# Milwaukee Portaband Table and Stand



## Bill Kirkley (May 17, 2020)

There's not a whole lot if machine work but it was a fun project all the same. Attached is a photo and a link to a YouTube video.








	

		
			
		

		
	
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## jwmelvin (May 17, 2020)

That’s a really nice design.


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## Bill Kirkley (May 18, 2020)

Thanks!  The leveling bolts were an after thought, creating the need for the protruding angle iron.  To pretty it up I made a larger table. While milling the blade slot a clamp loosened. So, the slot has a nice gouge :-(


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## Ken from ontario (May 18, 2020)

Nice looking stand, do you have a foot pedal for it yet? I highly recommend adding one if you haven't already.


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## francist (May 18, 2020)

Bill Kirkley said:


> the slot has a nice gouge



That’s specially engineered for efficient chip evacuation....


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## Bill Kirkley (May 18, 2020)

Ken from ontario said:


> Nice looking stand, do you have a foot pedal for it yet?



I don't have a foot pedal. For now I am depressing the trigger with a piece if wood.


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## Bill Kirkley (May 18, 2020)

francist said:


> That’s specially engineered for efficient chip evacuation....


Ah, the cat's out if the bag!  I was hoping everyone would buy my loose clamp story while I secretly applied for a patent!


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## Bill Kirkley (May 27, 2020)

Bill Kirkley said:


> Thanks!  The leveling bolts were an after thought, creating the need for the protruding angle iron.  To pretty it up I made a larger table. While milling the blade slot a clamp loosened. So, the slot has a nice gouge :-(
> View attachment 324688


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## Bill Kirkley (May 27, 2020)

A problem developed when I changed to a more aggressive 14 tooth blade. The leveling screws lift the table from the bumper shoe.  When I tried to but a 2 1/2" round bar the saw climbed upward.


I plan to fix this with either a clamp on the handle or a spacer to keep the table in contact with the bumper shoe.


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## Ken from ontario (May 27, 2020)

I stopped using the levelling screw on my shop made table, I found out if the table is clamped/attached  directly to the sliding bumper shoe ( even though it may be slightly less than 90° to the blade), it still cuts more reliably  than  forcing the table  to be a perfect 90°, just keeping it simple worked better for me.


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## Bill Kirkley (May 27, 2020)

Ken from ontario said:


> I found out if the table is clamped/attached  directly to the sliding bumper shoe



You are probably right. It seems most people clamp the table to the bumper shoe. I just worry that it may not have been designed to handle the torque that might result from inadvertently loading the edge of the table.

I may end up clamping my table to the bumper shoe, but first i am going to see if adding a clamp to the handle will solve the problem.

In order to add a clamp I needed to drill and tap a hole in the top of the column. My freehand skills aren't to good. The column was too tall for my mill. I then realized I had a right angle attachment collecting dust in the bottom of my cabinet. I've never used it.  I attached it to the mill and it worked great!


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## Bill Kirkley (May 28, 2020)

I added a cap to the post. That seems to have solved the problem.

I pulled the old video and posted a new one. Below are a link and a couple of photos.


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## Ken from ontario (May 28, 2020)

It seems you have found  the solution to that jumping problem, your table/stand looks perfectly functional .


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