I want to build a stand for a portable HF band saw, no welder , any ideas or plans?

[JBMauser11982]

I know I need to buy a cheap welder. I can braze something together but I am not sure what strength can be achieved with brazing. I am a neophyte to this as well. Perhaps lap joints with brazing and a nut and bolt for security? Any source of DIY plans or recommendations.

[LKeithR]

Probably the best system would be Unistrut. They have a wide range of components that can be used in many different ways.
Not the cheapest way to go but if you want something solid this would be my first choice...

http://www.unistrut.us/index.php?WP=MFProdOver&#M1

[JRouche]

I would use angle and sheet steel and do a bolt together. It will be plenty strong if you use appropriate sized material. JR

[JCByrd24]

While it may be blasphemy on a machinist forum this would be the perfect application for a sheet of plywood or some pine boards made into the shape of either a modified sawhorse or a bookshelf if you don't have steel laying around and a welder. A coat of paint is optional depending on your preference.

I know there will be those who worry about wood being a mess around a bandsaw and coolant/oil etc. My answer is don't use any, it's absolutely not required. Cuts coming off these bandsaws are just warm to the touch.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

Someone posted this many years ago back on my forum. It might give you some ideas:

[3illmesmart]

Check your local ads, Craigslist or Kijiji. You can often find ready to go stands people are done with. A radial arm saw stand comes to mind. Here you could buy the whole radial arm saw for less than material cost.

[CCWKen]

Not to mention there's a bazillion videos on YT about guys building these common setups. I've haven't seen any of them work from plans. Find one you like and contact the author and see if he has a drawing. I seriously doubt he will though. Another option is to buy one of the available kits that can be bolted together.

[Seastar]

HF Has very inexpensive stand kits that holt together and make good strong stands.
I have two of them.
Also, I mounted my blast cabinet on an HF roll around cart. Very handy!
Bill

[cameron]

Lapped brazed joints would be more than adequate for strength. but joint prep and cleanup, heating time if using propane, or gas cost if using oxy/acetylene would rule it out for me. Nuts and bolts, if used, would be for preassembly, not security.

Bolted construction, with gusseted joints or short diagonal members for bracing would work well.

Band saws, particularly when cutting metal, are noisy. I would avoid using any sizable area of sheet metal in the stand.

My old Rockwell 14" is on the original open base of mostly formed angle, about 1 3/4 X1 3/4 X 0.13" steel section, 2ea 5/16" bolts per joint, no gussets or braces. I don't remember the exact date of manufacture, but roughly 60 years ago. In my 40 or so years of use, I've never even put a wrench on one of the fasteners. and for all practical considerations, its as solid as a rock. And, it's about as quiet as I would expect a saw of that type to be.

By comparison, I heard a practically new Rockwell 14" saw running, not cutting, on the manufacturer's enclosed sheet metal base. The noise was hellish, and would drive me out of my shop within five minutes.

MY BAD. Please ignore the above. I skimmed over "portable", and assumed you were referring to HF horizontal/vertical saws.

[Dlane]

I mounted mine on a shopping cart base with wheels, it stays under the bench when not used.

[3 Phase Lightbulb]

I mounted mine on a shopping cart base with wheels, it stays under the bench when not used.

Steeling from the homeless? Or is your bench located inside a big cardboard box?

[BCRider]

Light gauge angle iron or even done using the formed steel shelf legs angle stock would be fine for any reasonable size and weight. The key is to correctly torque the bolts and nuts used to join the metal. For that reason I'd opt for 5/16 hardware and use washers to better seat them against and spread out the pressure to some extent. No need for anything fancy. Just regular common Grade 5 stuff using the common Millwright's method of torque until it breaks then back up a half turn....

On my own 4x6 horizontal/vertical saw I've lived with the original sheet metal stand stiffened up with a couple of wood spreaders. It works fine for cutting but it's very noisy and flimsy when moving it around. I'll be welding my new stand that will have some additional features built in. But if I didn't have a welder my next choice for ease of prep and final fabrication and with no penalty in the long term would be a big handful of short 5/16 bolts, washers and nuts.

[BCRider]

steeling from the homeless? Or is your bench located inside a big cardboard box?

oh snap gurl ! ! ! !

Picture that done in all caps.... stupid anti "yelling" feature.....

[flylo]

I have a small Porter Cable that works so great & fast. It's on wheels & has a chain vise so I can roll it where I need it & have a pc cut before I could have it chucked up in the bigger saw. It has a spring on the trigger to lock or release it.

[mygrizzly1022]

Hi

I agree on the wood idea, fast, and cheap.It may well serve as prototype for a metal.
Here is example of the similar type that I built from wood years ago as a concept for a metal. Served my purpose well enough to not bother with metal version.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Band...-Scrap-Lumber/

Bert