Welcome to the Poor Man's Workshop blog! The blog dedicated to the builder on a budget.
Sometimes a "poor" amount of space and tools can be a hinderance to enjoying hobbies like woodworking, My hope is that I can provide creative ways to work around it while building a community of makers that help each other solve those problem.
The Ultimate Flip Top Miter Saw Stand
The idea for this miter saw Flip Top stand came out of necessity of needing a place for both my miter saw and planer. Before my miter saw was kept on top of work bench where it just took up to much precious work space, and my planer was kept under the work bench where I would have to lift it and place on top of the bench when needed. The planer is not the lightest thing in the world either. I also have been wanting to install a Kreg precision trak & stop system for a long time, so this became an awesome solution for me.
Because of how involved the build is, I've decided to split up it up into a two part series. Part one (this post) will show how I built the main stand including the The flip top platform. Part two will show the construction of the arms, installation of the drawer, and a few other features of the stand.
Materials Needed:
2 - Sheets of 3/4 inch Maple Plywood
4 - 2 1/2 inch casters
1/2 inch Iron pipe
Cut List
To see the cut list and download my build plans CLICK HERE
Step 1: Cut All Material
The first step is to break down all the plywood into smaller section and then cut them to size. using the above diagram will help you to know how to strategically cut these large sheets, but this could very slightly if you have to make any changes to your design to fit your specific height or size for your tools.
If you have room it's always good to keep pieces slightly larger than their final length or width until you're ready to assemble that specific piece, that way you can compensate and make changes as you go.
Step 2 : Drill Pocket Holes & Assemble Stand
Once all material is cut, grab two pieces of the 23" x 24" pieces and drill pocket holes along each side of the 23" sides. . I did this with my Kreg pocket hole jig. These two pieces will play as the bottom and middle shelf of the stand. The pocket hole sides are what connects with each side of stand.
(in regards to these square pieces, the 23" edges will always be the sides of the stand, and the 24 inch sides will be the front and back of the stand)
After drilling pocket holes, use pocket screws and glue to to attach the shelf piece to the 23"-36" side pieces about 9 inches from the bottom. After that, do the same with the base making sure all is square. Its important to not just have a bottom piece for the stand but also a shelf about 9"-12" above it. This helps to keep the whole thing stable and strong which is important while holding tow pieces of heavy machinery. I chose about 9 inches from the bottom so that I could have a pretty nice sized drawer in the bottom, but leave plenty of clearance for both tools to swing around.
Its important to not just have a bottom piece for the stand but also a shelf about 9"-12" above it. This helps to keep the whole thing stable and strong which is important while holding tow pieces of heavy machinery. I chose about 9 inches from the bottom so that I could have a pretty nice sized drawer in the bottom, but leave plenty of clearance for both tools to swing around.
Side Note:
Make sure you have plenty of clearance for the tools to swing on the platform. you will calculate this based on 1.the thickness of the platform in half 2.the height of your taller tool when compacted (mine was my Planer)and 3. how far down from the top I wanted the pipe to be. In this case. my calculation looked like this: 1 1/2" + 21" + 2" = That is how far from the top you want them the shelf to be.This helps to keep the whole thing stable and strong which is important while holding tow pieces of heavy machinery. I chose about 9 inches from the bottom so that I could have a pretty nice sized drawer in the bottom, but leave plenty of clearance for both tools to swing around.
Step 3: Assemble Flip Platform
Now it's time to assemble the flip platform.
Grab two of the four remaining 23 x 24 pieces and mark the center measuring from front to back (24" side to 24" side) on both. Make sure to mark the exact center as this is where the platform will balance on the 1/2" iron pipe.
Take the least attractive of these two pieces and cut it in half on the line you've created. This will give you two smaller pieces to flank on each side of the iron pipe going through the center.
Place the iron pipe on the line of the non-cut board, this will be the base of your platform. Flank the pipe with the two newly cut pieces.
Measure the over hang on each side making sure the iron pipe stays in the center of the bottom board and is snug up against both flanking board. Once you have the over hang measurement, use that to chop down the two flank boards, until they are flush with the outside of the base platform, and are a good fit for the pipe.
Once they're flush with the edges of the platform, glue and brad nail the flank boards to the bottom board. After that, grab the final board which will be the top platform board and glue and nail it to the flank boards. Then grab the third board and with the best facing up glue and nail the final board to the flank boards. The top board should be flush with the other boards and should create a canal for the pipe to go in, The pipe should be snug, but should still be able to pull the pip out.
I had to cut a dado because the pipe was thicker than the 3/4 plywood I was using. Cutting the dado is super easy using a table saw or router, I elected to use my table saw.
Side note:
I added a fourth board onto one side of the platform because my planer is about 3/4 inch shorter than my table saw and I want them to be the same height as each other when flipped. This isn't super necessary if you aren't planning on adding arms that will be used as in and out feeds for your planer as well as the track for your miter saw, but it is possible if you would like the planer and the miter saw to reside at the same height when they're flipped.
Step 4: Attach Platform & Install Locking pins
With the stand on its side, drill two holes with a 3/4" Forstner bit in the center of side two inches down from the top. These holes are what the pipe with go through to hold the platform up.
Make sure the pipe the holes are in the EXACT same location on each side or else your platform won't be squared up won't spin correctly.
After the holes are drilled, hold the platform in place between each of the sides, and slide the pipe through one side until it comes out the other side.
This is best done with another person. I did it by myself but it would have been much easier and quicker if I had someone else there to help me.
With the platform in place and level, measure where to drill holes for the screw-in locking pins. The pins should go through the side of the stand and then into the center of the platform. Once marked, drill through the mark and into the platform with a small drill.
They should be far enough away from the edge and top of the side panel that the nob (depending on the pin you are using) doesn't effect the installation of the arms in the future.
All things to be thinking about while doing this.
Once marked, flip the platform half way and drill into to platform with the correct size drill bit for your screw pins.
Drill bigger holes through the sides of the stands for easy pass through for the pins.
I later changed this from single drill holes to larger square opening with my jig saw. I realized that this allowed the pins easier access to the platform and the screw inserts.
Next, cover and inserts with super glue, and install them into the side of the platform where you drilled the hole.
The easiest way to do this is by screwing the pin into insert prior to installing the insert...
Then use the pin to screw the insert into the platform. Once you unscrew the pin, the insert should stay in the platform.
Step 5: Pipe & Platform Secure Screw
We are almost prepared to install the Platform. But first you must create a way to allow the the platform and pipe to rotate together. This will cause less wear on the inside of the platform where it can't be fixed, and less play side to side for platform, helping it to stay in alignment the the arms.
After having the pip trimmed (or trimming it yourself) to 3" larger than the platform, insert it into the platform and make sure equal parts are sticking out of both ends.
After getting equal parts on each side, I clamped it with a vice grip so that It wouldn't move.
Measure to the middle of the platform about 2" in. This is where you will drill a pilot hole through both the platform and the pipe and secure them together with a screw.
After Marking on both ends of the platform, drill through the platform and slightly into the pipe with a small drill bit.
This will leave a mark on the outside of the pipe that you can use as a reference when drilling all the way through the pipe with a drill press.
Use this reference mark to drill completely through the pipe with a drill press.
Usually you want to use a V-block when you drill through a round pipe. As long as you line it up real good, and keep it stable with a few clamps while drilling, I found this isn't necessary.
After that, drill some recesses large enough to fit a washer in the top of one side of the platform where you drilled the pilot holes. In the next step I'll show you how to secure the platform to the pipe using this everything that was just done.
Side Note:
If access to a drill press is not available you can use a your own power drill, but you have to make sure you are as square up to pipe as possible. Take your time, use a vise or strong clamp to secure it down.
Step 6: Installing The Platform
Finally! We can put it all together.
It's time to install the flip top to the rest of the stand. Before doing so I would make sure you install the rolling caster if you are planning on have some. The stand will be pretty heavy and hard to flip if you try to do it after the platform is attached.
Just cut small 2"x4" section of left over plywood, Glue and brand nail them to the bottom of the stand. Then attach each caster to them. Easy Peasy.
Flip the thing back over and install the platform to the stand by running the pipe in one side of the stand, through the platform and out the other side.
Use a rubber mallet to tap the pipe through until equal lengths of it is sticking out on each end. (should be around 3/4 an inch)
Once equal sides is sticking out of both ends clamp a vice grip to the pipe and use it to turn the pipe until the holes through the platform line up with the holes through the pipe. once they are lined up, drill the screw through the holes including a washer on one side and a washer an nut on the opposing side.
After that is installed. something needs to be placed over the pipe to hid it from view.
Drill a whole most of the way through a left over piece of plywood with a the same forstner bit that you used to drill through the stand so the pipe can rest in it.
Place a piece of plywood (say that three times) over the top of the pipe making the board is flush with the top and side of the stand. Secure the board with simple screws and washers.
After that. You can choose to install the tools at this point or after the the flip up fence is made, which I will show after in my next blog post.
To Install tools just mark where the the holes of each tool sits on the platform
making sure Its square and centered with the stand.
And then drill the proper size pilot holes for the top the screws or lag bolts you will be using.
I drill all the way through the base and then connected the tools with bolts and washers on the other end. Just make sure your holes don' go through the center part of the platform because this is where the metal pipe is.
After that. you have yourself a flip top cart that is functional!
In the next post i'll be showing how to add the bottom drawer, and how to make the awesome flip down arms that makes this flip top so unique.
Thanks for reading, and until next time...
NEVER STOP CREATING!
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