Advice from others on building a Frankensaw?

[fishcrazy]

I have just procured my second bt3000 as a parts saw initially was my thought when I found it to be newer and in much better shape than mine. So I have decided to make a cabinet to place the two of them on and use them both. This will give me the extra table width that a wide table setup could afford as well as another fence and sliding table. I do want an outfeed table of some sort but have not decided anything about the specifics of that as of yet. My purpose in posting this is to get feedback from those who have built these or even just long cabinets as to any special attention to details that I should incorporate into the cabinet. The following is a list of questions that arise in my mind concerning this project.

1. Having looked at a number(all that I could find) of these carts many have some kind of torsion box incorporated into them. Is this necessary with a glued up cabinet that is sufficiently stiff?

2. I am considering building the cabinet as two cabinets that can be separated and bolted back together for some better mobility. Simplicity of reattaching and detaching the two cabinets would be my primary focus here.

3. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated concerning the layout of the saw and tables for ease of use or purpose would be appreciated. Some have said that they use one dedicated to a dado blade and the other to ripping stock. Any other considerations? Saw one guy put track attachment points the length of the table top so he could move the saw location if needed.

4. Anything I have not considered or mentioned above please chime in with it so I don't forget anything important.

Thanks Jim

[capncarl]

My suggestions;
1. Must be torsion box
2. Do not scrimp on casters. Design the top of the saw to match existing or future equipment height with this caster height in mind.
3. Don't forget dust control when designing the cabinets.
4. Incorporate levelers in the cabinet.

Capncarl

[fishcrazy]

Hi capncarl Thanks for the quick reply. I guess you feel that the torsion box just adds that needed stiffness to keep the cabinet from experiencing any twisting that can cause out of true saws? I did think of using some heavier duty casters for this cart since it was so large. I do plan to build other carts for a miter saw as well as a router table and a future acquired planer. I have plans to make all of these carts mobile as well and of a flip top style that affords me a table top height as well as the tool table height that will match the top height of the table saw's and cart we are discussing here. I was in mid stream of doing a miter saw cart when I bought this additional bt3000 and stopped that effort as soon as I decided I needed to rethink the height of this cart and therefore the height of all the planned carts. I have not thought out my dust control system as far as the details but have procured a quite nice shop vac in hopes that I could use that in that regard. I had a passing thought of levelers but it was just that. I have made no plans to incorporate them into the cabinet. Would you suggest them on all the cabinets? Any suggestions on what to use? Thanks again for the input. Jim

[JimD]

My BT3100 used to be on a torsion box with extension rails for 60 inch rip capacity. I used it to make a bunch of furniture. Then I got a DeWalt track saw and don't see the need for expanded rip capacity. Manipulating full sheets through the table saw was never any fun. So now my BT3100 is on a cut down portion of the former base without the torsion box. I haven't had a chance to use it much due to a move that temporarily eliminated my shop space but will again soon. I put totally locking casters on it and it is much easier to move around.

Both my setups have been able to tilt up for cleaning and have drawers for blades and other things under the saw.

I think the torsion base is a function of how wide your base is. My original was around 4 feet and I think it would have had significant deflection if it had just been 3/4 plywood. My current base is closer to 2 feet wide and with a glued in 1/4 plywood back I see no deflection.

[fishcrazy]

Hi JimD. Thanks for that input. I plan to make the cabinet base about 22 inches by 82 inches long with a saw on each end. I did have my first saw on casters that were mounted to the bottom of the factory saw stand and found it to be kind of top heavy. I think that the weight of this cabinet with storage will solve that problem though. I do plan to glue a back panel on the cart with hopes of stiffening the 82 inch length. Also thinking of additional 3/4 inch thick by say 4-5 inches tall stiffener glued and screwed length wise on top and bottom in the front of the cart to also help prevent any deflection. I don't know if this will do the trick or not but it would not prevent me from adding a more complete torsion box to the bottom later if it was not adequate. I hope that works out.

[LCHIEN]

use no less than 4 casters (unstable)
Use no more than 4 casters (will rock if your floor is not perfectly level)
Why don't you use exactly... uh, four casters?

[fishcrazy]

Lchien I was planning to use 6 casters but you make me think twice about that. Maybe that middle caster is not really necessary. Guess I could plan for them in case I need to add them later for support. Thanks for the tip! Any others would be greatly appreciated.

[capncarl]

Torsion boxes are too easy to build and take up too little of your cabinet to just discount and say I will stiffen the cabinet with 3/4. A 4 1/2" thick torsion box can support everything in your shop with no deflection while a 3/4" thick cabinet will as well, until you cut in doors, drawers and step downs. Then you have a sagging mess. A torsion box does not have to be a complex structure of interlocking boards. It can be 2x4's glued and nailed between a sandwich of 1/2" plywood. Easy to build. Like I was told a long time ago by a long dead engineer, stop trying to re-invent the _ _ wheel, enjoy the proven technology and ge on with the job. Or something like that.
Cabinet height is also very important so get the casters (4) right the first time. If you have to put stiffners under the cabinet later to solve the sag then you saw is going to be too high for your out feed tables.
capncarl

[MBG]

Thread brings back memories. My first BT3000 was close to $500. When the BT3100's could be had for south of $150 (using HF coupon at HD - ahhh the good old days) I did this:




Mike

[fishcrazy]

capncarl : In light of what some have done in the past I was considering just leaving enough space with a lower skirt around the bottom of the whole saw and recessing the casters somewhat into that space so as to minimize the height of the cabinet. The width of the cabinet front to back is only 22 inches so a couple more long runs and the short parts of the torsion box is not much to add. I already added the space under the bottom ply for this in the design. Similar to the design shown in the attached photo. I actually have that router table and was considering putting it in the middle of the table with a saw on each end.

MBG my first saw is probably the same original one like you had. Its the 13 amp motor. I see on your setup you put both the saws side by side instead of having a separation between them. What was your reason for that if I might ask. I hoping to learn from your experience ni already having walked this road and all.

One concern of mine is the length of this thing. I originally wanted to make it in two parts that bolted together for ease of movement and storage. Anyone have any ideas or thoughts on that possibility?

the following image if you scroll down to Smitty's post is similar to what I am concidering for the torsion box arrangement.

[BizCoach]

I wish I'd put mine on some spacers to add a bit more distance between the top of the cabinet and the bottom of the saw. Would make it easier to slide something in from the side to fish out a nut or washer when I drop one changing the blade. But I'm sure no one else does that.

[LCHIEN]

Lchien I was planning to use 6 casters but you make me think twice about that. Maybe that middle caster is not really necessary. Guess I could plan for them in case I need to add them later for support. Thanks for the tip! Any others would be greatly appreciated.

use 4 bigger stronger castors rather than 6. When going over less than perfectly level flooring three of four casters will be taking the whole load.

[capncarl]

4 large swivel casters. I wouldn't suggest putting the casters inside a skirt as you will need every inch of wheelbase you can get. A torsion box base only cost you 4 1/2" + the height of casters (6" are great) gives you 24+ inches for saws and drawers. That is plenty. If you build a double cabinet the is bolted together that means you have a very long 8 wheel giant that you may not be able to get up a ramp or over a door threshold.

[capncarl]

Have you thought of levelers? I've seen all sorts of threaded devices on home made saw cabinets but the de-staco push pull clamps really make it happen. I was trying to over think the problem and installed self adjusting push pull clamps and wish I had used the $5 less clamp and gotten a lot more adjustability!

[fishcrazy]

Funny you should mention levelers capncarl. My situation is such that I have a small workshop and will most of the time be wheeling these mobile tool carts out onto the deck in front of the workshop for the added room. The slope of the deck which is on grade is not much but it is there and will present it own challenges as far as getting separate outfeed tables to work. I am considering attaching some light weight fold up type tables to the cart. It just seems to be taking on a life of it's own. Levelers are probably going to become a necessity though. Thanks for reminding me to think of it again.