Set up on the outfeed side of a saw table, an adjustable roller stand like the one shown at left will help you support large workpieces. Start by constructing the frame for the roller, cutting the four pieces from l-by-4 stock. Glue the frame together with butt joints, adding screws to reinforce the connections. Then bore a hole in each side for a!/4-inch-diameter carriage bolt. Center the hole 3 inches from the bottom of the frame. Screw the roller to the top. Cut the remaining pieces of the stand from l-by-6 stock, referring to the dimensions provided, and rout a 14-inch-long, Vk-inch-wide slot down the middle of the two uprights. Screw the crosspiece to the uprights, aligning the top of the piece with the bottom of the slot. Fasten the upright and rails to the feet. To guide the roller frame, nail 1-by-l cleats to the uprights about Vi inch in from the edges. To set up the stand, position the frame between the uprights, fitting the carriage bolts into the slots from inside the frame. Slip washers over the bolts and tighten the wing nuts to set the height of the roller slightly below the level of your saw table.
SHOPTIP
A temporary roller stand
Using only a sawhorse, two C clamps, some wood, and a commercial roller, you can make a simple but effective stand to support the outfeed from any of your machines. Make a T-shaped mast for the roller, ensuring it is long enough to hold the roller at a suitable height. Screw the roller to the horizontal member of the mast. Add a brace to one end of the horse for clamping the mast in place: Cut 2 Tby-4s to span the legs and screw them to the legs as shown. To secure the roller stand to the sawhorse, clamp the mast to the braces, making sure the roller is horizontal.
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