Modified Ultimate Tool Stand

[RickD1]

I have been a BT3100 owner for only a short time but was getting very frustrated with trying to move it around to make the cuts I wanted to make. I recalled seeing some folks that put together a modified UTS and decided that was a design that I liked. This has turned out to be a true labor of love/love of labor project! Building the torsion box was fun, and the BT3100 was a pleasure to do all of the dados with. Too bad it wasnot possible to do all of the break down on the sheet goods. I'm not sure if there was any benefit to using MDF, that stuff is heavier than heck, and it is really messy to work with. I have spent all my free hours this past week working on this project and right now I am happy to report that the torsion box is done, casters are on, stand is mobile, the upper cabinets are done and installed, the BT3100 is installed and all of the tools that did not have a home, are temporarily stored in the unfinished moded UTS. I am now trying to figure out what I would like to do about powering the UTS as well as dealing with dust collection for the BT3100. I have roughed out a dust collection idea for below the saw, but I am thinking it might be better to have this on the end vice the back. This will allow me to park it closer to a wall when not in use.
I will try to post pictures as I get the chance.

[siliconbauhaus]

Please post the piccies mate....I'd like to see what you've come up with.

[cgallery]

I think the saying goes, "no pictures, didn't happen."

[RickD1]

OK...Twist my arm why don't you...

I am still looking at how I want to try and do the dust collection thing. I think if I bring the dust collection ports to the end of the stand I will be able to park it closer to a wall. I do have a smallish shop and would like to use all of the space as effectively as possible.

If you have any suggestions or ideas I am looking forward to hearing them as I am still in the mock up stage prior to putting on the back and doors, as well as choosing a finish.

Sorry if the quality of the pictures is crappy, I had to resize them to post them.

[siliconbauhaus]

The piccies are brill mate.

Have you cut a big hole under the saw to collect all the crapoloa and have you hinged it like guru Ray in the UK's ?

I was under the opinion that the bt3k was a semi sealed blade assembly, and that most of the crap went into the casing for the blade?

[JSCOOK]

That's HUGE ... pretty cool!

As for the DC unit, just add a hitch to that thing and drag the DC along for the ride!

[siliconbauhaus]

nah..stick a big pipe outside and annoy the neighbours... Look daddy its snowing...hang on these are wood chips

[RickD1]

The piccies are brill mate.

Have you cut a big hole under the saw to collect all the crapoloa and have you hinged it like guru Ray in the UK's ?

I was under the opinion that the bt3k was a semi sealed blade assembly, and that most of the crap went into the casing for the blade?

I did cut the big hole...and hinged it...too bad you can't see it in the pics.

It is true that the blade is semi sealed, but that semi seal is only up to the arbor nut. Everything that gets past that is everywhere.

[RickD1]

Mods

No patience tonight!

[siliconbauhaus]

just pulling your leg mate......more pics please!

[RickD1]

After looking

After looking at the design so far, I have determined that I am going to have to change some things. I am going to have to take the side of the stand that the saw sits on back apart. I wish I would have thought of this before using Titebond II to glue up the joints. I am not happy with the size of the hole I made under the saw to facilitate dust collection (I made it a little too big). I am worried that my choice of using a piano hinge will not be strong enough to support the saw when it is flipped up to do maintainence. I will replace that assembly with hard wood and some spare door hinges I have laying around. I will also need to take this apart as I have decided to run the dust collection port out the end and this will require a trip to the drill press. The reason for doing this from the end vice the back so I can park it close to a wall when not in use. I am also looking at how difficult it will be to put a router in the end opposite from the saw.

It looks like I still have a few hours of work left before I have a finished product. I will try to keep a photo journal of the rest of the process.

[bigstick509]

Awesome


One of these days when I have any free time,a rendition of the UTS is on the top of my list.

[RickD1]

I wasn't happy with the way the section that sat under the BT3100 was put together. I used a piano hinge in order to get access to the under side of the saw. I felt that design not sturdy enough for my intended application. Here are some design mods I came up with. I decided to put the dust collection fitting on the end of the UTS vice the back. This will allow me to park it closer to a wall. I put in some furniture type nuts on the bottom side of the saw. As these are tightened down they have four blades that bite into the wood and lock them in place. I learned from the first go around that trying to use regular hex nuts and washers was a true pain in the butt. This new way worked out well. I had some old door hinges laying around from when my house was built and put them to use. They also required some mods, new holes, countersunk, etc. Saw is mounted and operational. Now I am working on the dust collection plenum.

[RickD1]

Photos attached to this one

Here are the photos that were supposed to be attached to the last post.

[siliconbauhaus]

nice work mate...keep going

btw RayintheUK has a good link to his version http://www.raygirling.com/sawtable.htm