PORTABLE BANDSAW STAND

PORTABLE BANDSAW STAND · 09-03-2009, 09:41 AM

Well, I ai'nt dead yet. That's a quote, if you question the spellilng. Been spending time with the guys that cut metal and decided that using an angle grinder to cut metal with, what with all the sparks and all, was too much of a PITA, so got myself a nifty HF portable bandsaw, and made a quicky stand for it. The stand want together nicely, and much faster than I'd anticipated, and now I can cut metal inside, with no sparks to set my shop on fire. Just an abundance of tiny little metal bits to sweep up later. This is not really a how to, it's how 'I' did it.

I made a 12"X12" base from two layers of 1/2" plywood - this will go on my take-apart workbench. I set the bandsaw on end on the base, to determine where I wanted it. The plywood block is for the saw to rest on, and raise it slightly so I can take the back on and off for changing blades.

What tha? This is the second photo, but it is now ahead of the first one. May have to make separate posts. Anyway, I cut an 'arm' that goes under the top handle, and for now is clamped to the piece of 4X4 that will be the column. Nothing glued yet, but it's steady enough to stand by itself.

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OK, let's try it this way. The third picture is still just clamped, but turned.

I do not know how this got there, it belongs two pictures lower.
Vi

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Much better. This is the column glued where I want it, and another block, further over for the saw to sit on.

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View 5. OK, still screwy things happening. Somehow got this one here, and above the other picture too. This is the arm that goes under the top handle and will be bolted to the column.

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OK. Let's see if I can only get one copy of picture 6. Ah. This is the back of the column, I had to add a spacer because the bolts were a bit long.

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Picture 7. And the view from the other side. I had one wingnut, but all the store had were nylon. If you look very closely at the base of the saw you can just barely see where I glued a block atop the base it sits on, because it had a tendency to shift just about 1/4" every once in awhile. The block will cure that.

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And finally, the table for it. Actually this is what the table will look like. I'll trace the pattern onto plywood, cut it out, glue that on to more plywood, rout that out. I'll be drilling 3-4 holes in the blade guide, just visible in the slot in the pattern, then screw that to the table, and screw the guide back on the saw. But I figure if you can't figure out how to do that part on your own without more pictures, you're beyond help.

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The stand is very steady, and I should be able to use the whole thing as a standalone, not just affixed to the top of my take-apart bench. The saw is variable speed, has a small wheel on the trigger to change speed. And, yes, it can be used for cutting wood, not just metal. It's got a trigger lock, and I found out you can change speed while the trigger is locked on. I'll be leaving it locked on because I got a foot control switch from HF for around $10, and it works like a charm.

If I hadn't refound that chunk of 4X4 I would have either laminated a column from bent plywood, sort of artsy, or made a hollow column same as I did with the bench. I had to buy bolts, because all I had on hand were just a tad too short. And the wingnut of course, had washers.

Ah yes, almost forgot, it's just right for sitting at the take-apart bench and working with it. That's more accident than on purpose, but still nice.

JOAT · 09-04-2009, 12:23 PM

Because the table came out different than planned, I thought I'd best post it also. The top of the piece I cut was much worse than I thought, so it is now in between the two pieces. That's excess glue running down, and the view the bottom of the table. I may paint the whole think yellow later.

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froglips · 09-04-2009, 12:50 PM

Neat idea! Thanks for sharing.

Removes a few more of my "excuses" for not getting a portable bandsaw

Jim

JOAT · 09-04-2009, 01:16 PM

I wish I'd got mine long ago, works like a charm, and it not very noisy. And NO sparks. Love that part. Before you use one tho, this has some good info, on any portable badsaw. http://www.shopfloortalk.com/forums/...ead.php?t=6214 On mine, the bearings were in place, but grease was quite lacking - and I would take it for a given that any other brand would be about the same; after all, they're probably all made in the same factory in China now. I greased everything that even looked like it could move. Definitely get some good bi-metal blades, I got a 3 pack at HF. I didn't even try the factory blade, but everyone seems to agree that they're bad news, sometimes breaking almost immediately. I will be putting the back on the saw before I use it. I got the variable speed model, and am happy.

RandyJ · 09-04-2009, 03:44 PM

Thanks for the How-To and the link, Theo. That's a great idea!

JOAT · 09-04-2009, 07:47 PM

No prob. I did a lot of research and all the stands I found were metal. Well, I don't have the metal, wasn't about to set up outside the shop and cut with the angle grinder with all the sparks anyhow, and my sons haven't let me see my welder in years anyway. But I've got wood. Printed out a couple of dozen pictures of different stands for guidelines. Then set my saw up on end and immediately saw how simple it would be, didn't even look at the pictures. Here is the first cut made with the new saw, before I started the stand. Fantastic, and not spark one. Could have done it with a hacksaw, but my joints wouldn't have liked that anymore, in fact the joints weren't thrilled with using the angle grinder either.

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The cut could have been straighter, but I was standing up, and had the angle turned away from me. Turning the angle toward me would have made it much easier to see where the cut was going. I'm still very happy, because it was a rough cut anyway.

JOAT · 09-07-2009, 01:05 AM

Was going to drill the holes in the blade guide to fasten the top on. And coldn't find my drillpress chuck key. Wound up buying one, then couldn't find my center punch. So drilled a hole thru the column so I could reach the last screw that holds the back on. You can also see I glued on a few more glue blocks, more than needed, to keep the saw from shifting - I didn't have a whole lot to do today.

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The piece of wood is to show where the hole is, the flash pretty much made the hole vanish in pictures.

JOAT · 09-08-2009, 08:50 PM

Done. Holes drilled, top screwed on, blade guide screwed back in place. Just need to replace that back now. Nicely sturdy. Will now be able to proceed with a metal project I've been working on. And if it eventually doesn't work out, it will make a fancy coffee cup holder.

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