Miter Saw / Tool Chest

[DGUS]

Laying out some new options for my "space challenged" garage. I think about getting rid of my Craftsman 3 piece tool chest for a 1 piece,42" US General 11 drawer chest. I'm thinking of using this as a stand for my Ryobi 10" miter saw too. I really don't have the need for extra long extensions on the saw. It's just the right height and by using it for 2 functions would save lot of room.
Has anyone used a store bought tool chest for a miter saw stand? Thoughts, opinions?
Thanks

 

[James-W]

I got a stand from Harbor Freight and I used it for one of my power miter saws. It works good and doesn't take up a lot of space.

http://www.harborfreight.com/29-inch-heavy-duty-tool-stand-95128.html

 

[James-W]

I have been thinking about this since my last post and I am not sure just how you would mount a miter saw to a tool box. Would you bolt the saw to the top of the tool box? Maybe I am missing something, could you explain in a little more detail exactly how this would work?

 

[DHCrocks]

if you do go through with it be aware of the dust situation. a miter saw is going to be making a whole lot of dust and I'm sure some of it will make it into the drawers. Consider placing a sheet or plastic across the front of the drawers to keep it out when you are using the saw. Make sure it's not flopping around and won't get tangled in the saw.

 

[beakie]

how often do you use the mitre saw?
if rarely, leave it off any stand and store it when not in use.
I use mine in spurts, few days at a time on a project, then hidden away for months.

do you have a table saw?
if you don't need extension wings on a miter saw, you could make a simple crosscut sled for a table saw that would work just aswell (arguably better).

 

[astroracer]

I put my combo lathe on the HF 44" roller. Works great, everything is stored in one spot and out of sight. Chips do get into the upper drawers though. Sawdust would get into everything.
I store my miter saw on a bench, covered up, when not in use. I bring out the Work-Mate to set it on when I need to use it.
I put my metal chop saw on a small kitchen cabinet I rollerized with castors. All of the extra discs store right in the cabinet and it rolls outside when I need it too.
Don't know how MUCH room you have but would setting your saw on the smaller Craftsman cabinet work? Put the top box/es on the new 44?
Mark

 

[Cyberbear]

I've never been in your position but if I were, in order to save space I'd enjoy designing a suitable sized portable work table on wheels, with a storage shelf underneath where I could slip the miter saw when not in use. Doing this would free up the tool cabinet top and prevent saw dust from infiltrating my tool cabinet from above. I have found the advantages of having everything on wheels when space was limited.

 

[zendriver]

I have been thinking about this since my last post and I am not sure just how you would mount a miter saw to a tool box. Would you bolt the saw to the top of the tool box? Maybe I am missing something, could you explain in a little more detail exactly how this would work?

I have a miter saw, never attached to anything. I'll use it, setting on a B&D workmate, with a roller stand, for longer pieces,
or setting on the floor.

Never saw a need to have it permanently mounted.

 

[McLean]

DGUS- I am a huge fan of going wider rather than taller with tool storage. The HF 44" box is a good, reasonably priced solution for tool storage with potential for a good work surface on top.

IMO one of the keys for those of us that are "space challenged" is versatility. Once you permanently mount that saw (or anything else) on top of what could be workspace, you have limited the usage of that area. Sure, some tools warrant permanent mounting and those will be different for everyone; you'll just have to decide if is worth the sacrifice of set-up time vs benchtop area.

If you do want to permanently mount a miter saw on top of the tool box, I might recommend installing some Riv-Nuts for mounting. Possibly even use some wing bolts for quick removal/install when needed.

Good luck and post up some pictures of your solution!

 

[Richard Cranium]

I think I would just sit it up there when you need it.

 

[crewchief888]

i have mine on a mobile stand.

i found the stand on clearance @ menards a couple years ago for $40 or so.

i didnt have the saw at the time, but had planned on getting one soon.
it was a year later before i bought the saw

i dont keep any woodworking type stuff in the garage, it's all in the basement.
if i have to i can bring the miter saw and (folding) table saw outside if needed.

way too many sparks fly in the garage, and it's already cramped in the garage.

 

[rharman]

Mobile stand for my miter saw was a great investment. Love it.

Dewalt DWX726.

 

[BikerDad]

Since "miter saw stand" and "Harbor Freight" have entered into the same conversation here, just a warning.

Avoid the HF miter saw stand. It is the very epitome of a Tool Shaped Object.

As for the OP's question about putting the miter saw on a tool chest, go for it. Just beware of flexing in the top of the chest, something that can be avoided by putting a wood top on the chest first. Also, some method of keeping the saw from shifting around would be a good idea.

 

[boiler7904]

Sawdust in the drawers and drawer slides would be enough to keep me from doing this.

Try as you might to contain it, mitersaws have a way of dumping sawdust everywhere in a garage. You'll be amazed at where it ends up.

My mitersaw is on a wood cabinet with a couple of open shelves that store wood cutoffs, some usable pieces of scrap plywood, and a couple of shop vac hoses - stuff that I don't care about getting dusty but easy enough to clean up.

 

[Falcon67]

I've had a miter saw on a three drawer Waterloo chest for about 20 years. Works well, no problem with sawdust in drawers unless you leave them open. 3/4 ply covers the box top and the miter is attached to that. I screwed a power strip to the side of the chest and keep misc tools, a couple of squares, lotsa pencils and various blades in it. The circular saw, saber saw, sawsall store in the base. Roll it over to where you're working and get to cutting. Paired with one of the adjustable roller stands from Sears and you can work 10'+ lengths of base board and what not. My saw is a 10" sliding Craftsman - when I park the chest I can swivel the saw to 45 degrees to make the combo thinner next to a wall.

 

[lilredex]

Put this together a few years back, to save space....and yes, there is dust every where. Not sure I would want a tool box under there.

 

[UpNorther]

I think a miter saw makes way to much dust to mount to the top of a tool chest. No matter what, you'd end up with wood dust in the drawers.
I used to have a 10" pro-teck miter that I just kept underneath the bench and moved up whenever needed, never fastened down to anything. Since then have upgraded to a DeWalt 12" compound miter. Its about twice the weight and size of the smaller pro-tek, so not as easily moveable It has a shorter bench made for multi-use for my router stand, and also a riser that'll fit my DeWalt miter on top.