Roller stands... Your suggestions.

[Rick Markham]

I'm in the Market to purchase 3 Rollerstands, I wanted Y'alls input on which ones to get. I don't particularly wish to spend $100 on each one, but I want ones that will work well for many years. I was hoping y'all would share your experiences (even if they are with the super pricey ones)

[Neil Brooks]

I picked up ONE of these, at a garage sale.



I love it. Bulletproof. Rock steady. Love the ball-bearing (any direction) feature, too.

I'll eventually get a few more.

[Norman Hitt]

I have never really liked roller stands for several reasons, (just personal preference I guess), but I really like the Rigid stand that has the flat laminate covered plywood plate across the top that is hinged Off Center so the leading edge (toward the machine tool) droops. When the workpiece touches it, the workpiece then just rides up on it and it levels out and the piece slides easily on across without the stand trying to redirection the workpiece either left or right like a roller does if it is not exactly perpendicular to the workpiece's direction of travel. The height of the stand is not as critical either. the stand is also heavy enough that it is more stable than many of the roller stands. It's been a while since I priced them, but regular price, IIRC, was about $40 +/- a couple of bucks. I don't own any yet, but I have used them at a friends shop, and immediately put them on my future buy list. They do go on sale from time to time at HD. I would suggest you take a look at them and make your own decision, but they are good quality and should last a lifetime.
PS; Workpieces don't tend to roll off them when you turn your back either.

[Rick Markham]

Norman, I actually have one of those, and liked it. Unfortunately it isn't suited for what I need it for. I guess I should clarify so that everyone can help with my particular situation.

I am looking for two roller stands so I can pass a planer sled 6' and workpiece through my lunchbox planer. So It needs to be set at a height and not droop like the rigid platform does. It also needs to be able to support a considerable amount of weight and be free rolling. The third one will be set next to the planer so I can pass the sled from the outfeed back to the infeed (by myself) without lifting the whole dang thing.

[Cary Falk]

I don't like the standard roller stands(the ones with the single roller) because if you don't get them square with the work piece they tend to influence the direction of the piece. I would go with the ones with the type pictured on Neil's picture. They don't work great for the table saw where you may have small pieces, but should work fine for your application.

[Norman Hitt]

Hmmm,.... maybe you need one or two of these, or something like them. Several places sell similar items. Might only need one, (if you walk fast) from the infeed side to the outfeed side when the sled is about halfway through?



http://www.harborfreight.com/materia...-conveyor.html

[Scott T Smith]

Rick, I had a few of the single roller stand-alone stands, and they were a pain. Very lightweight, they were always getting knocked over or falling over if a rough sawn board traveled across them.

I later acquired two of the heavy duty extendable roller stands (from Woodcraft - here is the link: http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...ler-Stand.aspx). These things expand and contract like an accordian, and were much better. My only complaint about them was that it was a real pain to adjust the height.

Now I use industrial metal roller conveyors that I picked up at an auction, added some roller wheels at the bottom of the stand, and they work well. Not easily adjustable though.

[David Nelson1]

I opted for these stands. They work quite well. beside the roller and ball bearing it also has a flat bar to steady work.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...6&blockType=G6

[Jim McFarland]

I like this one from Lee Valley:

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...240,41060&ap=1

[glenn bradley]

+1 on the Lee Valley. I have two like the Sears one shown by David. Got 'em on sale for $15 each. They do not have levelers but a $1 shim-pak takes care of that (5 years later I am still on my first shim-pak). The rollers that dent heavier materials (and cause finishing grief later on) wouldn't be an issue as you are using a sled.

I swapped roller balls for better ones but still got "trails" on heavier material due to the focused weight point at the tip of the balls I assume. Anyway I switched to casters and that has worked well for both applications, sleds and material. By the time I got the casters and fooled with the modification . . . if I did it again, I would just buy the Lee Valley ones. The third one could be any old "on sale" roller stand for your return.

[Callan Campbell]

Went with the Rockler Flip Top stand. It has both the single roller, and a set of roller balls.
Basically it's Neil Brooks' stand with both options built-in. Your choice on what you need to use. It also has one feature no one else seems to talk much about with stands. The ability to adjust each leg for an uneven floor. Each of the feet has a "cam" or eccentric footing by way of the rubber or plastic caps at the end of the tubes. You simply rotate the offending rattling foot until you've moved any gap to the floor up tight. With a heavily sloped floor like my basement shop has, this is great since no matter where I put the stand to use it, I can adjust for pretty much anything, even level out the top of the stand with regards to the limit of the 'cam' or eccentrics foot movement.
They're not that cheap, but Rockler has slashed the price a few times so it's lower at times during the year when on sale than what I paid for mine. They're heavy steel, so they stay put, and I've never knocked mine over. Which I can't say for my other, lighter stands.
Link is here:http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...%20TOP%20STAND
Doesn't sound like it's in the budget you mentioned, but maybe have a look at one anyway

[Dave Gaul]

I opted for these stands. They work quite well. beside the roller and ball bearing it also has a flat bar to steady work.

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...6&blockType=G6

I have this one, and it works for me. I like the look of the Lee Valley one though.

Just got this email though, worth checking out Rick...

http://www.ptreeusa.com/edirect_101210.htm

[Loren Hedahl]

I have a couple of roller stands and a Home Depot stand. About the only time I use the rollers is for sliding plywood off the pickup onto my cutting stand.

As for the complaint that the HD stand top, per design flips slightly as the stock passes over it, that function can be eliminated by positioning the included pin in a different hole. That is how I set it up for planing with a lunch box planer.

I also like the sliding action of the wood on the slippery plastic top better than the rolling action of the roller stands.

If anyone locally had some HD stands they wanted to trade for roller stands, I'd be first in line!

[Kent A Bathurst]

I got some of these, and made/make my own as needed.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg...N=0&sst=subset

[Ruhi Arslan]

I'm in the Market to purchase 3 Rollerstands, I wanted Y'alls input on which ones to get. I don't particularly wish to spend $100 on each one, but I want ones that will work well for many years. I was hoping y'all would share your experiences (even if they are with the super pricey ones)

How about $50 on each then? 2-in-1 stands are 50% off at PeachTree. I have one, getting another one now.

http://ptreeusa.addr2.com/url/792246/5c06c79/

P.S. I didn't realize Dave already posted the link for the sale from PT. I got two more. I like the fact that I can fine tune the height adjustment by loosing the lower knob slowly. Column supporting the roller is angled in a way that the lower knob determines how far it will slide down. I also like the cam adjusted leveling feet on each four corners of the legs. I paid full price for the first one but used it in many situations. Felt the need for more of them so ordered two more today.