Portable SCMS Stand

[Greg Hampton]

Hey everyone,

After a bunch of research, I just purchased a Bosch 12" SCMS. It's my first and I'm pumped.

Looking forward to using it in the shop for, oh.. everything.. :o but I'm going to break it in with some framing. I know, kind of a sad start for such a sweet tool, but I need to knock out this project.

I need a stand that is a temp / portable, yet somewhat sturdy and accurate. Asking to much ? :rolleyes:.

I'll be building a "station" for it in the shop down the road, but again, for now, just some temp setup.

I'd like to just set the stand on saw horses but I need some good size wings for some 9 foot 2x4's. I want to be able to use a stop, but I don't need anything elaborate for now. I'll probably just use a clamp and a block.

I've already searched this site / forum as well as the rest of the Net and not having luck finding what I'm looking for. I can wing it if need be but I thought I'd throw this around see what you all come up with.

As always, your help / thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks !

[Matt Meiser]

Ridgid MS-UV. Not sure what the current price was, but I picked mine up when they were on sale for $99. My only "complaint" is that I have to figure out a new way to do my dust collection since there's no way to mount what I had before and make it easily movable.

[Tim Thomas]

I also picked up one of the Ridgid MSUV units for $99 from Home Depot, and I am also quite happy with it. I think it will do everything you described, plus it has very large wheels which make it easy to move inside and outside, up and down stairs, etc. This makes it great for home improvement use as well as woodworking use. I got a great deal on mine, but I think it is still a good buy even at the full $180 asking price.

I will note that I just have a 10 inch compound miter saw on mine, not a big sliding 12 incher. But the MSUV does appear to me to be sturdy enough for a big saw like that.

[Prashun Patel]

If I were you I'd make a 2x4x96" 'ladder' and rest that on your sawhorses. Mount your saw in the middle of the ladder and then add ripped sections of 2x4's as blocks on top of the ladder to match the height of the saw's deck.

Cheap, easy, and when you're done, you can use the parts for the last part of your frame!!!

Truth be told, I do a lot of my on-site miter work with the saw on the floor.

[Chris Weishaar]

Greg,

I ended up with the Bosch stand and I am very pleased. It is very sturdy and has great extensions on each side which will help for framing work. I admit, I use mine for the same purpose. The only downside that I saw when looking at the Bosch stand is it is heavier than most stands. Given the weight of the Bosch SCMS I wasn't too concerned about an extra couple of pounds, it already weighs a ton!

Chris

[Greg Hampton]

Thanks everyone.

I'm sorry. I should have added that the stand I'm in need of / searching for is one that I can build.

The 2x4x96 ladder sounds like a good start.

Does anyone else have any suggestions and/or links to a plan ?

Thanks again !

[Prashun Patel]

In fact, some CMS's have 1.5" notches in the base to accomodate a 2x4 base.

[Bill White]

I used an 8' extension ladder with small wooden "platforms" as workpiece supports. Worked really well, and I still have the ladder. Just set it on saw horses.
The Ryobi is heavy, but my MS is an older cast iron Delta 10". That beast won't quit. (Watch now that I have said that....)
Bill in Mississippi

[Mike Heidrick]

I own the Ridgid MSUV ($99 deal) and the Bosch T4B. The Bosch is much nicer than the MSUV but 3X the cost. Even regular it is almost 2X. Want the best of teh two get the Bosch. Want almost as good and 1/2 the price - get the Ridgid.

Dewalt may have a new one coming out as well if you do not want gravity rise styled.

[Per Swenson]

I dunno,

5 ten foot 2 x4 s, sheet a plywood, your all ready close to 50 bucks.

99 dollar ridgid (I own two) looks better and better.

And sure you can mount your saw in the shop, but that day will come when you need that saw somewhere else...

Unbolt it from the shop set up, save another 50 bucks in wood and bolt it
to the suv folded up in the corner.

Just sayin.

Per

[Mike Heidrick]

The MSUV Ridgid makes a great protable work surface/workbench when the saw is not on it as well. When I built teh picnic table I had the Bosch out with the SCMS saw on it and the Ridgid held my pieces that I needed to cut. Worked well.

[Dave Norris]

I made 3 torsion boxes for my stand all about 6 feet long (which is exactly the length that fits in my truck). One is about 20 inches wide and serves as the base that the saw sits on. The saw sits in the middle, and that leaves roughly two feet on each side. Then I made the other two torsion boxes about eight inches wide and the same height as the saw. I predilled holes in the base for some long bolts with wing nuts and in the bottoms of the extension wings so I could bolt them together. I also made the tops and bottoms of the wings wider than the cross pieces so there would be about a one inch lip all around. On the bottom of the wings the lip is where the bolts go through to hold to the base, and on the top I use the lip to clamp a stop down. I used some scrap slivers of oak for a support under each wing. I put bolts into the ends of the wings to screw the support fast, and there is a bolt in the foot of each support so I can adjust to the terrain. I made the supports long enough that I can adjust them so they are slightly higher than the saw. I don’t fight gravity that way. Altogether I have about 14 feet of horizontal work area. Not very scientific, but it works really well, and I can put it up and take it down in 6 or 7 minutes. It’s not real heavy either.

[John Eaton]

The NYW plan is pretty good - the platforms on either side are raised to be level with the table. There's also a ton of storage space underneath (all drawers). You could start by building the top and supporting it temporarily until you build the cabinet beneath. This plan can also be modified to support a RAS down the road (if you're so inclined).

-- John

[Lance Norris]

Do you have a Black&Decker Workmate? I have my Dewalt bolted to a piece of plywood with maple cleats on the bottom of the ply and I just clamp the board with the mitersaw into the workmate. Then all you need are a couple sawhorses for your end extensions and you are done.

[Greg Hampton]

Hey everyone,

Just wanted to chime in at this point and say thanks to all of you for your thoughts / input / suggestions thus far.

I should add some more info so those of you suggesting purchasing a stand will understand why it is I'm wanting to build it.

The saw I purchased is the Bosch 12" SCMS dual bevel, yada yada. It's awesome. I also bought a sweet blade for it at the same time. The total came to about $ 850 once Uncle Sam got his cut.

So, although I may purchase a stand down the road, I'd like to just build something cheap for now that will work.

I'm thankful and feel real fortunate to be able to purchase and to now own such such an awsome saw / tool. I've got a pretty sweet General table saw that cost a pretty good chunk of money, yet this Miter Saw cost just bit more.

Anyway, I'm sure all of you without money tree's can relate that buying another tool / accessory at this point in time just woudnt feel that good. Like I said, I just wanta be thankful I could get this and just purchase nothing but wood and supplies for awhile. I understand you can get a stand for a hundred bucks but I've got some 2x4's laying around, some scrap hardwood, plywood.. etc.

As I mentioned earlier, I look forward to building a nice station / stand in my shop and putting this tool to work in there in the near future, but for now I just need a stand that'll work for cutting 9' 2x4's. I also want to be able to move it around easily in my basement. I won't be taking it outside the house.

Again, thanks to everyone whom have replied. If anyone has any other suggestions, plans, pictures of your own, others etc, that would be great. If not, no biggy and I'll wing it.

Regardless if I go with something from a suggestion, or my own design, I'll take some pictures and post them so you see what I ended up with.

Thanks !

GH

[Greg Hampton]

I wanted to add that I now realize I should have entered a subject of "Custom Miter Saw Stand".

Hope that helps.

Looking forward to replies.

Thanks

[Wayne Cannon]

The Trojan MS-2000 stand is the handiest I've seen or used if you expect to use it enough to justify the expense. It has long telescoping extension wings, easily adjustable cutoff stops, and it collapses and rolls with the saw still mounted much more nicely than its competition.
(http://www.amazon.com/Trojan-MS-2000-Miter-Saw-Stand/dp/B0000224RH/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1219897721&sr=1-15)

On the other hand, the simple and flexible Trojan model TWC-27 based on a 2x6 was the preferred miter saw stand in a recent review.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41eCo9N0agL._SL500_AA280_.jpg http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/713V3MTYV0L._AA280_.gif
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51g7blVGfGL._AA280_.jpg

[Greg Hampton]

Thanks.

And thanks again to everyone else for all the help.

Like I said, I'll post pictures of what I come up with.

Take care

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Probably the cheapest way to make a very good CMS station is to use an old hollow core door.

Even though I have two Craftsman portable MS stands, whenever I start a rehab, I always seem to have an old HC door (or two or a half dozen) that need replaced. I always start the job by taking one down, stripping the hardware and use it (them) as temporary work surfaces/tool stands.

For my semi-permanent CMS stations wings, I'm going to use a pair of old HC doors. One just came from the half bath's doorway I'm in the process of redoing. I replaced the old Luan HC door with an oak door.

LOL!
See how this all works? One thing leads to (feeds?) another, which leads to another, etc. What you do is scope out the doors in the house and target them for an "upgrade". Naturally, as part of the "upgrade", you'll need to add some more tools. ;)
Taking out the old doors = you need a good recip saw. Maybe a nice cordless one that comes in a set with a cordless drill/driver. Then to install the new pre-hung door, you'll need a compressor and a good finishing nailer.
Let's not forget the trim! Once you put in a nice new oak door, you'll need to trim it out. For that you'll need a router & router table to make some nice custom trim. Oh - and a planer too! Or a jointer, so you can mill down the 3/4" stock you use for the trim. And a HVLP spray setup to finish the door/trim.
And so on, and so on, :D

Ok - I'm only half kidding. Thankfully, the rehabs we (my wife and I) run, allow me to purchase and write off/pack in the costs of the tools I need.

BTW - Welcome to SMC.
I was in your position (had money ;)) about 20 months ago. Then I stumbled across this band of thieves here ;).

You mentioned a framing project. You do know how much easier a framing nailer will make that go. Heck, you already have the compressor for it from the door upgrade you didn't know you were doing! ;)

[Justin Leiwig]

shopnotes #11 has an issue with a portable setup for the saw. It has wings that unbolt and store inside the base and also a fence that you can mount stop blocks to and anything else. I have a copy here if you need it. I plan on evenutally building it along with a pair of wood ladders to make legs.

[Greg Hampton]

Rich: Thnx ! :) I appreciate the ideas and the info. Not to mention the entertainment I got from your post. Good stuff !

And thanks to you as well Justin for the point me to the Shop Notes issue.

I'm gonna get after this weekend and we'll see what happens.

Thnx !

[glenn bradley]

Thanks everyone.

I'm sorry. I should have added that the stand I'm in need of / searching for is one that I can build.

Unless you will really enjoy building it, buy it. It will cost about the same before you're done.

[Harry Hagan]

Head-to-head review of several available stands.

http://www.deckmagazine.com/pdf/2009/0903/0903mite.pdf