Chop saw table

admin

After many years of cutting on the floor and cleaning up the mess I finally built myself a table for the chop saw. The design was inspired by several posts found on this site. All the material for this came from an old wheel rack that was used in a powder coating business plus a little from my scrap pile. No close up of any welds will be posted from this project because a good amount of powder coat is mixed in with them. My mother was right when she told me haste makes waste and sloppy welds. The design is very simple, it’s a 2’ x 3’ hopper that funnels down to a 4” pipe which dumps into a metal bucket. The saw is mounted over the center of the hopper and is held firm by two bolts at the front. The mounting bolts go through full length slots so I can slide the saw left and right across the long side of the hopper. I went with this slide mount design because I intend to also mount a vise over the hopper. The vise will be used to cut with the reciprocating saw and have the chips from that get collected too. Plus it allows me to change out the saw easily if (when) it dies someday or if I decide to upgrade it before then.I took care in only one area of this project – setting the angle iron. There is 2 pieces of 2x2 angle iron that run along the back and front of the hopper which the saw slides on. These two are plumb and parallel to each other and the front piece has slots cut for the through bolts. The two smaller pieces of angle iron on the left and right sides are perfectly plumb to the table of the saw to support material being cut. I also plumbed and squared the right side of the splash guard to the small angle iron and to the back brace of the saw. The one thing I completely over looked was the ability to cut 45 degree angles on long pieces. I’ll still be able to cut angles on ends of pieces, but anything longer than the spark resistor guards (just made that up) wont fit. Attached Images
Reply:Another fine example of creativity.One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Reply:The hopper looks like a neat way to collect the crud from the wheel, and the metal filings.If you're using it inside be sure to wear at least a particle mask.  I'm always amazed at how much stuff gets thrown into the air by chop saws, and grinders.  I always feel a little nervous about breathing abrasives.I don't have a table, and I work outside.  I usually try to set the saw down so the wind is behind me, and blows a lot of the dust away."Any day above ground is a good day"http://www.farmersamm.com/
Reply:Thanks for the post and effort to take and post the pictures!  I am planning on doing similar in making a multipurpose table for my Chop-saw (hope to be cold saw) and as well double as a plasma cutting table.I admire the inventive mind of welder/ mechanicsA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:We just got a cold cut saw awhile back at work, cats a**, especially no dust floatin around.....Mike
Reply:Nice job Markfuga! The chop saw never had it so good. I really like the hopper idea, gonna borrow that for my plasma cutter.Miller Thunderbolt 225Millermatic 130 XPLincoln HD 100 Forney C-5bt Arc welderPlasma Cutter Gianteach Cut40ACent Machinery Bandsaw Cent Machinery 16Speed Drill PressChicago Electric 130amp tig/90 ArcHobart 190 Mig spoolgun ready
Reply:Mrmikey,What brand of coldsaw did you get?TimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:Jancy Slugger 14" http://tinyurl.com/66hsvl .+ side---- great working saw, no dust, very little to no burr on the cut. Accurate and you can cut less than the blade thickness if you want, unlike an abrasive saw which will bend away from a narrow cut.- side----- mostly minor really. The blades have to be changed when going from steel, aluminum to s/s, regular blades do not cut s/s. The screw for the vise appears to be soft and slips when tightening if you don't hold down on the split nut. No fault of the saw but you have to be sure whatever you're cutting does-not-move , if it does slip, the carbide tips are history. Not too much of a problem on 90 deg cuts when you get into angle cuts the blade rotation has a tendancy to pull the object being cut thru the vise. Easy solved by using a piece of wood in the vise jaws.If you look after the blade it'll farrrr outlast a comparable $$ amount of abrasive blades. Not sure of the blade price as I don't foot the bill so don't quote me but I think it's around $200CAN so you can do the math.If I had my own shop I'd buy one in a minute......Mike
Reply:Mrmikey,Thanks,Still researching for the saw, I will definetely build a table/hopper, thanks for the postingTimA rich man is not the one who has the most but instead one who needs theleast. Retired IUEC local 19AK Bush pilot,  Chaplain  CMA Chapt 26victor torchesMiller110v migDynasty 200dx (new in Dec 08)Hypertherm PM-45MM-252 (new 2/09)
Reply:just got a bench grinder and am amazed at the amount of small particles i find around it..probably a combination  of the metal and particles from the wheel. have decided  not to use it on an inside bench locationthat is absolutely perfect (convenient to where i tig and need to touch up some tungs) but am fixinto build some type of moveable  pedestal thing for it so i can keep it near the door and hump it out when i wanna use it...a concession to my 60 year old lungs...
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadjust got a bench grinder and am amazed at the amount of small particles i find around it..probably a combination  of the metal and particles from the wheel. have decided  not to use it on an inside bench locationthat is absolutely perfect (convenient to where i tig and need to touch up some tungs) but am fixinto build some type of moveable  pedestal thing for it so i can keep it near the door and hump it out when i wanna use it...a concession to my 60 year old lungs...
Reply:too nice to let it rot...you could use it to carry beer...
Reply:Originally Posted by weldbeadtoo nice to let it rot...you could use it to carry beer...
Reply:dont like long cords..maybe aadd a shelf for a gennerator.. i was thinkin it aint so bad to go back in every 4 hours for more beer..you are hi tech i guess..
Reply:I was out in the shop this past weekend and made an 8 second video of the saw in action. You can judge for yourself if you think the design is worth building. I've been using this table for almost a year and it's made a huge difference with cleanup. The bulk of the kerf makes it into the bucket and the light sparks that fly away are blown to the wind. I do all my cutting with it outdoors, this cut was done indoors, in darkness so the camera could capture the sparks better. Enjoy:
Reply:i like it
Reply:I really like the idea! I use a RIGID chop saw mounted to a portable stand but it is MESSY!!! Need to make something like this!RichLincoln 180 MIGLincoln Pro-Cut 20Henrob/Cobra Torch
Reply:Originally Posted by mrmikeyJancy Slugger 14" http://tinyurl.com/66hsvl .+ side---- great working saw, no dust, very little to no burr on the cut. Accurate and you can cut less than the blade thickness if you want, unlike an abrasive saw which will bend away from a narrow cut.- side----- mostly minor really. The blades have to be changed when going from steel, aluminum to s/s, regular blades do not cut s/s. The screw for the vise appears to be soft and slips when tightening if you don't hold down on the split nut. No fault of the saw but you have to be sure whatever you're cutting does-not-move , if it does slip, the carbide tips are history. Not too much of a problem on 90 deg cuts when you get into angle cuts the blade rotation has a tendancy to pull the object being cut thru the vise. Easy solved by using a piece of wood in the vise jaws.If you look after the blade it'll farrrr outlast a comparable $$ amount of abrasive blades. Not sure of the blade price as I don't foot the bill so don't quote me but I think it's around $200CAN so you can do the math.If I had my own shop I'd buy one in a minute......Mike
Reply:Looks like a good set up, Like the collection system.
Reply:Where can I find a price on this saw?