Norm's miter saw station/workbench

Norm's miter saw station/workbench · 05-14-2008, 08:38 AM

Has anyone built this? I have both episodes dvr'd and have watched them several times and think it would be a nice addition to my shop. I don't have a RAS so I might have to leave off that part or maybe just build a place for it and have it ready in case I run across one real cheap.

Douglas Robinson · 05-14-2008, 09:22 AM

Barry:

I have not built it but I have the plans and dvd. Are you coming to the picnic? If so I'll bring it to lend to you.

Doug

BTW. I would lower the sectgion under the miter saw so that the miter saw base is level with the top of the bench. That way you do not have to build the extra arms that attach to the bench top and take up valuable space. Rather just put it T track in the top of the bench.

Doug

toolferone · 05-14-2008, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Douglas Robinson

Barry:
BTW. I would lower the sectgion under the miter saw so that the miter saw base is level with the top of the bench. That way you do not have to build the extra arms that attach to the bench top and take up valuable space. Rather just put it T track in the top of the bench.

Doug

I totally agree with this.

BarryC · 05-14-2008, 10:30 AM

Thanks Doug. That is close to one of the small changes I was going to make. It looks like his saw is up on a spacers to bring it up to the level of the support arms. I was going to leave it sitting flat and adjust the arms lower. However, I do like the idea of not having anything on the top so I will probably take your suggestion to recess the saw and add the t tracks.

I won't be able to make it to the picnic and do appreciate your offer to loan them to me.

Alan in Little Washington · 05-14-2008, 10:48 AM

If you have the space behind the saw, I recommend you consider a different approach. Put the saw on the bench or better yet, raise it up and mount it at the back of the bench. Use raised "shelves" on each side to support your boards.

I mounted a slider like that in my old, tiny shop and it worked great. The slider could slide back into a recess in the wall - I converted a window into a window box just for this purpose.

The main reason for doing this was I never had to clear off my bench top to cut boards on the mitersaw. If your benchtop is the surface you set the boards on when you are cutting, then you must leave it clear all the time. Two additional benefits of my raised shelf were that boards were closer to my eyes so it was easier to see pencil marks and I put drawers under the raised shelf which I built like a torsion box. If I get a chance I'll upload a pic from my old computer.

BarryC · 05-14-2008, 11:49 AM

Hey Alan I would like to see a pic of that set up if you could.

Douglas Robinson · 05-14-2008, 11:57 AM

Barry PM your address and I'll send it to you.

Doug

Bob Buchholz · 05-14-2008, 12:32 PM

I have built it, almost to exact specs (only added about 3 inches to the back to clear the brick sole in the shop). I do like the awesome amount of storage and the length on both sides comes in handy quite often. The supports are raised as suggested by Alan and it is nice that they are not conducive to clutter (which I have mastered in). It was the first thing I built in my new shop and if I ever build another shop, it would again be the first thing I build. Getting the RAS lined up for height and keeping it square was a task, but once it came together I put in a temporary cleat to screw everything down and it works pretty well. I did have to put on a regular 12" compound miter since my slide would not clear the wall and I really didn't want to open the wall (besides, I was able to explain to my wife why I REALLY needed another saw

).

It was a fun and rewarding project.
Good luck.

kota62 · 05-14-2008, 12:39 PM

This is my space limited variation of the theme
Didn't have much room to the right so I added a swing-out support to handle the longer boards, I have 9' to the left of the saw
Gary

BarryC · 05-14-2008, 01:21 PM

Nice job Gary. Does that left end get cluttered up with stuff you have to move out of the way? I imagine it would if it were in my shop. I have 8' and an 9' counters and a workbench that stay cluttered up. Almost everything I have done lately is on the big assembly table and I started running out of room on it yesterday.

kirkpj01 · 05-14-2008, 01:41 PM

Good Day Barry,

I built the thing although I had to modify it as my shop is not long enough to accommodate the whole thing. I ended up leaving off one of the banks of large drawers. Thus far I have enjoyed the thing. Gave me a lot of covered space to store stuff

.

kota62 · 05-14-2008, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by BarryC

Nice job Gary. Does that left end get cluttered up with stuff you have to move out of the way? I imagine it would if it were in my shop. I have 8' and an 9' counters and a workbench that stay cluttered up. Almost everything I have done lately is on the big assembly table and I started running out of room on it yesterday.

Hey Barry:
It does sometimes get cluttered, but i have the island (tablesaw Workbench area) as well as other benches... There is also the area behind the Miter Station fence that i can put smaller stuff to quickly clear the area...

Bigdog72 · 05-14-2008, 03:39 PM

I am planning on building the same bench only 14' long. I want the storage and the bench space. I enjoy seeing it cluttered, btw! I am going to make the fences removable (t nuts and threaded knobs) so that I can use the bench. I am also going to hide a lot of DC piping behind it.

TracyP · 05-14-2008, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Douglas Robinson

Barry PM your address and I'll send it to you.

Doug

Doug, if you want to save postage, I can pick it up at the picnic and get it to Barry. Just a thought.

Alan in Little Washington · 05-14-2008, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by BarryC

Hey Alan I would like to see a pic of that set up if you could.

Here is a pic of my old, tiny, workshop. My Sliding Compund Miter Saw station is set in a box where a window used to be and is raised up above the bench. I made it like a torsion box and installed little drawers in the openings. I had full use of the main surface of my workbench:

I bevelled the front edge of the shelf and attached a tape measure strip. I made a T-slot with a router and fashioned this cutoff stop:

Outside, behind my old cyclone, is the mitersaw window box before I insullated, sealed, and painted it:

Note to everyone- except for mounting T-track and a WoodPeckers or Kreg style cut-off stop, there is little need for extension fences behind your extension tables. In fact you are better off without them. If you do build them, mount your mitersaw so that its fence is 1/8" or more proud of the extension table fences- with totally aligned mitersaw and extension fences it is hard and can be dangerous to cut off warped boards if you try to hold them tight against the fence.