How to Build a Metal Chop Saw Stand and Conveyor System
The following instructions and drawings are for constructing a stand for an abrasive or dry-cut chopsaw for cutting metal. The saw stand and material rollers solve the problem of currently available stands that are designed mainly for wood cutting miter saws. The metal chop saw blades are not made to swivel, the vice does. This requires a lot of extra room when cutting parts from long lengths of metal. If you cut angles, bars, rounds, etc. you also need to support the stock and have a way to set up a stop for repeat cuts. This stand swivels the whole saw, while leaving the stock in place. It allows you to cut 20 and 24 foot long stock from either side. The stand stores in about 6 foot of floor space when not in use and extends to almost 28 feet – 14 feet each side of the saw when in use.
The saw stand is built using parts G through Q.
Cut parts G through Q. See Drawing for Saw Stand
Part H is 3-3/4″ long point to long point. The angle is 10 degrees. While you have the 10 degrees set up, cut the parts labeled J. They are 31″ long point to short point, also with a 10 degree angle.
Part K should be as long as your saw base is wide; for my Porter Cable it is 11-1/2″. Tack two part J’s and one part H together with part K at the top and centered. Take care to get K parallel to a line across the bottoms of part J. Repeat for the other set of legs. Leave the casters off until later.
Now is the trickiest part. Take the two leg assemblies and stand them upside down and parallel on a flat, level surface about 15-1/2″ apart. Now clamp a part L between them 2-3/8″ above the table using a bar clamp. Do this for both part L’s. It might be easiest to stack scrap metal or blocks of wood to a height of 2-3/8″ for the part L to set on. Sight across from the side of the stand from the top of one L to the other. They should be exactly in line horizontally and level front to back. If there is a twist at this point, raise the low side up until they line up. Make sure that L is at least 2-3/8″ above the table. Make sure that part L is square to the legs. Clamp part M between the legs to hold them parallel. Part L should be level with the table both ways; in other words, don’t twist them to be flush with the sides of the legs. Tack part L in place. Recheck for square and level. Tack part M in place about 4″ up from the bottom of the leg (it isn’t critical). When you are sure that it looks right, go ahead and weld it up.
Part G is welded together using about 4 short beads in the groove between the pieces. Don’t weld the ends of the tubing. Weld both sides this way, and then grind the welds flush on one side; this side will be the bottom. On the bottom, weld a 3/8″ nut 1″ from each end over a 3/8″ hole as described before. Make sure that they are on opposite tubes on each end. Now weld a 1/2″ nut over a 1/2″ hole in the center of one of the tubes; it doesn’t matter which one.
Parts Q1 and Q2 are similar, with a 3/8″ nut welded 1″ from one end of each.
Part Q3 is simply a 48″ length of tubing. No welding is required. Nothing slides inside this part, so I used 11 ga. tubing for strength, because it is the smallest tubing on the stand.
Part P is a 1/2″ x 2″ cap screw or hex bolt. Take a piece of 1/2″ (or close) round rod and cut it approximately 6″ long. Put a bend of approximately 10 degrees 2″ from one end. Weld the short end to the end of the cap screw to use as a handle. Smooth the ends of the handle to keep from cutting your hand when you use it.
Stand the stand upright on the floor. Lay part G, with the nuts down, across the two part L’s. Take part N and put P through it and thread P into the 1/2″ nut on G from the underside of L. Leave it loose enough to slide G across L. Swivel G IN THE SAME DIRECTION THAT YOUR VICE SWIVELS until it is 45 degrees to part L. You will probably have to slide it front to back to get to this point. The 1/2″ nut on G on my stand is at the back. On my stand, the bolt on P is about 11-1/2″ from the front of the stand. Make sure that part N is even with the outside of and square to part L. Part of part G might be under the ends of K; that’s OK. When you are satisfied with the position, tack part N to L.
Now put your saw on the stand. You might need to weld some tabs onto K to accommodate the mounting holes on your saw; I did for my Porter Cable. Lay a straight piece of metal or wood about 48″ long across the saw table extending on both sides. Slide the roller station with part C1 onto part Q1 (you don’t need the bottom part of the station). Slide part Q1 fully into G, letting the roller station slide up to the end of G, and use a star handle in the end of G to tighten Q1 in place. If the locking handle part P protrudes into the inside of the tube preventing Q1 from sliding all the way in, put some washers under the head of the cap screw. Use a ratchet handle to secure part C1 to part Q1. Now measure from the underside of the straight stick to the top of B. Use this measurement to determine the length of and the hole placement for the rollers in part A. I’ll leave the math as an academic exercise. Remember that part A goes down to the bottom of part B and is welded to the ends of B. Weld up all part A’s to the other stations. Don’t worry that the height of the rollers is lower on the outboard stations; there is enough slack in the telescoping tubing to raise them level with the saw table.
Finish welding up anything you have left tacked and weld on the casters. Take the time to deburr the inside of the tubing that telescopes; it will make them slide easier and the paint will last longer.
You might want to make a mounting plate for the casters so that they can be replaced if needed. Locking casters are shown on the drawing, primarily as a safety feature. Standard casters can be used equally as well. When in use, the roller stands are lowered to the floor and all tends to stay firmly in place.
I sandblasted my stand and primed it and painted it a bright red. Install the rollers and the saw and you are done! You can use the roller stations and the extensions by themselves for supports for other tools in your shop. For a cutoff stop I use a piece of angle iron Vice-Gripped to the extensions.
|
Part # |
Quantity |
Size |
Material |
|
A |
16 |
1/4″ x 1″ x * | flat (* length determined by your saw dimensions) |
|
B |
8 |
1″ x 1″ x 12-7/8″ ** | 14 ga. square tubing (** If using rollers supplied by: Harbor Freight) |
|
C 1 |
4 |
1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ x 2″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
C 2 |
2 |
1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ x 2″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
C 3 |
2 |
1-1/4″ x 1-1/4″ x 2″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
D |
8 |
1-1/4″ x 1-1/4″ x 16″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
E |
8 |
1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ x 16″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
F |
16 |
1″ x 1″ x 9″ | 16 ga. wall square tubing cut on 45 degree angle |
|
G |
2 |
1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ x 48″ | 14ga. square tubing |
|
H |
2 |
1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ x 3-3/4″ | 14ga. square tubing, cut on 10 degree angle |
|
I |
not used | ||
|
J |
4 |
1-3/4″ x 1-3/4″ x 31″ | 14 ga. square tubing, cut on 10 degree angle |
|
K |
2 |
1/2″ x 2″ x 11-1/2″ | flat |
|
L |
2 |
1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ x 15-1/2″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
M |
2 |
1″ x 1″ x 15-1/2″ | 11 ga. square tubing |
|
N |
1 |
1/2″ x 2″ x 7-1/4″ | flat |
|
O |
not used | ||
|
P |
2 |
1/2″ x 6″ | round solid rod |
|
Q 1 |
2 |
1-1/2″ x 1-1/2″ x48″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
Q 2 |
2 |
1-1/4″ x 1-1/4″ x 48″ | 14 ga. square tubing |
|
Q 3 |
2 |
1″ x 1″ x 48″ | 11 ga. square tubing |
