How to Build a Miter Saw Table

Portable miter saws are just that, portable. But most often they are stationary in your garage. Normal miter saw tables are too short, allowing the cut off pieces to fall to the ground. This is dangerous and detracts from cutting clean straight angles. It's best to build a table for your miter saw, one that can handle long pieces of lumber and give you great miters because it is square and level.

Instructions

1

Pick a location in a garage or shop that is at least eight feet wide. Find the studs in the wall, level and screw the stretcher to the wall with the top of the stretcher at 35 1/4 inches.

2

Stand the leg jambs up vertically on the floor on the ends of the stretcher, sides to the wall. Lay the table top on top of the 2 by 4 and leg jambs, flushing it with the leg jambs. Carefully drill along the back of the table top. Screw the table top to the 2 by 4, using 1-1/2-inch wood screws. Drill along both edges of the table top and screw it to the leg jambs.

3

Holding the other stretcher at the front of the table between the leg jambs, clamp it flush with the outside of the table. Drill and screw it down through the top of the table. Center the leg standing up behind the stretcher in front, screw it on through the stretcher using two three-inch wood screws.

4

Set your saw on the table top and center it. Screw it to the table top through its base using 3/4 inch screws; there will be holes already drilled in the metal saw base. Lay two spacers evenly spaced on each side of the saw. Lay the saw extensions on top of the spacers and screw them on using 1-1/2 -inch screws. Reach underneath, drill and screw on the spacers from the bottom.

5

Lay a six-foot straight edge along the saw table. Draw a pencil line where the straight edge extends past the edges of the saw on both sides. Align the left and right side fences along this line. Place a screw cleat behind the fences on both sides of the saw and screw them to the extensions using 1 1/2-inch screws. Now screw the fences to the cleat using 1 1/2-inch screws