For those times in your shop when you need assistance with either the out feed on your table saw, router table or support for your drill press this easily made roller stand will work just great. This stand has been in our shop for nearly 20 years.
The roller is a common rolling pin purchased at Wal-Mart, Target or any other large chain store. With a footprint of 20” it is very stable and will not knock over like many of the metal stands on the market today. The weight of the stand will also assist in balancing it.
You will need an 8’ long 2 x 4 and scrap material from your shop. Because most 2 x 4’s have rounded edges rip 1/8” from each side to square the material. Measure the thickness of the 2 x 4’s as they sometimes vary, to determine the thickness of the side-pieces. Ours are ¾” x 3 x 25. Cut the lower 2 x 4 to 24” and drill a 3/8” hole in the center 19” from the bottom.
Cut the 2 x 4 for the base leg to 20” and allow ¾” for the inset for the leg on the underside. This establishes the foot for each side. Cut it to size with the band saw. Cut the second leg from ¾” stock to 20” long and 4 ½” wide. Adjust this to fit over the 2 x 4 leg.
Assemble lower base column 2 x 4 and the sides with finish nails and glue. Attach this column to the legs with glue and screws. The upper roller support may require that you modify it to fit the rolling pin that you purchased. It is assembled with ¾” material and 2 x 4 blocks to make it rigid. Be sure to notch the 2 x 4 short end pieces to fit the rolling pin. This is held in place with screws at each end of the rolling pin handle.
Cut the upper column 2 x 4 to 30” long. Using a 3/8” bit in a plunge router route a slot in the center to match the hole that you drilled in the lower 2 x 4 column. Start 3” from the base of the upper 2 x 4 and route up 17”. This will hold the adjustment carriage bolt, washer and wing nut.
Finish the stand with a couple of coats of spray primer, and then select a color of your choice. Our stand is painted blue and it matches the laminate on our cabinet tops and the side table on our table saw.
For each of the machines that you use it on, mark with a black marking pen on the upper 2 x 4 column the correct location so that you do not have to fiddle with the stand to get it to fit different machines in your shop.
Brian Murphy
American Furniture Design Co