I’ve cut my share of board feet while squating in front of my miter saw while it was on the floor. As I get older, this was going from being inconvenient, to a real pain in the back. (Literally!) There was no way to support the ends of the board other than shimming with scrap lumber prior to each cut. I tried mounting it on top of my B&D Workmate, but supporting the ends of the boards became even more of an issue. I knew I wanted a mitersaw stand, but which one?
I liked different features of the different stands I reviewed, like large wheels, heavy construction and additional work supports. Some looked like I could copy their design and weld from square tubular steel. Weight would be a consideration. Combine this with the weight of the saw, it could be over 160 pounds. Getting it into and out of my SUV without trashing my bumper (and my back) would be a trick. Using aluminum rectangular tubing would be lighter, but really pricey! After looking at the others, I decided on the Dewalt DW723 miter stand. I am glad I did! Most of the others come in kit form, the 723 is fully assembled. It folds into a compact package, is relatively light, very sturdy, made from high quality components, and it is one of the most professional looking stands around (especially when mounting a matching Dewalt miter saw on it!).
Most bolts have Allen-wrench heads. Any that are adjusted often (such as the extention arms and supports) have large T-handles. All nuts are the type that have nylon lock-washers to keep from vibrating loose. The saw brackets attach (and detach) quickly from the main beam. There are rubber feet attached to the brackets so the saw can be used alone on a bench (or on the floor…) if desired. The arms will support 99.5% of the lumber I will be chopping without sagging. When I want to throw an 8′ 4×12 on the stand, it will require supports (2x2s will do) clamped to the arm, extending down to the ground. Other stands have these extra supports already attached, but are unneccessary for the vast majority of my cuts; and will only add to the weight and complexity of break-down for transport.
By folding down my rear seat of my SUV, I can get the stand to fit with ease. The saw is detached, and placed next to it. I will probably attach a pair of 10″ pneumatic wheels to one end for easier portability around a job site. I like the table saw extension the Delta folks have on their stand (model 50-155), and will incorporate a small extension similar to theirs on the Dewalt DW723 miter stand. There are some cheaper stands around, but they were either too heavy (up to 90 lbs for the stand alone!) or too flimsy (for mounting a DW708 12″ compound sliding miter saw). The package arrived in fine shape with no damage to the stand.
I highly recommend this stand. Now that I have one, I wonder why I didn’t get one sooner. I’ll never go back to squatting on the floor again.
DEWALT DW723 Miter Saw Stand
