Introduction

Miter saw stands are an essential, but expensive accessory for carpenters. Instead of buying one, save money and get a more versatile work table by building your own. Use these photos and free plan as a guide.

If you’ve ever used a miter saw to cut long, unsupported stock, you know what a hassle it is to deal with a saw that moves all over the place while you’re trying to make cuts. Yes, you can buy saw stands, but they’re expensive and, frankly, not nearly as versatile or user-friendly as this homemade miter saw table.

This miter saw table supports long boards and provides a fence that you can fit with stops for making repetitive identical cuts. It locks down your saw so it won’t budge while you’re working. Built-in cubbyholes give you a place to store all those little parts and tools that go with any carpentry task. Just leave the saw on board and slide the whole unit into your pickup truck for on-the-road jobs. Or loosen the wing nuts, remove the saw and haul it away on its own. This table is also a great workbench for more than just cutting. You’ll find it a useful platform for all those little carpentry tasks that are part of any project, and it’s right there where you need it.

This design will work for any miter saw. We’ll show you how to customize it to fit whatever saw you have. As for tools, you’ll only need a table saw to rip the plywood and dividers (Figure A) to width, your miter saw to cut the parts to length, and a screw gun to screw the whole works together.

Figure A: Miter Box

The basic design is simple, and the parts are all made from inexpensive, standard lumber.

Buy the materials

Measure the diameter of your miter saw mounting holes before you get started. You’ll need to buy hanger bolts with matching wing nuts the same size as the holes for a snug fit. Find the right bolt length by measuring the height of the saw table and adding 2-1/2 in. With the bolt size figured out, head to the home center and pick up your bolts and the other items on the materials list.

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