(Another) Band Saw Stand

[its_34]

Inspired by some of the 4x6 bandsaw stands here, I fabbed my own out of some short sections of tubing I've had laying around for a while.
The design was mostly driven by the length of the pieces I had since this was a recycling project. I've had this saw for about 15years and never understood the supplied stand design. Seems like they were trying to take a "good" tool and make it "tolerable."

[its_34]

Once I had it mocked up on the floor, I started looking at wheel sizes and opted for some thread-in casters.



I used some 3/8"-16 all-thread couplers, turned them down and placed them in drilled holes at the bottom tube.



The other end has some short pieces of tube welded on to keep it level.

[its_34]

Here's the final product. Much easier to use with the height raised up above knee-level and I can now roll it around the garage rather than dragging it on the flimsy wheels it came with. The wheels have a little too much caster and can make moving it around in the vertical position a little wobbly.

[Rambozo]

Nice looking welds and a cool stand. How is the saw mounted to the stand? Are the swivel casters by design, or something recycled? I used to have a similar stand for something else and the casters always seemed to have a mind of their own until I tack welded them so they didn't swivel anymore.

[joshuab]

What did you use for coping the tubes? I would build a lot more things out of round tubing if I knew an easy way to cope (without having to buy another piece of equipment, naturally). I use square tubing for most stuff. I like the idea about the thread-in casters. I always use the bolt-on ones, but mostly because I assumed I would need a tap and die set to create threads.

It looks good!

[Trickle X]

I love coping tubing to weld. It looks so much nicer than say box steel butted together. do you get any shake out of the stand when sawing? I agree the stock base sits way to low! only nice when you are cutting 12' sections and need a lower prop and only have to lift it so high.

Josh, I have yet to buy a notcher....I use either my mill or my bench grinder for 7/8" tubing....a notcher would work much better and be more consistent. It is on my short list. There are quite a few out there, just depends on what you will be notching as to which tool would be best for you.

[DaveO]

I would build a lot more things out of round tubing if I knew an easy way to cope (without having to buy another piece of equipment, naturally).

Do you have a drill press? Some time back I read about an improvised tube notcher / coper / fishmouther- the guy drilled a hole in a 2x4 to match the OD of the tube, cut the 2x4 across the hole (lengthwise, on the "4" surface), then clamped the tube in the 2x4 on the drill press. He also had a clever way to angle the fishmouth. I'll try to find the article but that's the gist of it.

[johnnymg]

Thanks for posting your project, got me thinking a bit about how to use round tubing. Argh, now I'm jonsing for 'tubing notcher'.

cheers
JohnG

[everlastsupport]

Nice looking welds and a cool stand. How is the saw mounted to the stand? Are the swivel casters by design, or something recycled? I used to have a similar stand for something else and the casters always seemed to have a mind of their own until I tack welded them so they didn't swivel anymore.

I have more than once done that or added rods to limit the swing to say 30 degrees.

Stand looks good. I need to add wheels to my new one. Going to make it more like wheely bars, so all level on the stand until I left the front and the back wheel get on the ground.

[its_34]

Thanks. The casters were a Home Depot item. They have brakes, but in hindsight, catering probably wasn't necessary. It just makes it easier to push it up against a wall when not in use.

Nice looking welds and a cool stand. How is the saw mounted to the stand? Are the swivel casters by design, or something recycled? I used to have a similar stand for something else and the casters always seemed to have a mind of their own until I tack welded them so they didn't swivel anymore.

[its_34]

I have an adjustable notcher but since these were all 90's, I just used the drill press. I also have a small belt sander with an upper roller that is just the right size for cleaning up 1.75" tubing. I actually broke the 3/8 stem off my holesaw arbor doing this and ended up finishing the last few with the lathe.

I didn't have to tap any holes since I started with a threaded coupler. Welding on a couple of nuts would work too.

What did you use for coping the tubes? I would build a lot more things out of round tubing if I knew an easy way to cope (without having to buy another piece of equipment, naturally). I use square tubing for most stuff. I like the idea about the thread-in casters. I always use the bolt-on ones, but mostly because I assumed I would need a tap and die set to create threads.

It looks good!

[joshuab]

I have an adjustable notcher but since these were all 90's, I just used the drill press.

You know, this is going to sound really dumb, but this is a real a-ha moment for me. Of course you can cope 90-degree tube joints with a hole saw in a drill press. It's only the off-angle ones that need a fancy jig. Duh.

[youngnstudly]

That's a great looking stand. I built a small stand for my portable band saw that is very similar in design. I would love to have either a mill to do the coping with, or a tube notcher (but I'm stuck using the drill press and a hole saw like most of the others on here). I do use my grinder sometimes though, and I have even used my airplane snips on lighter gauge (18 ga or thinner) tubing with no issues. It's always a nice feeling getting rid of the pile of scrap metal that has been sitting around (taking up space) AND getting a new tool or piece of equipment out of it at the same time! Your stand needs some paint though to look finished.

[its_34]

The cheap notchers are not bad once you spend some time shimming/adjusting them to cut on center. I found it even easier to use with a hand drill rather than the press. I just clamp the notcher to the post of my bender stand with a 1/2" drill attached. Keeping it low helps when working with longer pieces too.

Those big, end mill notchers look great if you're in high-production mode.

[Rambozo]

We had one of these where I used to work. I've never used a faster, cleaner, notcher. It did take a little practice to figure out the different common angles, and for tight cluster joints I would sometimes touch them up with a die grinder, but that seemed to be the case no matter the notcher I used. It will handle .134" wall mild steel, 095 4130 and sch 40 pipe. Most everything we used it on was .065" and .093" wall 4130 which it went through no sweat. If I ever get to the point where I do a lot of work with round tube again, I will probably get one myself.

[its_34]

That's really slick but the fit seems a little loose for tig (at least with my limited skill) since the outer sides are not cut. I have the hole saw jig type and the ends usually need just a light touch with a grinder or belt sander to make a tight, all around fit. It does take much longer than that one, though.

[DaveO]

This is the 2x4 post I remembered: turns out the "cool way to angle the notch" is adjusting the table on the drill press.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...otcher-holder?

[its_34]

That's clever. I think a v-block or piece of angle with a clamp would work great like that. The only trouble is getting it centered every time you change the angle.

This is the 2x4 post I remembered: turns out the "cool way to angle the notch" is adjusting the table on the drill press.

http://www.everlastgenerators.com/fo...otcher-holder?

[johnnymg]

We had one of these where I used to work. I've never used a faster, cleaner, notcher. It did take a little practice to figure out the different common angles, and for tight cluster joints I would sometimes touch them up with a die grinder, but that seemed to be the case no matter the notcher I used. It will handle .134" wall mild steel, 095 4130 and sch 40 pipe. Most everything we used it on was .065" and .093" wall 4130 which it went through no sweat. If I ever get to the point where I do a lot of work with round tube again, I will probably get one myself.

That looks very cool. Can this tool 'fishmouth' the tube deeper than what was shown in the video? i.e. so that the fit up is better.

Here's a link to the Williams web site: http://www.lowbucktools.com/notcher.html

cheers
JohnG

[zoama]

That looks very cool. Can this tool 'fishmouth' the tube deeper than what was shown in the video? i.e. so that the fit up is better.

Here's a link to the Williams web site: http://www.lowbucktools.com/notcher.html

cheers
JohnG

No, that's about it. I used one of those in my younger days building commercial chainlink gates.