Designing a scroll saw stand

[Pompeio]

I bought my first scroll saw (a slightly used, pristine condition Pegas 21) last week and am going to build my own stand for it.  I have looked at numerous YouTube videos and have several questions:

(1) some stands have three legs and others have four.  Is there an advantage of one over the other? Please note that, either way, I intend to put four casters on the stand.

(2) shape of the stand is either rectangular or a parallelogram. Any reason for a particular shape?

(3) if the parallelogram design, should the narrow, end be at the front or back? The ones I have seen always have the narrow end at the back but my thought is to have it at the front so the scroller’s legs will partially straddle the stand.

I intend to add a shelf and possibly a drawer or two.

Thanks ahead of time for the responses.

[OCtoolguy]

I have 2 Ex's. I built 2 stands in rectangular shapes. I put 2 7" wheels at the back end and created a sliding wheelbarrow handle on each side so I can easily move the saws when needed. I have also incorporated onboard dust control for each saw. I have a small shop so when weather permits I like to move one or both saws outside to my driveway. If I were to do it again I'd make the end where I sit narrower to accommodate my knees but as it is I can sit comfortably.

[Denny Knappen]

To answer point one, the DeWalt and I believe Delta are the triangle shape.  The Pegas has four bolts to fasten to the stand.  I would recommend the rectangular one for the Pegas.

[Pompeio]

Ray: thank you for the response. Q: why the hinged front? To access shavings on the table beneath the saw?

Danny : thank you as well for the clarification.

looks like a rectangular design with four legs is in order although may make it a bit narrower in the front for leg access.

[OCtoolguy]

5 hours ago, Pompeio said:

Ray: thank you for the response. Q: why the hinged front? To access shavings on the table beneath the saw?

Danny : thank you as well for the clarification.

looks like a rectangular design with four legs is in order although may make it a bit narrower in the front for leg access.

The hinge is for the top so I can tilt the saw if necessary.

[Pompeio]

Do you slide a 2x4 under the top at the back?

Edited November 12, 2022 by Pompeio

[OCtoolguy]

1 hour ago, Pompeio said:

Do you slide a 2x4 under the top at the back?

No, I built it with an adjustable brace from underneath.

 

[Dan]

A three-legged stand will stand on the floor without rocking even if the floor is uneven. (Remember geometry...three points make a plane.) If the floor is uneven one of the legs may rock and you will have to make adjustments. 

My stand has three legs and is of a triangle shape. The narrow side goes to the back because that is where you can adjust the front to back tilt of the saw to make scrolling more comfortable. The stand if very stable. 

The fun is in the making, so enjoy your new stand! 

 

[rash_powder]

I didn't see a post addressing the shape of the stand.  Rectangle or parallelogram does not matter.  Its just how you want it to match your saw's foot print.  Rectangle is much easier.  

3 legs are naturally self leveling, 4 aren't quite as tippy when moving.  If you have an absolute dead level floor 4 legs would be fine; if not use 3.  4 legs will rock somewhere between slightly and a lot.  My four castor stand turns into a 3 leg stand by wedging a piece of 2x4 under the front or back; super simple fix.  

I would add that when building your stand consider the weight and rigidity of it.  By their nature, scroll saws oscillate rapidly up and down and its surprising what that small weight moving up and down will bounce around.  Hegner advises bolting the stand to a concrete floor!  Make it heavy and you will be fine.  Also keep in mind that all that up and down motion will make things flex like a leaf spring.  This causes all sorts of weird amplifications and deadenings of the vibrations your saw makes.  

I haven't any picks of my stand, but the top is 2x4'x laminated together; about 16"x24".  The cabinet beneath is framed from 2x4 and skinned in 1/4" ply.  Not terrible fancy, but its heavy, doesn't flex, and it works.  

[Sycamore67]

My Hegner is on a three legged Hegner stand.  The back leg is up about 3/4".  It is very stable.

[Pompeio]

I finished making a stand out of some wood I had lying around (with the exception of the 4x4 legs) my downstairs shop. I added two drawers on the right side and put the top on hinges so I can have the saw setting flat or at an angle.  Painted the wood to match the colors of the Pegas.

[OCtoolguy]

Beautiful. Great job & well done. 

[Tallbald]

I'll offer here photos of the stand I designed and built from scrap construction lumber. The top tilts and locks in place with steel pins. heavy duty door hinges for the tilting mechanism. Narrower at the front to let the scroller's legs more easily go around the front when working up close. All corners have locking swivel casters. Glue and screws construction. Cord wrap attached to a bracing tray below. very very stable and sturdy. Should I be fortunate enough to one day have the Jet 18 inch scroll saw I hope to have, I'll build another very similar stand to this. The design works well for me and the solid top and frame gives me many options for mounting lights, accessories, tool storage and such.

Being that I have spinal troubles, fake knee, damaged shoulder yada yada yada I chose to design my stand for setting position scrolling.

**As a side note friends, I must share that I so enjoy thinking through, designing, building and finishing tools, accessories, equipment and such. I really enjoyed making this stand and thinking about time I'd be spending setting there using our beautiful little saw. I guess it's just another creative wish thing.  I had to use available material pulled from local construction dumpsters, old salvaged wood from a bed frame of my parents (1967), and 70% off plywood scraps from the Home Depot damaged-so- buy-it before-we-cut-it-up-and-toss-it-cart. Anyone else here enjoy making support stuff as well as the projects?

Don

Edited December 15, 2022 by Tallbald

[Wichman]

For a number of reasons I mounted my old saw, a delta two speed, to my miter saw stand. It's rock solid on high. After Christmas I plan to mount the Hegner 22" and see how it works. My shop is 16' x18', if I place the tools I'm using in the center of the 18' wall I can easily process 8' boards, be it miter saw, planer, scroll saw, etc. With 5' of rails I can mount several tools at the same time, SS, sanders, second SS, and not have to be switching back and forth.

The picture is the delta two speed and the light bracket. Note there is a ton of space underneath if I need to use a chair ( I normally just stand ).