Make the Dust Hood and Drawers
15. Cut rabbets on the drawer sides (C2) and dust-hood sides (F1). Assemble the dust hood.
16. Cut two brackets (H20) from aluminum angle stock. Drill holes in both brackets. Use a hacksaw to cut a notch in the left-hand bracket (Fig. C, below). This notch allows the hood to rotate outwardly for cleaning. Attach the brackets to the dust hood. Place the dust hood in position and mark holes for the hanger bolts on the drawer boxes’ tops. Drill holes and insert hanger bolts (H15).
17. Assemble the drawers. Attach the drawer guides to the drawers and boxes (H3).
Mount the Platform and Saw
18. Use a dado set to cut notches in the platform’s sides for the index blocks (E4) and power cord.
19. Place the platform on top of the cabinet. (Note: The platform is 1/4 in. shorter than the space between the drawer boxes. This space is necessary for easy removal of the platform and saw.) Place your miter saw on the platform. Measure the distance between the saw’s table and the box’s top. Plane or rip the two height spacers (E2, E3) so each one’s thickness equals this distance. Place the spacers under the saw platform. Adjust each spacer’s thickness by removing more wood or adding paper shims until the saw’s table is exactly level with the boxes. Remove the saw and attach the spacers to the cabinet. Replace the saw platform.
20. Center the platform in the well. Cut index blocks (E4) to tightly fit the platform’s notches. Bevel the block’s tops to make it easier to install the platform. Screw the blocks to the spacers with the platform in place. Place the saw square on the platform and attach it.
Make and Install the Fences
21. Cut slots on the box and wing fence bases (E7, E8) by drilling 1/4-in. holes at the end of each slot and routing between the holes (Detail 4, page 74). Cut notches on the box fence bases (E7) to accommodate the dust hood’s brackets. Cut #20 biscuit slots in the bases (E7, E8) and the fence faces (E5, E6) and glue the fences together. Make sure each face is square to its base.
22. Cut the Kreg Top Trak to the length of each fence. Drill holes in the back of the Top Trak and attach the pieces to the top of the fence faces with the screws provided.
23. Clamp a 3/4-in.-thick sacrificial board to the saw’s fence and place a 3-ft. straightedge against it. Slide the box fence against the straightedge. Drill 1/4-in.-dia. holes into the top of the box at the slots’ rear. Remove the fence and redrill the holes to 5/16 in. dia. Install T-nuts in the holes.
24. Cut two pieces from a 1/4-in.-20 all-thread rod. They should be long enough to leave 1-1/2-in. of thread sticking out of the knobs (H13). Glue the rods into the knobs with epoxy or other adhesive. Reposition the box fence against the straightedge and fasten it with the knobs.
25. Raise the wings and support them with the props. Align the wing and box fences with a straightedge. Drill holes into the wing at the rear of the slots and repeat the installation procedure for the T-nuts (see Step 23). Cut two new all-thread pieces so 2-1/4 in. sticks out of the knobs. Glue the rods into the knobs. Clamp the fence in place using the knobs. Repeat for the other wing.
26. With all the fences clamped even with the sacrificial board, drill 1/4-in. holes for locating pins (H11), which index the fences (see “Multi-Position Fences,” page 75). Drill the holes all the way through the fence and at least 1 in. into the boxes and wings.
27. Remove the sacrificial board and reposition all the wooden fences so they’re even with the saw’s fence. Use the knobs to clamp the fences in place. Drill through the locating-pin holes into the boxes and wings. Install the locating pins.
Add the Doors
28. The doors are full-overlay style. Attach the door hinges to the cabinet and doors. Install the door pulls and magnetic catches.
29. Attach the drawer faces to the drawer boxes.
30. Sand and finish.
This story originally appeared in American Woodworker July 2006, issue #122.
Source information may have changed since the original publication date.
Sources
Kreg, (800) 447-8638, www.kregtools.com
MSC, (800) 645-7270, www.mscdirect.com
Rockler, (800) 279-4441, www.rockler.com
Sears, (800) 377-7414, www.sears.com/tools
July 2006, issue #122
Purchase this back issue.