Before selecting a support stand, decide what machines you will use it with and how great a weight you expect it to bear. If you plan to use it mostly with the bandsaw, make sure the support has enough height and is stable when fully raised.

To test stands for stability, I slid an 8/4 board onto them off a flat surface. Stands that were unable to lift the board 1/2 in. and instead skidded across the floor or were pushed over got a poor rating. Success at 1/2 in. rated fair, and success at 1 in. rated good.

This large Shop Fox 5 roller stand was less than overwhelming in performance. The heavy top is mounted on a tube that is height adjustable with a single screw. Getting an exact height was almost a two-man job, and even with the screw cranked down, the top still pivoted.

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