Anyone Ever Built The FWW Miter Saw Station?

[Julie Moriarty]

I'm making my second and last mobile miter saw cabinet with drop down wings. In my research I ran across a sliding extension that is incorporated into the wings. It was featured in FWW #209 back in 2010.


For anyone who has built a version of this I have some questions:

1. Can the width of the extensions be reduced? In the above version the horizontal piece of plywood on the extension is about 6" wide. Add the fence and the guide and that extends to 7-1/2". I'd like to cut that back by 2" or so to reduce the bulk.
2. With the extensions, are there any issues that affect the accuracy of the measuring tape incorporated into the Kreg extrusions?
3. Would it be more practical to build just one extension rather than two? Considering the fact you don't add cutting stop capacity with the second extension, it seems the second is redundant.

Thanks

For anyone interested, here's a LINK to a similar version in SketchUp.

[richard poitras]

Looks like an interesting design.

[Brad Leupen]

I built it. It works great except for the vacuum-based dust collection, which might gather 30-40% of the dust. You really need that second extension to support long off cuts. Here’s a 10 foot cherry board I cut down on mine this week.

80CD7506-F376-41C4-A22B-453103EA4B59.jpg

[Mike Cutler]

Julie

I built an earlier model that was featured in FWW, but basically the same. Mine doesn't have that sliding extension function on the wings.

I'm making my second and last mobile miter saw cabinet with drop down wings. In my research I ran across a sliding extension that is incorporated into the wings. It was featured in FWW #209 back in 2010.


For anyone who has built a version of this I have some questions:

1. Can the width of the extensions be reduced? In the above version the horizontal piece of plywood on the extension is about 6" wide. Add the fence and the guide and that extends to 7-1/2". I'd like to cut that back by 2" or so to reduce the bulk.
   
   You can make the wings any dimension that suits your need.
2. With the extensions, are there any issues that affect the accuracy of the measuring tape incorporated into the Kreg extrusions?
   
   The miter saw is bolted into a fixed position so it doesn't move. The only parts that could effect "accuracy, would be the hinges. Stop blocks are used in the track for repeatability. In that particular version that sliding extension could effect accuracy.
3. Would it be more practical to build just one extension rather than two? Considering the fact you don't add cutting stop capacity with the second extension, it seems the second is redundant.
   
   The second wing is very useful if you have the space. It allows me to support long pieces of material and I can index the cut from either side of the blade.

Thanks

For anyone interested, here's a LINK to a similar version in SketchUp.

[Julie Moriarty]

Mike and Brad, thanks for the replies. I was trying to figure out just how effective the wing extensions were and after I made the original post I figured I'd take a stab at making a wing. Then after I made the first, since everything was pretty much set up, why not cut up pieces for a second wing? I'm still not sure if extensions on both sides is necessary but since I was there...

I began building the cabinet. The idea was to make the cabinet no more than 48" wide, not including the wings. Then the extension concept entered the picture. So this is how it started...


But how does one keep the wings from becoming too cumbersome? Shame on me but I didn't experiment. I just went with success. But what I did do was look into why the sliding fence needed to be as wide as was.


What I found was the Production Stop of the Kreg Precision Trak & Stop Kit has a star knob that protrudes substantially into the back of the sliding fence (look just to the left and front of the bottle of glue). With the overall width being 6-3/4" wide, I found it necessary to center the sliding rabbet at 2" O.C.

[Monte Milanuk]

I've been looking at this design myself... one thing that kind of concerns me a smidge is the wings are suspended from hinges mounted via screws drilled into the edge of the plywood top. I'm assuming that in actual use when the wings are extended the edge of the wing/fence 'box' rests on the table top for support, not the hinge or screws, right?

[Mike Cutler]

Julie
I like your modifications. The drawers are nice, and I like the way you have finished the bottom so that the sides are flush, and don't have that small "skirt" area at the bottom. It will also hide the bolt heads from the caster hardware.

[Jim Becker]

That seems to be a nice setup, especially when portability is required. Clearly, it's easy to customize, too. I think what you're doing with yours is great.

I built the more fixed Chris Gochenour cantilevered miter station from FWW a number of years ago. After watching the Timothy Wilmots videos that show his shop setup, I'm now honestly considering "re-skinning" it with a Festool MFT style top for more versatility. I'd still keep the miter saw in the same position, but change the tables to incorporate the 20mm hole setup as well as the clamping setups. It's only money... heh...heh...

[Julie Moriarty]

Thanks all for the kind words.

Julie
I like your modifications. The drawers are nice, and I like the way you have finished the bottom so that the sides are flush, and don't have that small "skirt" area at the bottom. It will also hide the bolt heads from the caster hardware.

Mike, I placed the rabbet for the bottom of the cabinet only 1/2" up to allow the casters to rotate freely. Even at that, they still scratch the plywood a bit I placed them where they are so the wheel locks can be easily accessed. So the casters dictated there be no substantial skirt. To compensate for the lack of support, I added the 1x4 piece of maple. Now I'm debating on whether to add a face frame (it was planned that way) or just do an iron-on edge stripping and make the doors and drawers flush to the edges, sort of the European design look. Still undecided...

For anyone using the FWW SketchUp model, here's a more accurate and complete Kreg track stop: https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/mod...k-Stop-KMS8000

[Jay Hart]

I have been using this design for years. Works great.
https://www.woodmagazine.com/project...nloadable-plan

[Julie Moriarty]

I haven't tried out the extension feature yet. I moved the cabinet to the garage yesterday and realized the garage needed a good cleaning. When I started taking junk out to the curb, I noticed some water pooling near the water meter/shut off valve box. Turned out the leak was on my side. Dug it up, cut out the broken pipe, made up a nice telescoping repair fitting and just as I was about to reach down into the hole to install it, the street side of meter valve burst. We're back to normal now.

I was looking at how to hinge the wings but I need to commit to the support frame for them first. I ran across this today:

I like how it cradles the wings when in the down position but I'm not sure they are supportive enough. On my last SMS cabinet I had folding supports that extended out to about 3'. These MDF wings on the new build are pretty heavy.

[Jim Becker]

Julie, I share your concern about support for those wings...and I'd probably do a swing down leg that engages the floor with an height adjustable "foot" so that as the thang is moved about, you can fine-adjust things to be level/co-planer while in use.

[Julie Moriarty]

Thanks, Jim. The swing down leg is something I hadn't considered. I've been mulling over what to use for the wing hinge. I'm leaning toward using a piece of 3/4" EMT to thread through the wing supports and the supports that will be mounted to the sides of the cabinet. Once that is resolved and assembled, I'll experiment with wing supports. Thanks again, Jim!

[william walton]

20170610_202504.jpg20170610_202402.jpgI built mine a couple years ago, not from a plan though. The wings are torsion box style with formica. The vacuum works extemely well with slow cuts.

[Jim Becker]

That looks pretty sturdy, William!